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MURRAY, N° 32, FLEET-STREET. MDCCXCIir. 8^ ,-.? ■) 1/ 1/ c ^i^- :i. <: ^^ CONTENTS OF THS FOURTH VOLUME. CT'HE Canary Finch «» «_ Foreign Birds that are related to the Canaries -« .» .^ 1. The Worabee — _ .» 2. The Ultra- Marine — > ». 'the Habejh of Syria ^» i». 'The Linnet — -«- «• Varieties of the Linnet — .^ 1. The Straiburg Finch — i -.' 2. The Mountain Linnet — -~ 3< The Twite -^ mmm .^ Foreign Birds that are related to the Linnet ~~ .. ... 1. The Vengoline — •— 2. The Gray finch — • .. 3. The Yellow-Headed Linnet — — 4. The Dufky Finch — — The Minifier — — -« The Bengals, and the Senegals — .» A 2 Page I 43 46 48 49 51 6j ib. 6S 66 70 ib. 7« 73 75 76 78 CONTENTS. The Bengal — J. The Brown Bengal a. The Pun£\ured Bengal ^ . ^be Senegal — — Varieties of the Senegal I. A Bird killed in Cayenne 2. The Danbilc of Mr. Bruce 3- The Radiated Senegal 4- The Serevan — 5- The Little Senegal Sparrow 6. The Maia — 7- The Maian — ^he Chaffinch — VARiETras of the Chaffinch — — The Chailinch with black wings and tail The Brown ChafTinch — — The Crefted Brown Chaffinch — The White Chaffinch — The Collared Chaffinch — I. 2. 3- 4- 5- The Bramlling — I. 2. 3- 4- 5- 6. 7- 8. 9- 10. 1 1. 12. ^3- 14- The Lapland Finch — The Snow Finch — The Brown Grofbcak — The Cowpen Finch — The Bonana Finch — The Orange Finch — The Towhe Buntins: — The Black and Vellow Finch The Long- Billed Finch — The Chinefe Finch — 1 he Euftachian Finch ^ The Variegated Finch The Frizzled Finch - The Collared Finch — 15. The Marygold Grolbeat — Page 81 84 85 87 83 ib. ib. 89 9« 92 ib. 94 96 105 - ib. 106 ib. ib. 107 108 117 118 119 123 ib. 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 The Page - 8i 84 85 - 87 88 — ib. ib. - 89 — 91 — 92 — ib. "" 94 96 105 — ib. 106 - ib. [ ib. 107 108 117 118 119 129 ib. 121 122 124 125 126 127 128 X29 130 The CONTENT S. The fFidows — — . 1. The Gold. Collared Wiuow — 2. The Shaft-tailed Widow -- 3. The Dominican Widow — 4. The Great Widow -^ 5. The Orange- (houldered Widow 6. The Speclcled Widow — . 7. The Fire-coloured Widow — 8. The Extina Widow — 9. The Grenadin — — . The Greenfinch — — . 1. The Painted Bunting — Variety of the Painted Bunting 2. The Blue-faced Bunting — The Green Bunting — The Yellow Finch — The Bahama Finch — • The Greenifli Finch .— The Varied Greenfinch — 3- 4- 5- 6. 7- The Goldfinch — Varieties 0/ the Goldfinch — — 1. The Yellow-breafted Goldfinch -_ 2. The Goldfinch with White Eyebrows and P'orehead — 3. The Goldfinch whofe Head is ftripsd with Red and Yellow — _ The Blacic- hooded Goldfinch ~ The Whitifli Goldfinch 6. The White Goldfinch — — 7. The Blacic Goldfinch — — 8. The Orange-headed Blacic Goldfinch — 9. The Hybrid Goldfinch — . — 10. The Lulean Finch — «m Page — 13a — 134 — »37 — 138 — 140 — 141 — 142 — 143 — 144 — ib. - '147 — 150 153 — ib. — 15s — 156 — isf — 158 ~ ib. — 160 4- 5- 171 ib. — — ib. 173 ib. 173 ib. *74 I7S »76 177 A3 Foreign / r COl^TENTS- FoRBieK Birds related to the Goldfinches * I. The Green Goldfinch, or the Maracaxao a. The Yellow Goldfinch — *. the Lejfer Redpoll -— — *tbeSiJkin — -. — Varieties of the Species of Sijkins — I. A fiird between the Sifkin and Canary a. The New York Sifkin — -^i 3. The Olivarez — — 4. The Black Si(kin — -^ Foreign Birds related to the Stjkin 1. The Catotol — 2. TheCatechili — Ti&tf Tanagres — 1. The Grand Tanagre — 2. The Crefted Tanagre — 3. The Violet Tanagre — 4. The Scarlet Tanagre — 5. Th» Canada Tanagre — 6. The Mifliffippi Tanagre — 7. The Black- faced Tanagre — 8. The Black-headed Tanagre — • 9. The Furrow-clawed Tanagre — 10. The Black Tanagre, and the Rufous 1 1 . The Turquoifc Tanagre — . 12. The Red-breaftcd Tanagre — 13. The Saint Domingo Tanagre — 14. The BiHiop Tanagre — 15. 7'he Red- headed Tanagre — « j6. The Green Tanagre — 17. The Olive Tanagre — 18. The Black and Blue Tanagre — 19. The Gray-headed Tanagre — 20. The Rufous*headed Tanagre — Page 178 ib. 179 183 i83 ib. 196 ib. ib. 199 ib. 200 — 201 — 203 — ib. — 204 — 205 — 209 — 210 — 211 — 212 — 213 Tanagre 2 1 4 - ib. — 215 — 218 — 219 — 220 — 221 — • 222 — 223 — 224 — 225 Variety Page 178 ib. 179 i83 J 95 ib. 196 ib. ib. 199 ib. 200 201 203 ib. 204 205 209 210 211 212 213 214 ib. 215 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 lETV CONTENTS. Variety of the Rufous- headed Tanagre 21. The Green- headed Tanagre — 22. The Gray Tanagre — 23. The Paradife Tanagre ■«- 24. The Blue Tanagre •■• 25. The Black-throated Tanagre 26. The Hooded Tanagre — Small Tanagres — — 1. The Red-headed Tanagre — • 2. The Syacu Tanagre — 3. The Organift •— — 4. The Jacarini Tanagre — 5. The Golden Tanagre — 6. The Negro Tanagre — Tanagres whoje Species is not decided 1. The Grafs bird, or Xiuhtototl of Fernandez 2. The Mexican bird of Seba^ of the fize of a Sparrow — — 3. The Brazilian Guira-Perea of Marcgrave 4. The Bird fmaller than the Goldfinch, or the Quatoztli of Brazil — 5. The Calatti of Seba — — 6. The Anonymous Bird of Hernaodez fi The Brown Cardinal of Briflbn 8. The Silent Bird — ^ ^he Ortolan Bunting — — Varieties of the Ortolan — I. The Yellow Ortolan — — a. The White Ortolan , — — 3. The Blackifh Ortolan — — 4. The White- tailed Ortolan — 5« The Various*coloured Ortolan — Pj«ge 227 ib. 228 ib. 230 231 232 ib. 234 23s 237 238 24a ib. ib. 24 r ib. 242 243 ib. 244 ib, ^45 251 ib. ib. ib. 252 ib. y\'- k CONTENTS. Page 7'le R^'eJ Btnituijr — -- 253 1. The Moocied Bunting ' — ^$6 2. The Muflachoe Hunting — aS7 3. The L^fbiaii Huming — SIS' 4. The Lorraine Hunting — 859 5. The Lcuifianc Bunting — 161 6. The Yellow-bellied Cape Bunting 262 7. The Cape Bunting — — 263 T'he Sficw Bunting — — VARii-Tits of the Snow Bunting — 1. The Jacobine Bunting — 2. The Collared Snow Bunting — 7i>e Rice Bunting — — V A i< I liT I E s 0/ the Rice Bunting — The Louifiana Banting — ^be Tellow Bunting — — Varieties o///&tf Tellow Bunting — The Cirl Bunting — — The Foolijli Bunting — — The Common Bunting — — Foreign Birds which are related to the Bunt' 264 268 ib. 269 2;o 272 ib. 274 27« 279 282 284 ing% — The Brazilian Bunting The Mexican Bunting The Yellow-faced Bunting The Olive Bunting The Amazon Bunting 6. The Plata Bunting 7. The Bourbon Bunting 8. The Gray Bunting 9. The Familiar Bunting 10. The Cinereous Bunting I. \. 3- 4. 5- ill II. 283 ib. 389 290 ib. 291 ib. 292 293 294 ib. The CONTENTS.. Page II. The Blue Bunting — — 29$ 1 ». The Bonjour Commander — 396 13. The Rcd-cyed Bunting — 397 The Bttljincb — — .» 298 Varieties 0//^^ Bulfincb — — 306 1. The White Bulfuich — — 307 2. The Black BulHnch — ib. 3. The Great Black African Bulfmch 308 FoREFON Birds which are related to the Bui- finch — — — 310 I. The Orange Grofbenk — ib. 2. The White billed Grofbcak — 31' 3. The Lineatcd Grofbcak — 312 4. The Minute Grofbcak — 3'4 5. The Blue Grofbeuk — — J'S 6. The Black Grofbcak — — 316 7. The Purple Finch — .— 317 8. The Purple Grofbeak — _ 3»8 9. The Black-cref^cd Grofbcak — 319 10. The Hamburgh — — 320 ^he Coly — — — 321 CoUes whofe Species or Varieties arc imperfeolly known — — —> 324 1. The Coly of the Cape of Good Hope ib. 2. The Crefted Coly of Senegal — ib. 3. Tlie Radiated Coly — — 325 4. The Coly of the Ifland of Panay 326 l^be Manakins — — 1. The Tige, or Great Munr.kin 2. The Nut-Cracker «-■ 3. The Red Manakin — 4. The Orange Manakin •— 327 330 33» 33* 334 The 'r t »' I' Page '33S 337 ib. CONTENTS. 5. The Gold-headed Manakin } the Red-headed Manakin ; and the White-headed Manakin 6 The White- throaced Manakin — 7. The Variegated Manakin — Some Foreign Birds errofieoujly denominated Ma- nnkins — — 339 1. Bird called Miacatototl by the Brazilians ib. 2. Rubetra, or Crcfted American bird 339 3. Picicitli, or the Leaft Crefted bird of Brazil 340 4. Cuquantototl, or Small Crcfled bird, ihaped like a Sparrow — — 341 Species related to the Manakins — 2^-3 1. The White Plume — -- ib. 2. The Cinereous Bird of Guiana — 344 3. The Papuan Mana)cin -•« ib. ^he Cock of the Rock — — 346 The Peruvian Cock of the Rock — 349 i'' ^be Cotingas — — 1. The Blue Riband — 2. The Purple- throated Chatterer 3. The Blue-breaded Chatterer 4. The Silky Chatterer — 5. The Pompadour Chatterer Varietjes of the Pompadour 1, The Gray-purple Pompadour 2, The Gray Cotinga — 3, The Red Chatterer — 4, The Carunculated Chatterer 5, The Variegated Chatterer 353 355 356 357 358 359 ib. 360 361 36a 364 .:il ^he Cuirarou — Variety of the Cuirarou The Gray Cotinga ib. rht w.\ *!?■ CONTENTS. ^bff winters — — 1. The King of the Anters 2. The Azurin -^ 3. The Great Belfry 4. The Small Belfry 5. The Palikour, or Anter 6> The Colma — • 7. The Tetema — 8. The Crefted Anter p. The White-eared Anter 10. The Chimer — 11. The Banobla — 1 2. The Arada »- 13. The Nightingale Anters 14. The Coraya -^ 15. The Alapi -« The Agami — The Tinamous — - 1. The Great Tinamou 2. The Cinereous Tinamou 3. The Variegated Tinamou 4. The Little Tinamou The Tocro — — • The Flycatchers I. 2. 3- 4- 5' The Spotted Flycatcher — The Collared Black Flycatcher, or the Fly- catcher of Lorraine — The Undulated Flycatcher -^ 1 he Senegal Flycatcher — The Bourbon Flycatcher — 6. The Brown-throated Senegal Flycatcher 7. Tl'.e Azure Flycatcher 11. The Whifliered Flycatcher — - 9. The Brown Flycatcher — - 10. The Rufous Flycatcher — 11. he Lemon Flycatcher of Loui/iana X2. The Ked -eyed Flycatcher >«■ 13. The Martinico Flycatcher — 14. Page 170 374 376 ib. 378 379 380 ib. 381 38a 38s 384 38s 387 388 ib. 390 402 406 408 ib. 4ic^ 412 414 416 418 423 424 426 428 429 430 431 433 434 ib. 436 The ^ i ii. CONTENTS. 14. The Black-Cap Flycatcher — 15. The Black and White Flycatcher 16. The Cinereous Flycatcher — t7. The Adive Flycatcher — 18. The Streaked Flycatcher — ig. The Little Black Aurora Flycatcher of Ame- rica — — 20. The Round-Crefted Flycatcher 21. The Rufous Flycatcher — 22. The Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 13. The Kin5 of the Flycatchers — 24. The Dwarfifli Flycatchers — • The Moucherolles •— — 1. The Savana — — 2. The Crefled MoucheroUe, with Steel-coloured Head — — The Virginian MoucheroUe — The Brown MoucheroUe of Martinico The Forked-Tail MoucheroUe of Mexico The MoucheroUe of the Philippines TheGreen-crefted Virginian MoucheroUe 3- 4- 5- 6. 7- 8. The Schet of Madagafcar ^he Tyrants — . — — 1. The Titiri, or Pipiri — 2. The Tyrant of Carolina — 3. The Bentaveo, or the Cuiriri — ■ 4. The Cayenne Tyrant — 5. The Caudec — — 6. The 1 yrant of Loulfiana — • Birds related to the Flycatchers^ the Mouche- rolleSf and the Tyrants — 1. The Kinki'Manou of Madagafcar 2. The i^ed Flycatcher — — 3. The Drongo — — 4. The riauhau — — • Page 437 ib. 438 439 440 441 442 443 444 446 447 450 451 45a 455 456 457 458 ib. 459 463 464 469 47» 472 473 475 476 ib. 477 478 480 ';'■ \ THE hJ Page 437 ib. 438 439 440 441 442 443 444 446 447 450 451 45a 455 456 457 458 ib. 459 463 464 469 471 472 473 475 476 ib. 477 478 4»o T H S NATURAL HISTORY O F BIRDS. The CANARY FINCH*. Le Serin des Canaries, Buff. Fringilla Canaria, Linn. Serinus Canarius, Briff. Ray, Will, and Kolb. Pajfere di Canaria, Zinn. Canaritn Vogel, Wirs. IF the Nightingale be the fongfter of the grove, the Canary Finch is the mufician of the chamber. The melody of the former is derived from Nature alone, that of the latter is direded and improved by our inflrudtions. With a weaker voice, with lefs extent of modulation, with lefs variety of notes, the Canary Finch has a finer ear, greater facility of imitation f , and a more • The Linnean charafter :— *• The bill and body yellowlfli-white, the feathers of the wings and tail grecniih, the bill whitilh." It is four inches and a half long. t The Canary learns to fpeak, and articulate many little names very dilHnftiy. ... By means of a ilageoletf it can acc^uirc two or ▼OL. IV. B three i }^ 9.'' rtl I! \ Hi a THE CANARY FINCH. a more retentive memory ; and, as the charac- ters of animals depend principally on the quality of their perceptions, this delicate bird, alive to every impreffion, becomes alfo more focial, more gentle i forms acquaintance, and even lliewa attachment*. Its careffes are amiable, its little pets are innocent, and its anger neither hurts nor offends. Its habits too approach nearer to our own ; it feeds on grain, like the other do- meftic birds; it is more eafily bred than the Nightingale, which lives only on flefh and in- feds, and which requires its meals to be pur- pofely prepared. Its education is attended alfo with greater fuccefs ; it readily lays afide the me- lody of its native airs to adopt the harmony of our voices and inftruments ; it eagerly follows the notes, and improves and heightens their delicacy. The Nightingale, proud of its independent warble, feems defirous to preferve its purity ; at leaft, he flights our mufic, and can hardly be brought to learn a few fongs. The Canary Finch prattles or vvhiftles ; but the Nightingale defpifes what he deer's the perverfion of his talents, and perpetually recurs to the rich beauties of Nature, three airs, which it chants in their proper tone, always keep- ing due lime, Sec. Traite des Serins dcs Canaries ^ par Ikr-vieux, 1713. A Canary, which, when youii^, was phiced vc-ry near my deik, got an odd fort of fong ; it imitated the Ibund made by telling crowns, Noie communicated hy Hchcrt, recei'ver general at Dijon. • It becomes fo familiar and fo fond of carefling, that a thoufand and a thoufand times it comes to kifs and bill its niaftcr, and never fails to anfwei his call. Trttite Jes Serins, par M. lUrvieux. His •' it THE CANARY FINCH. le charac- he quality 1, alive to cial, more en lliewa , its little :her hurts nearer to other do- than the h and in- :o be pur- mded alfo le the me- ony of our Hows the r delicacy. dependent >urity ; at lardly be ary Finch e defpifes ents, and if Nature, ways keep- iciix, 1713. my delk, got ling crowns. It a thoufand ;r, and never ■'vieux. His tlis ever-varied fong can never be altered by man ; that of the Canary Finch is more pliant9 and can be modelled by our tafte. The one* therefore contributes more than the other to the comforts of fociety ; the Canary Finch fings at all times, recreates our fpirits in the gloomiefl: weather, and even adds to our happinefs; it amufes all young people, and is the delight of the reclufe ; it relieves the languors ol the cloifter, and infufes cheerfulnefs into innocent and captive minds ; and its little loves, which are manifeft when it breeds, have a thoufand and a thoufand times awakened the tendernefs of feeling hearts. It is as ufeful, as the Vulture is pernicious. To the happy climate of the Hefperides, this charming bird owes it birth, or, at leaft, its per- fedion : for, in Italy *, there is a fpecies fmaller than that of the Canaries, and in Provence, another almoft as large f ; but both thefe are more * C/trhiilla, GcCner ; Vercellino, Olina.—*' Sparrow variegated *« above with yellowil'h green ; below dilute greenifli ; the wing " and tail quills bl ickifti, the outer niargin greenifli." The Italiaa Seri>i. BiiissoN. It is the Fringi/Ia C//nW/a of Linnxus, and the Ci/ril Finc/j of L^lham. Its fpecific charader : — " It is fome- " what greenifti, its back fpotted with dufky, its legs flelh co- *' loured." f Scrintis, Serin, Ccnicle, Ccrefin, Clnit, Ce^rin.'^''^ Sparrow *' varying above with greenifli yellow, below dilute greenifli, the " fides marked with dufky longitudinal fpots, a greenilh yellow *' ftiipc on the wings ; the quills of the wings and of the tail •' dulky above, the outer margins grayilh-green, the tips vvhitifli." The Sain. Brisson. It is the /r/w^/V/flt Strinus of Linnxus, and the ■StvvY Finch of Latham. Its fpecific charafter :—" It is fomewhat B 2 " greenifli. nr n ' U' , .ill. 4 THE CANARY FINCH. more ruftic, and may be regarded as the wild branches of a poliflied ftem. All the three in- termix in the ftate of captivity; but in the range of nature, each propagates in its peculiar climate. They are therefore permanent varieties, and ought to be diftinguiflied by feparate names. The largeft was called 6V«//, or CV«/, in the time of Belon (above two centuries ago) ; and in Pro- vence it is termed at prefent CV///, or Ci^m, and the Italian kind Venturon, I (hall diftinguifh thefe three varieties by the epithets Canary, Cini. and Venturon* The Ventttrotty or the Italian Bird, is found not only through the whole of Italy, but in Greece *, Turkey, Auftria, Provence, Languedoc, Catalo- nia, and prob:ibly in all climates of that temper- ature. Some years, however, it is very rare in the fouthern provinces of France, and particu- larly at Marfeilles. Its fong is pleafant and varied. The female is inferior to the male both in the charms of its notes and in the beauty of its plumage. The fhape, the colour, the voice, and the food of the Venturon afld of the Canary, are nearly the fame ; and the only difierence is, " greenifli, its lower mandible whicifh, its back and Adcs (potted *' with dufky ; a yellow fpot on the wings." • The ancient GreeJcs called this bird T^at/Tri?; ard the tnodera Greeks, actording to Belon, "Zitmlua, The Turkifl. name is Sure : in fome parts of Italy it is termed Luguarinera, Bcagana, Raverin ; in the neighbourhood of Rome, J'erzcllino ; in Bologna, Viilarino ; at Naples, Lequilla ; at Genoa, Scarino ; in the Trcntin, Citrinella j iu Germany, Citrjnlt or ZitrjnU ; at Vienna, Citril. that THE CANARY FINCH. 5 that the Italian bird is fenfibly fmaller, and its warble neither fo clear nor Co melodious. The Cinif or Green Bird of Provence, is larger than the Venturon, and its tones are much fuller. It is diftinguiflied by the beauty of its colours, the loudnefs of its fong, and the variety of its notes. The female, which is ra- ther larger than the male, and has fewer yellow feathers, chants not like its mate, and anfwers only in monofyllables. It feeds on the fmalleft feeds it can find in the field ; lives long in a cage, feems fond of lodging with a gold-linch, whofe accents it feems attentively to hear, and adopt, to vary its own warble. It occurs not only in Provence, but alfo in Dauphine, in the Lyonnois *, in Bugey, in Geneva, in Switzer- land, in Germany, in Italy, and in Spain f . It • I have feen in the country in Bugey, and near Lyons, birds very like the Canary Finches, and they were called Sig»is or Cignis. I have alfo feen them at Geneva in cages, and their fong did not feem to me very pleafant. — I think they are called at Paris " the Swifs Serins." Noteo/M. Hebert. " The German Serins are much commended ; they excel the Canary Finches by their beauty and their fong. They are not inclined to grow fat ; the force and extent of their warble prevent, it is faid, that cffeft. They are raifed in cages or in chambers fitted up for them, and having an eafterly afpeft ; they hatch thrice a-year, from the month of April to Auguft." Le Ptirfait Oijekur. This is not altogether accurate ; for the fong of thcfe German Serins, which are the fame with thofe of Switzerland and Provence, though full and (hrill, is far from having the fweetncfs and mellow- nefs of the Canary Birds. f In Catalonia, it is called Canari de Montanya \ in Italv, Zerin, or Scarzcrin; in Germany, Fa-deule; in the neighbourhood of Vienna, Hirn-grjll ; in Switzerland, Sch^vederle. B 3 »8 i • THE CANARY FINCH. is the fame bird that is called in Burgundy the Serin ; it builds among the ofiers planted along the fides of the rivers, and its neft is lined with hair, and cafed with mofs. This bird, which is pretty common in the vicinity of Marfeilles, and ill tlie fouth of France as high as Burgundy, is unfrequent in the northern provinces. Lottin- ger fays it is only migratory in Lorraine. The prevailing colour of the Venturon as well as that of the. Cini, is a green yellow On the upper part of the body, and a yellow green on the belly ; but the Cini, larger than the Venturon, is diflinguifhed by the brown colour which appears in longitudinal fpots on the fides of the body, and in waves below * ; whereas in our V ' 'i! IJ * I fliall here infert an excellent defcriptlon of the Cini, which M. Ilfcbert fent to me. " This bird ii Ibnuwhat fnialler than the L'auary Finch, which it n och reft mblt s. It has preciCcly the fame pliimuge with a kind of Canary called tlie Cray Canary, which is| perhaps the original bird, and the varieties arc owing to domef- tication. " The fore-part of the head, the orbits of the eyes, the iindcr- part of the head, a fcrt of collar, the breall and belly as far as the toe?, arc of a jonquil-colour, with a tinge of green. '^I'he fides of the head, and the higher part of the wings, are mixed with green, jonquil, and black. The back, and the rellof the wings, are daflied with green, gray, and black. The rump is jonquil. The breall, though of a fingle colour, is waved. The fpots fcattercd on the plumage of the Cini arc not dillindtly marked, but run into each otlier ; thofc on the head arc much finer, and like points ; on the two fides of the breall, and under the belly parallel to the wings, are fpots or ftreaks of black. " The tail is forked, confifting of twelve quills ; the wings are cf the fame colour with the back ; the ends of the coverts at the (Origin of the great quills, are ilightly edged with a fort of dull yel- low ; H. rgundy the mtecl along lined with J, which is rfeilles, and irgundy, is 5. Lottin- line. snturon as yellow 6n How green than the iwn colour n the fides ?vhercas in our Cini, which laller than the ifcly the fame ary, which i§ ig to domef- s, the undcr- as far as the "i'he fides of \ with green, s.aredaflied The brcaft, tei cd on the Jn into each iuts ; on the ) the wings, le wings are verts at the of dull yel, lew; THE CANARY FINCH. 7 our climate, the common colour of the Canary is uniform, and of a citron-yellow on all the body, and even on the belly : it is only the lips of the feathers however that are tinged with that delicate hue, the reft of them being entirely white. The female is of a paler yellow than the male ; but this citron-colour verging more or lefs on white, which the Canary afiumcs in our climate, is not the tint of its native climate, for it varies according to the different tempera- tures. " I have obferved," fays one of our moft intelligent naturalifts, " that the Canary Finch, ** which becomes entirely white in France, is in " Teneriffe of almoft as deep a gray as the lin- ** net ; this change of colour is owing probably " to the coldnefs of our climate." The colour can be varied alfo by the difference of food, by confinement, and above all by the mixture of ]o\v ; the great quills and the tail are fimilar, and of a brown ver- ging to black, with a flight edging of gray ; the tail is fliorter tuan that of the Canary bird. " In general this bird is jonquil below, and variegated on the back with different colours, in which the green predomicp.ies, though we cannot affert that this is the ground colour ; on the back not a lingle feather but is variegated with feveral colours. " The bill is pretty much like that of the Canary, but rather fhorter and fmaller ; tiic upper mandible is level with the crowa of the head, has little concavity, broader at its bafe, and fcalloped near its origin ; the lower mandiole is more concave, placed dia- gonally under the upper, into which it is encafed. " This Cini was only two inches and fevcn lines from the top of the head to the origin of the tail, which was only one inch and ten lines ; the wings extend to the third of the tail ; the legs are very flendcr ; the tarfus fix lines long, and the toes near as much ; the nails are not regularly hooked." B 4 breeds. s THE CANARY FINCH. ,(: 'i'r ^ breeds. In the beginning of this century the cu* rious in birds reckoned already twenty-nine va- rieties of Canaries, and all of them were diftindkly defcribed*. The primitive ftock from which thefe were defcended is the Common Gray Ca- nary. All thofe which have other uniform colours derive them from the difference of climates. Thofe which have red eyes are more or lefs inclined to a pure white plumage j and the va- riegated are rather artificial than natural f. But, * I JhaU here ettumct'ate them all, beginning luith thofe luhich are mnji common :— I. The Common Gray C.mary. a. The Gray Canary, with down and white tcet. V.ii legated breed. 3. Tl.c Vt'iiite i„ .- Cana.y, Farie- gatc.i brcedt 4. The Common Flaxen Canary. 5. The Fhxen Canary, with red eyes. 6. The Golden Flaxen Canary. 7. The Fiax-'n Canary, with down. y.ir'i-'gaifd treed. S. 'I'he White-tailed Flaxen Canary. I'jru-gated breed, p. The Common Ycliow Canary. 10. TIk' Vellow Canary, with down. Var':tgattd breed. 11. The White-tailed Yellow Canary. Variegated breed, II. The Common Agate Canary. 1%. The Agate Canary, with red eyes. 14. The White-tailed Agaie Canary. yar'iigated breed. 15. The Agate Canary, with down. Variegated breed. 16. The Common Pinic Canary. 17. The Pink Canary, with red eyej. iS. The Golden Pink Canary. ic). The Pink Canary, with down. Variegated breed. 20. The White Canary, with red eyes. 21. The Common Variegated Canary^ 2J, The Variegated Canary, with re4 eyes. S3. The Flaxen Variegated Canary. 24. The Flaxen Variegated Canaryi with red eye». 25. The Black Variegated Canary. 26. The Jonquil-black Variegated Ca. naiy, with red eyes. 27. The Jonquil- black Vai legated Ca- nary, of a regular plumige. 28. The Full Canary, (that is entirely of a jonquil-yellow,) which is the rare ft. 29. The Creft Canary, (or rather tht Crowned,) which is one of the inoft bc.iutiful. Trait i des Serins de Canaries, par Hervieux, 17 1 3. f *' The fliaJes and arrangement of the colours of the Varie- ;»ated Canaries difTer exceedingly ; feme are black on the head, others not ; fome arc fpotted irregularly, and others with great re- gularity. The differences of colour are commonly perceived only on the upper part of the bird ; they confill of two large black fpots on r. ry the cu* -nine va- diftinftly irn which Gray Ca- m colours climates, e or lefs d the va- il f. Bur, J/f 'which are i Canary. with red eyei, Canary. » with down. with red eyes, egated Canary^ lary, with ni, ted Canary, jated Canary, ;d Canary, 'ariegated Ca. aiiegateJ Ca- pliiintge. hat is entirely w,) which Is or rather th» is onecf the eux, 1713. the Varie- thc head, great re- civcd only >lack fpots on THE CANARY ^INCH. 9 But, befides thefe primary varieties, which feem to have been introduced by the change of climate, and fome fecondary ones that have fmce appeared, there are others more apparent, and which refult from the union of the Canary with the Venturon, and with the Cini ; for not only do thefe three birds breed together, but the young hybrids are capable of procreation. The iame may be faid in regard to the fruits of the commerce of the Canary with the Sifkin, with the Goldfinch, with the Linnet, with the Yellow- hammer, with the Chaffinch, and even it is faid with the Sparrow *. Thefe birds, though very different from each other, and apparently difcri- minated widely from the Canaries, can by pro- per care and attention be made to pair with them. The Canary muft be removed from thofe of its own fpecies ; and the experiment feems to fucceed better when performed with the female than with the male. The Sifkin and Goldfinch are the only birds with which, it is on each wing, the one before and the other behind, in a large crcf- cent of the fame colour placed on the back, pointing its concavity towards the head, and joining by its horns to the two anterior black fpots of the wings. Laflly, the tail is furroundej behind by an half-collar of gray, which feems to be a compound colour re- fulting from the intimate mixture of black and yellow. The tail and its coverts are almoft white." De/cripiion des Couleurs ti'ua Canari PaitMhe, oh/ewe a-vcc A/. rt'ifMoNTBEiLLARD. • D'Arnault a(lured Salerne that he fau at Orleans a gr.iy hen Canary which had efcapcd from the volcry, couple with a fparrow, and make her hatch in ^jpan-o-iu-can, which thrived. Amufemens Jnnocens, ou le Parfait OlfeUtir, 1774* well 19 THE CANARY I'INCri. well afcertaincd, that the male Canary can pro- pagate. On this fubjeifl: one of aiy friends thus writes me ; a pcrfon of as much experience as veracity*. " For thirty yeo'-s paft I have raifed many of thcfe fmall binU, ,tnd have paid particular atten-* tion tu iji ccu;ng them ; I can therefore from long obfervation allcrt the following fads. Wiien wc wifh to pair Canaries with Goldfmches, we muft take the Goldfinches at ten or twelve days old, and put them in the neft with Canaric;; of the fame age ; we muft raife them together in the fame volcry, and accuftom them to the fame food. It is ufual to lodge the male Goldfinches with the female Canaries, and they aflbciate much more readily than if the female Gold-^ fmchcs were joined with the male Canaries. Wc may obferve however, that the union is more tardy, bccaufe the Goldfinch is later in pairing than the Canary ; on the contrary, if the female Goldfinch be placed befidc the male Canary they fooner couple f . To fuccccd wc muft never admit the male Canary into the voleries where there are female Canaries, for he would then prefer them to Goldfinches:]:." * Father Eoiigot. t 'riiis proves (as we fliall afterwards obferve) that the female is not fo much ftimulated lo love by nature, as roufcd by the folici- taiion of the male. I Gefner fays, that a Swifs bird-catcher trying to pair a cock Canary with a hen Sarzerine, (Cini, ) had eggs, but that thefe were addle. " With THE CANARY FINCH. IX ricncc as " With re^.ird to the union of the male Ca- nary with the female Sifl.in, I am certain that it fuccceds well. T have kept for nine years in my volcry a r(Mnalc SlO^in, which iicvm- failed to make three hatches annually for the iiill five years, though the number was ndiiuer! to two in the four following years. 1 h;ive other Sif- kins which have bred with the Ca'nilcs, with- out being raifed or kept feparately. We need only leave the male or female Sillvin in the chamber with a good number of Cani/rie,% and we flrall perceive them pair with the Canaries, at the fame time that tlu i'e pair with each other; whereas, to fucceed with the Gokllinches, they muft be fliut up in a cage with the Canary, and every bird of the fame fpecies muft be exciuded. The Silkin lives as long as the Canary, and eats the fame food with much Iclb rclu<^ance than the Goldfinch. '* I have alfo put Linnets with Canaries ; but there is feldom fuccefs, unlefs we lodge the male Linnet whh the female Canary ; for the hen Linnet makes no ncft, but drops her eggs in the cage, and thefe arc generally addle. I have made the experiment with them, having placed them under female Canaries, and frequently found that tlicy did not hatch. " It is very difficult to pair Chaffinches and Yellow-hammers with Canaries. I have kept for three years a female Yellow-hammer with a male Canary, and it has laid only addle eggs. w i u 12 THE CANARY FINCH. eggs. This has alfo been the cafe with the female Chaffinch ; but when the female Canary- is covered by the male Chaffinch and Yellow- hammer fhe has prolific eggs." From thefe fads, and fome others which I have collected, it appears that the Sifkin is the only bird of which the male and female propa- gate equally with thofe of the male or female Canaries. The female Canary alfo breeds rea- dily with the Goldfirch ; not fo eafily with the cock Linnet ; and even produces, though with more difficulty, under the male Chaffinches, Yel- low-hammers, and Sparrows ; whereas the male Canaries cannot impregnate the females of thefe laft. Nature is therefore more uniform and permanent in the male than in the female ; in the former the chara6ters are deeply imprinted ; in the latter, the -qualities are modified by the influence of external caufes. In the few experi- ments which I have made on the union of fome contiguous fpecies of quadrupeds, I obferved that the ewe eafily bred under the he-goat ; but that the ram could not propagate upon the (he-goat. I have been told of an inftance in which a ftag covered a cow j but the bull has been known to copulate with the hind. The mare breeds more readily with the jack-afs, than the fhe-afs with the ftallion. In general, mules par- take more of the charaders of the female than of the male, whofe features are more ftrongly marked. — Thefe fads correfpond with thofe we have 1. with the le Canary I Yellow- which I kin is tlie le propa- )r feniiilc seds rea- with the igh with hes, Yel- the male of thefe )rm and nale ; in printed ; by the experi- of fome ved that but that le-goat. vhich a tis been e mare lan the les par- e than roagly ofe we have TFIE CANARY FINCH. 13 have mentioned with regard to the crofs-breed of birds. It is evident that the female Canary is much more related than the male to the fpeciea of the Yellow-hammer, of the Linnet, of the Chaf- finch, and of the Sparrow j fmce it breeds with all thefe, while the male will not. I ufe the term w///, for perhaps it is only from a want of refolution that the female yields to the folicita- tions of thofe of a different fpecies : however, an examination of the products of this inter- mixture affords conclufions that agree with all that I have faid of the generation and develope- ment of animals ; and as the fubje£t is import- ant, I Ihall here ftate the principal fa£ts. The firft variety which feems to conftitute two diftind: families in the fpecies, coniifts of the variegated Canaries, and thofe whofe plu- mage is uniform. The white fort, or the yel- low-citron, are never variegated ; only when the latter are four or five years old, the tips of the wings and of the tail become white. The gray kind are not of an uniform colour; fome feathers are affeded by different fhades, and fome individuals are of a lighter or of a darker tinge. The agate is fpread uniformly, though it varies in the intenfity. The pink coloured are more fimilar, the tint being uniform, not only in different individuals, but in different parts of the fame individual. In thofe which confift of feveral colours, the Yellow Jonquil fort are varie- gated with blackifli, and are commonly black on the 1 ;> !! 'I H THE CANARY FINCFf. the head. In fome Canaries, the plumage is tin> es, and he flead ibftitut- caught, ginning ily, two Doflible ; hatches ale Ca- ;d with of one c with nd it is vith the ft never : demo- le other lanarleSi of their le male ance to as pro- :e they Id finch. : of the ig com- m two Sifkins, md can I which they they fprung, but likewife with each other ; and thus may perpetuate an endlefs variety *. We muft own, however, that the fruits of the inter- mixture in thefe hybrids are far from being fo certain or fo numerous as in the pure fpecies ; they generally have only one hatch a-year, fel- dom two, their eggs are often addle, and the fuccefs depends on many minute circumftances, which it would be impoflible to obferve, and ftill lefs to defcribe with precilion. It is faid, that in thefe there are always more males than females. " A hen Canary (fays Father Bougot) and a Goldfinch have, in the fame year at three different times, laid me nineteen eggs, which all liatched, and of the young were only three females." It would be proper to afcertain this fadl by repeated obfervations. In the pure breeds of feveral birds, as in the partridges, it has alfo been remarked that the males exceed the females. The fame remark applies to the human race : in our climates, feventeen boys are born for fix- teen girls. We know not the precife propor- tion between the male and female partridges, but that the former are more numerous than the latter we are certain, becaufe in the pairing • Sprengel has made many obfervations with regard to the crofs-breeds of the Canaries with other fpecies, and particularly with the Goldfinches ; he has (hewn that the progeny continued to propagate with each other, and with the [larent races. The ^roof which he has adduced is complete, though before him thefe hybrids were confidercd as fteriie. Amuftmtns Inmaens. VOL. IV. c feafon, i8 THE CANARY FINCIt !l i I feafon, there are always cock birds that want mates. It is likely, however, that fixteen to three, as in the crofs-breed of the Canary and Gold- finch, is a greater inequality than ever takes plac^ in a pure breed. I have been told, that the fhe- mules, got between the afs and the mare, exceed in number the he- mules ; but I could never ob- tain accurate information on that fubjeft. Our bufinefs then is to determine by obfervation the number of males and of females in the pure race of the Canary, and afterwards to examine if that of the males be ftill greater in the crofs- breed of the Goldfinch and hen Canary. What dlfpofes me to entertain this opinion is, that the charader of the male is in general more deeply imprefled on the progeny, than that of the fe- male. Thefe hybrids, which are ftronger than the Canaries, and have a louder voice, are alfq longer lived. But there is an obfervation which applies alike to all, that the period of their lives is abridged by their ardour in propagation. A cock Canary railed by itfelf, and without inter- courfe w'uh the female, lives generally thirteen or fburteen years j and the crofs-breed of the Gold- finch will reach its eighteenth or nineteenth year. The crofs-breed of the Sifl^in, if kept apart from the females, live fifteen or fixteen years. Whereas the cock Canary, which has one or feveral females, feldom lives longer than ten or eleven years ; the crofs-breed of the Silkin eleven 4a or THE CANARY FINCfl. »9 years. one or ten or eleven or or twelve, and that of the Goldfinch fourteen or fifteen. It is alfo necefTary to part them from the females after the time of hatching ; that is, from the month of Anguft to that of March ; elfe the heat of their priffion would wafte them, and abridge their lives by two or three years. To thefe remarks, which are all interefting, wc may filbjoin a general and more important obfervation, which may throw fome light on the generation of animals, and the developement of their different parts. It has been conftantly noticed in the copulation of the Canaries, both with thofe of their own fpecics and with thofe of other races, that the offspring refemblcd the father in the head, the tail, and ihe legs, and the motlier in the reft of the body. The fame has been obfcrved iii quadrupeds. The mule got between the jack-afs and the mare, has the thick body of the former, and the ears, the tail, and the thin legs of the latter. It appears therefore that, in the mixture of the two feminal liquors, how- ever intimate we fuppofe it to be, the organic molecules furniflied by the female occupy the centre of that living fphere which increafes in all dimenfions, and that the molecules injeded by the male furround and inclofe thefe ; fo that the extremities of the body proceed more im- diatsly from the father than from the mother. The fkin, the hair, the colours, which may be confidered as the exterior of the body, retain moft of the paternal impreflions. In the crofs- C 2 breed 20 THE CANARY FINCH. '■U (('a breed which I obtained from the copulation of the he-goat with the ewe, they all had, inftead of a foft fleece, the Hiaggy coat of the male. In the human fpecies, we may generally perceive, that the fon refembles the father more than the mother, in his legs, his feet, and his hands ; in his writing, in the quantity and colour of his hair, in his complexion, and in the bulk of his head : and the mulattoes born of a negrefs lofe more of the dark tinge than thofe of a white woman. All thefe fads feem to confirm our general idea, that the female molecules occupy the centre of thefalus^ and, though brought into the clofeft union, are more abundant near the furface. In general, the beauty of the fpecies can never be improved or even preferved, without crofling the breed : and the elegance of form, the ftrength and vigour of the body, depend almofl folely on the proportion of the limbs. Accordingly, it is the males alone, which in man and in the animals ennoble the race. Large, generous mares, covered by forry little horfes, have always ill- made colts ; but a fine ftallion will get a beauti- tiful progeny from even the uglieft mares, and the more difhmilar are the kinds of the parents, the handfomer will be the offspring. The fame may be faid of fl^ieep : the breed is always improv- ed by ftrange rams, while the ordinary fmall fort can never get good lambs from the moft excel- lent ewes. I could enlarge upon this important fubje^, ^ ulation of J, inflead the male, perceive, : than the lands; in ur of his Llk of his i. negrefs )f a white ifirm our js occupy ught into near the can never t croffing ; ftrength folely on lingly, it td in the js mares, ways ill- a heauti- res, and parents, "he fame improv- mall fort ft excel- nportant fubje^b, THE CANARY FINCH. 21 % fubje£l, but I (hould make too long a digreflion. Yet, to detail all the fa6ls refpedting th inter- mixture of animals, would be the mo.c real fervice that can be rendered to Natural Hiftory. As many people employ or amufe themfelves in breeding Canaries, which requires little time, numerous experiments might be made by crofs- ing them, and continuing to mix the fruits of the embrace. I am confident that, by combin- ing thefe obfervations with thofe upon the qua- drupeds and upon man, we might be able to eflimate the precife influence of the male in ge- neration, compared with that of the female ; and confequently, from the general relations, to pro- nounce whether fuch a male would fuit fuch a female, &c. But in the quadrupeds, as well as in man and in the fmall birds, the difference of the moral qualities often difturbs the correfpondence of the phyfical properties. If any thing could prove that the charader of the individual is an original impreflion of nature which education can never alter, it is an inftance in the Canaries. ** They " almoft alw^ays,'* fays Hervieux, " differ from " each other in their tempers j fome males are ** always fad, and, as it were, abforbed in re- " veries, generally bloated, and fing but fel- " dom, in a mournful tone .... require an " immenfe time to learn, are imperfedlly ac- " quainted with what they are taught, and eafily " forget it. . . . Thefe Canaries are often fo flo- C 3 " venly, i 21 THE CANARY FINCH. n «( veniy, that their feet and ta|l arc j^lways dirty 5 they never gain the affedion of tlielr fcmale8> which they fopthe not^ with their fong, while engaf^ed in hatching j and the young are " little better than their fathers. . . . There ^rc other Canirico which are fo wicked, that they kill th«? female j the only way to fu^cccd is, to give tb^im two females, which will unite ia •* their common defence j and after fubduing ** their mate by force, they will retai,n the do- " mipion by love *. Others are of a difppfi- ** tion, fo barbarpus, that ttiey brpal^ the ?gga, " and eat them ; pr if thefe hi.ve efcaped their ♦* ferocity, they lay hold of ths vallow bjcood by • *' Sometimes the pravity of their difpolition is in a certain meafure compenfated by other qualities ; fucli, for inftaiice, as t)ieir mclodioai fong, their beautiful plumage, and their familiar turn. If you would vvifli to mal>e them breed, you mud give them two ftrong females one year cider than themfelves ; and the fe- males fiiould be accuftomed for feveral months previous to live in the fame cage, tl^at they may have no jealoufy to each other. And a, iponth before the love-feafon^ they mu(\be both fet together in the breeding cage, and at the proper time the male fhould be let ia among them. He will be very quarrelfome the hfi} thrqe, days, but the females, uniting againfl him, will certainly in tjic end gain the afcendant, and he will be obliged to fubmit, and at laft become attached to them. Thefe itind of forced marriages often fucceed better than others from which more uiight be qxp?s laid without interruption. A fourth fort, cailpd the common^ becaufc the moft numerous, may have four lutchei of four or five eggs, bu". not always uniform. Others arc Hill better layer?, having live hatches, and iUll more if allowed ; and in each of thefc are fix or feven eggs. When this kind feed well, they arc cxcellrnt, and we cannot be too careful of theniy /pr tlu-y afc v^piih half a Hc^zzw of the ordinary Canaries." Traiti des Serias dts Canaries, of 'Mil ■M: ' iv.irt' . ^f ■! m aS THE CANARY FINCH. jl \-:i' nl 4 >, I I '.1 : I- 1 l.ii of plumage is tedious, and commonly more dangerous than in the other kinds. The female Jonquils have only three hatches, each of three eggs ; the flaxen coloured Canaries arc too deli- cate, and their hrood feldom thrives. The Pink flicw a reluctance to pair with each other ; in a large volery, the male hut rarely couples with the female of his Own colour, and to form the union, they muft be confined together in a cage. The white fort are commonly valuable in every refpe£t ; they lay and breed as well, or rather better than the others, and the variegated white are the hardieft of all. Whatever differences there may be in the dif- pofitions and prolific powers of thefe birds, the period of incubation is the fame; all of them fit^ thirteen days ; and when the cxclufion of the young is a day earlier or later, it is owing to fomc particular circumftance. Cold retards the procels, and heat forwards it ; accordingly the lirft hatch, which is in April, requires thirteen <3ays and a half, or even fourteen days, if the weather is chilly ; but the third, which happens during the heats of July and Auguft, is effeded in twelve days and a half, or even twelve days. It would be proper to feparate all the good eggs from the bad ; and, to do this with certainty, we ought to wait to the eighth or ninth day, and take each gently by the two ends for fear of break- ing it, and examine it in a ftrong light, or by a candle, and rejedt all that are addle, which if left would "^ THE CANARY FINCH. 29 more female f three 10 deli- The other ; :ouplei> 0 form er in a aluablc veil, or legated he dif- Js, the bem fit^ of the iring to rds the rly the hirteeii if the appens ffeded 2 days, id eggs ity, we id take break- >r by a 1 if left would i would only fatigue the hen. By this trial we may often reduce three hatches to two ; and in that cafe the third female may be liberated, and permitted to begin a fecond neft*. A plan ilrongly recommended by bird-fi\nciers is to re- move the eggs as they are dropt, and to fubfti- rute in their ftead eggs of ivory ; fo that after the laying is over, the real eggs are reftored, and all hatch at the fame time. Commonly the egg is dropt at (in. or fcven o'clock in the morn- ing, and it is faid that if it beti fingle hour later the bird is fick ; and, as the laying proceeds thus regularly, it is eafy to remove the eggs as faft as they are excluded t. But this precaution is more fuited to the convenience of man than confonant to the train of Nature. When live or fix young are hatched at once, they exhauft tlie vigour of the mother, and rather damp her fpirits ; but if they appear fucccflively, they repeatedly renew her pleafure, and infpire new courage to dif- charge her duty. Intelligent pcrfons who have * When tiie eggs of one female r.rc fet under nnother, they mud be all loand. Jt aJJleor tainted eggs be given the variegated fe- males, they ".vlll tliiow them out of the nefc ; and if the neft is tco d'-.''."p to admit their being tumbled out, they peck them till broken, which often ij-^oi!-, the ueft, and fruUratts the v.hoie Jiatch. Fe- males of otluT colouri cover wind eggs when placed uiidcr thcin. NoU commit?!! cat rci bj F at let Bo u got. f The laying is always at the fame hour, if the female 13 healthy; however, the Kill egg mull be excepted, which is commonly feve- ral hours later, and often a day. This lalt egg is always fmc!ler than the reil ; and I am told that it always gives a cock-bird. It would be curious to alcertain tlii'v fir.gular fact. had 41 ■i :,k If. '4 n 'V,! t 36 THE Canary finch. had experifence in breeding thefe birds aflurci iiie, that they always fucceed beft when they do not employ this artificial expedient. We may aflert that, in general, all the nice precautions, and the refined manoeuvres recom- mended by writers for training the Canaries, are pernicious rather than ufeful ; and that in every refpedt we ought as much as poffiblc to copy Nature. In their native country they haunt the fides of fmall rivulets, or wet gullies * ; we ought therefore to give them plenty of water> both for drinking and bathing. As they belong to an exceedingly mild climate, they muft be ftieltered from the rigours of winter. It appears indeed that being long naturalized in France, they can bear the cold of that country ; for they may be kept in a chamber without a fire, and even without a glafs-window, a wire-grate to prevent then" efcape being fufficient ; feveral dealers in birds have informed me that they loft fewer in this way than when the rooms were heated by a fire. The fame may be faid of their food, which is probably the more fuited to them the fimpler it isf. jt^ circumftaace that requires ' the * The Cannry Finches imported into England ari bred in the haranccs, or giillies formed by the torrents from the mountain:. Hijh Gin. des Voyages. f I have often obfcrvcd from my own experience, and from that of others who adhsrcd fcrupuloiifiy to all the minute diredions givert |)y authors, that extreme care and attention often killed their birds'. A rcgujai' diat gf rnpc-feed and millet, water every day in winter. / THE CANARY FINCH. 3» the moft attention is not to haften their firft hatch ; it is common to allow them to couplq about the twentieth or twenty-fifth of March, but it would be better to wait till the twelfth or fifteenth of April ; for if the feafon be cold, they are apt to contract a difguft to each other j and if the females happen to have eggs, they aban- don them, at leaft till the weather grows warm : and thus a whole hatch is loft in attempting to accelerate the breeding. The young Canaries dlfler from the old ones, both in the colour of their plumage, and in fome other circumftances. " A young Canary of the feme year (obferved on the- thirteenth of Decem- ber 1772*) had its head, its neck, its back, and the quills of the wings blackifh, except the four firft quills of the left wing, and the fix firft of the right, which were whitifh; the rump, the coverts of the wings, the tail, which was not entirely formed, and the under part of the body, were alfo of a whitifli colour ; and there were as yet no feathers on the belly from XhcJIernum to the and once or twice a-day in fummcr ; groundfcl, when it is to be had, in the month of May ; chickvvted in the time of moulting* and inllcad of fugar, bruifcd oats and Turkey wheat, and ^bove all great clennlinefs, areall that I would recommend. Stnall Trail on the Bneding ofCiinarits, ccmmitnicated by M. Batteau, Ad'vocatt at Dijcn. N. B. I muft here corredl a fmall error. All the bird-catchers whom I have confultcd tell me, that we ought to avoid giving themi ^hickweed in the time of moulting, for it is too cooling, and would protract their ftate of indifpofition. The other direftlonj of Bat- t^u feem to me well founded. * Not^ comoiunicatcd by M. Gutmdu de McntheiUard. ajuis. I' . ■;!!■ CM -n • t Wy. ■■;.«, •i: k' ■ r ■a *Q I *:! 3» THE CANARY FINCH. t « t.iM ', i anus, Tlie lower mandible was imprefled inttf the upper, which was thick, and fomewhat in- curvated." As the bird grows up, the arrange- ment, and the (hades of colour, change ; the old ones can be diftinguifhed from the young by their ftrength, their plumage, and their fong j the tints are deeper, and more lively ; their toes are rougher, and incline more on black, if they are of the gray kind ; their nails are alfo thicker^ and longer than thofe of the young ones *. The female is often fo like the male that they cannot at firft be diftinguifiicd ; however, the colours are always deeper in the male, the head rather thicker and longer, and the temples of a yellow, more inclined to orange ; and under the bill there is a fort of yellow flame which defcends lower than in the female ; its legs are alfo ftronger ; and ladly, it begins to warble almoft as foon as it is able to feed by itfelf. It is true that fome females chant at that tender age with ahnon: as much fpirit as the males : but, joining all thefe marks together, we may be able even before the fivfl: month to decide which are males or females ; after that time there is no more uncertainty in that refped, for the fong of the males then begins to betray their fex. Everv fudden utterance of found is in ani- mals an obvious fign of palTion ; and as love is of all the inward feelings that which the ofteneft. * Amufcmens Inuoccns, p. 6i & 62, and THE CANARY FINCH. 33 ii and the moft forcibly agitates the frame, the ar- dor is conftantly marked by the expreffion of the voice. The birds by their fong, the bull by his lowing, the horfe by his neighing, the bear by his loud murmur, y<:. all announce the work- ing of the fame defire. The appetite is much calmer in the female than in the male, and ac- cordingly it is but feldom exprefled by the voice. The chant of the hen Canary is only a feeble tone of tender fatisfadlion, a coy aflent to the warm applications of her mate, and infpired by the eloquence of his warble j but when this paf- fion is once excited in her veins, it becomes ne- ceflary to her exiftence ; and if fhe be parted from her lover, fhe fickens and dies. It feldom happens that the Canaries bred in a chamber are indifpofed before laying ; fome males only exhauft their vigour, and fall vidims to the ardor of paflion. If the female becomes fick while hatching, her eggs muft be takea from her, and given to another ; for though fhe recovers foon, fhe would not fit on them again. The fir ft fymptom of bad health, efpe- cially in the males, is fadnefs ; as foon as they lofe their natural cheerfulnefs, they ought to be put alone in a cage, and fet in the fun in the chamber where the female is lodged. If he be- comes bloated, we muft notice if there be a pimple below his tail ; when this pimple is ripe and white, the bird itfelf often pierces it with the bill ; but if the fuppuration advances too VOL. IV. D Uowly, m 'M Ii m ■I 34 THE CANARY FINCH. »*;;', :|;l flowly, we may difcharge it with a large needle, and then fill the wound with fpittle without fait, which would he too fmarting. Next day the patient (hould be let loofe in the chamber, and it will be eafy to perceive by his treatment of the female, and the fondnefs that he fliews, whether he is cured or not. In this laft cafe, we mull take him again, and blow through a fmall quill fome white wine under his wings, place him in the fun, and notice next day the ftate of his health. If he ftill continue deje«Sl- ed, and indifferent to his female, his recovery is now ahnoft defperate ; we muft remove him into a feparate cage, and give the hen another male like the one Ihe has loft ; or if fuch can- not be had, we muft feek one of the fame fpecies at leaft. A greater fondnefs commonly fubfifts between thofe that refcmble each other, except in the cafe of the Pink Canaries, which prefer the females of a different colour ; but this new male muft not be a novice in love, and confe- quently muft have already raifed a hatch. If the female frills fick, the fame treatment may be ufed. The moft common caufe of diftempers is the too great plenty, or richnefs of food. When thefe birds make their nefts in a cage, they often eat to exccfs, or fele^t the nutritious aliments intended for their young ; and moft of them ficken from rr?i)!ction, or inllammation. If they be kept in a chamber, this danger is in a great mea- it THE CANARY FINCH. 35 meafure removed, their numbers preventing their gluttony. A male which fits too long, is lure of being beat by the other males ; and the fame is the cafe with the females. Thefe quarrels give them exercife, and . ^ceflarily produce temne- rance ; and for this reafon chiefly it is that they feldom are ever fick in a chamber during the time of breeding : their inllrmities and difeafcs appear only after they have hatched ; moft of them have firft the pimple wh'.ch I have men- tioned, and then they all undergo the moulting. Some fupport well this metamorphofis, and ftill fing a part of the day ; but moft of them lofe their voice, and a few languifli and die. After the females are fix or feven years old, many of them die in changing their plumage ; the males recover better from the attendant ficknefs, and furvive their mates three or four years. Indeed we muft confider moulting as the regular pro- cefs of Nature, rather than as an accidental dif- temper ; and if thefe birds were not reduced by us to captivity, and rendered delicate by our treatment, they would fuflfer only a flight indif- pofition, and would fpontancoufly difcover the proper remedies : but at prefent it is a grievous ficknefs, often fatal, and which befides admits of few remedies ; it is however the lefs dangerous the earlier it happens*. The young Canaries drop * Tn the time of moulting, a bir of ftecl, and not of iron, (hould be put in tiieir water, and cliangcJ th.icc a-woek. No other re- 0 2 medics It-,-.. V ' ■ w '■I *n « 36 THE CANARY PINCH. '! 1 « i: :i |Ml tU i -1-1 ' i '; ! ' V,' "j; ■ !f"!ll V' V drop their feathers the firfl: year fix weeks after they are hatched ; they become low-fpirited, appear bloated, and conceal the head in their plumage : at this time the down only falls ; but the following year they lofe the quills, even thofe of the wings, and of the tail. The young birds of the later hatches which happen in Sep- tember or after, fufier much more from the moulting, than thofe which are excluded in the fpring ; in that delicate condition the cold is extremely pernicious, and they would all perifli if not kept where it is temperate, or even pretty warm. As long m the moulting lafts, that is fix weeks or two months. Nature labours at the production of new feathers ; and the organic molecules, which were before direded to the fupply of the feminal liquor, are now abforbed in this growth ; and hence the exuberance of life being diverted into different channels, their ardor ceafes, and the bufmefs of propagation is for the time fufpended. The moft fatal and the mod common di tem- per, efpecially in young Canaries, is what is called the fivallow (avalure)^ in which the bowels feem to htfivallowed^ and drawn to the extremity of their body ; the inteftines arc per- mcdies are needed, though Hcrvieux reckons feveral ; only during this critical period, a rather larger portion of hemp-fecJ fliould be mixed with their ufual food. Note communicated by Father Bo u f; or . Obferve that fteel is recommended Inllead of Iron, only left the iron fhould be rully, in wliicJi cafe it would be more pernicious than ufeful. ceived "■i THE CANARY FINCH. 37 ; bue even ceived through the fkin of the belly in the ftate of inflammation, rednefs, and diftenfion j the feathers on that part drop, the bird pines, gives over eating, though always fitting belide the food, and dies in a few days. The fource of the difeafe is the excefTive abundance or richnefs of thij aliments. All remedies are vain ; and the change of regimen is the only thing which can recover a few out of a great number. The bird is put into a feparate cage, and given water and lettuce feeds ; thus the Iieat that confumes it is tempered, and evacuations are fometimes per- formed which fave its life. This diftcmper alfo is the fruit of their artificial education, for it fel- dom attacks thofe which are trained by their pa- rents ; we ought therefore to take the greatefl: care not to overfeed them with the ftick; boiled rape-feed, and fome chickweed, are proper, but no fugar or bifcuit ; and in general we fhould give them too little rather than too much. When the Canary utters a frequent feeble cry, which feems to come from the bottom of its breaft, it is faid to be afthniatic ; it is alfo fubjeift to a certain obftrudlion of voice, efpe- cially after moulting. This fort of afthma is cured by jgiving it the feeds of plantain, and hard bifcuit foaked in white wine ; and to reftore its voice it ought to have generous food, fuch as yolks of eggs beat up with crumbs of bread ; and for drink, liquorice-water, that is water in which that root has been fteeped and boiled. D 3 The I.I , 1. " I rt m Ilf^ 38 THE CANARY FINCH. ¥ ii'i ;pi n .! '1^' *" 'l:'M, hS > ' r I The Canaries are alfo fubjc£l to a fort of fhanker en the bill. This dilbnier is owing to the (ame caiife with thejwaitowy the abundance or richnefs of food producing an inflammation, which, in Head of affeding the inteftines, fome- timcs extends to the throat or palate ; the fame cooling remedies muft be applied ; they fhould be given lettuce-feeds, and bruifed melon-feeds miy .'d with their drink. 'i'iie mite,', raid the fcab with which thefe fmall biitls arc i '^rimes affe.ls require not to l)e kept In a warm place, a» many pretend ; in the moll intcnfc colds they welter in fnow, when prefciU- ed them on a plate. For my own part, I have them in a chanilier in winter with only an iron-graiing, and the windows open ; they fing admirably, and I never loie any. Acic Lommnnuatcd b^ Father BouGor. f The Jays, the Goldfiuches, all tlie Parrots, and the largeft Aras. D4 epilepfy, W 5!-| ♦.•».' )i. I il •T«-ii i[:, ^^, 4« THE CANARY FINCH. I'\ epilepfy, they live a long time after, and fome- tiines attain the fame age with thofe which have never been affedted by that diftemper. How- ever, I am inclined to think, that a fmall inci- fion in the toes would be beneficial, for in that way Parrots are cured of the epilepfy. What miferies in the train of flavery ! Would thefe birds, if they enjoyed their native free- dom, be afthmatic, fcabby, and epileptical ? Would they be afflided by inflammations, abfceflTes, and fliankers ? and the moft melancholy of diforders, what is produced by the craving of unfatisfied luft, is it not common to all beings reduced to captivity ? In particular, the females, whofe feelings are fo nice and fo tender, are more fub- jed to it than the males. It has been obferved, that after the hen Canary falls fick in the fpring before pairing, fhe fhrinks, languifhes, and dies. The amorous paffion is awakened by the finging of the males around her, while ihe has at the fame time no opportunity of gratification. The males, though they firft feel libidinous defires, and always appear more ardent, fupport better the languor of celibacy ; they feldom die of continence, but they ?re often killed by ex- ceflive ■^'enery. The hen Canaries can, like the females of other birds, lay eggs without commerce with the male. The egg in itfelf is, as we have e fewhere ob- ferved, only a matrix which the bird excludes, |inJ will remain unprolific, if not impregnated IQ with :; % i THE CANARY FINCH. 41 with the feed of the male ; and the heat of in- cubation, inftead of quickening it, only haftens its putrefadlion. It has alfo been remarked that if the females be entirely feparated from the males, fo as not to fee and hear them, they very feldom lay ; and that they ofteneft drop their eggs, when melted by the view or the fong of the males : fo much do even diftant objeds ad: upon feeling animals, and fo many are the ways in which the fubtile flame of love is commu- nicated * ! I cannot better clofe this article, than by an abftrad of a Letter of the honourable Daines Barrington, Vice Prefident of the Royal Society, to Dr. Maty the Secretary. " Moft people who keep Canary birds do " not know that they fnig chiefly either the •' Titlark or Nightingale notes j*. Nothing, .*' « ex- * We fliall here mention two fafts to which we were witnefs. A female fung fo well, that (he was taken for a male, and paired with another female ; the overfight being afterwards difcovcred, a male was given to her, who taught her the proper funiUons of her fex ; ihc took to laying and renounced her fong. Tlie other fa£t is that of a female, alive at prcfent, that chants or rather whiiUes a tune, though (he has laid two eggs in her cage, which are found to be addle, as all thofe are which hens lay without the commerce of a cock. f I once faw two or three birds which came from the Canary Iflands, neither of which had any fong at all ; and i have been informed, that a (hip brought a great many of them not long Ance, which fung as little. Moft of the Canary birds which are imported from Tyrol, have been educated by parents, the progenitor of which was inilruded * ■- !' I I ; 4* THE CANARY FINCH. ♦* Nothing, however, can be more marked than *' the note of a Nightingale called its jug, which ** moft Canary birds brought from Tyrol com- " monly have, as well as feveral Nightingale " Jlrokes, or particular paflages in the fong of " that bird. " I mention the fupcrior knowledge in the ** inhabitants of the capital, becaufe 1 am con- ** vinced that, if others are confulted in rela- '* tion to the finging of birds, they will miflead, *' inftead of giving any material or ufeful in- ** formation,'* by a Nightinj^alc ; our Englifh Canary birds have commonly more of the Titlark notes. The tra.ijc in thefe birds males a fmall article of commerce, as four 'J'yroleze generally bring over to England 1600 every year ; and though they carry them on their backs one t'.oufand miles, as well as pay twenty pounds duty for fuch a number, yet upon tlie wliolc it anfwers to fell thcfc birds at five ihilii.igs a« piece. The chief place for brceui -g Caii.'.i y birds Is Infpruc!< and its environs, from whence t'.ey are fent to ConftrMinonle, C5 well as every part of Europe. Pliil. Traiif. vol. Ixiii. part 2. lo Ja- nuary 1773. ..--t C 43 3 FOREIGN BIRDS, THAT ARE RELATED TO THE CANARIES. ■ ! Mi ^TpHE foreign birds which may be referred to •*• the Canary, are few in number ; we are acquainted with only three fpecies. The liift is that which was fent to us Irom the eaftern coaft of Africa, under tlie name of f/jc Alozambiqiie Canary^ which fcems to be a fliade between the Canaries and the Sifkins. It is delineated PL Enl. N'^ 364, Flp;. i. and 2. Yellow is the prevailing colour of the lower part of the body, and brown that of the upper, except the rump and the coverts of the tail, which are yellow : thefe coverL-^, as well as thofe of the wings and their quills, are edged with white or whitifli. The fame yellow and brown occur on the head, diftributcd in alternate bars ; that which ftretches over the top of the head is brown, next two yellow ones over the eyes, then two brown ones which rife behind the eyes, after tliefe two yel- low ones, and lafc cf all two brown ones, whicli extend from the corners of the bill. Tbis bird is rather fmailer than thofe from the Canary Iflands; its length from the tip of the bill to the end of the tail is ahout four inches and a ^alf, that of the tail is only about an inch. The female «'< I' ill;' ■ w - i f ■k 4+ FOREIGN BIRDS that are i'i , I.. '% female differs very little from the male, either in fize or in colour. This bird is perhaps the fame with that of Madagafcar, mentioned by Flaccourt under the name of Mangokbe^ which he fays is a fpecies of Canary. It is likely that this bird, which in its plumage refembles much our variegated Canaries, was their progenitor ; and that the entire fpecies be- longs only to the ancient continent, and to the Canary Iflands, which may be confidered as ad- jacent to the mainland : for the one mentioned by BrifTon under the name of the Jamaica Ca" nary^ and of which Sloane and Ray have given a fhort defcription *, appears to me to be widely different from our Canaries, which are not found at all in America. Hiftorians and travellers in- form us, that none were originally in Peru, and that the firft Canary was introduced there in 1556, and that the fpreading of thefe birds in • " Bird like the Serin, varitgated with cinereous, dilute, yellow, and duflty colours." Its extreme length is eight inches, its :ilir ex- tent is twelve inches, the bill fliort and Ihong, three-fourths of an inch long (or one-third according to Ray), the tail one inch, the leg and foot one inch and one-fourth. (Briflbn fufpefts that Sloane is niillaken in his meafurcs, for the proportions are not confident.) The upper mandible brown bordering on blue, the lower ligiiter coloured ; the head and the throat gray ; the upper part of the body of a yellow -brown, the wings and the tail of a deep brown, radiated with white, the breast and belly yellow, the under part of the tail wliite, the feet bluifli^ the nails brown, hooked, and verv (hort . S i o a k i ' 3 'Jamaica, It is the I'riugilla Cuua of Linnxus, and Gray-hcadcd Ftnch of Latham : lii fpecilic chanidlcr :— " It is duiicy yellow above, below •' yellow, its head and throat gray, its vent white, its wings and •• tail duiky, wilh white lines." America, m rtlaud /• /A* C A N A R I E S. 45 America, and efpecially in the Antilles, was long pofteriof to that date. Father du Tertre relates that du Parquet, in 1657, bought of a merchant who touched at thefe iflands, a great number of real Canaries, which he fet at liberty ; fince which time they were heard warbling about his houfe ; fo that it is probable that they have multiplied in that country. If true Canaries be found in Jamaica, they may have been de- fended from thofe tranfported to the Antilles, and naturalized there in the year 1657. How- ever, the bird defcribed by Sloane, Ray, and Briflbn, by the appellation of Jamaica Canary^ appears to differ too much from the natives of the Fortunate iflands, to be fuppofed to have origi- nated from thofe tranfplanted into the Antilles. While this article was at the prefs, we re- ceived feveral Canaries from the Cape of Good Hope, among which I have perceived three males, one female, and a young one of the fame year. Thefe males arc very like the Green Canary of Provence ; they differ in being fomewhat larger, and their bills being proportionally thick- er : their wings are alio better variegated, the quills of the tail edged with a diftindl yellow, and they have no yellow on the rump. In the young Canary, the colours were fllll fainter and lefs marked than in the female. But whatever fmall differences exift:, I am ftill the more confirmed that the variegated Canaries 'V i u m m 1 am I '-'i' 46 FOREIGN BIRDS that are Canaries of the Cape of Mozambique*, of Provence, and of Italy, are all derived from the fame common fource, and that tliey belong to one fpecic?, which is Ipread, and fettled in all the climates ot the ancient continent fuited to its confiitution, from Provence and Italy to the Cape of Good Hope, and the adjacent iflands. Only this bird has afllimed more of the green tint in Provence, more of the gray in Italy, more of the brov;n or variegated colour at the Cape of Good Hope, and feems by the variety of its plumage to point at the influence of a dif- ferent climate. • It appears that the Mozambique Canary is not confined cx- clufively to that region. I have found among the drawings of Commerfon a coloured figure of this bird very dillinftly marked. Commerfon calls it the Cape Canary, and informs us that it had been carried to the Ifle of France, where it was naturalized, and even greatly multiplied, and was known there by the name of the Bird of the Cape. We may exped to find in the fume manner at Mo- zambique, and in fonie other countries of Africa, the variegated Canaries of the Cape, perhaps even thofe from the Fortunate Klaad.s ^I'ld probably many other varieties of this fpecies. ■Hi. , At The WORABEE. The fccond fpecies which appears to us to be the nearefl related to the Canaries, is a fmall Abylhnian bird f, of which we have fecn f This is the Fringilla JbyJJJnica of Gmelin, and the Black- ccUaved Finch of Latham. Specific charaftcr : — •' It is black, yel- «« low above, iu collar bla^k, its vent yellow." the I'M'- related to the CANARIES. 47 the figure excellently delineated and coloured by Mr. Bruce, under the appellation of the Wora- bee of Abyffinia. This ftnall bird prefents not only the colours of certain varieties of the Canary, the yellow and the black, but it has the fame bulk nearly ; and except its being rather rounder, the fame fliape. Its bill is alfo fimilar, and it prefers an oily feed as the Canary does rniilct and panic, r U ' Warabe'e has an exclufive pre- diledlion xor u ^.lant that bears -lie oily feed which I have mentioned, and which is called Nuk* in the AbyfTinian language; it never wanders far from that plant, and feldom lofes fight of it. In the Warabee, the fides of the head, as far as below the eyes, the throat, the fore-part of the neck, the breaft, and the top of the belly to the legs, are black ; the upper-part of the head and all the body and the lower belly, are yellow^ except a kind of black collar, which encircles the neck behind, and is fet off by the yellow. The coverts and the quills of the wings are black, edged with a lighter colour ; the feathers of the tail are alio black, but with a greeniih yellow border ; the bill Jikewife is black, and the legs of a light brown. This bird keeps in • The flower of this plant is yellow, and of the ftiape of a crcf- cent ; the llalk riles only two or three inches. From the feed an oil is cxtiadcd, \\\nd\ is juuch ukd by the monks of that country. flocks, \] ,':•."■] 'U!./ '•,(.^4 ^^ IH. ! Ii'^ ';■' 4§ FOKKlGlf BIRDS fhat are flocks, but we know nothing more in regard to its mode of life. The ULTRA-MARINE. VOutve-Mer.* BufF. ■ . • -y. The third fpecies alfo of thefe Foreign Birds, which are related to the Canary, is known to us from the drawings of Mr. Bruce. I call this Abyflinian bird the Ultra-Marine^ becaufe its plumage is of a fine deep blue. In the firfl year this beautiful colour does not exift, and the plumage is gray as that of the Sky-lark, and this gray always continues in the female, but the males alTume the charming blue the fecond year, before the vernal equinox. Thefe birds have a white bill and red legs. They are common in Abyflinia, and never change their habitation. They are nearly of the bulk of the Canaries, but their head is round; their wings extend beyond the middle of the tail. Their warble is very pleafant, and this circumftance feems the more to point out their relation to our Canaries. 1:1 • The Fringllla TJltramarina of Gmelin, and the Ultramarine Finch of Latham. Specific chara£ler :— " It is coerulean, its bill *• white, its legs red." The 'Hi C 49 ] The HABESH of SYRIA*. MR. Bruce fuppofes this bird to be a fpecies of Linnet, and I ought to pay def jnce to the opinion of fo good an obferver ; but that gentleman having figured it with a thick fhort bill, very like that of the Canaries, I have ven- tured to place it between the Canaries and Linnets. The. upper-part of its head is of a fine bright red ; the cheeks, the throat, and the upper- part of the neck are a mottled blackiih brown ; the reft of the neck, the breaft, the upper-part of the body, and the fmall coverts of the wings, variegated with brown, yellow, and blackiih ; the great coverts of the wings of a deep afh, edged with a lighter colour ; the quills of the tail and the great quills of the wings alfo cine- reous, bordered on the outfide with a bright orange ; the belly and the under-part of the tail, dirty white, with obfcure yellowifh and blackifli fpots ; the bill and legs of a leaden colour. The wings reach as far as the middle of the tail, which is forked. ; m . J' ■ I' . m bill * The Friitgilla Sjriaca of Gmelin, and the TripoUne Finch of Latham. VOL. IV. B The so HABESH OF SYRIA. The Habefh is thicker than our Linnet ; its body is alfo fuller, and it fings prettily. It is a bird of paflage ; but Mr. Bruce cannot trace its route, and he afTures me, that in the courfe of his travels he never faw it except at Tripoli in Syria. ■■'■ if^ii "I ■—..„:»■. ; Its It is trace )urfe ipoli :•>■; 4: 4 •fl m :^?>88 . . I IIIWHIp i» ■ k ! a'ijjiT.i.vxii'i' C 51 1 The LINNET. ^1 N La Linette, BulF. A T u R E herfelf feems to have affigned thefe birds a place next after the Canaries ; for their mutual commerce fucceeds better than the intercourfe of either with any other contiguous fpecies ; and what points out thr clofenefs of this relation, the progeny is prolific *, efpecially when a male Linnet is joined with a female Canary. Few birds are fo common as the Linnet, but flill fewer perhaps unite fo many amiable /'sli- des : a pleafant warble, a rich plumage, doc lit) of difpofition, fufceptibility of attachment ; pof- feffing whatever, in fliort, could invite the attention of man, and contribute to his delight. Endowed with fuch ta'ents, it could not long prefer ve its freedom ; and ftill lefs, when nurfed in the bofom of flavery, could it retain un- * This obfervation was communicated by Daubenton the younger. Frifch afTures us, that pairing a Vir-.c Linnet (Redpole) with a white hen Canary, that was in the habit of coming abroad every day and returning to i(.s rooll, it made its neft and laid its eggs in a neighbouring bufli, and wh^n the young were hatched, it brought them to the window of the houfe. He adds, that this crofs-breed had the whole pluaiage of the mother, and the red fpots of the father, efpecially on the head. E 2 fullied .. / CJ .If.- 'M 11 u« ■f'-l m- i 'I I ft 52 THE LINNET. fuUied the beauties of its original purity. In fadt, the charming red colour with which Na- ture has painted its head and bread, and which in the ftate of hberty fparklcs with durable luftre, wears off by degrees, and foon difap- pears entirely in our cages and voleries. There remain only a few obfcure vjfliges after the fuft moulting*. V/ith regard to the change cffeded in its fong, we fiibftitute for the free and varied modulations which fpring and love infpire, the drained notes of a harlli mulic, which they repeat but imper- fedly, and which has neither the beauties of art nor the charms of nature. Some have alfo fucceeded in teaching it to fpeak different lan- guages, that is to whiftle fome Italian, French, and Englifli words, &c. and fometimes even to pronounce thefe with confiderable fluency. Many perfons have from curiofity gone from London to Kenfington merely to hear an apo- thecary's Linnet, which articulated the words pretty boy. The fadt is, it had been taken out of the nefl: when only two or three days old, before it had time to acquire the parent fong ; and jufl: beginning to liften with attention, it was ftruck with the found oi pretty boy^ and learned it from * The red of the hend changes into a rufty-brown varied with blackilh, ;ind that of the breall pafTes into nearly the fame colour ; but the new (hades are not fo deep. An amateur told me, that hr has raifed fome of thefc Linnets which prcferved the red : this faft ftands fin^jle. imitation. THE LINNET. 53 imlration *. This fa£t, together with many others, appears to me to eftablifli the opinion of the Honourable Daines Barrington, that birds have no innate fong ; and that the warble peculiar to the different Tpecies, and its varieties, have nearly the fame origin with the languages and the dialeds of various nations f. Mr. Barrington tells us, that in experiments of this kind he pre- ferred a young cock Linnet of three weeks be- , !■'.'■ '.^ '■•♦J. SI • A goldfincii which was taken from the neft two or three days after hatching, and Cat in a win Jow that looked into a garden where the wrens rcfortcd, caught their fong, and had not a fingle note of its own fpcv-rics. A iparrow was taken from the ncll when it was Hedged, and educated under a Linnet ; but hearing by accident a goldfinch, its fong was a mixture of that of the Linnet and the goldfinch. A rcblii was fet under a very fine nightingale, whicii began to be cut of fong, and in a fortnight was perfei^ly mute ; the robin Iia.{ ilirce-parts in lour of the niglitingab's warble, the rell being a confufcd jumble. Lallly, r.'Ir. Harrington adds, that the Canaries imported from Tyrol ll'cm to have been educated by parents the progenitor of which was inrtruiflsd by a nightingale ; whih; the Canaries bred in England appear to have derived their long from the tit-lark. Fhihjuph. Traiifact. Jan. ic, 1773. If we breed a young Li'.inct wi:h a chaftinch, or nightingale, fays Gcfncr, ir will acq'ilrc ihe'r fong ; and pivrticularly that part of the- cliafiinch's fong that is called the ularumjlutid. K E i t 1; rzu, p. 591. f Tho lofs of the parent-cock at the critical time for inftruftion occafions undoubtedly the varieties in the long of each fpecies ; becaufe then the nollling Ikis either attended to the fong of fome other birds, or perhaps invented fome notes of its own, which arc perpetuated from generation to generation, till fimilar accidents pro- duce other alterations. The truth is, that fcarccly any two birds of the fame fpccies have exaitly the fame notes, if they are accu- rately rttended to, though there is a geni^ral rcf^mblance. Bar- rington, Philoj. ^TruhJ. 1773. '■i>\ ^3 ginning 'Iff ;i. . :.d was entirely diverted of feathers, and even flightly wounded. I dif- v.u\ crcd that the one had fought the otlicr after the moulting, as if their i {rfj THE LINNET. 55 racier, as traces of them are to be found in the bird defcribed to be the male of the Gray Lin- net, where the feathers on the bread are of a dull red in their middle. 3. The moulting tar- niflies, and for a time almoft difcharges this red, which recovers not its luftre till the fine wea- ther, but from the end of September colours the middle of the feathers on the breaft, as in that reckoned by Briflbn a common cock Linnet. 4. Gefner at Turin, Olina at Rome, Linnccus at Stockholm*, and Belon in France, have knowrt in their refpedlive countries only the Red Lin- nets. 5. Bird-catchers, who have in France followed that profeiTion more than thirty years, have never found a fmgle cock Linnet which had not the red fliade correfponding to the fea- fon ; and at the fame time we fee many Gray Linnets in the cage. 6. Even thofe who admit #leir acquaintance was di/ToIved by the difguife of plumage. The red of the head of the vanquiflied Linnet no longer exifted, for all the feathers had dropped, and that of the bread was more than half effaced. The third which was fhut up was very late in moulting, and retained its red till that time. The one that was kept in the open air made its cfcape at the end of three months ; but it had already loft all its red. — It follows from this experiment, that either the open air haftens the difappearance of the red, by advancing the moulting; or that the want of frelh air has a fmallei ([\.,rt in the change of plumage in thefe birds than the lofs of liberry. * No mention is made of the Gray Linnet in the FaiDia Suecica. Klein fpeaks of one Zarn, author of a letter on the birds of Ger- many, where he endeavours to prove that there is only one fpccics of Linnet. I have heard the fame aflertion of many bird-catchers, who had never feen the letter ; and Hebert, who i^ certainly a fit judge of the matter, is of the fame opinion. E 4 the li*'3 ift II 56 THE LINNET. the exiftence of Gray Linnets in the flate of nature agree, that they are fcarcely ever caught, particularly in fummer, which they attribute to their fhy difpofition. 7. Add to all thefe, that the Red and Gray Linnets are very fimilar in the reft of their plumage, in their frze, in the proportions and fhape of their parts, in their fong, and in their habits. And it will be eafy to infer, that if Gray Linnets really do exift, they are either, i. all females; or, 2. all young males of the year's hatch before October, for at that time they begin to be marked ; 3. fuch as being bred apart from the mothers cannot af- fume red in the ftate of captivity ; 4. thofe which being caught lofe their tint in the cage*; or, laftly, thofe in which this beautiful colour is effaced by moulting, difeafe, or fome other caufe. The reader will not then be furprifed that I refer thefe two Linnets to the fame identical fpecies •, and confider the gray fort as only an accidental variety, partly eifeded by education, and afterwards miftaken by authors. The Linnet often builds its nefl in vineyards, and hence it has been called the Vifie-Unnet. Sometimes it places its neft on the ground ; at other times it fixes it between two props, or • We muft obferve that tliofe birds which have had the red fpots, but loft them, llill retain on tjic fame parts a rufuus colour, approaching to red ; which never app'-ars in the young that have been bred without the mothers, and that confcqusntly have never been marked vvich red. eve a THE LINNET. 57 even 111 the vine itfelf ; it breeds alfo in ju- niper, goofeberry, and hazel-nut trees, in young copfes, &c. A great number of thefe nefts have been brought to me in the month of May, a few in July, and only one in September : they were all compofed of Ilcnder roots, fmall leaves, and mofs on t!^e outfide, and lined with feathers, hairs, and a great deal of wool. I never found more than fix eggs ; that of the fourth of Sep- tember had only three ; they were of a dirty white, fpottcd with brown red at the large end. The Linnets have feldom more than two hatches, except their eggs be robbed, which obliges them to renew their labours ; and in this way they may be made to lay four times in the year. The mother feeds the young by difgorging into their bill what had been prepared and half-digefted in her craw. After the hatching is over, and the flimily railed, the Linnets go in numerous flocks, which are formed about the end of Augufl:, when the hemp is arrived at maturity ; and at this time fixty have been caught in one drawing of the net*, and out of thefe were forty males. They continue to live thus in fociety during the whole winter ; they fly very crowded, alight and rife together, perch on the fame trees, and about the • The lark-net may be ufed, but it ouglit to be rather fmallcr and cloP^r. One cr two cock Linnets fiiouki be had for Ciills. Chaffinches, and other (mail birds, arc often caught vvith the Lin- nets. begin- '<;■ '* (* n f "t-i M m 58 THE LINNET. beginning of fpring they all chant at once; they lodge during the night in oaks, and elms, whofe leaves, though dry, have not yet fallen ; they are feen too on the linden-trees and pop- lars, and feed upon the buds j they live alfo upon all kinds of fmall feeds, particularly thofe of thiftles, &c. and hence they haunt indifcrimi- nateiy uncultivated lands, and ploughed fields. Their walk is a fort of hopping ; but their flight is continued and uniform, and not like that of the fparrow, compofed of a fucceflion of jerks. The fong of the Linnet is announced by a fort of prelude. In Italy the Linnets of Abruzzq and of the Marche of Ancona are preferred. It is generally fuppofed in France that the warble of the Red Linnet is fuperior to that of the Gray. This is confonant to reafon ; for a bird which has formed its fong in the bofom of liberty, and from the impulfe of its inward feelings, muft have more affeding and exprefhve airs, than one that has no objed: but only to cheer its languor, or to give the neceflary exercife to its vocal or- gans. The females are naturally deftitute of fong, nor can they ever acquire it. The adult m?les caught in the net profit as little by inflrudion ; and the young males taken out of the neft are alone fufceptible of education. They are fed with oatmeal-gruel, and rape-feed ground with milk or fugared-vvater ; and in the evening they are whiflled to in the weak light of a candle, 7 cajre THE LINNET. 59 care being taken to articulate diftindly the words which they are wanted to repeat. Some- times, to begin them, they are held on the fin- ger before a mirror, in which they view their image, and believe they fee another bird of their own fpecies j they foon fancy that they hear the notes of a companion, and this illufion produces a fort of emulation which animates their fongs, and quickens their progrefs. It is fuppofed that they fing more in a fmall cage than in a large one. The very name of thefe birds points out their proper food. They are called Linnets (L'niaria) becaufe they prefer lint-feed j to this are added the feeds of panic, of rape, of hemp, of millet, of Canary-grafs, of raddilh, of cabbage, of poppy % of plantain of beet, and fometimes thofe of melon bru" jd. From time to time they have fweet cakt^ prickly-forrel, chickweed, fome ears of wheat, oats pounded, and even a little iAx. ; but all thefe muft be properly varied. They break the fmall grains in their bill, and rejedt the fhell ; they ought to have very little hemp-feed, for it fattens them too much ; and this exceflive fat occafions their death, or at lead renders them unlit for finging. In thus feeding and raifmg them one's felf, we fliall not only teach them what airs we chu'e with a Canary- whiflle, a flageolet, &c. but we fliall tame liiem, * Gefner fays that if poppy-feeds alone be given for foou ticher to Linnets or Goldfinches, they will become bliud. Olina jc 't '■i •I' • ia » >ii i \<'' !ll.'.' ;■' \ ik. ■'m 6o THE L 1 N N E T. 'V OHna atlvifes to flielter them from cold, and even to em[)loy remedies for their difeafes ; that we ought for inftance to put in their cage little bits of plafter to prevent coftivenefs, to which they are fnhjedl : he dire£ls oxymel, fuccory, &c. in cafes of afthma, phthific*, and certain convulfions, or beatings with the bill. This laft, however, I fliould fuppofe, is only a kind of ca- refFmg ; the little animal, overcome by in- ward workings, makes the moil violent efforts to communicate its fcntiments. At any rate we muft attend much to the choice and quality of the grain that is given it, and ohferv^ great cleanlinefs in its food, drink, and volery ; when fuch care is taken, the bird may live in confine- ment five or fix years, according to Olina ; and much longer according to others f. They dif- tinguifh thofe who are kind to them, become fond of them, alight on them out of preference, and behold them with an affedionate air. If we would abufc their docility, we might even make them draw water ; for they acquire habits as readily as the Sifkin and Goldfinch. They begin to moult about the dc^-days, and fometimes much later : a Linnet and a Sifkin have been known not to drop their feathers be- * The captive Linnets arc alfo fubjed to the epiiepfy, and the boil. So.iic f:iy that they can fcaiccly ever be cured of this boil ; others direct to pundlure it ilafonably, and pour wine into the wound. f There is one at Montbeillard that is certainly known to be fcventeen years old. fore THE LINNET. 6i fore October ; they had fiing till that time, and their mufic was I'upcrior to that of any other bird in the fame volcry ; and their mouU, though late in the feafon, was expedhious and eafy. The Linnet is a pulverulent bird, and it would be proper to ftrew in the bottom of the cage a layer of fine land, and renew it occafionally ; there ought alio to be a finall bath. — The total length of the bird is five inches and a few lines ; its alar extent nearly nine inches ; its bill five lines ; its tail two inches, fomewhat forked, and ftretching an inch beyond the wings. In the male the top of the head and the breaft are red ; the throat, and the under-part of the body, rufty- white ; the upper-part, chef- nut ; almoft all the feathers of the tail and of the wings are black, edged with white ; and hence when the wings are clofed there is a white ray parallel to the feathers. The female has commonly none of the red that we have mentioned ; and the plumage is more varied than in the male. [A] [A] The two kiiuls of Linnets which Biiffcm conceives to be originally the iamc, arc dillinguiflied by fyllematic writers : — I. The Comtiion Linnet, called fomctimcs the (Jnw Linnet. It is the FringiUa Linota of Gtnclin ; the Linaria of Ray, Willughby, BrifTon, Fiifcli, &c. The German name is Fiacks-Finch, that is Flax-Finch ; the Italian, Fanello ; the Dutch, Knue ; the Brubantilh, Vlafvimh', the Turkifh, GVxc^^/;. Arillotle termed it .'\,~ 60?. The charafter given by Briflbn is : — «' It is of a dufky chefnut, and " beneath tawny white ; its wings are marked by a longiuidinal '• white llripe ; its tail-quills are black, edged with wliite," In the beglaning of the fpring the breaft of the male is of a rofi-cn'm- ■•■'Jt 'I i\ ^'\ \l '^ H' 6i THE LINNET. fon colour, which does not take place in the female. It builds its nefl with mofs and bents, and lines it with wool and hair; lays five «ggs. 2. Tie Greater Red-headed Linnet, or Red-Poll, which BufTon terms The Greater Vine- Linnet. It is the Fringilla Cannabina of Linnxus, or the Hemp-Finch ; the Linaria Rubra of Gefncr, Ray, BrJflTon, ^c. The German name is Hdnfling, or Hemp-bird \ and the Italian Fanello Marino, or Sea-Linnet. It is thus chara^crized by BriiTon :— ♦' It is of a duflcy-chefnut, the margins of its fea- ** thers more dilute, and beneath of a tawny-white ; its wings <' marked with a white longitudinal flripe ; its tail-quills black, ** the whole of their borders white." The Linnaean charadlcr : — " The primary quills of its wings, and thofe of the tail, black, *' and white at both the edges." It is found both in Europe and in America. It is fmaller than the preceding, and is gregarious in winter. The female has neither the red fpot on the crown, nor the blufti-coloured bread. It neftles on the ground. It is a very fa- miliar bird, and quite cheerful a few minutes after it is caught. The opinion of our ingenious author with refpeft to the identity of the fpecies of the Red Poll, and of the Common Linnet, is very plaofible ; but it feems not altogether well founded. The Red Poll is fmaller than the Linnet ; it neilles on the ground, while the latter breeds in furze and thorn-hedges. The egg of the Linnet is of a very faint blue, d9tted with rufty fpecks, and interfperfed with mi- nute brown ftreaks. The egg of the Red Poll is a very faint green, ijprinklcd with ruily dots, and rather iharp at the fmall end, M C «3 ] VARIETIES of the LINNET. 1 ill I. The White Linnet. I have feen this variety at the houfe of Defmoulin, the painter. White was the predominant colour of its plu- mage, but the quills of the wings and of the tail were black, edged with whit ;, as the Com- mon Linnet, and fome veftiges of gray alfo were perceptible on the upper coverts of the wings. IL The Black-legged Linnet. Its bill is greenifh, and the tail much forked ; in other refpeds, it is the fame in fize, in proportions, and even in colours, with the common Linnet. This bird is found in Lorraine, and we are in- debi^d for our information to JDr. Lottinger of Sarbciurg. M ■{I :■ .J) The STRASBURG FINCH, :.i Le Cyntel de Strajbourg, Buff. Fyiiigilla Argentoratenjis, Gmelln, Linaria jirgentoratenjis, Brifl'. n Little is known with regard to this bird, yet enp'jgh to indicate its affinity to the Linnet* It is 'i' ; i 6+ VARIETIES OF THE LINXET. is of the fame fizc, it feeds upoi 'I-c fame feeds, it flies alfo in numerous llo>:ks, and lias eggs of the fame colour : its tail is forked, the upper- part of its body of a deep brown, ihe breaft rufous, fpeckled with brown, and the belly white. It lays indeed three or four eggs only, according to Gefner, and its legs are red. But was Gefner accurately ac- quainted with the number of eggs ? and with regard to the red colour of the legs, we have feen, and we fhall have other oppor- tunities of being convinced, that this property is far from being foreign to Linnets, cfpecially to thofc in their natural ftate. The analogy appears even amidft the differences, and I am inclined to believe, that when the Strafburg Finch is better known, it may be referred as a variety derived from climate, fituation, &c. to the common Linnet *'. * Specific charafler :— '* It is dufky, above rufous, fpottcd *« with du/ky, its lower belly and vent whitifti." It is thus de- fcribed by BrifTon ; " above it is dufky, below rufous, variegated »* with dufky fpots, its lower belly whitifh, its tail-quills dufky, iti «« legs reddifh." M The ,1^ VARIETIES OF THE LINNET. 65 The MOUNTAIN LINNET. La Linatti Je Montagnf, Buff*. Friugilla Montium, Gmel. Linaria Montana, BrifT. This bird is found in the mountainous part of Derbyfliire in England * : it is larger than the ordinary fort, and its hill proportionally more flender. The red, which appears on the head and bread of the common cock Linnet, occurs in the male of this fpecies on the rump. la other refpe^s the plumage is nearly the fame. The bread and throat are variegated with black and white ; the head with black and cinereous, and the back with black and rufty. The wings have a tranfverfe white ray, which is very dif- tindl, being on a black ground ; it is formed by the great coverts which are tipt with white. The tail is two inches and a half long, com- pofed of twelve brown quills, of which the lateral ones have a white edging, which is broader the nearer the quill lies to the out- fide. It is probable that the Mountain Linnet has a forked tail, and that its warble is pleafant, though • May not this be the Tecond Linnet mentioned by Gefner, and after him by Schwenckfeld, which is more (hy than the com- imn Linnet, has an inferior fong, and inhabits arid mountains, at lead if we judge from the name that lie gives it, Stthi Hak'tiflhig (Stone Linnet) ? VOL. IV. F Willughby .4 '■• i V H :i n III 66 VARIETIES OF THE LINNET. »M Willughby does not exprefsly mention thefe circumftances. But he reckons thefe two charadters peculiar to the Linnet, with which he ranges it. If we be- permitted to draw this inference, we might confider the Mountain Linnet as only a variety refulting from climate or fituation. [A] [A] The Mountain Linnet advances during the winter in flocks to the Ibuthern parts of England, and perhaps breeds in the north- ern counties. It is larger than the Red Poll, being ftx inches and a half long. Specific charafter :— " It is black, below pale, *• the throat and breall blackiili, the rump in the male pale-red." Thus defcribed by BrliTon : — " Above, it is black and variegated «• with tawny, below whitifh ; the feathers of the lower part of «• the neck and of the middle of the breaft are black, (the rump " red in the male,) with a white tranfverfe ftripe ; the quills of the " tail duflcy, the edges of the lateral ones white on both edges." Its egg refcmbles that of the common Linnet in colour, but the fpccks are thinner fcattered, and its ihape is rather more bulged. M MMi Tlie TWITE. ii?l. Le Cubarit, BufF. FringiUu Montiu/n, Var. Linn. Linarir Minima, BrlfT. l.inaria Peihre Subluteo, Kleiiv. F audio de'.PJquHa, Olin. When we treat of birds whofe colours are fo variable as in the prefent, we fliould fall into numberlefs mi (lakes, if we eonfidered them as fpecific charaders. We have already feen that the w VARIETIES OF THE LINNET. 67 the common Linnet, in the ftate of liberty, was marked with red on the head and bread ; that the captive Linnet had the fame colour only on the breaft, and that concealed ; that the Straf- burg Linnet had it on the legs; and that the Mountain Linnet was painted "'ith It on the rump. BrifTon fays, that what he calls the Lit- tle Vine Linnet is red on the head and breaft ; and Gefner adds, on the rump. Willughby mentions a fmall Linnet which had a red fpot on the head, and in that circumftance refembled the two described by Aldrovandus, though it differed in other refpeds. Laftly, the Cabaret of Briffon was marked with red on the head and rump, but that of Frifch had none on the head. It is obvious, that a great part of thefe varieties is owing to the feafons and the circumftances in which thefe birds have been feen. If in the middle of fpring, they were clothed in their richeft colours ; if during the moulting feafon, the red had difappearcd ; if immediately after, it was net yet refumed. If they were kept in a cage, the change would be in proportion to the length of their confinement ; and as the feathers of the different parts of the body would drop at different times, there would be abundant fource of diverfity. In this un- certainty, we are obliged, in order to determine the fpecies, to recur to the more permanent pro- perties ; the (hape of the body, the inftindls, and habits. Applying this method^ I can per- F 2 ceive Ill •B''^ ii-F :Ji * '4: ' 1ST i 68 VARIETIES OF THE LINNET. ceive only two kinds of birds that have re- ceived the name of Little Linnet : the one, which never fings, appears but once in fix or feven. years, arrives in numerous flocks, refembles the Sifkin, &c. : it is the Little Vine Linnet of Brif- fon : the other is the Twite of this article. The younger Daubenton had for two or three years one ofthefe birds, which was caught in a net. It was at firft very fliy, but it became gradually reconciled, and grew quite familiar. It feemed to prefer hemp-feed for its food. It had a fweet mellow note, much like that of the Hedge Petty- chaps. It loft all its red the firft year, and never recovered it ; the other colours fuffered no altera- tion. When fick or in moult, its bill was ob- ferved to become immediately pale and yellowifh ; and as the bird recovered, it pafled through all the fhades to its proper brown caft. The fe- male is not entirely deftitute of brilliancy of plu- mage ; it is marked v;ith red on the head, but not on the rump. Though fraaller than the common hen Linnet, its voice is ftronger and more varied. This bird is rare both in Germany and in France. It flies rapidly, but never in large flocks ; its bill is rather more flcndcr in proportion than that of the common Linnet. Mcajurcs : the total length of the Twite is four inches and a half; its wings are eight inches acrols ; its bill rather more than four lines ; its tail t AG inches : this is forked, and projctfts only eight lines beyond the wings. Colottrs : VARIETIES OF THE LINNET. 69 Colours : The upper-part of the head and the rump are red ; there is a reddifh bar under the eyes ; the upper -part of the body is variegated with black and ruft colour ; the under-part of the body rufty, fpotted with blackifli below the throat ; the belly is white ; the legs brown, fome- tiines black. The nails are very long, and that of the hind toe is longer than the toe itfelf. [A] [A] Linnaeus makes the Twite a variety of the Mountain Lin- net ; but Mr. Latham conceives it to be more related to the Red Poll. " It is variegated above, rufous below, the abdomen " whitiHi, the eye brows and the bar on the wings tawny, the •• crown and rump red." It is about four incnes and a half long. SrifTon defcribcs it " as blackilh above and varied with rufous, " below tawny ; the belly whitifli ; the ftripe above the eyes ru- " fous ; having fpots between the bill and the eyes and under the *♦ throat of adufky olackilh colour, the crown and rump red in the " male ; (the crown red in the female;) the tranfverfe bar on ** the wings of a white-rufous ; the tail-quills dufky, the whole *' of the edgei tawny." If we were to judge from the egg of the Twite, we (hould regard it as a variety of the Red Poll. The egg of the Twite, though rather fmaller than that of the Red Poll, is of the fame Ihape and colour ; only the dots are orange, fmaller* af 7« fort of purple crefcent which lies under the eyes, and marks the phyfiognomy of this little bird. The throat is light blue, and the fame colour fpreads over all the lower parts of the body, as far as the end of the tail, and even over the upper coverts. All the upper-part of the body, including the wings, is of a pleafant gray. In fome individuals, this fame gray, fome- tvhat lighter, is the colour of the belly and of the lower coverts of the tail. In other fpecimens brought from Abyf- finia, this gray had a tinge of red on the belly. Laftly, in others there is no purple crefcent under the eyes ; and this variety, known by the name of d/uc Cord*^ is more common than that lirft defcribed. It is faid to be a female ; but, as it is fo frequent, I (hbuld rather fuppofe that the appearance is owing to the difference of age or climate. Mr. Bruce, who has feen this bird in Abyffinia, pofitivcly affures us, that the two red fpots are not found in the female, and that all her colours are lefs brilliant. He adds, that * Cardan BUu, Knight of the order of the Holy Ghoil. 14 the THE BMNGALi »J itie male has an agreeable warble, but he never remarked that of thd female : in both, the bill ftnd the legs are rcddifh. Edwards has figured and coloured a Blui Cord (the Blue-bellied Finch J which was brought from the coaft of Angola, where the Portuguefe called it AzuUnba. It differed from the preceding ; the upper-paft of the body be- ing of a brown cinereous, flightly tinged with purple, the bill of a deep fleih colour, and the legs brown. The plumage of the female was of a cinereous brown, with a flight tinge of blue on the lower-part of the body only. It Would feem to be a variety from the climate, in which neither fex has the red fpot under the eyes; and this accounts for the frequency of the Blue Cords. It is a very lively bird. Ed- wards remarks that its bill is like that of the Goldfinch. He takes no notice of its fong, not having an opportunity of hearing Jt. The Bengal is of the fize of the Sizerin ; its total length is four inches nine lines ; its bill four lines ; its tail two inches, unequally taper- ing, and confining of twelve quills ; its extent fix or feven inches* M I « 2 The C 84 } The BROWN BENGAL*. Brown is the predominant colour of this bird ; but it is more intenfc under the belly, and mot- tled on the bread, with whitilh in fome indivi- duals, and reddifli in others. All the males have fome of the upper coverts of the wings tipt with a white point, which produces a fpeckling, con- fined however to that fex ; for the female is of an uniform brown without fpots. In both the bill is reddifti, and the legs of a light yellow. The Brown Bengal is nearly the fize of a wren ; its total length is three inches and three- fourths ; its bill is four lines ; its alar extent about fix inches and a half; and its tail rather more than an inch. • Latham rcck.ons this bird a variety of the Punfturcd Bengal, Fringilla Amaudava, Linn, of the following article, firiflbn terms it Btttgaltts Fufcus, or Dufky Bengal, and defcribes it as " having *< the throat and breail mixed with dirty whiti ' i f U The m ammuM^ JCsif V^H •Sl*il THE ANAI>tTVADK FIo2 THK S:BX£i»Al. J:'IXCJZ ■• * r C 8s ] The PUNCTURED BENGAL*. ! I I J -.w. Le Bengali Piquctc, BufF. Fringilla ^mamlava, Linn. ''..'.] '.I '.' Fringi//a Ruira IiJiai/na, Klein. '11 -» Bengalus Puniiiilaius, BrKT. The Amaduvadt Fiadit Will. Alb. £dw. and Lath. Of all the Bengals which I have Teen, this >s the moft fpeckled. The whole upper part of the body, the fuperior coverts of the tail and wings, and the quills of the wings next the back, were fprinkled with points ; the wings were brown, and the lateral quills of the tail black, edged with white. Brown mixed with a dull red was fpread over all the upper part of the body, including the coverts of the tail, and even under the belly ; a red not fo dulky ex- tended over all the reft of the under-part of the body, and the fides of the head ; the bill was alfo of a dull red, and the legs of a light yellow. ' The female, according to Briflbn, is never punflured ; it differs alfo from the male, as its neck, breaft, and belly, are of a pale- yellow, and the throat white. According to other obfervers, who had many opportunities of > • Specific charafter:—" Duflcy and tawnyifli, fpeckled with white; " the tail-quills black, with a white point at their tip." Briflbn's defcrjption :— " Duflcy above, mixed with dull red, below faintly " red ; the upper coverts of the wings and of the tail, the breaft, " and the fides, fprinkled with white points ; the feathers of the ■" wings black." G 3 repeat- .':\ '' t 06 PUNCTURED BENGAL. -.? repeatedly feeing thefe birds alive, the female \\ras entirely brown, and wiiiiout fpots. Ih this a variety of plumage, or a difference of defcrip- tion ? for the latter is no fmull fource of confu- fion in natural hiftory. Willughby faw feveral of thefe birds which came from the Eaft indies, and, aft we may expedi, found feveral differences among the individuals ; fome had black wings ; in others the breaft was of that colour } in others the bread and belly were blackeil ; in others the legs whitiih : in all the nails were very long, and more incurvated than thofe of the lark. There is reafon to believe that fome of thefe birds were in moult ; for I obferved one in which the lower-belly was blackifh, and all the reft of the plumage indecided, a^ happens when the feathers are dropped, the colours pe- culiar to the fpecies being 'ImprefTcd, but not well difcriminated. The fpecimen defcribed by BriiTon came from the illand of Java. Thofe obferved by Charles- ton were brought from India ; their warble was very pleafant j feveral of them were kept toge* ther in the fame cage, bccaufe they difliked the fociety of other birds. The Speckled Bengal is of a fize intermediate to the two preceding ; its total length is about four inches ; its bill four or five lines ; its extent lefs than fix inches ; its tail an inch and four lines, unccjually tapered, and coofifl:ing of twelve quills. M [ «7 3 The SENEGAL*, Le Sttiegali, Buff. FriHgilla Sinigalttt Linn* Stnegalms Rubtr, firiflf. Tht Stnt^al Finch, Lath. ^T^HERE arc two principal colours in the plu- ^ mage of this bird ; vinous red on the headt on the throat, and on all the under-part of the body as far as the legs, and on the rump; a greeniih-brown on the lower bellj and on the back, where it receives a flight tinge of red. The wings are brown, the tail blackiih, the legs gray, the bill reddifh, except the upper and lower ridge, and its edges, which are brown, and form a fort of red-coloured fquares. This bird is fomewhat fmaller than the Punc- tured Bengal, but longer fliaped. Its total length is four inches and a few lines ; its bill (bur lines ; its alar extent fix inches and a half; its tail eighteen lines, condfting of twelve quills. * Specific character : — " Duflcy ferniginoas ; rafous on the head* ** and under ; the bill red, ftreakod with black."—*' It is greenifh* '* dufky above, mixed with wine colour, and below of a red wins " colour ; the crown red wine ; the lower belly greenilh-dufky { the " quills of the wings black." Ban son. Some have given it the name ofRufy, on account of its colour. C4 VARIE- ^1 ,;> 11 '1* I: l>!" ( 88 3 VARIETIES of the SENEGAL. I. I have feen one of thefe birds which had been killed in Cayenne in a favanna, and the only one that has been feen in that country. It probably had been carried thither by fome curi- ous perfon, and had efcaped from its cage. It differed in fome refpe£ls from the preceding j the coverts of its wings were flightly edged with red ; the bill was entirely of that colour ; the legs only reddifh ; and what fhews the clofe analogy between the Bengals and Senegals, the breaft and fides were fprjnkled with fopie white points. II. The Danbik of Mr. Bruce, This bird is very common in Abyffinia, and partakes of the qualities of the two preceding. It is of the fame fize. The red colour, which is fpread over all the anterior part, does not defcend to the legs, as in the Senegal, but it extends over the coverts of the wings, where a few white points are per- ceived likewife on the fides of the breaft. The bill is purple, its upper and lower ridge blnifli, and the legs cinereous. The male fings agree- ably. The female is of an ahnoft uniforn^ Ijiown, and has very little purple. M Thq pi VARIETIES OF THE SENEGAL. 89 The RADIATED SENEGAL*. Le Senegal Ray e. Buff. Loxia AJirildy Linn. FriHgillu UfuLlata, Pall. Senegiilus Striatus, Briff. Waxbtll GrojUak, Edw. and Lath. It is radiated tranfverfely as far as the end of the tail with brown and gray, and ihejiria are the more delicate as they are nearer the head. The general complexion is much lighter on the lower part of the body ; it is alfo fhaded with rofe-colour, and there is a red oblong fpot under the belly ; the lower coverts of the tail are black without any rays, but fome traces can be per- ceived on the wing-quills, which are brown ; the bill is red, and there is a ftripe, or rather a bar of that colour on the eyes. I have been affured that the female is exadly like the male ; but the differences which I have myfelf obferved in many individuals, and thofe Tvhigh have been noticed by others, create fome * Linnsean fpecifie charafter : — •' Gray, waved with duflcy ; the " bill, orbits, and breaft, fa ffron -coloured." — " It is Ibeakcd '* tranfverfely with dufky and dirty gray, mixed with rofe-colour f in the lower part of the budy, and with red on the belly ; a red " ftripe near the eyes ; thr (|'.ii 1^ of the wings ilrc.nked tranfvi'rfely f with dufky and dirty gray.'' BrvissON. — It is c.illcd Waxbill on .iccount of the colour of us !;11I. Some have coiitounded it with the L,i-ii of China, to whi.h nuniy marvellous propcriles are im- puted ; but that bird is as Livge as u blackbird, and bears no rela- i^^on to the Scn-.-ga's- doubts I '■*■ r i r : >< fl 90 VARIETIES OF THE SENEGAL. doubts of the perfed fimilarity of the fexes. I have feen feveral which came from the Cape, in fome of which the upper-part of the body was more or lefs of a deep brown, and the under more or lefs reddifh ; in others the upper-part of the head had no rays. In that figured by Edwards, PI. 179, the rays confided of two browns ; and the coverts below the tail were not black, which is alfo the cafe with what we have reprefented N** 157, fig. 2. Laftly, in the jpecimen delineated at the top of PI. 354, the rays of the under-part of the body are fpread upon a brown ground ; and not only the lower coverts of the tail are black, as in that defcribed by Briflbn, but the lower belly is of the fanw colour. The fubje^ obferved by Briffon came from Senegal. The two which Edwards examined were brought from the Eaft Indies ; and moft of thofe which I have feen were brought from the Cape of Good Hope. Among fo many differences of the plumage remarked between thefe, fome mud depend upon the diflindtion of fex. The average length of thefe birds is about four inches and a half ; the bill is three or four lines ; the alar extent fix inches, and the tail two inches, unequally tapered, and compofed of twelve quills. M The VARIETIES OF THE SENEGAL. 91 The SERE VAN. Brown is the predominant colour of the head, the back, the wings, and the quills of the tail ; the under-part of the body is light gray, fome- times a light fulvous, but always tinged with reddifh ; the rump is red, and alfo the bill ; the legs are red ; fometimes the bafe of the bill is edged with black, and the rump fprinkled with white points, and fo are the coverts of the wings. Such was the Serevan fent from the Ifle of France by Sonnerat, under the name of Bengal* That called Serevan by Commerfon had all the under-part of the body of a light fulvous ; its legs were yellowifli ; and neither its bill nor its rump was red, and not a fingle fpeck could be feen on it. Probably it was young, or was a female. Other birds clofely related to this, and fent by Commerfon, under the name of Cape Bengals^ had a more diftind red tinge before the neck, and on the bread; in general their tail was longer in proportion. They are all nearly of the fize of the Bengals and Scnegils. M I I i; ir.' f The r 9« VARIETIES OF THE SENEGAL. The LITTLE SENEGAL SPARROW. The bill and legs are red, aad there is a ftreak of the fame colour on the eyes ; the throat, and the fides of the neck, are of a blulfh v;hite; all the retl c)f the under-part of the body is white, nr.ixed with rofe'Colour of greater or lefs intenfity ; the rump of the iame ; the reft of the under-part of the body blue ; tlic upper- part of the head is of a lighter blue; the wings, and the fcapular feathers, brown j the tail blac- kifli. This Little Sparrow is nearly the fize of the preceding. • The MAI A*. Le Maia, EiifT. Fring'iUu Ma/a, Linn. Gmel. Brill', and Will. Vhe Cuha Fin^h, Lath. ii Thcfe are very dcftrudive little birds. They airemble in numerous flocks to feed among the crops of rice j they confume much, and wafte • Specific charafter: — " Purplifli, with a (Iripeon the breaft of *' a deeper colour." — BriiTon's dclcription : — Male. ♦' Chcfnut *' purple above, bhckilh below ; head and neck blackilli ; tranfvcrfe *' flripe on the brciift of a chefnut purple ; the wing-quills chef- " nut-purple above, and dufky verging on rufous below." Fe- male. " I'lIvous above, of a diriy yellowifh white below; the *• throat, and a fpot on either fide the breaft, of a cheaiut-purple ; " the wing-quills fulvous." Jt is four inches and three -fourths long. more j w . THE CVBA. riJTCH V!; .'ft *i;. i' .'*■ €■ ffi>wmn|ign• 1 i ! "1 \ i'*, ; iji 1 h ,!• "» 1 'i ,^ 1 ■* i . h '■*„ t 1?. V'. 'v. k ^ *y- ^ ■ ,S ^A' - 'h • : i r 96 J The CHAFFINCH, Le PinfoH, DiifF. Frinyilia Cii:',,'/, Linn, and Gmel. Fri::^'Jlla, Cjffiicr, A!drov. and Brifl". &c. The^Smuf'ck, nr Hhuifall*, Sib. Scot. HI. SO \Ui 1' m 'npHis bird has great power in its bill, with "*• which it nips fo bitterly as to draw blood. Hence, according to the leveral authors, tlie French narae of Pin/on is derived (from pincers to pinch). But as the difpdlition to Inap is not peculiar to the ChalHnch, but common to other birds, to many different forts of quadrupeds, millepedes, &c. I fliould rather adopt the opi- nion of Frifch, wlio fuppofes this word Pin/on to come from Pinc'to^ latinized for the German Plucky which feems imitative of the note of the bird. The Chaffinches do not all migrate in th^ autumn ; a confiderable number remains with us during the winter. Thefe rcfort to our dwel- lings, and even vifit our court-yards to obtain an eafier fubfiftence ; they are little parafites, who feek to live at our expence, without contri- • Ariftotle calls the Chaffinch Xtti^'*: the Italian names are, Franguello, F rangueglio , and FrcngueUo : in German, Find, Rotb Finck, H'inche : in Poliih, Slo-.vick : in Swedifli, Finie, Bojimke : in Bohemian, Penki^va. buting y.^9j TKE rHAFPIXCH I ;, I > t (' \ 4' «■< ■i 'I I B»w^pw*»»i'«*pwri«ii^pB ffitt s W' 1 . i^ ilH ; 1 ' i V f THE CHAFFINCH. 9J^ buting to our plcafures : for in that feafon they never fing, except in fine days, which feldom then occur. During the reft lof the time they lodge concealed in clofe hedges, in onk;* that have not flied all their leaves, in evergreens, and even in holes of rocks, where they arc fomciimts found dead when the weather is exceflively fe- vere. Thofe which migrate into other climates aHemble often in prodigious flocks ; but whither do they retire? Frifch fuppofes that their retreat lies in the northern regions : his reafons are ; I. That on their return, they bring with them white Chaffinches, which arc hardly to be met with, except in thofe climates; 2. That they never lead young ones in their train, which would be the cafe, if, during their abfence, they lived in a warm country, where they might be difpofed to breed ; 3. That they can bear cold, except fnow, which covering the fields, deprives them in part of their fubliftence *. Thefe arguments imply therefore, that there is a country in the north where the earth is not robed in the winter ; and fuch is faid to be the ••■1 ^ * Frifch.— AlJrovandus fays, that in Italy, when there is much fnow and the froll very intcnfe, the Chaffinches cannot fly, and arc caught by the hand ; but this weaknefs may arile from inanition, and that again from the abundance of fnow. 0!ina alleges, that in the fame country the Chaffinches retire to the hilly trafts during the fummcr. Hebcrt has leen many of liieni in that feafon among the highell mountains of Bugcy, where they were as com'non as in the plains, and where they certainly do not remain through tiie winter. VOL. IV. K dcfiuts --I- ■■ >■■ 98 THE CHAFFINCH. I nil' li: defarts of Tartary, where the fnow falls indeetl, but is immediately fwept away by the violence of the winds, and extenfive trads laid bare. A very remarkable circumftance in the migra- tion of the ChafKiiclies, is what Gefner men- tions of thofe of Switzerland, and Linnaeus of thofe of Sweden : that only the females remove to other climates, and the males refide in the country dnrini; the v.'inter *. But have not thefc able naturalirts been mifled by the per- fons who informed them, and thofe deceived by fome periodical change in the plumage of the females, occalioned by cold, or other accidents ? This explanation feems more fuited to Nature's general plan, and more conformable to analogy, than to fuppofe that, at a certain fixed term, the females feparate from mere caprice, and travel into a diilant climate, when their native foil can afford them fubfiitence. The migrations vary in different countries. Aldrovandus alfures us, that the Chaffinches fel- dom breed near Bologna, but almoft all depart * " They'quit Sw'tzovlind in the winter, particularly thtf'fe- •• m.iler, ; for icv.:ral mi cs are often fccn, with not one female." tiiia.vtK. LinnsU'i poiitiv.Iy afil-its, that the female Chailinchc* leave SvvoJcn in liocks about the month of September, that they d'ncii tlui; coiui.; w noi^dH',', and return in tlie fprlng to join thcif mail-.: Wiiiih liavc wIiUcilcI li; S>veden. 'I'his Ungiilar rem.trk is airrolioralcd hy Mr. White, who found. (hat tlie v.iil Hocks of Chi'fL.vihes wliicli appear in iiis neighbour- hood about (JliriiliVias, aiv ai'iiolt entirely hens. Yet, as he feems lot to iiavc diHwiied any, he ijii<^ht liavc been deceived by the change of p!'.jni.i[;e, >vhicli i; cxti'.'mely probable. H about << « m fc fol <( I <(l "I THE CHAFFINCH. ■..( 99 about the end of winter, and return the fucceed- ing autumn. On the other hand, I find from Willughby, that they continue the whole year in England, and that few birds are fo com- mon. They are fpread through the whole of Europe, from the ihores of the Baltic and Sweden, where they are frequent, and neftle, to the Straits of Gibraltar, and even the coafts of Africa *. The Chaffinch is a lively bird, and perpetually in motion ; and this circUmftance, joined to the fprightlinefs of its fong, has given rile to the proverbial faying, gay as a Chaffinch. It be- gins to chant very early in the fpring, and fe- veral days before the Nightingale, and gives over about the fummer folftice. Its fong has merited an analyfis: and it is diftinguilhed inro the prelude, the quavering, and the cloie f ; names have been appropriated to the different parts J and the greateft connoiffeurs in theJ'e * " Being ftationcd on the coafts of Africa, we were vevy " often vifitcd on board by Chaffinches. We cruilcd between tlie *• tliirtk'th to the thirty-fifth degree of hititudc :— I have even " heard it afiirmed, that they are found at the Cape of Good " Hope." Note of Vij[ount i^erhoent. \ The prelude is, according to Frifch, compofed of three fi- milar notes or llrokes ; the quaver, of feven diticrent notes de- fcending; and the clofe, of two notes. Lottinger has alfo mr.de fome obfcrvations on this fubjed. *' In anger, the air of the " Chaffinch is funple and (hrill ; in fear, plaintive, fhort, and «' often rcpcutd ; in joy, it is lively, and ends with a fort of " burden." \%A n z '^^ little % 100 THE CHAFFINCH. I little matters agree, that the concluding part is the moft agreeable *. Some find its mufic too ftrong, or too grating f ; but this muft be im- puted to the exceffive delicacy of our organs, or rather it is becaufe the found is too near, and increafed by the confufed echo of our apart- ments : Nature has deftined the Chaffinches to be fongfters of the woods j let us repair then to the grove, to tafte and enjoy the beauties of their mufic. If a young Chaffinch taken from the neft be educated under a Canary, a Nightingale, &c. it will have the fong of its inftrudtors ; more than one inftance J has been known of this ; but they have never been brought to whittle our tunes : — they never depart fo wide from nature. The Chaffinches, befide their ordinary warble, have a certain tremulous expreffion of love, which they can utter in the fpring, and alfo another cry which is unpleafant, and faid to portend rain §. It has been remarked too, that they never fing better or longer than when, from ibme accident, they have loft their fight || ; and * In German, this is called Reiterzu; In French, Bttuie-fclle. f Mordant, biting. X This facility in learning the fongs of other binh accounts for the divcrfuy obferved in the warble of the Chaffinches. In the Nt'tlicrlands, five or fix kinds of Chaffinches arc dillinguifhed by the various length of their airs. § In the German Irmguage a word is appropriated to denote this : it is Schir^U-n. II They are li.ible to this accident, cfpccially if kept between two windows which ^ace the fouth. no u i'),y THE CHAFFINCH. lOI no fooner was this obfervation made, than the art was difcovered of rendering them blind. The lower eyelid is connected to the upper by a fort of artificial cicatrix made by touching (lightly and repeatedly the edges with a wire heated red-hot in the fire, and taking care not to hurt the ball of the eye. They muft be pre- pared for this fingular operation by confining them for ten or twelve days to the cage, and then keeping them fliut up with the cage in a cheft night and day, to accuftom them to feed in the dark*. Thefe blind Chaffinches are in- defatigable fingers, and they are preferred as calls to decoy wild Chaffinches into the fnares : thefe are alfo caught with bird-lime and with different kinds of nets, and among others thofe for larks, but the mefhes muft be fmaller in pro- portion to the fizc of the bird. The time for the fport is, when the Chaf- finches fly in numerous flocks, either in autumn before their departure, or in fpring on their return. We n aft, as much as poffible, choofe calm weather, for they keep lower and hear better the call. They do not eafily bend to cap- tivity ; they fcarcely will eat any thing for the firft two or three days ; they ftrike their bill • Gefner aficrts, that if the Chaffinches be kept thus {hut op t'lroagh the whole fummer, and not let out of tht-ir prifon till tlie beginning of autumn, they fing during the latter fcafwn, which would otherwifc not happen. Darknefs rendered them dumb, but fctavn of light is to rhcm a fccond fpring. II continually :t h 101 THE CHAFFINCH. I' continually againft the fticks of the cage, and often languifli to death *. Thefe birds conftru£t their neft very round and compaft, and place it in the clofeft trees or bufties ; fometimes they build it even in our gardens upon the fruit-trees, and conceal it fo artfully that we can hardly perceive it, though quite nigh. It is comj 'jfed of white mofs and fmall roots on the outfide, and lined with wool, hairs, fpiders-webs, and feathers. The female lays five or fix eggs, which are reddifh gray, fprinkled with blackifh fpots, more frequent near the large end. The male never deferts his mate in the time of hatching ; he fits at night always at hand j and if during the day he remove to a fliort diftance, it is only to procure food, fealoufy has perhaps fome fhare in this exceffive afliduity ; for thefe birds are of an amorous com- plexion : when two males meet in an orchard in the fpring, they fight obftinately, till one of them is vanquifhed and expelled : and the com- bat is ftill more fierce if they be lodged in the fame volery with only a fingle female. The parents feed their brood with caterpillars and infects : they alfo eat thefe themfelves, but their ordinary fubfiftence is fmall feeds, thofe of the white thorn, of poppy, of burdock, of the rofe-tree, and efpecially beech-maft, rape and 1^ S; • Thofe caught with lime-twigs often die tlic inflantjhey are taken. hemp THE CHAFFINCH. 103 hemp feed. They feed alfo upon wlieat and even oats, and are expert in flielling the grain to obtain the mealy fubftance. Though rather obftinate, they can in time be inftiuded hke Goldfinches to perform feveral little feats ; they learn to employ their wings and feet to draw up the cup. when they want to eat or drink. The Chaffinch fits oftencr fquatted than perched ; it never walks hopping, but trips lightly along the ground, and is conftantly bufy in picking up fomething : its flight is unequal ; but when its neft is attacked, it hovers above fcreaming. This bird h fomewhat fmaller than our Spar- row, and is too well known to require a minute defcription. The fides of the head, the fore- part of the neck, tlie breafl:, and the loins are of a wine colour : the upper-part of the head and of the body chefnut ; the rump olive, and a white fpot on the wing. In the female the bill is more flender, and the colours lefs bright than in the male ; but in both fexes the plumage is very fubje<5t to vary. I have feen a hen Chaffinch alive, caught on her eggs the 7th of May, which diflfered from that defcribed by Brilfon : the upper-part of its head and back was of a brown olive, a fort of gray collar fur- rounded the neck behind, the belly and the lower coverts of the tail were white, &c. And of the males, fome have the upper-part of the head H 4 and 104 THE CHAFFINCH. I' w ;> and neck cinereous, and others of a brown chefnut ; in fome the quills of the tail near- eft the two middle ones are edged with white, and in others they are entirely black. Does age occafion thefe flight differences ? A young Chaflinch was taken from its mother, when its tail- quills were fix lines in length, and the under- part of its body was like that of its mother ; and the upper-part of a brown cine- reous; the rump olive; the wings were already maiked with white rays : but the edges of the fuperior mandible were not yet fcalloped near the poiiit as in the adult males. This circum- fijnc^ would lead me to fuppofe that the fcal- loping which occurs in many fpecies is not the primary organization, but is afterwards pro- di:ced by the continual preffure of the end of tlie lower mandible, which is rather fiiorter, againft the fides of the upper. /ill the Chaffinches have the tail forked, com- poled of twelve quills ; the ground colour of their plumage is dull cinereous, and thefleih is not good to eat. The period of their life is feven or eight years. Total length fix and one-third inches; the bill fix lines; the alar extent near ten inches; the tail two and two-thirds, and extends about fixteen lines beyond the wings. [A] M T « « « [A] Specific charafter of the ChaPnnch, Frinp/Ia C^/d/StLm a , .— '• Its joir.M arc black ; its vving-t|ullls white on both fides, the •« three THE CHAFF7NCW. 105 •* three firft without fpots, two of tlie tail-quUIs obliquely white." Thus defcribed by Briflfon : — " Above it is dufky-chefnut ; below " white tawny; its rump green olive, (the lower- part of the neck *' and the bread wine coloured in the male.) with a white fpot on *' the wings ; the lateral quills of the tail are black, the outcrmoil " dilUnguiflied by an oblique white ftripc, the next terminated «• obliquely with white on the infide." M VARIETIES of the CHAFFINCH*. Before the frequent variations which may be perceived in Chaffinches bred in the fame coun- try, others are obferved in different climates ■which are more permanent, and which authors have judged worthy of defcription. The three lirfl have been found in Sweden, and the re- maining two in Silefia, I. The Chaffinch f with black wings and tail. The wings are indeed entirely black, but the outer quills of the tail, and the one next to it, are edged with white on the outfide from the middle. This bird lodges among trees, fays Linna:us. • This Finch is termed FringiUa Syl-via, in the Fauna Suecica. I FringiUa Flavinjlris Fu/cat SylU Nat. Ed. x. II. The io6 VARIETIES OF THE CHAFFINCH. II. The Brown Ciiapfinch*. It is dif- tingiiiihed by its brown colour and its yellowirti bill, but the brown is not uniform, it is lighter on the anterior part, and has a Ihade of the cinereous and blackifli of the poftcrior part. This variety has black wings like the preceding ; the logs are of the fame colour, and the tail forked. The Swedes call it RiJ^at according to Lin- ii;curf. III. The Crested Brown Chaffinch. It is lire-coloured, and this charader diftinguiihes it from the preceding variety. Linnaeus faid in 1 7.] 6, that it was found on the northern part of Svveden, but twelve years afterwards he re- cognized it to be the Black Linnet of Klein, and aflerted that it inhabited every part of Europe. IV. The White Chaffinch f. It is very rare according to Schwenc^ ^eld, and difiers only in regard to colour from the Common Chaffinch. Ciefner aflirms, that a Chaffinch w^s feeu whofe plumage was en- tirely white. • Fringilla Flammea Fufcn, Syft. Nat. Ed. X. -J- Fringula CandUUi, Schwenckfdd. V. The VARIETIES OF THE CHAFFINCH. 107 V. The Collared Chaffinch f- The crown of its head is white, and it has a collar of the fame colour ;— this bird was caught in the woods near Kotzna. f Fringilla Torjuata, S.ch\vencl: fdd. I 108 •} i y ' i i V The B R A M B L I N G. Le Pinfcn D'Ardcnni-, BufF. ¥ringtlla-Mont!f)-iiigilla, Ltnn. and Cmcl. Monitfrhi^iUn, GL-fntr, Aldrov. Brifl". Lz. Friir'jii.i Mi.i:!uiia, Roman. Orn. Thelh,:.ib!c, or Dra.nbling, Will. The Mouiuain Finch, Rjy. PERHAPS this bird, which in general is fuppofed to be the Mountain Finch, or Oro/piza of Ariftotlc, is in fad his Spiza, or principal Finch ; or our Common Finch or Chaffinch is his Mountain Finch. The following are the reafons which incline me to this opinion. The ancientvS never made complete dcfcriptions, but feized a prominent feature of an animal, whether in its exterior appearance or in its habits, and marked it by an epithet. The Orofpiv^a^ fays Ariflotle *, is like the Sp'i%a ; it is fomewhat fmaller ; its neck is blue; and laftly, it inhabits the mountains; but all thefc are properties of the Chaffinch, and fomc of them belong to it exclufively. I. It is much like tlie Mountain Finch or I]r?.inblir ";, as will appear from the comparifon ; anc! al! lyllcmatic writers have clafled them to- gellicr. * !t li fuppofed to be Arilloilc'i Oroo-n^a, or Mountain Finch, whofc fi:rn;iio wa? termed /ar-jc/il^i , or Golden Mitred. In Ger- man, l\/vjirt, Schiiec-Fuick, H'iut^r-Fiiuk : in Swifs, Wald-Finck, ^.hc'jin I'.nik : in Swcdli:), N'^yfj^nt. 2. The THE B R A M B L I N (>. 109 I )u '2. The ChafTirich is rather fmallcr than the Brambling, according to naturalifts, and which agrees with my own obi'crvations. 3. In the GhafHnch, the upper-parts of the head and of the neck are of a bkiidi cinereous ; whereas in the Brambling thefe arc varied with glofly black and yellowilh gray. 4. We have already remarked, on the autlio- rity of Olina, that in Italy the Chaffinch retires in fummer to breed among the mountains ; and, as the climate of Greece is Uttlc different from that of Italy, we may infer from analogy, it will there alfc have the fame habits *. 5. Luf^-ly, the Spiza of Ariftotle appears to refort, according to that philofopher, to the warm regions during fummer, and to prefer the cold climates in winter f. But this agrees better with the Brambling than with the Chaffinches, fmce of thefe a great proportion never migrate, while the former not only are birds of pafTagc, but • Frifch afll-rts that the Bramblings come from the mountaitu in autumn, and when they return they dircfl tlteir courfe to the north. The Marquis dc Piolcnc, who has given mc fcvcral notes on thefe birds, aifures me that they leave the mountains of Savoy and Dauphiny in Odober, and do not return till Februar)-. Thefe periods corrcfpond well with tlic time when they arc feen to pafs and repafs in Burgundy.— Perhaps both thefe fpecies rcfemble each other in preferring mountains. f AldrovanJus poiitively afferts, that this takes p'ncc in the neighbourhood of Bologna : Louinger informs me, ihnt fo:ne , appear in Lorraine from the end of Augufl, but tha; lar^c liocks arrive towards the end of Oftobtr, and even later. generally no THE B R A M B L 1 N G. generally arrive in the depth of winter * in the clifFerent countries vviiich they vilit. This is evinced by experience, and is confirmed by llic appellations of Wintcr-Hnch, and Snow-Finch» which they have received in various places. From all thcfe confiderations, it feems probable tliat the Brambling is the Spiza of Ariflotlc, and the ChafFinch his Orofphza, The Ikamblings do not breed in our climates ; they arrive in diUcrent years in immenfe flocks. The time of their paHL.ge is the autumn and winter : often they retire in eight or ten days, and fomctimcs they remain till the fpring. Dur- ing their ftay, they confort with the Chaflinches, and, like thefe, fcek concealment in the thick foliage. Vaft bodies of them apjjearcd in Bur- gundy in the winter of 1774, and others in ftill more numerous flocks were feen in the country of Wirtemberg about the end of December 1775, which every evcnin;^ repofed in a valley adjoin- ing to the banks of the Rhine f , and commenced i. A • JJlj}. An'tm. lib. viii. -x. f Lottinger allerts perhaps too generally, that In the day-time they fpread through the forelh of the plain, and in the evening retire to the mountains. This condud is not invariable, but fcems to be aiFcfted by fuuailon and circumdances. A ilock of more than three hundred were fcen this year in our neighbourhood ; it halted tlirce cr four days in the fame place, which is mountainous. They .ilways alighted on the fame chef- nut-tree, and when findrit, rofeall at once, and conUantly direftcd tlieir courfe to the north and north-eall. Ao/t of the Marquit Piollnc. their THE BRAMBLING. Ill their flight with the carlicfl dawn : the j:»roiind was covered with their excrements. The fame occurrence was ohi'erved in the year 173 V and in 1757*^. Never perhaps were lb many of thcfc birds fccn in Lorraine, as in the wiiitcr of 1 765 : more th.ui (ix; hundred dozen, Tays Lottinjijer, were killed every night in the pine-torefls, vvliicli arc iburorlivt; leagiicafromSarhourg. Thepc(>[)le were not at tin; [»)ins to llioot tliein, they knocked them down v/uh I'wirches ; and though this mat- i'acre lallcd tlie whole winter, tlie body was fcarce perceptibly thinnetl. Wilhighby tells ns, that many are Teen in the ncigbbonriiood of Venice, no doubt in the time of pallage ; but no where do they appear fo regularly as in the forerts of WeilFemburg, which arc plentifully ftockcd with beeches, and confequently afford abundance of mart, of which tliey are fo fond, that they eat it day and night ; they live alfo on all forts of fmall i'eeds. I fuppofe that ilicfe birds remain iii their native climate as long as they can procure the proper food, and (juit it only when fcarclty obliges them to (liift their quarters ; at lead, it is certain that the plenty of their fa- vourite feeds is not fuflicicnt to draw them to a country, and even to one with which they are at-rjuaintcd : for in 1774, when there was abundance ^ of beech malt in Lorraine, the 15raial>lin;rs did not appear, but took a diflerent • C.rz'-.'u- iP .'arhnlni/e, Ann, 17; 6. m route : 112 THE BRAMBLING. Ir I route : however, in the following year, feveral flocks were feen, though there was a fcarcity of maft *. When they arrive among us, they ar 2 not Ihy, but allow a perfon to go very near them. They fly dole together, and alight and rife in the fame compadt body ; and for this reafon twelve or fifteen of them may be killed at one fhot. When they feed in the fields, they are ob- ferved to perform the fame manoeuvres as the pigeons ; a few always precede, and are follow- ed by the reft of the flock. Thefe birds, we fee, are known and fpread through all parts of Europe ; but they are not confined to our quarter of the globe. Edwards obferved fome that were brought from Hud- fon*s-bay, under the name of Snow-birds ; and people who traded to that country afliired him that they were the firft which appeared every year on the ret\irn of fpring, before even the fnows were melted. The flefli of the Bramblings, though fome- what bitter, is good to eat, and undoubtedly better than that of the ChaflSnch. Their plu- mage is alfo more varied, more beautiful, and more glofly ; but their fong is far from being fo pleafant, and it has been compared to the fcreech of the owl f and the mewing of the cat %. They have two cries ; the one a fort * I owe thefe fadls to Mr. Lottinger. f Bclon. X Olina. of THE B R A M B L I N G. i»f of chirping, nnd the other which they utter tvhen they lit on the ground reCcmbles that of the Stone-chat, but . is neither fo ftrong nor fo clear. Though by nature endowed with fo few talents, thefe birds are fufceptible of in- ftrui^ ri 11+ THE BRAMBLING. lated. The fowlers aflemble at the little town of Bergzabern ; on the evening of the day ap- pointed, they difpatch fcouts to remark the trees on which the Bramblings comnaonly pafs the night, and whi:h are generally the pitch-pines, and other ever-greens ; the fcouts, after their return, ferve as guides for the company, which fet out in the evening with torches and fliooting- trunks *. The birds are dazzled with the glare, and killed by pellets of dry earth difcharged from the trunks. They ihoot very near, left they fliould mifs; for if a bird chanced to be wounded, its cries would fcare away the flock. The principal food of thefe birds, when kept in a cage, is panic, hemp- feed, and beech- maft. Olina fays that they live four or five years. Their plumage varies: in fome males the throat is black ; in others, the head is entirely white, and the colours in general lighter f . Vrifch remarks, that the young males are not fo black at their arrival, and that the inferior co- verts of their wings are not fo vivid a yellow as at their departure. Perhaps a more advanced np^e occafions ftill other differences between the ft^xes, and may account for the divcrfity ot' tlelcriptlons. The Brambling which I obferved weighed an ounce; its fcicc was black; the uppcr-j)art of its • Stnh.icinci AUIiovsiuhr. head, THE B R A M B L I N G. 115 head, neck, and hack, varied with yellowiOi- gray, and glofly-hlack ; the throat, the fore- part of the neck, the hreart, and the rump, nift-co- loured j the fmall coverts of the bafe of the wing, yellow-orange ; the others formed two tranfverfe rays of a yellowilh-white, feparated by a broader black bur ; all the quills of the wing, except the three lirlf, had on their outer edge, where the great coverts terminate, a white fpot, about five lines long ; the fucccffion of thefe fpots forukcd a third white ray, which was parallel to the two others when the wing was expanded, but when the wing was clofed it ap- peared only like an oblong fpot almoft parallel to the fide of the quills ; laftly, thefe quills we^e of an exceedingly line black, edged with white. The fmall inferior coverts of the wings next the body were diftlnguiflicd by their beautiful yel- low colour. The quills of the tail were black, edged with white, or whitilh ; the tail forked ; the flanks ftreakcd with black ; the legs of a brown-olive ; the nails llightly incurvated, the hind one the rtrongelt of all ; the edges of the upper mand: jle i'callopcd near the point, the edges of the lower one fitted into the upper ; and the tongue pirted at the tip into feveral delicate filaments. The inteflinal tube was fourteen inches long ; the gizzard was mufculnr, coated with a carti- laginous membrane llightly adhering, and pre- ceded ,by a dilatation of the oofophagus^ and alfo I 2 by n6 THE B R A M B L I N G. by a craw of five or fix lines diameter : the whole was filled with I'raall feeds without a fingle pebble. I did not fee a cacum^ or gall- bladder. The female has not the orange fpot at the bafe of the bill, nor the fine yellow colour of the lower coverts j the throat is of a lighter ru- fous ; and it has a cinereous caft on the crown of the head, and behind the neck. Total length fix inches and one-fourth ; bill fix lines and a half; alar extent ten inches ; tail two inches and one-third, and reaches about fif- teen lines beyond the wings. [A] [A] Specific chara£ler of the Brambling, Fringilla Monti/rirt' gilla, Linn. — " The bafe of its wings very yellow below." Briflbn thus defcribes it : — Male. '* Above black, the margins of *• the quills tawny, below white ; the rump bright white ; the *' lower part of the neck and the breaft dilute-rufous ; the lateral •• " tail-quills blackifh, their outer margins yellowifh white, the outer- •* moft has its firft half white exteriorly."— /"<'»/«/^.* " Above «' du/ky, the margins of its quills gray-tawny, below white ; rump *' bright white ; lower part of the neck and the breaft gray-tawny ; ** the lateral tail-quills dufky, their outer margins yellowilh white, ♦» the outermoft has its Hrft half white exteriorly." The Bramblings fomecimes vifit Britain in winter. M : .1". The r M7 J the LAPLAND FINCH. Le Granti-Montaiu, BufF. Tringilla Lappcnica, Linn. Friiigilla Montana, Bri/l'. and Klein, Fringilla Calcarata, Pall. MoniifringlUtv Congener, Aldr. Greater Br ambling. Alb. 1.he Lapland Finch^ I'enn. and Lath. This bird is tlie largeft of the European Finches. Klein fays that it is equal in bulk to the lark. It is found in Lapland, near Tornco. Its head is blackilh, varied with a rufty-white colonr, and marked on each fide with a white ray, which rifes from the eye, and defcends along the neck ; the neck, throat, and breait, are of a light-rufous colour ; the belly, and the hind part, white ; the upper-part of the body rufty, variegated with brown ; the wings bl.ick, edged with pale-yellow and greenifh, and croiled with a white ray ; the tail forked, compofed of twelve quills that are ahnoft black, and edged with yellowifh ; the bill horn-coloured, and deeper near the point ; the legs black. Total length fix inches and a half ; bill feven lines, and the legs and mid-toe the fame ; alar extent eleven inches and a half; tail f.vo inches and a half, and ftretches ten lines beyond the wings. [A] [ A] Specific charafter of the Fringilla Lappoui.-a, L ! n w .— " Us «• head is bl;ick, its body j^ray and black, its eye-brows white, its •• outcrpioft tail-quills marked with a wedge-fliapod white fpot.'" « .1 It ng THE SNOW. FINCH. It inhabits Greenland in the fummer, lays in June, and foon rctircrj^ It is found alio in Lapland, and in the northern parts of Siberia. It appears in November at Hudlbn's-bjy, where it pafFcs the win- ter amonjj the juniper bufhes. It fings nearly lilcc the Linnet, but lias a loftier and better fupported fii^ht. It trips on the ground like a Lark, picking up feeds, M The S N O W - F I N C H. : 1^ ; ;!'• Le Pin/on de Kcge, ou la NiveroUe, BufF. Fringilla Nivalis, Linn. Gmcl. and Bjifl'. This appellation is probably founded on the white colour of the throat, breaft, and all the under-part of this bird ; and alfo on the circum- ftanccs of its inhabiting the cold countries, and fcarcely appearing in temperate chmates, except in winter when the ground is covered with fnow. Us wings and tail are black and white ; the head, and upper-part of the neck, cinereous, in which it refembles the ChafHnch ; the upper part of the body of a gr^y-brcwn, varied with lighter colour ; the fuperior coverts of the tail entirely black, and alfo the bill and legs. Total length fcvcn inches ; the bill feven lines; the legs nine lines and a half; alar ex- tent twelve inches ; the tail two inches and fe- ven lines, and flrctches eight or nine lines be- yond the wings. [A] [A] Speciiic charat^-r of the Fringiua Ni'vaUs : — " It is black, " below fnowy, the fecondary quills of the wing and the coverts •» white." Jt is fevcii inches long. r "9 ] The BROWN GROSBEAK. Le Bninor*, Buff. Loxia Fufca, Linn, and Gmel. This is the fmallefl: of all the Finches. Its throat, brealt, and all the upper- part of the body of an orange reddiQi ; the head, and all the imder-part of the body, is of a deep brown ; but the feathers are edged with a lighter (hade, which produces a nii..ed colour ; laltly, the bill is white, and the legs brown. Edwards, to whom we are indebted for our knowledge of this bird, could not difcover from what country it came. Linnaeus fays that it is found in India. Total length, three inches and one-fourth ; bill, three lines and a half ; legs, four lines and a half; tail, one inch, and extends fix lines be- yond the wings. [A] » i. e. Bvunnoir, or brown-b'ack. [A] Specific charaftcr of the Loxia Fufca: — " It is dafky ; •• below whitii'h ; the wing-quills from the third to the ninth are " entirely white." It inhabits Africa and Bengal. It is nearly^ of the bulk of a Canary. M J4 The [ no J ';) M The COWPEN FINCH. Lc r.ru.i-t. Buff. Friit^.lla Pear is, Gmf'l, Fvii.gilla Vhgrnuviu, BriiT. The prevailing colour of this bird is brown ; but it is lighter under the body. Catelty tells us that it is an inhabit' nt of Virginia, and that it alTociates with the red-\ving orioles and the purple grakles : he adds, that it loves to haunt the cow-pens, and hence its name ; and that it is never fecn in fummer. Total length, fix inches and three-fourths ; the bill fcven lines ; the tail two inches and a half, and extends fifteen lines beyond the wings ; the legs eleven lines, the mid-toe the fame. [A] [A] Specific chamber of the Fringilla Pecoris :—" It is duflcy, ''■ below moio dilute, the tail fomcwhat forked." It is larger than .T! Knglifh Bnlifinch. M », . The BONANA ITNCH. Lf lionana. Buff. F>iiigilla Jamaica, Linn. Gmel. Brirt". Pajjer Ca^m/co-Fi'/cus, Ray, Slcan, Klein. Embcriza Rcmigi/vis RrS!iici/i!./^!btl-alinn ; — *« It *' is black fliining with red, the lower belly tawny, with a white *• Ipot on the wings." M The BLACIi and YELLOW FINCH. Le Pin/on Noir ij "Jaune, BiifF. Fritigiila Capitis Bones Spci, BlifT, The general colour of this bird is velvet-black, which fef.s off the beautiful yellow that prevails on the bafe of the wing, the rump, and the fu- pcrior coverts of the tail, and which borders the •large quills of the wings. The fmall quills, and the great coverts, are edged with gray ; the bill and legs are alfo gray. This bird was fent from the Cape of Good Hope, and is of the fize of an ordinary Chaf- finch. ToUl 12+ THE BLACK AND YELLOW FIMCIL Total length above fix inches ; the bill eight lines ; the legs twelve lines ; the mid-toe ten lines, the hind-toe nearly as long j alar extent ten inches and one-fourth ; the tail two inches r.nd two lines, and ftietches twelve lines beyond the wings. I \ The LONG-BILLED FINCH, Lf A>/*;« a Ly,:s B.:, DiitF. Frin^iila Longirojlr:;, Gmel. Frlngillu Saugiilcitjis, Brili". The head and throat arc black ; the upper- part of the body varied vviih brown and yel- low, the undcr-part with yellow-orange ; it has a chefnut collar ; the quills of the tail are olive on the outfidc, th.c great quills of the tail are of the Uv.iQ colour, tipt with l^rown ; tlie middle ones brown, edged with yellowilh ; t'ne bill and legs gray brown. It was ibnt from Senegal. Its bulk nearly that of the Coir.mcn Chalilncii. Toial Icnc-th fix inches and one-fourth ; the bill nine lines ; the legs eleven lines ; the mid- toe ten lines ; the alar extent ten inches and one-fourth ; the tail two inches and a half, and reaches an inch beyond the wings. It has the longed bill of all the known Finches. [A] [A] The fpcciiic charritl. r :— " It Is variejateJ with dufky and •• yellow, or.ingc Ik'Iow, Uic uil uliv,-, the head and throat black, •« the collar bay." M r ns ] The CHINESE FINCH. VOivttte, Buff. Fritigi/la Si/iicat Linn. Friiigilla Sinetifii, BriiF. The bafe of the bill, the cheeks, the throat, the fore-part of tlie neck, and the fuperior co- verts of the tail, arc of an olive-green ; the upper-part of the head, and of the body, of an ol've-brown, with a flight rufous tinge on the back, the rump, and the coverts of the wings next the body; the tail black, edged with white, and tipt with whitifii j the breaft and the belly rufous, mixed with yellow ; the inferior coverts of the tail and of the wings, of a fine yellow ; the bill and the legs yellowifli. It is nearly of the i^iiQ of a Liiuict. The female has the co- lours, as ufiial, mere dilute. Total length five iiiches ; the bill fix lines ; the legs fix lines and a half ; mid-toe feven lines ; alar extent eight inches and one-third ; the tail twenty-one lines, forked, and projedling only five or fix. lines beyond the wings. [A] [A] The fpecific charafter : — " Olive-rufous, below brick- " coloured, the quills of the wings and tail yellowifh at the bafe." Briffon defcribes it as " dufky -olive, below tawny-yellow ; the *' fore-part of the head, and the lower part of the neck green- " olive ; the iirll half of the tail-quills yellowiOi, the other half " black; the tips of the wings wliitilh." M The f ^26 J The EUSTACHIAN FINCH. Le Pin/en Jaune t^ Rouge*, Buff. Fringilla Eiiftachii, Gmel. Fringilla Infulx St. Eitftachii, Briff. and Klein. Pajj'cr Jfritanus Eximius, Seba. Yellow predominates on the throat, the neck, the head, and all th upper- part of the body ; on all the extremities, viz. the bill, the legs, the wings, and the tail : thefe two colours meeting together form a beautiful orange on the bread, and on all the lower-part of the body. On each fide of the head there is a blue fpot immediately below the eye. Seba fays that this bird was fent from the ifland of St. Euftatius, and he calls it the African Finch ; probably becaufe this author knew an illand of St. Euftachius in Africa very different from that which commonly goes under that name, which is one of the Little Antilles. It is nearly of the fize of tho Chaffinch. Total length five inches and a half; the bill fix lines ; the legs fix lines and a half; the mid-toe feven lines ; the tail twenty-one lines, and ex- tends about ten lines beyond the wings. [A] » i.e. The Yellow and Red Finch^ [A] Specific charafter: — " Yellow, golJ-colour below, witli *< a coirulean fpot below the eyes, the wings and tail red." Brif- fon's defer jption is prccifcly the fame. M The £ 127 3 The VARIEGATED FIXCII. La Touife, Buff. Frhigilla Varifgata, Gmel. tringilla varia Nov.e lii/pania', BriiT. Seba glares this bird the name of Twite, which it received in New Spain, and which fcems bor- rowed from its cry. This charming bird has its head of a light red, mixed with purple ; the breaft of two forts of yellow J the bill yellow ; the legs red ; all the reft variegated with red, white, yellow, and blue; laftly, the wings and tail edged with white. It is nearly of the fize of the Common Chaffinch. Total length, five inches and two-thirds ; the bill fix lines and a half; the legs eight lines ; the mid-toe feven lines and a half ; the tail two inches, and it ftretches eleven lines be- yond the wings. [A] [A] Specific charaaer:-" Variegated wllh red, yellow, cce- " rulean, and wliite, the breaft clouded with yellowilh, the tail- ♦* quills with a white margin." Brifibn defcribes ir, " variegated " lilie marble, with red, yellow, ccenilean, and white, the head " tinged with a faint red mi;? Tinj SUlAl'T TAUiKV IWNTJNG C »37 ] The SHAFT-TAILED WIDOW, i ■*' La Veuve a quatre Itrins *, BufF. Embcrixa Reg/a, Linn, and Gmel, Fidua Riptiria Jfricana, Brifl*. 7'he Sha/t-iatled Bunt,.:g, Lath. TIlis bird has the fame two mouhings as- the preceding, and they are attended with limi- hir cftcds. Its bill and legs are red ; the head and all the upper-part of the body Mack j the throat, the fore-part of the neck, the breaft, and all the lower-part blufli-colcii.ed, but which is brighter on the neck than on the breaft, and extending behind the neck, it forms an half collar, which is broader the lower the black hood defeends from the head. All the feathers of the tail are blackifh, but the four middle ones arc four or five times longer than thofe of the fide, and the two middle ones are the longeft of all. In moulting, the male becomes like the Linnet, only it is of a lighter gray. The female is brown, and has not the long feathers in the tail. This bird is rather fmaller than a Canary ; feveral of them are living at Paris, and were all brought from the ooafts of Africa. The average meafures are : — total length twelve or thirteen inches : that from the tip of • i. e. The Widow with four filaoicnts. It is alfo called Silk- fail. the ''4 IS 1 it f I •f 138 THE SriAFT-^rAILKD WiDOW. the bill to tlie end of the nails four or five inclies ; the bill four or five lines -, the alar extent eight or nine inches; the two mid-feathers of the tail nine or eleven inches ; the two next eight or ten inches ; the lateral ones twenty to twenty- three lines. [A] [A] Specific character:—" The four long intermediare feathers •• of the tail equal, and beiirded only at thtir infertion, the bill •• red." BrilTon dcfcribes it, " biack above; the neck tawny, •* variegated above with black fpcts ; tlie f^.il feathers blackilh, •• the tour long intermediate ones furnilhcd with plumules only a': •' the origin ; the bill and legs red." The DOMINICAN WIDOW. Einberiza Serena, Linn, and Gmel. ^'idua Minor, liriff. The Dominican Bunting, Lath. If length of tail be the diftinguiihing charac- ter of the Widow birds, this is the lead entitled to that appellation ; for the longcft quills of its tail fcarcely exceed four inches. It has received the name of Dominicait, on account of its black ^nd white plumage ; all the upper-part of the body is variegated with thefe two colours ; the rump, and the fuperior coverts of the tail, are mottled with dirty white and blackifli ; the up- per-part of the head of a white-reddiih, en- circled with black ; the throat, the fore- part of the neck, and the breaft, of the fame white, which alio extends behind, and forms a half- coiiar THE DOMINICAN WIDOW. J 39 collar on the pofterior farface of the neck. The belly has none of the rufous tinge. The bill is red, and the legs gray. Thie. Ipecies undergoes two moultlngs annu- ally, like the preceding ; in the interval the male is divefled of its long tail, and its white is dirtier. The female never has thefe long fea- thers of the tall, and its plumage is conftantly of an almoft uniform brown. Length to the end of the tail, fix inches and one fourth ; to the end of the nails, four inches ; the bill four lines and a half j the legs feven lines ; the mid-toe feven lines and a half; the alar extent feven inches and a half; the middle feathers of the tail project about two inches and one fourth beyond the lateral ones, which are notched, and three inches and one fourth be- yond the wings. [A] [A] Specific cliaraflcr : — " With a black cap, the crown r&\, " the mil wcdge-ih'pet), the two intermediate quil's cl' the tail " longeil, the bill red." Thusdcfcribed by Ji;; ihsON :— «' BInck ** above, the edges of the feathers rufous, bilow white verging " to tawny, the crown rufous, the collar white-tawny, the tail- " quills bhick, the two intermediate ones longeit, the three next *' white at their origin, the two oulcrmoll tawny on their exterior " edges, and white on their interior ; t!ie bill red." Conimcrfoii fufpedcd that a certain bird of a bluifii-black which iie faw in the ifle of Bourbon, v/herc it was called Brr/iomi, is nothing but this fame Widow in moult ; and he thence concluded, that when the male moulted its pluniage it was more uniform. But this would apply better to the female than to the male ; and yet there is a wide dirFcrcnce between blui(h-hlack, which is the colour of tlie rrcnoud,and uniform bro.vn, wliich is tliat of the femile Domini- can. This Brcnoud rcf^mblcs more the Great Widow. M The ■ill •Hi Ml i I •; i:i [ 140 J The GREAT WIDOW. Emhenzn Vuluix, linn. Vidua Miijsr, Buff. Patjcr Indicus Macrotir/is Roflfo 'Miniaceo, Ray, and Will, ^he Long-tailed Bunt iiiv, Luth. The mourning garb of this Widow is fome- what brightened by the fine red colour of the bill, by a tint of bluifli green fpread over all the black, that is, over all the upper furfacc ; by two tranfverfe bars, the one white, and the other yellowifh, with which the wings are decorated ; and laflly, by the whitifli colour of the lower part of the body, and the lateral quills of the tail. The four long feathers inferted above the true tail * are black, and fo are the quills of the %vings ; they are nine inches long, and very narrow. Aldrovandus adds, that the legs are variegated with black and white ; and the nails black, very fliarp and hooked. [A] * Aldrovandus cxpicfsly cbferves, that the male has a double tail like the peacock, and thit the longer refts upon the fhortcr. It fecms odd that ErilTon deicribes the four feathers of the upper tail as the intermediate ones of the true tail. [A] Specific charadler : — " Blackiih, whitifh below, four inter- *• mediate quills of the tail long and pointed, two of them the *• longcft, the bill red." Thus defcribcd by Bhisson :— «« Black •' above, mixed with a greenifli fky-colour ; w'litilh below, with *' a double tranfverfe ftripe on the wings, the ime while, and the *• other ilightly yellowilli ; the four intermediate tail-quills very *' long and black, the four exteriors on each fide whitifli ; the bilj *• minium coloured." The I'm I 'I' FH^l-THEJiOUG TAiI.Bl> IM?NTJXG.F10fiTHE SAJOEAFTER i i I ■■ It I' ^u [ HI 3 The ORANGE-SHOULDERED WIDOW. A*" La Vewot a Epaulettes, Buff. Emheri'x.a Longicaiida, Gmclt Lox'ta Longicaudu, Mill. Cape-Spavro'vj, Kolb. The Tdlo-vj-Jhottldcred OiioL-, Brown. The Orange-jhoiiUUred Bunting, Lath. The prevailing colour in the plumage of this bird is glofly black ; and the only exception is in the wings, where the fmall coverts are of a fine red, and the middle ones of a pure white, which gives the bird a fort of epaulettes. The large as well as the fmall quills of the wings are black, edged with a lighter colour. This bird is found at the Cape of Good Hope. It has, like all the reft, a double tail ; the lower confifts of twelve feathers nearly equal, the up- per of fix, which are of different lengths ; the longeft are thirteen inches, and in all, their plane is vertical. Total length nineteen or twenty-one inches ; the bill eight or nine lines ; the legs thirteen lines J the tail thirteen inches. {A] [A] Specific charafter :— " Black, the flioulders fulvous, bor- *' dered with white, the tail-quilh long, and the fix intcrmcdi ite " ones projcft beyond the relt." It is oJ the bulk of'a Thrufh. ti 'i The I is M Vi « ■> I . r 142 3 The SPECKLED WIDOW. La Feuve Mouchelee, BufF. Ei:i!\-r:zn Princij>alis, Linn, and Gmcl. riilua Angdnifn, BriiF. Long-tiilcd Sparroiv, EJw. The yariegatcd Bunting, Lath. All the upper-part is fpcckled with black on an orange ground •, the quills of the wing and its great coverts are black, edged with orange ; the breafl: is of a lighter orange, without fpeckles; the fmall coverts of the wing are white, and form a broad tranfverfc bar of that colour, which pre- dominates in all the lower-part of the body; the bill is of a lively red, and the legs flefli-coloured. The four long feathers arc of a deep black ; they conftitiite no part of the true tail, as might be fuppofcd, but form a fort of falle tail which leans on the firft. Thefe long feathers are caft in rt^oultlng, but quickly replaced ; which is com- mon in mofl birds, though rather unufual in the Widows. W^hen thcfe feathers have acquired tlicir full length, the two middle ones project five inches and a half beyond the lower tail, and the two others an inch lefs. The quills of the lower or true tail are of a dull brown ; the fide ones edged exteriorly with a lighter colour, and marked within with a white fpot. This bird is of the fize of the Dominican Widow ; its bill is of a bright red, fliorter than that; THE riPvF.-COLOURED WIDOW. 143 that of the fparrow, and the legs flefli-colour- ed. [A] [A] Specific character: — " Van.'gited, the bre,i!l rufou?, the " four middle tail-qiiills very long, the bill and legs red." Thus dcfcribed by Brisson : — " Variegated above with black and ♦* rufous, white below ; the bread fligutly rufous ; the leffcr fu- •* pcrior coverts of the wings white ; four intermediate tail-qailla •• very long and black ; the four outcrmoft on each fide faintly ♦' dulky, edged exteriorly with a (lighter duflcy, fpotted intcriorl/ " with white ; the bill fuffron." M 4 The FIRE-COLOURED WIDOW. La Veuve en Fe:i, Buff. Emheriza Pannyenfis, Gmcl. La Veu've de V IJlc de Panuy, Sonn. TJjt Pa nay an Bunting, Lath. This bird is entirely of a fine gloffy b ck, except a Tingle red f])ot on its brcaft, w^ 'nh appears like a burning coal. It has four long equal feathers which are infertcd below the true tail, and extend beyond it more than double its length ; they grow narrower !)y degrees, fo that they terminate in a point. This bird is found at the Cape of Good Hope, and in the iflaad of Panay, one ;f the Philippines ; it is of the fize of the Gold-collared Widow. Its total length is twelve inches. [A] fA] Specific charafter:-" Black, a large fcarlct fpot on the " breaft, the four intermediate quiiis of the tail pointed, very long, " ccjual and pendulous. " M The ^'l h !^ [ »4+ ] The EXTINCT WIDOW. La Feuvc Etcinte, Buff. Emheriza Pfuiud'n, Linn, anil Gmcl. Linaria Brnf.lienjh Lo'r^iiaiuia, BrifT. and Klein. FriiJg/lia Bmftlienjis, Seb.i. The Pjitlaicous Bunting, Lath. Brown-cinereous is the prevailing colour of this bird ; but the bale of the bill is red, and the wings flefli-colour mixed with yellow. It has two quills triple the length of its body, which are inferted in the rump, and tipt with bay- red. [A] [A] Specific cliarader : — " Cinereous-dufky, the wings ful- *' vous, two of the tail-quills very long." Tlius defcribed by Srisson : — *• Dull cinereous-gray; the bafe of the bill encir- *' cled with a reddilh ring ; the wings variegated with dull cincre- «« ous-gray, the two intermediate ones longelt, fcarlct at their ori- «' gin." The GRENADIN. Fringilla Granatina, Gmel. Granatiims, Briff. ne Red and Blue Brazilian Finch, Edw. The Braftlian Finch, Lath. The Portuguefe, perceiving probably a refem- blance between the plumage of this bird, and the uniform of fome of their regiments, have named it the Oronoco Captain. Its bill and or- bits are bright red \ its eyes black \ on the fides of •ii '"jr ■:1' i 1-5 TIGI IHE£RASlLIANEDf(H. FIG2,THEPRIZI.EDBRASrLIAN FINCH. tHE GRENAblTst. US bf the head is a large plate of purple almoft round, whofe centre lies on the pofterior edge of the eye, and which is interrupted between the eye and the bill by a brown fpot ; the throat and the tail are black * ; the quills of the wings brown-gray, edged with light-gray ; the hind part of the body, both above and below, is of a blue-violet; all the reft of the plumage is gilded deep brown ; ^ut on the back it is variegated with greeniflvbrown, and this fame gilded deep brown edges exteriorly the coverts of the wings. The legs are of a dull fle(h-colour. In fome in- dividuals the bafe of the upper-mandible is en- circled by a purple zone. This bird is found in Brazil. Its motions ar6 lively, and its fong agreeable. It has the long bill of our Goldfinch t> but differs by its ex- tended tapered tail. The female is of the fame fize with ihe male ; its bill red ; a little purple under the eyes ; the throat, and the under-fide of the body, pale-ful- vous ; the top of the head of a deeper fulvous ; the back brown-gray ; the wings brown ; the tail blackiih ; the fuperior coverts blue, as in the m'ale ; the inferior coverts, and the lower belly> whitiHi. Total length five Inches and one fourth ; the bill five lines ; the tail two inches and a half> * In fome fubjeds the throat Is of a greenlfh-brown. f Edvvaids found the length of the bill to vary ia different indi- viduals. VOL. IV. com- i .1 146 THE GRENADIN. compofed of twelve tapered quills, the longed exceeding the fhorteft by feventeen lines, and the extremity of the wings by two inches ; the tarfus feventeen lines ; the hind nail the ftrong- eft of all. In the wings the fourth and fifth quills are the longed. [A] [A] Specific charaftcr :— '• Its tail is wedge-fliaped, its body *< tawny, its bill red ; its templet, iu runp* and its lower belly, « violet." '■A ■!> i. longed 18, and !s; the ftrong- id fifth its body ver belly. • a ^."^s .1* ailE CfUKKiNFJWCir \'^ h C 147 1 ■A-ffc, j;-:-ii.^ The GREENFINCH** Le Verdier, Buff. Loxia Chloris, Linn, and Gmel. Cbloris, Aldrov. Gefner, Ray, Sibb. Set. The Neighing Finch, Charleton. 'Tp H I s bird muft n'^*" be confounded with -*■ the Yellow Buntii.^, (Bruant)^ though in many provinces it bears the fame name ; for^ not to mention other diftindions, it wants the ofleous tubercle in the palate. The Greenfinch paifes the winter in the woods, and Ihelters itfelf from the inclemency of the feafon in the ever-green trees, and even in elms and branchy oaks which retain their withered leaves. In fpring it makes its neft in the fame treeSj and fometimes in buflies : this nefl: is larger, and almoft; as neatly formed as that of the Chaffinch ; it confifts of dry herbs and mofs, lined with hair,*wool, and feathers : fometimes it places it in the chinks of the branches, which * It is called in Germany, Gmenling, Gruenfnck, Kuttvoge!, Tut- ter, Rupp-Finck, Hirj's-Finck, Hir/i'vogil, I}\ljcher-Henjh>igi Kirfch- Finck ', in Italy, Vcrdon, Vtrdtrro, Verdmoman, Harann^ CarantOt Tcranto, Frin/or ; in I'orlugjJ, rcrdelham ; in Savoy, /erdeyre \ in lllyria, ZcgUiku\ in Bolicniia, Srhxwonetz ; in Pruffi', Gn/ener- Henffiing, Schwontsixe ; iu Poland, Dx.'wonieck, Kino^ka ; in Swe- den, S-ivcnUa. II' V- L 2 It !l I 11 » i I .III " i| • I l.i : i Z48 THE GREENFINCH. it even widens with its bill ; it alfo conftrudls near the fpot a little magazine for provifions*. The female lays five or fix eggs, fpotted at the large end with brown red on a white green- ifh ground. She fits afliduoufly, and ftill con- tinues on her eggs though a perfon approaches pretty near ; fo that flie is often caught with her young : at all other times (he is fhy and timid. The male feems to take much intereft in the concerns of his future family ; he relieves his mate in hatching ; wheels round the tree where his hope.^ are lodged, makes fudden fprings, and again finks back, flapping his wings, and war- bling joyous notes f. At his return to the coun- try, and at his departure, he utters a fingular cry, confifting of two founds. The warble is faid to be improved in the crofs breed between the Greenfinch and the Canary. The Greenfinches are gentle, and eafily tam- ed ; they learn to articulate a few words ; and no bird fo foon becomes expert at the little manoeuvre of drawing up the cup J. They eat from the linger of their mafter, and anfwer his call, &c. In autumn they join other fpecies, to roam ia the fields; they live upon juniper ber- ries in winter ; they crop the buds of trees, and * We owe thcfe laft fails, and fonic others, to M. C:tj;. t They are kept in a cage, becauftr tlicy fmg pleafantly. lJEI.o^f ., Guys adds, lh:U the warble of the female is even fuperior to thai of the male, which would be finguiar in birds. I Oe la jfcUrc, alluding to the labour of a gal'.cy-flavc. parti- :! i'^. THE GREENFINCH. 149 lru£ts ns*. ted at Treen- l con- oaches th her timid, in the res his where ;s, and i war- ; coun- ingular irble is etween y tam- s ; and e little hey eat wer his :cies, to )er ber- es, and r. BEt.Otf.> ior to that parti- particularly thofe of the bog-willow ; they feed in fummer on all forts of feeds, and efpecially thofe of hemp ; they alfo eat caterpillars, ants, and grafshoppers. The name alone denotes that the predomi- nant colour of the plumage is green ; but the tinge is not pure ; there is a gray-brown call on the upper-part of the body and on the flanks, with an admixture of yellow on the throat and breaft; yellow is fpread over the top of the belly, the inferior coverts of the tail and wings, and on the rump ; it edges the largeft quills of the wings, and alfo the lateral quills of the tail: all thefe are blackifli, and mofl; of them bordered with white on the infide ; the lower belly is alio white, and the legs reddifh-brown. The female has more brown ; her belly is entirely white, and the inferior coverts of her tail are mingled with white, brown, and yellow. The bill is flcfli-coloured, fliapcd like a cone, and fimilar to that of the Grofl:)eak, but fmaller ; its upper edges are llightly fcalloped near the point, and receive thofe of the lower mandible, which are fomewhat re-entrant. The bird weighs rather more than an ounce, and is nearly of the bulk of the Houfc-fparrow. Total length five inches and a half; the bill fix lines and a half; the alar extent nine Inches ; the tail twenty-three lines, fomewhat forked, llretching beyond the \vings ten or eleven lines. Thefe birds have a gall-bladder, a mulcular L 3 gizzard If- Hi 3¥ " ^ \ i ' i ■i ■ l 1; ■ < ^ n i I* 1 i •HI i IS® THE GREENFINCH. gizzard covered with a loofe membrane, and a pretty large craw. Some pretend that there are Greenfinches of three different fizes j but this is not fufficiently afcertained, and probably fuch variations are only accidental, refulting from age, from food, from climate, and from other like circum- ftances. [A] [A] Specific charaftcr : — " Ycllow-s^reef, the primary wing-, *' pgills yellowilh before, the four iat; ral tail quills yellowirti at ^' their bale." i'he Greenfinch is very common in Great Britain, and ufually nelUes in the hedges. M The PAINTED BUNTING*, Le rape, Euff. Efnberiza-Ciris, Linn. Gmel. Fringilla MaripoJ'u, Scop. Ann. Fringilla Tricolor, Klein. Chloris Ludcviciana, Papa, BrifT. China Bulfnch, Alb. The Paiiited Finch, Edvv. and Catefby, This bird has its name (Pope) from the co« Ipurs of its plumage, and efpecially from a fort • Specific char.icicr :— " The head ccerulcan, the lower hill ♦* fulvous, the hack green, the qu-l's dufky-green." Thus de- fcribcd by Bri Jon : " Above green, incli-iing to yellow, b;!low red ; " the head and the upper-part of the neck ccerulean-violet ; the " rump red ; the tail-quills dufky, both fides of the two inter- " medi ite ones varying to red, and the outer furface of the la- *' teral ones the fame." The Spaniards of Vera Cruz, which it vifits in winter, call it Maripo/a Piniada, or " the Painted Butterfly." of ■L and a :hes of ciently lis are 1 food, lircum- lary wing-( ellowilh at ;at Britain, 2'^9& M G*, n the CO* om a fort le lower bill ' Thus de- w,b^;low red; n-violet ; the le two inter- ate of the la- 'ruz, which it ted Butterfly." of ■tA rn; 1 TiiK < iiina bulfinch. FIG.2.THK HI.(7E mTLKINCH . m m\ m ''*"».! M M J»»- I't H I i ^■i I THE PAINTED BUNTING. iS» of capuchin, which riles at the bafe of the bill, and extending below the eyes coyers the upper and fide-parts of the head and neck, and in fome individuals returns under the throat. The fore- part of the neck, all the lower- part of the body, and even the fuperior coverts of the tail and of the rump, are of a fine red, almoft fire-colour- ed ; the back variegated with foft green and dull olive * ; the great quills of the wings and of the tail are of a reddifli brown, the great coverts of the wings are green ; the fmall ones are of a violet blue, like the capuchin. But Nature requires time to form a plumage fo charm- ing, nor is it completed before the third year : the young Painted Buntings are brown the firft year ; in the fecond, their head is of a vivid blue, the reft of the body greenifli blue, and the quills of the wings and of the tail are brown, edged with greenifh blue. But it is the female chiefly which refembles the Greenfinch ; the upper-part of its body is of a dull green, and all the under-part of a yellowilh green ; the great quills of the wings are brown, edged delicately with green ; the middle ones, and alio the quills of the tail, di- vided length-wile into brown and green. Thefe birds breed in Carolina on the orange trees, but do not continue there during the ..'■v I 'J Hi fi * In the fubjeft dcfcribed by Catciby, the green back was xerminated with yellow. i-4 winter. I/-- # tja THE PAINTED BUNTING. winter. Like the Widows, they have two mouhings annually, which are earlier or later according to circumftances. Sometimes they aflume their winter garb in the end of Auguft or the beginning of September ; in this flate the under- part of their body changes from red to yellowifh. They feed like the Widow-birds, upon millet, Canary-feeds, fuccory, &c. . . . but they are more delicate : however, if they are once feafoned to the climate, they will live eight or ten years. They are found in Louifiana. The Hollanders have been able, by care and patience, to breed the Painted Buntings in their country, as they have fucceedcd with the Ben- gals and Widows ; and it is likely that with the fame attention they might be propagated in every part of Europe. — Ti.ey are rather fmaller than the Houfe-fparrow. Total length five inches and one- third ; alar extent ieveu inches and two-lhirds; the bill eight lines ; the legs eight lines ; the middle toe feven lines ; the tail two inches, and ftretches thirteen or fourteen lines beyond the wings. t. '54 VARIETY I C 'S3 ] VARIETY of the PAINTED BUNTING. Bird-fanciers are acquainted with a variety of this fpecies, which is diftinguifhed by the colour of the under- part of its body being yellowilli; it has only a fmall red fpot on the bread, which is loft in moulting ; then all the under-part of the body is whitifh, and the male jnuch re- fembles the female. It is probably a variety produced in this climate. M m I The BLUE-FACED BUNTING* Le Toupet Bleu, BufF. Emheriza Cyanopf,i, Gmel. Chlorii Javenjis, Briff. This bird refembles the Painted Bunting fo clofely, that if the one had not been fent from Louiiiana, and the other from Java, I lliould have regarded them as of the fame fpecies. Nay, when we confider the uncertainty in moft ac- * Specific charai!ler : — •' Green, the rump and lower-belly " rufous; the foreheiui, cheeL , and throat ccerulean ; the quills ♦• of t!iK wings duflcv and edged with green; the tail-quills edged " with :cd, the intermediate one"; green, the reft duflty." Thus d.'rcribedby BrifTon : " Above green, below rufous; middle of the " belly red ; rump rufous ; the forehead, cheeks, and throat " ccerulean, the wing-quills green, their exterior borders red, *' the hiteral ones dufky on the infidc." counts I : i '^ Ml 1 / ' H I in iiii 15^ THE BLUE-FACED BUNTING. counts of the climate of birds, we may ftill be difpofed to aflign them to the fame place. The anterior-part of the beatl and throat is of a fine blue ; the fore-part of the neck of a fainter blue ; the middle of the belly red ; the breaft, the flanks, the lower belly, the thighs, the inferior coverts of the tail and of the wings, of a beantiful rufous ; the upper-part of the head and neck, tlie anterior-part of the back, and the fuperior coverts of the wings, green ; the lower part of the back and the rump of .1 bright rufous ; the fuperior covjrts of the tail red ; the quills of the wings brown, edged with green j thofe of the tail the fame, except the intermediate ones, which arc edged with red j the bill is lead- colour ; the legs gray: — the bird is fomewhat fmaller than the Trec-fparrow. Total length four inches ; the bill fix lines ; the legs fix lines and a half; the mid-toe feven lines ; the alar extent near fevea inches ; the tail thirteen lines, compoied of rwelve quills, and ftretching fix or feven lines beyond the " ings. M The C '55 ] TIic GREEN BUNTING*. '.4 Le Paremenf Bleu, Buff. Emberiza Firidis, Gmel. Chlorit Indica Alinor, Briff. All our information with regard to this bird is derived from Aldrovandus ; and that author only defcribes it from a coloured draw iug brought into Italy, by fome who had vifited Japan, and who prcfented it to the Marquis Fachinetto. All the upper-part is green, and all the lower white ; the quills of the tail and of the wings blue, with white borders ; the bill of a greenifh brown, and legs black. Though this bird is rather fmaller than the Greenfinch, and its bill and legs more flender, Aldrovandus was con- vinced that Ariftotle himfelf could not hefitate in referring it to that fpecies : this Bviflbn has done, and we have no reafon to rejedt the ar- rangement. • Specific charaiSlcr: — " Above green, below white; the ♦♦ wing-quills and thcfo of the tail cocru'caiu" — Briifon gives the fame defcription, only he adds, •' that the wing and tail-quills ♦• have white ihafts." M ■'Ifi The "*u ^> ^..-^ ^ v^.f IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 11.25 bilM 125 ■ 50 ■"■ I^H 1^ I2ii 12.2 -pi £ lit 1.4 1^ «i y ^1^ /Q V-* ■^ «» Photographic Sciences Corporation <^ 23 WIST MAIN STIIIT WIBSTIR.N.Y. U5M (71*)t7a-4503 O^ ni , I'll ■; i H) If" •l: If '. [ 156 ] The YELLOW FINCH*. Le Vert-Brunet, BufF. Frhigilla Butyracea, Linn. Chloris Indica, Briff. Its bill and legs are brown ; the upper-part of the head and neck, the back, the tail, and wings of a very deep green brown ; the rump, the throat, and all the lower-part yellow ; the (ides of the head varied with the two colours, fo that the yellow defcends a little on the fides of the neck. The Indian Greenfinch of Edwards may be regarded as a variety of this fpecies ; for all the upper-part is of a brown green, and the under- part yellow : the only difference being, that the green is not fo deep, and extends upon the rump ; but the fides of the head have two bars of the fame colour, one of which ftretches above the eyes, and the other, which is fhorter, and of a deeper fhade, lies under the firft ; and that the great quills of the wings are edged with white. The Indian Greenfinch is rather larger * Specific charadler; — " Green, the eye-brows, brcaft, and *' lower-belly yellow, the primary wing-quills white on their •* exterior edge." Dcfcribed thus by Brili'on : " Above of an •' olive-green, below ycUowilh ; with a (Iripcon both fides, which *' is yellowifli above the eyes, olive-green contiguous to them, •* and black below them; the quills of the wings olive-green, •• the outer-edge of the larger white ; the quills of the tail faint " yellow-green."— It is found in India, and at the Cape of Good Hope. than THE YELLOW FINCH. »57 than the Canary Finch, and according to Ed- wards, its fong is fuperior. Total length four inches and a half; the bill four lines and a half; the tarfus fix lines and a half; the mid-toe (ewea lines; the tail nineteen lines, fomewhat forked, and extending nine or ten lines beyond the wings. M The BAHAMA FINCH*. Le Ver diner e. Buff. Fringilla Bicolor, Linn, and Klein. Chloris Bahamenjts, Briflf. Except the head, neck, and bread, which are black, all the reft of the plumage is green ; we might call it a Greenlinch with a black cowl. This bird is very common in the woods of the Bahama Iflands ; it fmgs perched on the tops of bullies, and conftantly repeats the notes of the Chaffinch. It is about the fize of the Canary Finch. Total length four inches ; the bill four lines and a half ; the tail nineteen lines, and extends nine or ten lines beyond the wings. • Specific charaftcr : — " The head and bread black ; the baclr, ** wings, and tail ohrcure grecnifh." BrifTon's defcription is prc- cifel/ the fame.~lt is found alfo in Jamaica. M The 'm m I i!i i i :■ I I' !l s ^ ! I ;1 It ^i. I.... r »58 3 The GREENISH FINCH. Z.* Verderi.it BufF. It has lefs green in its plumage than thoi'e of the preceding articles : its bill is fhorter ; its orbits greenifti-white ; all the feathers of the upper-part of the body, including the middle quills of the wings, their coverts, and the quills of the tail, are of a brown-green, edged with a lighter colour ; the great quills of the wings black ; the throat and all the under-part of the body, as far as the thighs, of a dull rufous, fpec- kled with brown ; the lower belly and the infe- rior coverts of the tail are of a pretty pure white. This bird is found in St. Domingo. The VARIED GREENFINCH. Le Vcrditrfam Vert, Buft'. This bird has none of the green colour of the Greenfinch, but is clofely related to it in other refpe^bs. Its throat is white, the under-part of the body of the fame colour ; tne breaft varie- gated with bro"'n ; the upper- part of the head and body mottl- dth gray and greenifli- brown ; there is a rufous tinge on the termination of the back and on the fupeiior coverts of the tail ; the fuperior coverts of the wings of a deep rufous ; the THE VARIED GREENFINCH. 159 the middle quills edged on the outfide with that colour; the great quills and the great coverts edged with rufly white, and alfo the lateral quills of the tail ; laftly, the mod exterior of the latter is terminated by a fpot of the fame white, and is fhorter than the reft. Of all the quills of the wing, the fecond and third are the longeft. This bird was brought from the Cape of Good Hope by Sonnerat. Total length fix inches and one-third ; the bill fix lines ; the tarfus feven lines ; the tail about two inches and a half, and extends fixteen lines beyond the wings. 1 : i] ♦■ V ) ' ./■»■ ■, 'f fi (Ml [ i6o ] \\i li I' f lit i f 1 f ■' '> The GOLDFINCH*. Le CharJonneret, Buff. Fringilla Carduelis, Linn, and Gmel. Cardaelist Aldrov. Gcf. Johnft. Sibb. &c. Goldfinch^ or Thijile-fncb, Penn. Rufs. Will. Alb. &c "Deauty of plumr.ge, melody of fong, faga- "'^ city, and docility, are united in this charm- ing little bird, which, were it rare, and import- ed from a foreign country, would be highly prized. Crimfon red, velvet black, white, and gold yellow, are the chief colours which gliften on its plumage ; and the mixture of lighter and deeper tints ftill heightens their luftre. Hence its names in different languages : fome allude to the yellow fpot that decorates its wings f ; fome to the red which covers its head and throat :f; fome to the brilliancy of its colours § j and others, to the * In Germany it is called Stieglitz, Dijlcl-Vogel, Kletter, Trum, Roth-fogel ; in Holland, Pitter ; in Bahemia, Steglick i in Savoy, Cbarderaulal ; in Poland, Sizigil ; in Sweden, Stiglilza', in Italy, CarJcUo, Gardclliiw, Carjclino, Catrzerino ; in Spain, Sirguerilo, Sie/f Co/ore, Forte Pintncilgo. The Latin epithet CarJuelis is derived from Cardiitis, a thiftic ; and the French n-inic Chavdonnerct is foi.iied from Chavdon, which alfo fignlhcs a tliiflle. It is ths Q^u.-j-x\.v;., (from : he may be fo in compariibn of the- Canaries, but after he is roufed, he appears much animated ; the male has frequently been obferved to drop in an epileptic £c, while he chanted rapcuroufly in tho height ofhispafllon, M 3 fails J 4l xn s * r litl ( i:f ^H V: i 1 1 1i 'X S It i h i«6 THfe GOLDFINCH. fails i at each attempt he fpreads his ^vings and gives vent to feeble cries. However, after the union is accomplifhed, he proceeds to difcharge the duties of a parent ; he aiTiils his mate in con(lru£ting the neft *, and carries food to her vrhile (he is engaged in hatching, or in rearing her young. Though thefe conftrained amours will fome- times fucceed with a hen Canary and a wild Goldfinch, it is better to raife together thofe in- tended for breeding, and not to pair them till they are two years old. The offspring relem- bles more the father in the fhape of the bill, in the colours of the head and of the wings, and in ihort in all the extremities, and the mother in the reft of the body : they have alio been remarked to be ftronger, and live longer ; and to have a clearer natural warble, but to be not ib docile in adopting the notes of our artificial xnunc. Thefe hybrids are ftill capable of propagating, and when they are paired with the hen Canary, the fecond generation has a manifeft analogy to the fpecies of the Goldfinch f ; fo much doe« the male influence predominate in the a^ of generation. The Goldfinch flies low, but with an even continued motion, like the Linnet ; and not by jerks and bounds, like the Sparrow. It is an * They prefer mofs and dry grafs for t}ie materials. ^ IIet)ert, adiv^ :l THE GOLDFINCH. 167 ad'ive and laborious bird ; if not employed in pecking the heads of poppies, of hemp, or of thiflles, it is conftantly bufy in carrying back- wards and forwards whatever it can find in its cage. One folitary male, of this fpecies is fuf- ficient to diilurb a whole volery of Canaries ; it teazes the females while they are fitting, fights with their males, tears away the nefts, and breaks the eggs. We fhould hardly conceive that birds fo lively and petulant could be fo gentle and even fo docile. They live in harmony with each other, feek each other's fociety, give marks of regard at all feafons, and feldom cjuarrel but about their food. They are not fo peaceful with other birds ; they beat the Canaries and Linnets, but, in their turn, they receive the fame treatment from the Titmoufe. They have a fmgular inflindi of always chudng to fleep in the higheft part of the volery ; and we may naturally fuppofe a ground of quarrel will be aftbrded, when the ocher birds will not give place to them. The docility of the Goldfinches is well known: they can be inftruded without much trouble to perform feveral movements with accuracy, to fire a cracker, and to draw up fmall cups con- taining their food and drink ; but for this lafl piirpole they mufl be clothed* This clothing conlifts of a fmall belt of foft leather two lines broad, with four holes through which the feet and wings are palFed, and the ends joining un- M 4 . der ^ 'ji ^-1 .•■1 i X' i 1 u i 1; 'SW !P I' I i ^ .\ 1 '' |). , ,.' 1'^ I I 1; ' ii ' ^1^ !■ Ui > ■'I ^ I. II:' !L . i6S THE GOLDFINCH. der the belly, are held by a ring which fupports the chain of the cup. In folitude it delights to view its image in the mirror, fancying it fees another of its own fpecies ; and this attachment to fociety feems to equal the cravings of nature ; for often it is obferved to pick up the hemp feed, grain by grain, and advance to eat at the mirror, imagining, no doubt, that it feeds ia company. To fucceed in breeding Goldfinches, they ought to be feparated and raifed fingly, or at leaft each with the female with whiclj it is in- tended to be paired. The younger Madame Daubenton educated a whole hatch ; the young Goldfinches becam© tame at a certain age, and afterwards relapfed into the fame favage ftate in which they would be found if bred by their parents in the field : they renounce the refinements of man to enjoy the fociety of their fellows. — But this is not the only inconveiiience of training them together ; they acquire an affedion for each other, and when feparated, to pair with a female Canary, they are languid in tlieir amours, are afFeded by the tender remembrance of former friendfhips, and commonly die of melancholy *'. * Of five Goldfinches bred In the volery of this lady, and paired willi ilea Canaries, three remained inaiJtive : the other two copu- lated, but biokc the c^gs, and died fooii afterwards. The THE G OLDFINCH. 169 The Th Goldfinches begin to aflemble in aui turn and during that feafon they are caught among the birds of paflage which pillage our gardens. Their natural vivacity precipitates them into the fnares j but, to fucceed well, it is neceflary to have a male that has been ac- cuftomed to fmg. They are not caught by calls ; and they elude the bird of prey by taking (bel- ter among the bufhes. In winter they fly in numerous flocks, fo that feven or eight may be killed at a iliot ; they approach the highways near which are thiftles and wild fuccory ; they fhake off the fnow to obtain the feeds and the caterpillars. In Provence they lodge in great numbers among the almond-trees ; when the cold is intcnfe they feek the cover of thick bufhes, and always near their proper food* Thofe kept in the cage are commonly fed with hemp-feed*. They live to a great age; Gef- ncr faw one at Mayence which was twenty- three years old ; they were obliged once a-week to fcrape its nails and bill, that it might drink, eat, and fir upon its bar ; its common food was poppy-feeds ; its feathers were all turned white ; it could net fly, but remained in whatever fitua- tion it was placed. In the country where I re- fide it fometimes lives fixteen or eighteen years. • Though it is true in general that the granivorous birds live upon feeds, they alfo eat caterpillars, fmall grubs and infefls, and even feed their young with the laft ; they alfo devour with great avidity fmall rags of boiled veal ; but fuch as are reared prefer in the end licnip and rape-feed to every other aliment. They iir m. ''(It ^;i ii 'I s I iN 1 '!t 170 THE GOLDFINCH. They are fubjedt to epilepfy, as I have already obferved *", and to melting of the fat ; and the moulting often proves fatal to them. Their tongue is parted at the tip into fmall filaments ; the bill long, the edges of the lower mandible fitted into the upper ; the noftrils co- vered with fmall black feathers ; the outer toe connedted to the middle one as far as the firft joint ; the inteftinal canal a foot long ; flight traces of a cacum ; a gall bladder ; and a muf- cular gizzard. Total length of the bird five inches and fome lines ; the bill fix lines ; the alar extent eight or nine inches ; the tail two inches, and confifts of twelve quills ; it is a little forked, and projeds ten or twelve lines beyond the wings f. [A] ♦ Owing, it is faid, to a long flendcr worm wliich creeps under the flvHi in the thigh, and fometimes pierces through the ikin, but which the bird eradicates with its bill. I doubt not the exiftence of thefe worms, which Frifch mentions ; but 1 fufpeft that they are not the caufe of the epilepfy. f The young Goldfinches are not fo long in proportion. [A] Specific character of the Goldiinch, Fringilla Carduelh ; — •♦ its wing-(]uills yellow before, the outermoft fpotlefs ; the two •< outmod tail-quilis white in the middle, and the reil at the tip." Thus defcribed by Brisson :—" It is tawny-brown; the fore- •« rare of its head, and its throat, red ; its wing-quilis w'.iite at the " tip, the firft half yellow exteriorly ; the tail-quills black, the fix <' intermediate ones white at the tip^ the two outmoft on either «• fide fpotted interiorly with white." The Ihoulders of the male are black, thofe of the female cinereous ; in the former the fea- thers at the bafe of the bill are black, in the latter they are brown. The young bird is gray-headed, and thence named by the bird- catchcrs a gray pate. The egg is pearly, with fcattered bloody and bl. ki(h fpots. 6 M C «7' 3 VARIETIES of the GOLDFINCH. Though the Goldfinch when kept in the cage does not fo foon lofe its red tinge as the Linnet, yet, like all the domefticated birds, it is fubjedt to frequent and material alterations in its plu- mage. 1 have already noticed the varieties of age and fex, and alfo the numerous differences that occur between individuals, in regard to the number and diftribution of the fmall white fpots of the tail and of the wings, and alfo with rc- lpe<3: to the lighter or darker brown caft of the plumage. I fliall here confider only the princi- pal varieties which I have examined myfclf, or which have been defcribed by others, and which, appear to me as derived from accidental caufes. I. The Yellow- BREASTED Goldfinch. It is not unfrequent to fee Goldfinches which have the fides of their breaft yellow, and the ring on their bill and their wing-quills of a lighter black. It has been fuppofed that they fmg bet- ter than the others ; it is certain that in the fe- male the fides of the breaft are yellow as in th^ male. II. The Goldfinch with White Eye- brows AND Forehead*. What is com- monly red about the bill, and the eyes, in birds • Fringilla Carduelis, var. i. Linn, Cardutlis Ltucecephaks, BrifT. l.ii! -' i\ of t ^'^ ^ m' S I !• m 172 VARIETIES OF THE GOLDFINCH. of this kind, was white in the prefent. Aldro- vandus mentions no other difference. I have feen a Goldfinch in which the part of the head ufually black was white. III. The Goldfinch whose HeAd is STRIPED WITH Red AND Yellow*. It was found in America, but probably carried thither. I have remarked in feveral Goldfinches, that the red of the head and throat was variegated with (hades of yellow, and alfo with the blackifh colour of the ground of the feathers, which in fome parts gave a dark cad to the brilliant colours of the furface. IV. The Black-hooded Goldfinch f . The red peculiar to the Goldfinch is alfo found in this variety, but in fmall fpots fprinkled on the forehead. Its wings and tail are alfo as ufual ; but the back and bread are of a yel- lowifh brown ; the belly and thighs of a pure white, the iris yellowifli, and the bill and legs flefh-coloured. Albin was informed by 2i/>er/ort of credit^ that this individual was bred by a female Goldfinch with a male Lark. But a fingle teftimony is not fufficicnt to fupport fuch an aflertion ; Al- • TringlUa Carduelis, var. 2. Linn. CatiiuJif Capite Striata, Briff. •)• Fringilla CarJuelis, var. 3. Linn. Carduelis Milanocephahs, Briff. fhc Sival/o-m Gohifmh, Alb. and Lath. bin i i •' *r VARIETIES OF THE GOLDFINCH. 173 bin adds by way of confirmation, that it bore fome refemblance to the Lark in its fong and its habits. «^. ,, V. The Whitish Goldfinch *. If we except the upper-part of the head and the neck, which were of a fine red, as in the Commoa Goldfinch, the tail which was afli-brown, the wings which were the fame, with a bar of dirty yellow, the plumage of this bird was whitifh. VI. The White Goldfinch f. That of Aldrovandus was, like the common kind, mark- ed with red on the head, and fome of the wing- feathers were edged with yellow ; all the reft were white. That of Abbe Aubry had a yellow tinge on the fuperior coverts of the wings, fome of the middle quills black through their outer half, and tipt with white ; the legs and nails white, the bill of the fame colour, but blackilh near the end. ' , - M I faw one at Baron de Goula's, of which the throat and forehead were of a faint red, the reft of the head blackifli ; all the under-part of the body white, flightly ftaincd with afh-gray, but purer immediately under the red of the throat, and which rofe as far as the blackifti head ; its * Fringilla Carrhtelis, var. 4. Linn. Carduelis Jlbida, BriiT. f Fringilla Cardiulis, var. 5. Linn. Carduelis Candida, BrilT. i wines ^•1 \: ;i;,! m 1 1 h i!i ;' I I I f I' r ■ I r 174 VARIETIES OF THE GOLDFINCH. wings ycllovr, as in the Common Goldfinch • the fupcrior coverts olive ; the reft of the wings white, with a cinereous cad on the quills neareft the body ; the tail nearly of the fame white ; the bill of a rofe-white, and very long ; the legs flefti-coloured. This variety is the more re- markable, being the produdion of nature ; it was caught full grown in the fields. Gefncr was told that Goldfinches are found entirely white in the country of the Grifons. VII. The Black Goldfinch*. Several have been feen of that colour. That of Afper- nacz mentioned by Anderfon, grew quite black, after being long kept in a cage. — An inftance precifcly the fame happened in the town where I live. In the one defcribed by Briflbn, four quills of tlic wings, from the fourth to the fcventh inclu- five, were edged with a fine fulphur-colour on the outfide, and white on the infide ; the inte- rior of the middle quills was alfo white, and one of them was tipt with the fame colour ; laftly, the bill, the legs, and the nails, wcr6 whiti(h.-r- But it is obvious that defcription prefents only one view of a fleeting exiftence ; the obje£t of a general hiftory is to trace the gradation of appearances, and to conneiSt the individual with the fpecics. • Fringilla CarJutlh, var. 6, Linn. Cariiuclis Nigra, Brifl". There ind VARIETIES OF THE GOI.DFINCH. 175 There are at prefent two Black Goldlliiches at Beaune, of which I have olitanied fome infor- niatlon. They are two inailcs, the one four years old, and the other of a greater age ; each has undergone three inoultings, and has as often recovered its beautiful colours : at the fourth moulting both have become of a pure glofly black ; they have retained this colour about eight months, but it appears not more conftant than the firft, for now (March the twenty-fifth) they begin to perceive gray on the belly of one of thefe birds, red on the head, rufous on the back, yellow on the quills of the wings, and white at their tips and on the bill. It would be curious to difcover how thefe changes of colours are ef- fe(5led by the food, the air, the temperature, &c. It is known that the Goldfinch ^hich Klein elec- trified, loft entirely in the courfe of fix months not only the red on its head, but the fine lemon fpot on its wings. VIII. The Orange-headed Black Gold- FINCH *. Aldrovandus found this bird to be fc •diftcrent from the Common Goldfinch, that he regarded it as of another fpecies belonging to the fame genus ; it was as large as the Chaf- finch ; its eyes were proportionally larger ; the upper-part of its body was blackifh, the head of • Fringilla Cardutlis, vh,-. 7. Linn. Careluelis Nigra Icieroccphalcs, Bri/f. Cardutli dngtncr, Ray, and WiJJ. the 1 m ^'? ■;l« » ■ h\ ■ t !v'' '^i m K: i ) m U : i- I76 VARIETIES OF tHE GOLD/lNCFf. the fame colour, except that the antg-ior part near the bill was encircled by a ring of vivid orange ; the bread, and the fuperior coverts of the wings, of a greeni(h black ; the outer edge of the wing-quills the fame, with a bar of faint yellow, and not of a fine lemon, as in the Gold- finch ; the rcfl of the quills black, Variegated with white ; thole of the tail black, the outer- moft one edged interiorly with white ; the belly cinereous brown. This variety of colour was not owing to the effeds of confinement. The bird was caught near Ferrara, and fent to Aldrovandus. IX. The Hybrid Goldfinch*. Many of thefe have been obferved, and it would be tedi- ' ous and unneceflary to defcribe them all. We may aflfert in general that, as in the mule qua- drupeds, they refemble the father moft in the extremities, and the mother in the reft of the body. But thefe are not real Hybrids, for they are bred between congenerous birds, fuch as Ca- naries, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Sifkins, Yel- low Buntings, and Linnets ; and they are ca- pable of propagation : nay, the breed feems to be improved by crofling, for they are larger, llronger, and have clearer voices, &cc. One effed of this intermixture is a multiplication of • Fringilla Carduelis, var. 8. Linn. Carduelis Hyhrida, Briil'. Tht Canary Goliffncb, Alb. and Lath. the VARIETIES OF THE GOLDFINCH. 177 the pretended fpecies. I fliall give an example in the Sifkin. The Hybrid of Albin was obtained from a cock Goldfinch, fcparated in its tender age from the mother, and a hen Canary. It had the head, the back, and the wings, of the Goldfinch, but with a flighter tinge; the under-part of the body, and the quills of tbe tail, yellow, the laft tipt with white. I have feen fome whofe head and neck were orange ; it feemed that the red of the male was melted into the yellow of the female. The LULEAN FINCH*. 4 ■4 the Le Cbardonnertt a ^atre Raits, Buff. Frittgilla Lulenjis, Linn. Cardutlis Suecica, BriflT. The mod remarkable property of this bird is, that the wings, which are rufous-coloured at the bafe, are marked with four tranfverfe rays of different colours, and in this order, black, ruft, black, white. The head, and all the ujiper-part of the body as far as the end of the tail, are of a dull cinereous ; the quills of the wings black- ifli ; the throat white ; the belly whitiQi, and the bill brown. This bird is found in the tradt fituated on the weft of the gulph of Bothnia, near Lulhea. • Specific charafter :— " Duflcy ; the brcail and ftiouldcrs ru- " fous ; the wings blackt with a rufous rpot; the under-furfac« of *' the neck and bodv white." ■' I 'i ■' i m VOL. IV. N !»'' i:< ^^ y-f I 4i» ;♦ I 3 i'«" Is!* n i '78 ] FOREIGN BIRDS, RELATED TO THE GOLDFINCHES. I. The GREEN GOLDFINCH, or the MARACAXAO*. Frin^Ufa Melba, Linn. Carduiiit yiriJis, Briil'. IT^DwAUDs firft figurec' nnd dcfcribed this bird, ^^ which he tells us came from Brazil. — In the ni 0 the bill, the throat, and the interior part of the inead are of a red more or lefs bright, ex- cept a fii»aii fpace between the bill and the eye, which is bluilh ; the hiiid-part of the head and neck, and the back, ycllowini-grcen ; the fupe- rior co-'erts of the win^s, and their middle-quills, gii>!iiih, edged with red ; the great quills almoft bhck ; the tail, and its luperior coverts, of a brij?ht red ; the inferior coverts alh-gray ; all the uiider-part of the body flriped tranfverfely with brown on a ground which is olive-green • Specific chiraftiT : — " Green ; the face and tail red ; the •• lowir beilv waved with white :uid black." Defcribed thus by Brisson : — " Above y •llowifh-grecn, below white, liriated tranf- «« vcrftly with duflty ; the anterior part of the head and the neck *' fcarlet colo'tr ; the breall olive-green j the tail-quiiU fcarlet « above, and afh-cou)ured below." on «5 FOREIGN BIRDS, l^ft. '79 t)n the bread) and continually grows fainter till it becomes entirely whitn under the belly. Thig bird is about the (izc f)f the Co minn Goldfinch ; its bill is of the Time fhaju , and its legs gray. The female dift'ers from the male, its bill be- ing of a yellow flefli-colour ; the upper-part of its head and neck cinereous ; the bale of the wings and the rump yellowilh-grcen, and fo is the back, without any tint of red ; t!ie quills of the tail brown, edged exteriorly with red wine- colour ; the inferior coverts white, and the legs i)e(h-coIoured. M P II. The YELLOW GOLDFINCH*. Lt CharJonneret J.iunet BuiF. Fringillu Trij}is, Linn. CarJiielis Americana, Bifl*. Klein. Amtrnan (joUjtiu.h, I'ciin. EdkV. Lath. All thofe who have mentioned this bird give it the appellation of American Goldfinch ; yet this term would not be proper till it was afcer- tained that no other Goldfinch exifted in the * Specific charadlcr : — •* Yellow, forehead black, the winjjs " dufky." Thus ddcrih^d by Dxisson : — " Vellowilh Gofd- *' finch ; crown black ; white tr.inh'erfe llripe on the wings ; quills ** of the wings and of the tail bl.itk ; the exterior edges and the •• tips of the Icfler wing- wiiitc." It feeds on thiUle-feeds. The fpecies includes a variety which is afterwards dcfcribcd by the iiame uf the New Vork Silkiii. N 2 New ^1 I I M, J 80 FOREIGN BIRDS i-elated to New World, and this fuppofitioii is riot only improbable, but ahibluteiy falle, for that of the preceding article is a native of Brazil ; I have thcieft^-e adopted another denomination, which churacrcrrzcs its plumage. The bill is nearly of rhc ilimc fnapt -j-.nd. colour as the Common Gfiiufiich ; the fureheaci black, wbi.'h is pecii- H.a- to the m^le ; the reft ot the !icid, the neck, the b.tck, and the breaft, fhining yellow ; the thif:hs, the Icwer bflly, the fupcrior and in- ferior coverts of the tail, yeHowifh-white ; the fmall coverts of the v;ings yellow on the outfide, whitifli on the infidc, and tipt with white ; the great c< vprts black, and terminated with white flighilv ihadcd with brown, which form two tranfverle rays that are verv apparent on the black wings ; the middle quills of thefe are tipt with white ; thofe contiguous to the back and their coverts are edged with yellow ; the quills of the tail amount to twelve, are of equal lengths, black above, and equal below ; the lateral ones white on the infide ne:ir the tip ; the bill and legs ft cih -coloured. In the female the forehead is not black, but of an olive-gretn, and all the upper-part of the body is of rhc fame colour ; the yellow of the rump, and of the imdcr-part of the body, is lefs baiiiaiit ; the black on the wings more dilute, and on the contrary the traafverle rays are not fo faint ; laftly, the belly, and the inferior co- verts of the tail, are entirely \vhite. The 1. a,^ r-SSKSTOcrr The the GOLDFINCHES. i8i The young male is diftuiguiftied from the fe- male by nothing but its black forehead. The female obferved by Edwards was {hut up alone in a cage, and yet laved in the month of Auguft 1755, a fmall egg of pearl-gray, and "witMout fpots ; but, what is more uncommon, Edwards adds, that it moulted regularly twice a-year, in March and September. In winter the body was entirely brown ; but the head, T\'ings, and tail, retained that colour only in. fummer. The male died too foon for this obfervation ; but probably, like the female, it would have dropt its feathers twice annually, and in that rerpe£l refemble the Bengals, the Widow-birds, and many other natives of warm climates. In the fubjcd obferved by Briflon, the belly, the loins, the inferior coverts of the tail, and of the wings, were of the fame yellow witii the reft of the body ; the fuperior coverts of the tail white- gray ; the bill, the legs, and the nails, white : but moft of thefe differences mav be ovvin^ ti the different ftates in which the bird has been examined. Edwards drew it from the life, and his fpecimen appears befides to have been larger than that of Briffon. Catcfby tells us that it is very rare in Carc- llna, more frequent in Virginia, and very torn- mon in New York. The one figured in thu PL Eul. was brought from Canada, where Fa • ther Charlevoix law feveral of that ipecies. N 3 Total I 'J it ■;■'<. 5'« 1'' ff ■1,, 1 I i i2% FOREIGN BIRDS, ^c. I" : Total length four inches and one third ; the bill five or fix lines ; the tarfus the fame ; the alar extent feven lines and one fourth ; the tail eighteen lines, confifting of twelve equal quills, and (Iretching fix lines beyond the wings. M ill |^ 5 - ' 1 ' ; \' i C »83 ) The LESSER REDPOLL*. Le Sixer In, BufF. Frjngilia Li/iaria, Linn, Brun. Kram. FriT. Sec, Fringiiln Riiha Mirifir, Ray, Wili. Briff. Klein. 'J'bc Lnjcv red-kcaded L:ntiet, or Redpoll, Penn. fiarr. EUfAlb. and Lath. •il'V T> RissoN calls this bird the Little Vine Linnet: •^ but it appears to refeiDblc the Siikin, an(e; in iv/t.-diiii, G.^Uj,jK.t, t^e Gijek name is .^v/x. f WIiatL'vcr is uncommon turns into tlie marvv:l!ou^. Seme fay that the apj-jcarancc ot" numi.ivus iiccks of the LelTer JicJpolis forebodes a plague ; others, that they are rats mctauior'-tu [cl into birds before the winter, and relume their proper fo'.m i. le fpring. In this wriy it is accounted for their not bwii;g found in fummer. Sciiwi;nckfeld. X " Another bird appears in Greenland in the fummer, which ** refcmbki the Liniu t, tliuugh imaller : it is ^ii:' 'f^vMV. i >i;- its *' head, which is partly red as blooa ; it may be fca with oai- ;• i 1 N 4 «' in ^"i !'i; ^'1 1- ' .. 1 i !' ;r jii.. i' (- tl >. 184 THE LESSER REDPOLL. forms us, that in Germany it arrives in Odober and Noveml)er, and departs in February. I have faid that it bears more analogy to the Sifkin than to the Linnet ; this was the opinion of Gcfner, and ir is alfo that of Dr. Lottinger, v^'ho is we'l acquainted with thefe little birds. Frifch !2;oes farther, for he pfTerts that the Sifkin will ferve for a call to allure the Lefler Redpolls into fnHTfS in the tine of paflfage, and that the two fpecies inrcnnix and propagate with each other. Aidrovan'us perceived a flrong likenels between th«^ Lt'Tcr Redpdl and the Goldfinch, which, excrpt its red head, refembles much a Sifkin. A bird-catcher of great experience and little rcnilinrr, to'd me that he has caught many of the Lelfcr Redpolls intermixed with Sifkins, which t]ic/ we'c vliv like, efpecially the females, only their plrmage was djiker, and their bill fliorter. Lafily, Linnaais fays, that the LefTer Redpolls fre- quent places covered with alders, and Schwenck- fold reckons the feeds of thefe trees among the alimerits wl.ich they prefer ; but the Sifkins are extremely fond of thefe leeds. The Lelfcr r> II n ■ I i ^ I ! t 'I *' in waiter . . . Svometimes whole flocks c^f thefe birds alight on *' bo:ird, like clodds driven by the wind, when a veflel is eighty " or a huiided leagues from land. They have a pleafant " fong." CcnttnuatioH Je VH':jl. dcs Vcy. May not thofc be the fame birds which the Chincfe breed in cages to fight ? " Thefe " birds r.'f nible Linnets, and as they pirform dillant journeys* «' it will be the Icfs furprizing to find ihgm in a country fo re- «' mote!" Nav.^rette. Redpolls '15 L TH^ LESSER REPPOLL. i8s Redpolls eat not rope feed like the Linnet, but hemp feed, the feed of fpeckled nettles, of thiftles, of flax, of poppies, and crop the buds of young brandies of oak, &c. : they mix readily with other birds : they are particularly tame in winter, and will then allow us to approach very near them without being feared *. In general, they have little timidity, and can eafily be caught with lime-twigs. The Lefler Redpoll frequents the woods, and often lodges in the oaks : it creeps along the trunk like the Titmoufe, and alfo clings to the extremity of the fmall branches. Hence pro- bably is derived the name oi Linaria Triincalis "f, and perhaps that of Little 0:ik. The Lefler Redpolls grow very fat, and are excellent eating. Schwenckfcld lays, thut they have a craw like the poultry, diflinin: from the fmall fac formed by the dilatation of the (efopha- gtis before its infertioa into the gizzard : this gizzard is mufcular, as Is that cf all the graaivo- rous tribe, and many pebbles are found in it. In ihc male, the brcaft and the top of the head arc red, and there are two white tranfverfe flripes on the wings ; the reft of the head and all the upper-part of the body, mixed with brown and light rufous; the throat brown ; the belly and the inferior coverts of the tail and • Thefe remnrks are Lottinger's. Schwenckfcld relates, that a prodigious number cf the Ltflcr Redpolls were t;iught in the bc- inning of winter A. D. 1602. ;j- i. e. Trunk Linnet. m m w ingf 15 r " I, iv. p. -'"■'■* I': HI' i-- i* If T fi:- iS6 THE LESSER REDPOLt. wings, rudy white ; their quiils brown, with a complete border of a more tlelicate coloiTr ; the bili ycllowiih, 1 Lit brown near the tT^> j the legs brovvii. Thofe obl'ervcd by Schwcnckield Lad cinereous backa- In the female, there is no red except on the head, and it is befides lels bright. Lin- nasus cxchidts it entirely ; but perhaps the one which he examined had been kept long in the cag-. Klein relates, that having e]e£lrified in the fpring one of thefe birds, and a Goldfinch, without oecafioning to them any fcnfible in- jury, they both died the following 0(flober the fame night : but what deferves to be noticed is, that both had entirely loft their red tinge. Total length above five inches ; the alar ex- tent eight inches and a half; the bill five or fiNL lines ; the tail two inches and a half, and fomewhat forked, contains twelve quills, and projects more than an inch beyond the wings. [AJ it [A] The fpcJiic charaflcr of tlie Lcfler Redpoll (Frir>g!llci linaria, LiNN.) : " Varicj.iEed with c'.ufky and gray, above tawn. -white, whitilh doubie ftfipc on the winjjs ; the crown and breallr.'d." Thus delcribed 1 y Hriflon : Wale. ** Varie- g.;ti J, abjve dufky and tawny gvay, below tawny-white, duikjr «« Ipots bet^vcvii the bill and the eyes and under tiie throat, the '« ci( .vr. and breall red." — Femali:. " Crown red, do«bIe " ;r..i-irv.;ire dripe on the win^s, tawny-wuite i the tailijuills " dulky, ai.d the edges whitiih-gray." It hi •* *' ='(■ THE LESSER REDPOLL. 187 It inhabits the whole extent of Europe, from Italy to the utmoft; verge of the RulFian empire : it is alfo found in the north of Afia jind America. It is only half the fize of the Greater Redpoll. It builds its neft among the alders, employing for that purpofe fmall iHcks and wool, and lining it with hairs and down, it lay* four eggs of a light feagreen colour, marked at the large end with reddilh points.— It breeds in the north of England, and re- forts in flocks to the fouthern counties in winter ; and in that fea» fon, it feeds principally on alder feeds. In the female the fpot on the head is falTron coloured, and no^ jred. fe;ii' ''ijil the It •.'jf ' I' : I i^l ■ I" i: t; « ij',.- [ 188 ] O The SISKIN^. Le Trriu, DufF. Fringiila S/::>.'ui, L!nn. Gme!. Jcaiithus /Iviiulat Gofncr. Ligurintts, Will. Brifl". Spiitiis, feu Liguriiius, Aldrov. Sijiin, or AU'rdiiviuc, Penn. and Lath. |F all the granivorons hirds, the Goldfinch is reckoned the nioft a-kin to the Sifkin ; both have the bill elonpatcd and flender near the point ; both arc gentle, docile, and lively. The fruits of their intermixture are alio fit to propa- gate.— Some naturalids have been induced by thefe analogic , to regard them as two contigu- ous fpecics belonging to the fame genus : indeed all ihe granivorous birds may be clufi'ed together ; ■for their crofs-breed arc prolific. Since this general charader extends to them all, it becomes the mere necv^lary to fele<51: the diftinguifhing features, and to tr.ix- the precife boundaries of each fpecics. The SifKin is fmaller than the Goldfinch ; its bill is propcrtlonally fliorter, and its plumage is * In German, 'Livfcl, 7.\fden, Zeijlein, Engclcben, Z/'zing, Grutne JJcnf-n^ (Green l.innct) ; in Itaiiu::, L gam, L;:gar:m, Lv.gamlloy L-;, ©.-/i-n ; in Latin, Sf'/nia, jicaiithi., Thraupis, RX\dLr{uriiitis, from ?,;;•,;, ou account of tiic flirilliieri of i;s noics. entirely 1: :■' ri: I THE SISKIN. 189 us entirely different : its head is not red, but black ; Its throat brown ; the fore-part of its neck^ ' s bread, and the lateral quills of its tail, yellow ; the belly yellowilh white ; the under-part of the body olive-green, fpeckled with black, which afTumes a yellow call on the rump, and ftill more yellow on the fuperior coverts of the tail. But in the more intimate equalities, which refult diredly from organization or inftiuiSl:, the differences are ftill greater. The Sifkin has a fong peculiar to itfelf, and much inferior to that of the Goldlinch ; it is very fond of alder-feeds, which the Goldfinch will never touch, and the Silkin, in its turn, is indifferent about thiftle- feeds : it creeps along the branches, and fufpendft itlelf from their extremity like the Titmoufe : — In fliort, we might regard it as an intermediate fpecies to the Titmoufe and Goldfinch. Befides, it is a bird of paflage, and in its migrations it flies at a great height, and is heard before it can be feen ; whereas the Goldfinch continues with us the whole year, and never flies very high : laftly, thefe two birds are never obferved to af- fociate together. The Siflvin can be taught like the Goldfinch, to draw up the little bucket : it is equally docile, and though not fo a dive, it is more cheerful ; for it begins always the earliefl: in the morning to warble, and to rouze the other birds. But, as it has an unfufpicious temper, it is eanly de- coyed into all forts of fnarcs, traps, fpi* '&"» r. -M5 ♦ U{"\ V- V ir f A i'; r- ; ,(' i'. '■'ti -1 - In I i' i it' I and 7 Jm i!'^' ! ■. V. jl 9' f \\ '' ;■ I •,,'., i ' ' ■" in •' 190 THE SISKIN-. anJ it Is more eafily trained than any other bird caught ia the adult ftate. We need only to oflcr it habitually tlic proper fort of food in the hand, and it will foon become as tame as the moft familiar Canary. \Vc may even accuftom it to perch upon t!ie hand at the found of a bell; for if at firft we ring at each meal, the fubtle aflbciaiion of perceptions, which obtains alfo amon^ the animals, will afterwards rouze it to the call. Though the Silkin appears to feledt its food with care, it coniumes much j but its \oracious appetite is fubordinate to a noble paf- fion : it has always in the volery fome fi^vouritc of its own fpecies, or if that is not to be ob- tained, a bird of another fpecies, which it che- riflies and feeds with the fondnefs of a parent.— It drinks often *, but feldom bathes ; it only approaches the margin of the water and dips its bill and brcaft, without mud buttering, except perhaps in hot weather. It is faid that it breeds on the iflands in the Rhine, in Franche-comte, in Switzerland, Greece, and Hun;;ary, and that it prefers the mountain forcfts. Its ncft is very dillicult to difcoverf, which • The bird-catcbc!-'. lay lime-twigs at the fides of brooks, and are very fucccfoful in the capture. f '« The biui -catchers in Orleans, fays Salcrnc, agree that the *' difcovcrycf a '-^ifnin's nell ir a thing quite unheard of. It is " probable, hnwevi-r, that fomc contiiuie in tlie country, and " breed near the banks of t!ie Loirct, among the aiders, of which •' they are very fond ; and the more fo as youn'^ ones are fomc- " times caught with li;n.d twigs or in traps. M. Uolomheau " affures ' W4.. 5;iT.S<«!«WVSl^>1R-)iV»-< -JWitP^;-"" ?•»», I !• THE S I S R I K. >wluch has given rife to a vulgar opiuion, that the Sifldii renders it invifiMe witix a ccrraln ilone. Accordingly, our accounts are impciied: in regard to llut fiibjedt': Frilch fays that it conceals its ncll in holes ; Kramer iuppoles the bird covers it with leaves, w/hich is the reafon that it is never found. — The heft way to alccrtain the point, would be to obferve how they proceed when they breed in a volery ; which, though tlie trial has not hitherto fuccccded, is ftill pojTIiblc. But it is more common to crofs them with the Canaries. There leems to be a great lympa- thy between the two fpecies ; they ihcw a reci- procal fondnefs at the very liril; meeting, and intermix indifcriminately *. When a Siilcin is paired with a hen Canary, he eagerly {hares her toils ; he is buly in carying materials for the neft, and arranging them ; and regularly difgorges food for the fitting female. But yet moft of the eggs are addle : for the union of hearts is not alone fuflicient in generation, and the tem- " alTures me, that lie found a iicfl with five egg'; in the Weachfield " of M. Hcry de la Salle." Kramer tells us, that ia the forefts fliincd by the Danube, thoufaiKls of young Sulvins are fuund, which have not dropt their ihi't feaiiicr?, and yec it in very rare to meet with a neft. One day when he uaj botanizing with one of his friends about the 15th of June, thry both law a male and female Sidvin often lly towards an a!dcT with food in thoir bills ; but, though they fearciic'd with ail pofliblc care, they could neither hear nor fee the young ones. * Father Boi'got, from whom I received thcfe remarks, has for five years feen a hen Canary breed thrice annually with the fame cock Canary, and the fair following years twice annually with another Canaiy, the firll having died. perament 'M' 'li i> ■ '■*! '■«* ii, ■'}' '-"!» «;l|j h] < I ■*. ,3' \ 1 J ■ i I I / I I 4 t ■'■'fl ::1 i H :i I H P; i ^' r . . 192 THE SISKIN. peramcnt of the Slfliin wants much of thd warmth oi the Canary.—- I'he Hybrids refemble both parents. In Germany, the Sifkins begin to migrate in Odobcr, or even earlier ; at this time they eat the hop feeds, to the great injury of the proprietors, and the places where they halt are ftrewed with leaves. Tiicy entirely difappear in December, and return in February *. In Burgundy, they arrive at the feafon of vintage, and repafs when the trees are in flower : they are particularly fond of the blofToms of the apple-tree. In Provence, they leave the woodc and de- fcend from the mountains about the end of autumn. At that time, they appear in flocks of more than two hundred, and fit all upon the fame tree, or at a very little diftance from each other. The paflTage continues fifteen or twen- ty days, after which fcarcely any more are feen t« The Sifkin of Provence is rather larger, and is of a finer yellow than that of Burgundy f . — It is a flight variety of climate. Thefe birds are not fo unfrequent in England as Turner fuppofed §. They are feeu as in * Frifch. f Note of the Marquis de Plolenc. X Note of" M. Guys. § I mention this on the authority of Willughby. But the authors of the 6rici(h Zoology fay. that they never faw the bird in the country, and we mull conclude that it is at leaft rare in Britain. othei: ''Ill i ! J I and THE SISKIN. 193 ether places, during their migration, and fomc- times they pafs in very numerous flocks, and at other times in very fmall bodies. The immenfc flights happen only once in the courfe of three or four years, and fome have fuppofed them to be brought by the wind *. Tlie fong of the Siflcin is not difagreeable, though much inferior to that of the Goldfinch, which it acquires, it is faid, with tolerable faci- lity ; it alfo copies the Canary, the Linnet, the Pettychaps, &c. if it has an opportunity of hear- ing them when young. According to Olina, this bird lives ten years f ; the female of Father Bougot has reached that age, but we mufl: obfcrvc that in birds the females always outlive the males. However, the Siikins are little fubjedt to difeafes, except the melting of the fat, when they are fed with hemp feed. The male Sifkin has the top of the head black, the reft of the upper-part of the body olive, and flightly variegated witli blackifli ; the fmall up- per coverts of the tail entirely yellow ; the great coverts olive, terminated with cinereous ; fomc- times the throat is brown, and even black J ; the 11 lil «.(i ■^■il "1 '■'1! . i4 it;' « othei: • Oliiia. " In Pruflla, myrlaJs are caught in the yards.'* Klein. t Thofe wliich toil at the bucket ^<< la ga/crsj are much Ihorter lived. X All the adult males have not a black or brown throat : I have had fome in which it was yellow, like the brcaft, and yet they had all the other charaik;- of ihc males. I iiad an opportunity VOL. IV. 0 to I '94 THE SISKIN. the cheeks, the fore-part of the neck, the breafl", and the lower coverts of the tail, of a line lemon yellow ; the belly yellowifh- white ; the flanks the fame, but fpeckled with black ; there are two olive or yellow tranfverfe ftripes on the wings, the quills of which are blackifli, edged exteriorly with an olive-green ; the quills of the tail yellow, except the two intermediate ones, which are blackifli, edged with olive-green ; they have all a black fliaft ; the bill has a brown point, the reft white, and the legs are gray. In the female, the upper-part of the head is not black, but fomewhat variegated with gray ; and the throat is neither yellow, brown, nor black, but white. Total length, four inches and three-fourths j the bill five lines ; the alar extent fevcn inches and two-thirds ; the tail twenty-one lines, fome- what hooked, and projeding (cwen or eight lines beyond the wings. [A] to fee this Mack fpot for.n hy degrees on one caught in the net? k was at firll ribou^ the iizc of a fmall pea, aaJ extended infenfibly to a length of hx lines, and a breadth of four, in the fpacc of eighteen months, and at piefcnt (Sth Apri',^ it appears Pcill to grow. This Sifkin fcems to be larger than common, and its breail of a finer yellow. [A] Specific char.-.dlcr of the Sifkin FringiUa Spinu<: : — " The *' wing-quilh arc yellow in the middle, the Hill four fpoilefs ; ilie '■' quiils ofthe tail ycl'ow at the bafe, and black at the tip." The egg is very iuiall, and white, with rcddifli fpots. M "^1 Hi f 19S ] VARIETIES of the SPECIES of SISKINS. I. In the month of September laft year, a Hrd was brouo;ht to me that had been caught in a trap, and which muft have been bred between the Siikin and Canary ; for it had the bill of the latter, and nearly the plumage of the former: it had undoubtedly efcaped from fome volery. I had no opportunity of hearing its fong, or of obtaining progeny from it, fince it died in March following ; but M. Guys informs me,thaC in general the warble of thefe hybrids is varied and plcafant. The upper-part of the body was mixed with gray, with brown, and with a little olive yellow ; which laft was the principal colour behind the neck, and was almoft pure on the rump, on the fore-part of the neck, and of the breaft as far as the thighs ; laftly, it bordered all the quills of the tail and wings, the ground of which was blackidi, and almoft all the fuperior coverts of the wings. Total length four inches and one-fourth ; the bill three lines and a half; the alar extent feven inches and a half j the tail twenty- two lines, fomewhat forked, and projecting nine lines be- yond the wings j the hind-toe was the longeft. O 2 The \S t ft.-, ■ • :;t( % \ r \.\ !:'► '. i m '-ij 'v| 'ff '; i-i % '-■'% '% 1 y, iill( ■;l ii„ 'h .■;'! %. 1 1^ m M ..II 1 I 1 i ■ ;> \ i 1 m ; ' - I' * 1 ■ 1 i ik^ j- 4 1 1 •r 196 VARIETIES OF THE SISKINS. The afophagns two inches three lines, dilated 11* the fliape of a fmall pouch before its infertion into the gizzard, which was mufcular, and lined Tvith a loofe cartilaginous membrane ; the intes- tinal tube feven inches and one-fourth ; a fmall gall-bladder, but no caciim. II. The New York Siskin. We need only to compare this with the European Sifkin, to perceive that it is a variety refulting from the difference of climate. It is rather larger, and has its bill fomewhat fhorter than ours ; it has a black cap ; the yellow of the throat and breafl: afcends behind the neck, and forms a fhort col- lar J the fame colour borders moft of the feathers on the higheft part of the back, and appears^ again on the lower-part of the back and on the rump J the fuperior coverts of the tail are white ; the quills of the tail and of the wings are of a fine black, edged and tipt with white : all the undcr-part of the body is dirty white. As the Sifkins are roving birds, and fly very lofty, they may have migrated into North America, and fuffered fome changes in their plumage *. I- III. The Olivarez f . The upper-part of the body is olive ; the under lemon j the head * Mr. Latham reckons this bird a variety of the Yellovj Goldfinch, w American GoUfiiuh, (Fnn^illa Trillis,) before dc- fcribed. , •J- Fnngilla Spinus, V'ar. z. Linn. black ; VAR-IETIi.S OF THE SISKINS; 197 T:)lack ; the quills of the tail and wings blackifli, edged more or lefs with light yellow ; the wings marked with a yellow ftripe. So far it much re- fembles the European and the New York Sifkin, and its fize and fhape are the fame. It is pro- bably the fame bird, which, being lately intro- duced into thefe different climates, has not yet undergone all the change. In the female, the top of the head is of a brown-gray, and the cheeks lemon, as alfo the throat. It has a pleafant fong, and in that refpe6l: excels all the birds of South America. It is found near Buenos-Ayres and the Straits of Magellan, in the woods which fhelter it from the feveritv of the cold and the violence of the winds. The one which Commerfon, iaw was caught by the foot between the two valves of a mufcle. The bill and legs were cinereous ; the pupil blulfh ; the mid-toe joined by its phalanx to the outcr-toc ; the hind-toe the thickeft^ and its nail the longcfl of all : it weighed aa ounce. Total length four inches and a half; the bill five lines ; the alar extent eight inches ; the tail twenty- two lines, fomevvhat forked, compofcd of twelve quills, and projet-'ling about an inch beyond the wings j the wings confnl; of only iixiccM feather.^. o IV. The i -4 If ^M .;5 i t;. I IS '-■'\ "I ]m III ii f 111! n i I t ■M i'li it 198 VARIETIES OF THE SISKINS. IV. The Black Sjskin*. As there are Black Goldfinches with an orange head, fo there are Black Silkins with a yellow head. Schwenck- feld faw one of that colour in the volery of a Sile- fian gentleman ; all the plumage w^as black ex-» cept the top of the head, which was yellowifli. • Friii^illa Spintis, Var. 2. Linn. M n, , Hi I^ICBiWWVi'gWltJ'" W nwwn *»>-■> '1? r >99 3 FOREIGN BIRDS, RELATED TO THE SISKIN. ' -y^^ .i'.Clji \ ''i I. The CATOTOL*. Fringilla Catotol, Gmel. Cacatototl, Ray. Ligurinits Mexicanus Niger, Briff. The Black Mexican Sijiin, Lath. THIS is the name given in Mexico to n fmall bird of the fize of our Sifkin, which has all the upper-part varic-ited with blackifh ful- vous, and all the lower-part whirifli, and llie legs cinereous : it rdidcs in plains, lives on the feeds o. a tree called by the Mexicans hoaubti'i, and fings agreeably. • Specific charnaer :— » Variegated with blackJIh and fulvous, f below bright white." n. K *' 1 'S ;i'i '■1 m % % 04 II. The 1* ■^ V t U L 1 it * *> it t I) <*: ^i ^• ^ 800 FOREIGN BIRDS, (jfv. 'i' ,. K..»* um II. The ACATECHILI*. Fringilla Mexicaua, Gmcl. Ligurinus Mexicaitut, Briff, jlcatechichictli, Ray. The Mexican Sifiin, Lath. The Httle which we know of th's hird evincesi its relation to the Silkin : its fize is nearly the fame ; its fong the fame ; and it feeds on the fame fubftanccs : its head and all the upper-part of the bodyare greenilh brown ; the throat and all the under-part white fhaded with yellow. The Mexican name Acatech'ichktU^ fignifics the bird that rubs itfdf agahjl the reeds ; may not thi^ allude to fome of its habits ? • Specific chara^er : — ♦* Greenilh dulky, below wliitifl*." ^i C 201 ] The T A N A G R E S, Les TangaraSf Buff. : TN the warm parts of America is found a very •*■ numerous genus of birds, feme ot which are called Tangaras at Brazil ; and nomencla- tors have adopted this name for all the fpecies included. Thefe birds have been fuppofedhy moft travellers to be a kind of Sparrows ; in fa£t, they differ from the European Sparrows only by their colours, and by a minute charadlcr, that the upper mandible is fcolloped on both fides near the point. They clofely refemblc the Sparrows in their inftindlive habits : they fly low and by jerks ; their notes arc for the moft part harfh ; they may be alfo reckoned granivorous, for they live upon very fmall fruits ; they arc focial with each other, and, like the Sparrows, are fo familiar as to vifit the dwellings : they fettle in dry grounds, and never in marlhes; they lay two eggs, and fometimes, though rarely, three. The Sparrows of Cayenne have feldom more egg?, while thofe of Europe have live or fix ; jind tills difference is perceived in general be- tween birds of liot and thofe of temperate ch- elates. Tlie fmalnels of the hatch is compen- fated T • i % ■ if* 3 i 1 •■fj m •I )H ji:- : 202 THE TANA G RES. fated by its frequent repetition, love beinp; cTic- riHied and maintained by the continual and iiiii- fonn warmth. Tlic whole genus of Tiaagrcs, of which "wc know more than thirty fpccies, cxckilivc of va- rieties, feems confined to the new continent ; for all thofe which we have received were brought from Guiana and other countries of America, and not from Africa or India. This multitude of fpecics is not furprifing ; for, in general, the number of birds in the torrid zone is perhaps ten times greater than in other regions, becaufe nature is there more prolific, and lefs difturbed in her operations by the interference of man ; becaufe forefts are there more frequent, fub- fiftence is more plentiful, and the colds of win- ter are unknown : and the natives of the tro- pical countries, rioting in a perpetual abundance, are totally exempted from the rilks and dangers of a migration, and feldom are obliged even to ihift from one haunt to another. To avoid confufion, we fhall range the thirty fpecies of Tanagres into three divifions, adopting the charaders from the moil obvious difference^ <^hat of fize. !;■ r;:: ^ 1 '• w y^^'[ h)^ r 1';' Ii- r, i The yVfj^,9 ;;.« % '■A rii ■I 'I'ilK GllATJ^i) 'I'^XAGKJbi ., f ■J ^•| \^ 11 ijLj^ ■i'^mster-^;fr^--*^''>Kt^ ^vyKx-^v-'e C 203 3 The GRAND TANAGRE. Tanagra Magna, Gniel. F'lrfl Species. ■ This is reprefcntcd N'^ 205, PI. Enl. by tlie appellation of tbe Tanagre of the Woods of Ca- yenne ; becaufe I was told that it always came out of the extenfive forerts : but M. Sonini of Manoncour has fince informed mc that it alio lodges often in the bulhcs in open fituatlons. The male and female, which are much alike, commonly fly together. They live on fmall fruits, and fometimes eat the iiifeds that prey on plants. The figure will give a diflinfl idea of this l!rd. It is entirely a new fpccies. [A] [A] Specific charadcr : — •* Dufky olive ; the forehead and " checks carulcan ; a black maxillary furrow ; the neck and the " lower p;irc of the rump red ; tiie cyc-brown, ;ind a fpot on the ■'' throat vvliitL-.' It is of the fize of a thrufii j the under-part of the body reddjih. V'.M i ;." ''l! -1.11 The CRESTED TANAGRE. 1 ha Hoiippctte, BufF. Tanagra Crijluta, Linn, and Gmel. f^anagia Cayaiunjis Jsigra Crijlata, Bri/T. Second Species, A This bird is not quite fo large as the preced- ing, and is proportionally thicker. Its owes its name MI 204 THE CRESTED TANAGRE. i name to a fmall crcfk vvhich it can ere<5l at plcafurc, and vvhich diftinguillies it from all the ether Tanagres. It is very common in Guiana, where it lives on iinall fruits. It has a flirill cry, like that of the Chaflinch, but has not the fong of that bird. It is found only in the cleared fpots. [A] [A] Specific charaflcr : — " Blackilh ; a gold-colourcil crcrt ; *• the throat and rump fulvous." Thus dcfcribcd by Bkisson ; — " Creded and blackifli ; the crc-d gold-coloured , the feathcra •• at the bafc of the bill black ; the throat, the lowed part of the «• back, and the rump, dilute fulvous ; white fpots on the wings ; " the tail-quills blackilh." It is lix inches and one fourth iongj \u hgi arc lead -coloured. I ! t" ^ .' The VIOLET TANAGRE, Lr 'Tangdvio'* , RufiF. ^anagta Bonarieit/is, Gmet. Third Species, We are indebted to the late M. Commcrfoii for our knowledge of this bird : it is well pre- fcrvcd in his collcdlion : he had called it the Black Butiting (Brtiant Noir), which is very improper. — It is of a deep violet on the body, and even on the belly, with fomc greenifh re- flcclions on the v^rings and tail. It mcafures from the end of the bill to that of the tail eight inches ; its bill is blackifh, and • Contraftcd for Tanpara-violet, eight THE VIOLET TANAGRE. 20$ eight or nine lines in length ; its tail, which is not taper, is three inches long, and projcQs eighteen lines beyond the wings ; the tarfus is about an inch long, and blackifli, as well as the toes ; the nails arc thick and ftrong. In the female the head is of a Ihining blacky like poliflicd ftecl ; all the reft of the plumage is of an uniform blue. On the upper-part of the body, however, and on the rump, are fome tints of a ihining black. The Violet Tanagre is found at Buenos- Ay res, and probably in other parts of Paraguay, We are unacquainted with its mode of life. [A] [A] Specific charafler: — " Black-vioIct ; the wings and tail •' glofled with green." m i ' iitii ■ \\ The SCARLET TANAGRE. Lf Scarlatte, BufF. Tanagra Rulrut var. Linn. Fourth Specks* This bird is the fame with the Cardinal of BrilFon, and with the Scarlet Sparrow of Ed- wards. To it we fhould alfo refer, firft, the two Red and Black Sparrows of Aldrovandus ; the only difference being that the one happened to lofe its tail, and this defc(ft has been convert- ed by Aldrovandus into a fpecific charadtcr, in which error he has been copied by all the orni- thologifts. i !f!; ■'HI 2o6 THE SCARLET TANAGRE. lli:-^ "il thologlfts''^'. Secondly, The Tijcpiranga of Marc- grave f. Thirdly, The ChiltototlX of Fernan- dez. Fourthly, and laftly, The Brazilian Black- bird of Belon, which received that name from thofe who firll imported it into France. Aldro- vanduG has copied Belon. The defcriptions coin- cide in every refpedt, except in the fongs of thefe birds ; and I obferved that thofe which chanted were larger, had a brighter red tinge on the plumage, and alfo on the fupcrior coverts of the wings, &:c. which makes it very probable that they were the males ; indeed in almoft all kinds of birds it is the males that are mufical. It would alfo appear, that in the male the feathers on the head are longer, and form a fort of creft, as Edwards has figured it. This has led fome travellers to fay that there arc two kinds of Cardinals in Mexico ; one crelled, which fmgs agreeably, and the, other fmaller, which fmgs not at all. Thefe birds belong to the warm climates of Mexico, Peru, and Brazil ; but are rare in Gui- ana. Belon tells us that in his time the mer- chants who traded to Brazil drew confiderable • 7'anagra Brcijilic, vnr. 2. Gmel. The Rumplefs Blue and Red Indian Sparro-iv, Will. f Mr. Latham reckons the I'ljepiranga to be the icmale of the Hooded Tauagie (Tanagra Pilcata). X This is the Tanagra Brajtlia of Linnxus, the CarJinalis of firiflbn, ai.l the Drafilian Tanager of Latham. Its fpccific cha- raftcr :— " It is fcarlet j its wings and tail black." It is lix inches and one fourth long. 8 profit igjf^ppgart*™-^-?*?* THE SCARLET TANAGRE. 20f- Im profit from the importation of them. Probably the feathers were employed to ornament the robes and other drelTes then in fafliion, and thefe birds were more numerous than at prefent. We may prefum:uiienjis, BrifT. The Red Titnagre, Penn. and Lath. The Summer Red-bird, Catefty. Fifth species. This bird difTers from the Scarlet Tanagre by- its fize and plumage ; it is I'maller, and of a light flame-colour; its bill is entirely of a lead-colour, and has none of the peculiar chara^lers ; while in the Scarlet Tanagre, the upper-part of the bill is of a deep black, and the point of the lower mandible black, the reft of it white, and bellied traniVerfelv. The Scarlet Tanagre is only found in the warmer parts of South America ; as in Mexico, Peru, and Brazil. The Canada Tanagre occurs in many tracts in North America ; in the coun- try of the Illinois *, in Louifiana f , and in Flo- rida X : fo that there is no reafon to doubt that thefe birds are of diftind fpecics. • " It is Tcarce more than an hundred leagues fomh of Canada that the Cardinals Begin to be fecn. Tlicir fong is Aveet, their plumage beautiful, and their head wears a crcll," Charlevoix. f Le Page Dupratz. X " On Wcdnefday arrived at the port (of Havanca!\) a bark from Florida loaded with Cardinal-bird's Ikins and fcuits . . . The Spaniards bought the Cardinnl-hirds at fo high a price a-i ten dol- lars a-piece, and notwithilanding the public diflrefs fpcnt on them the fuui of 18,000 dollars." Gemelli Careri. VOL. IV. P It ■ ,'ff •I y 'li '■'1 m 210 THE CANADA TANAGRE. It is accurately defcribed by Briflbn. He has properly obferved, that the red colour of its plu- mage is much lighter than in the Scarlet Ta- nagre. The fuperior coverts of the wings, and the two quills next the body, are black ; all the other quills of the wings are brown, and edged interiorly with white to their extremity ; the tail confifts of twelve black quills, terminated by a fmall border of light white ; the lateral quills are rather longer than thofe of the middle, which makes the tail fomewhat forked, [A] [A] Specific cliarafter of the Tanagra Ruhra: — " It is red ; " its wings nnd tail black ; its tail-quills black at the tip." Thus defcribed by Brisson : — " Its wing-quills are du(ky, their inner '♦ edges white ; the coverts of the wings and its tail-quills black, *' tlip margin of the latter white at the tips." The MISSISSIPPI TANAGRE, Tavagra MiJJlJJtptenJis, Gmel. Sixth species. This Is a new fpcclcs. It rcfembles much the Canada Tanap;re, only its wings and tail are not black, but of the fame colour with the reft of the body. Its bill is larger and thicker than in any of the Tanagres ; and alio tlie mandibles are convex and inflated, which is uncommon even in any kind of the birds. — This charadcr is biUily exprcfled In the Planches Fjihimim'cs. It ►B^fW'J'i^r"^" THE MISSISSIPPI TANAGRE. m It is much inferior to the Scarlet Tanagre in, point of fong. It whiftles ib loud and lb flirill that it would ftun one in tlie houfe, and is fit only to be heard in the fields, or the woods. •* In fummer," lays Dupratz, " we frequently hear this Cardinal in the forefts, and in winter only on the banks of rivers after it has drank : during that feafon it never quits its lodgment, but guards the provifions which it has ftored. Sometimes it coUedts as much as a Paris bufliel of maize, which it covers artfully with leaves, and then with fmall branches or flicks, and al- lows only a fmall opening by which to enter into its magazine." [A] [A] Specific charafler :— " It is entirely red." The BLACK-FACED TANAGRE, Le Camail, ou /a Cravatte, BufF. Tanagra Atra, Gmel. ^iinagra Mtlanopis, Lath. Seventh Species, This new fpecies was prefented to the king's cabinet by Sonini de Manoncour. Its plumage is of an uniform cinereous ; fomewhat lighter under the belly, except tlie fore-part and the back of the head, of the throat, and of the top of the breaft, which are fpread with birick. Tlic wings and the tail are alio cinereous, but deeper p 2 call: '1 Milr '.''I 212 THE BLACK-FACED TANAGRE. cad tlian the upper-part of the body ; the quills of the wings are edged exteriorly with a lighter afli-colour, and thofe of the tail with a Hill more dilute Ihade. This bird is the feventh of this genus in point of fize. Its total length is feven inches ; the bill nine lines ; the upper mandible white at the bafe and black at the tip, the lower is en- tirely black ; the tail is fomewhat tapered, three inches and one fourth long, and projeds two inches beyond the clofed wings. It is found in Guiana in the cleared fpots, but is very rare, and has been noticed by no author. [A] [A] Specific charaftcr : — "It is cinereous ; the forefide of its «« head, and the whole oi' the lower part of its neck, are black." The BLACK-HEADED TANAGRE. Le Mordorc, BufF. lanagra Atricapillat Gmel. JEiighth Species, This is alfo a new fpecies, and prefented by Sonini. It is of the liime fize with the preced- ing ; its length (cwqw inches ; its head, wings, and tail, of a fine glofiy black ; the reft of the body gilded dark brown, deeper on the fore-part of the neck and on the brcaft ; its legs are brown j its tail, though tapered, is three inches long, in les ; :e at en- [iree two THE BLACK-HEADED TANAGRE. 213 long, and projeds fifteen lines beyond the wings ; the bill is black, and nine lines long. We are totally unacqiiainted with its habits. It is found in Guiana, and is ftili more rare than the preceding. [A] [A] Specific charafter of the T'anagrn Atricapllla :•—■" It Is ru- " fous-red ; its head, wings and tail, black ; with a black furrow *' on the wings." The FURROW-CLAWED TANAGRE. I'Qngkt, BufF. Tafuigra Striata, Gmcl. Ninlfj Sj)cc'ies, The nails have on each fide a fmall furrow, run!iing parallel to the edges. It was brought by Conimcifoii, and as it refcniblcs the Ta- nagrcs in every other refped, it is more than probable that it came from South America. The head of this bird is ftriped with black and blue ; the anterior part of the back is black- ifli, and the pofterior bright orange ; the upper coverts of the tail olive brown ; the upper co- verts of the wings, their quills, and thofc of the tail, are black, edged exteriorly v/ith blue j all the under-part of the body is yellow. Total length near feven inches ; the bill eight lines, and furrowed near the point as in the Tanagres ; the tarfus nine lines, and the mid- toe the fame. p 3 Com- 't ':.i^ 'I ai4 THE FURROW-CLAWED TANAGRE. Commerfon has left no particulars with re- gard to its habits. [A] [A] Specific charadler of the Tanagra Striata: — " It is black, ** yellow below ; its head fit iped with cocrulean and black ; the ** lowell part of its back orange." The BLACK TANAGRE, and the RUFOUS TANAGRE. Tc'iiih Specks, Sonini informs us, that thefe conflltute only one fpecies, and that the one rcprefentcd PL Kill. No. 179,7%'. 2, is the male, and tliat of No. 711, the female. The female is entirely rufous, and the male entirely black, except a white fpot en the top of each wing. — They are common in the cleared parts of Guiana ; and, like the otliers, eat fmall fruits, and fometimes in- fods. Tlieir cry is Ihrill, and they have no fong, They appear in pairs, and never in flocks. I m^ The TURQUOISE TANAGRE. Lc Tiirqvin, Huff. 1 antip-a BrajiUenfu, Linn. Taan^ra Braj1l:ciijh Caruha, Brifl. and K'vin. l-lctctctl, feu Avis Spicic Mayzii, Ray. Eldvenlh Species, All the lower parts of the body, the i^pper- part of the head, and the fides of the neck, are deep ■1 i THE TURQI^OISE TANAGRE. 215 deep or turquoifc-blue j the forehead, the wings, and the tail, arc black ; there are alio fome fpots of black near the legs, and a broad bar of the fame below the breaft. — This bird is found in Guiana, but is not frequent. The RED-BREA.STED TANAGRE. Lf Bee D' Argent, Buff. 1 iningra Jncc.pa, Linn. Lanius Carlo, Pall. Cardinalis Purpurea, BrifT. 'Tivclfth Specks, The French Icttlers in Cayenne have given tills I)h-d the name of Stiver-Bill (Bec-cV Argejit)^ which exprcfles a remarkable fpccific chara<5ter ; viz. that the bale of the lower mandible ex- tends under the eyes, and forms on each fide a thick plate, which, when the bird is alive, looks like the brightefl: filver; but this luftre tarnilhes after death. It is imperfedly reprefented in the Planches Enlummces, Edwards has given an ex- cellent figure of this bird under the name of Red- breajlcd Black' bird ; he is deceived indeed in regard to the genus, but he has hit the dif- criminating features. The total length is fix inches and a half, and that of the bill nine lines, which is black on the V 4 upper- i^ «" t. 2i6 THE RED-BREASTED TANAGRE. upper-part ; the head, throat, and breaft, are purple, and the reft of the body black, with fome purple tints. The iris is brown. The fe- male differs from the male, not only in the colour of its bill, but in thofe of its plumnge ; the iipper-p:u-t of its body is brown, with fome fhadcs of obicure purple, and the undcr-part reddltli ; the tail and wings are brown. Another dilcriininating charadcr of the male, is a fort of half ci^^llar round the occiput, formed by long purple briftles, which project near three lines beyond the feathers. \Vc are indebted to SiHiini for this remark ; and alio for our ac- quaintance with this and all the other Tanagres of Guiana. This bird is more nnmerons than any of the Tanagres in the Ifiand of Cayenne and in Guiana; and it probably occurs in many other warm countries of America, for Fernandez gives the fame account of a Mexican bird that fre- quents the vicinity of the mountains of Tepuz- cullula. It feeds upon fmall fruits, and alfo upon the large pulpy produce of the bananas, &:c. when they are ripe ; but eats no infctSts. It haunts the clcarcft fpots, and docs not fliun the neighbourhood of dwellings, and even vifits the gir^'ens. Kowcver, the Rcd-brcaftcd Tana- gres are alfo very common in defert tratlts, and even in the ghules of the forefts ; for in fpots where the trees ure levelled by the hurricanes, and where the fun dartb his burning rays, there arc THE RED-BREASTED TANAGRE. ii; mi are generally fome of thefc birds, though al- ways in pairs, and never in flocks. Their ncfl: is cylindrical, and fomewhat curved, which they fliften horizontally between the branches, the entrance being below j {o that the rain, Irom whatever diredion it beats, can- not penetrate. It is fix inches long, and four inches and a half in diameter ; it is conftrudted with draws and the dry leaves of the Indian flowering reed *, and the bottom is well lined with broader portions of the fame leaves : — it is generally fixed in the loftiefl: trees. The female lays two elliptical eggs, which are white, and covered at the thick end v^-ith fm.ill fpots of light red, which melts away as it approaches the other end. Some nomenclators have given this bird the name of Cardinal, but improperly : others have fuppofed that there is an obvious variety in this fpccics. In Mauduit's cabinet we faw a bird whofe plumage is pale rofe-colour, variegated with gray; I am rather inclined to think, that this difference is occafioned by moulting. [A] • Canna Indica, Linn. [A] Specific charaflcr of the Tunagrajacafia:—" It is black* " itj front, throat, and brcall ("carkt." I'hus dcfcribeJ by Crif- fon : Male, " dull purple ; the quills of the wings and of the " tail, and the thighs, glofly black." Female, " above dufky, " mixed with dull purple; below tawny ; the quills of the wingt ** and of the tail dulky." The Mexican name is CbUhiliototl. The ■m ■1 ■vS ^ HI 'i.: m 4 i I a'8 J ''I ii. 'ti I t I The SAINT DOMINGO TANAGRE. L'Ej'Jin'e, BufF. Tauagra Domiiiicij, Linn. Gmcl. and BrifT. - Tblrteeutb Species, This Tanagre is called the Slave in Saint Do- mingo ; and yet we are not told whether it can be bred in a cage, or is gentle and familiar as the name feems to import. Perhaps it owes the appellation to this circumftance : — the Crefted Fly- catcher in Saint Domingo, and the Forked- tail Fly- catcher of Canada, are termed Tyrants ^ and are much larger and ftronger than this bird, which alfo feeds on infeMi m ^^p^ "^. THE SAINT DOMINGO TANAGRE. 219 the fame colour, with an olive border on their inner- fide j the tail is fomewhat forked ; the legs are brown. [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Tanagra Dominica :—•*' It is *' Ipotted vfith black, above duflcy-olive, below whitifh." Thus dcfcribed by Briflbn : " Above dufky, below dirty-white, varie- *' j»ated with dufky longitudinal fpots ; the quills of its wings and *• of its tail dufky, their outer-edges olive," The BISHOP TANAGRE, Le Bluet, EufF. Taniigra-Epi/copus, Linn. Gmcl. Briflf. and Saler. ^'he Sjiacu, Edw. Fourteenth Sbecies, It IS larger than thcfe which form the fecond divifion of Tanagres*. In the male, all the upper-part of the body is bluifh-gray; and in the female, all the upper-part of the head is of a yellowifh-green, and all the upper-part of the body, the back, the upper furface of the quills, the wings, and of the tail, olive-brown, glofled with violet ; the broad bar on the wings, which is light-olive, is diftinguilhed from the brown on the back, * Some fentences are omitted here containing the author's reafons for rejecting the appellation given this bird of Cayenne tiipopt and for adopting that of Bluet, Thefc ■ 1^ iji c M iff 1 H r-T---=^ 220 THE BISHOP TANAGRE. Thefe birds are very common in Cayenne; they haunt the ilvirts of the forefts, plantations, and places that have been long cleared, where they feed upon fmall fruits. They are never feen in large bodies, but always in pairs. They lodge at night among the leaves of the palm- trees, at their junction, near the ftem, and make nearly the fame noife that our Sparrows do among the willows ; for they have no fong, and their cry is (harp and unpleafant. [A] [A] Specific charafler of the Tanagra-Efif.r,^us .-—It is cincre- •' ous, its wings and tail coerulean cxtcrnaJly." The RED-HEADED TANAGRE. L^ Jlcuge-Cap, Bufi'. '■fanagrn Guluris, Linn. Gmcl. Carditialis Americanus, llrill'. Fifteenth Species, The head is tinged with a beautiful red ; all the upper- part of the body is of a fme blacV j it has a narrow long fpot of black on the breall, with purple fpeckles ; the legs and the ui)per mandible black ; the lower mandible, yellow at the bafe and black at the tip. — 1 he fpecies is not very common in Guiana ; nor are we cer- tain whether it is found any where elfc. [A] [A] Specific chara6lcr of the Tauagra Gu.'aris : — " It is blade, «« white bclo.v, its l>e;id rcJ, its throat purple." Thus dcluibcd hvBii.ron: *' Above glnily black, below Inowy ; the head an The GRAY-HEADED TANAGRE. Le FerderouXy BufF. Taiiagra Guianenjis, Gtnel. Second Middle Species, The whole plumage of this bird is grcenifli^ except the front, which is lufous from both fides, 9 oil THE GRAY.HEADED TANAGRE. 225 on which two bars of the fiime colour extend from the front to the rife of the red ; the reft of the liead is afh-gray. Total length live inches and four lines ; that of the bill feven lines, and that of the legs eight lines : the tail is not tapered, and the wings, when clofed, do not quite reach the middle. We are indebted to Sonini de Manoncour for this fpccics, which is new. It is found in the extenfive forefts of Guiana j — but we are un- acquainted with its hiftory. The RUFOUS-HEADED TANAGRE"'. Le Pnfcvirt, Buf?. Tanagra Cayana, Linn, and Gmcl. ^I anagra Cayanenjis Virtdis, BriiT. The upper-part of the head is rufous ; the upper-part of the neck, the lower-part of the back and the rump are of a pale-gold yellow, flilning like raw filk, and in certain pofitions there ap- pears a delicate tint of green ; the fides of the head are black ; the higher-part of the back, the fcapular feathers, the fmall fuperior coverts of the wings and thofe of the tail are green. The throat is blue-gray ; the reil of the under-part of the body {hines with a confufed • This bird was by millake ranked among the Sparrows : it Is now reftored to its proper place. 1 VOL. IV. mixture ■•'M > ■;'■ f ^1 l;.f 226 THE RUFOUS-HEADED TANAGRE; mixture of pale-g6ld yellow, rufous, and blUC- gray, and each of thefc predominates according to the light in which the bird is viewed ; the quills of the wings and of the tail are brown, with a border of gold-green *. In the female, the upper-part of the body is green, and the under of a duli-yellow, with fome greenifli reflexions. Thefe birds are very common in Cayenne, where the Creoles call them Dauphimis ; they in- habit only the cleared trads, and even come near the plantations ; they feed on fruits, and deftroy vaft quantities of bananas and Indian pears ; they confume alfo the crops of rice when in maturity ; the male and female commonly follow each ether, but they do not fly in flocks, only a number of them is fometimes feen together among fields of rice. — They have no fong or warble, and only a fliort flirill cry. [A] * In fome individuals, the rufous at the top of the head de- fcends much lower on the neck ; in others, this colour extends on the one hand upon the bread and the belly, and on the other, upon the neck and all the upper-fide of the body, and the green of the wing-feathers has a charsging blue cad. [A] Specific character of the Tanagra Cayana: — " It isful- " vous, its back green, its cap rufous, its cheeks black." -i VARIETY. %• li [ 227 ] VARIETY. Le PaJJi-Vtrt a Ttte Bleue, BufF. Linnaeus defcribes a bird refembling much the preceding. The fore-part of the neck, the breaft, and the belly are golden-yellow ; the back greenifti-yellow ; the wings and the tail green, without any mixture of yellow. It differs however in having its head of a bright blue. The GREEN-HEADED TANAGRE. Le Tricolor, Buff. Tanagra Tricolor, Gmel. Tanagra Cayanenjii fvaria Chlcroaphalos, Prifl". Fourth Middle Species, Brought from Cayenne by Sonini. The plu- mage confifts of three colours ; red, green, and blue, which are all very bright. The two birds reprefented in N"^ 33 of the Planches Enlumineis^ feem to belong to the fame fpecies, and perhaps differ only in fex ; for in the one the head is green and in the other blue ; in the former, the upper-part of the neck is red, and in the latter green : — and thefe are almoft the folc differences. 0^2 We l!i ^'1 y ■ 1-' ; ■ ' ■ I r \ I. . ■ I m s% m rsi 1 1 i A; > 228 THE GREEN-HEADED TANAGRE. We have Teen in the cabinet of M. Aubri, Redor of St. Louis, one of thcfe in high pre- fervation, and faid to have come from the Straits of Magellan ; but it is not very probable that the fame bird Ihould inhabit the torrid cli- mate of Cayenne, and the dreary frozen trads of Patagonia. The GRAY TANAGRE. Le Cis-Ohvr, Cufi". 'Ttinagra Crijlci, Gmcl. Fifth MidMc Species, The under-part of the body is gray, the upper olive. It occurs both in Guiana and Louifiana. The PARADISE TANAGRE. Le Septicolcr, Buff". Tamgra Tatao, Linn, and Gmcl. yl'viiii'a de Tuttio, Seba. Tanagta, Ray, Will, and BrilT. ^be Titiiwufe of Paradij'c, Edw. Sixth Middle Species, The plumage is variegated with feven co- lours: fine green on the head, and the fmall fuperlor coverts of the wings ; glofly black on the upper-parts of the neck and back, on the middle quills of the wings, and on the upper ■ . fur- • I THE PARADISE TANAGRE. 227 '^ ^n furfaceoftheqnillsof the tail; brilliant lire-colour on the back ; orange-yellow on the rump; violet- blue on the throat, the lower-part of the neck, and the great fuperior coverts of the wings ; deep gray on the under-furfuce of the tail ; and, laftly, fine fca-grecn on all the under-part of the body from the brcaft. Thcfe colours are all exceed- ingly bright, and well defined. It does not affame the ivid red on the back till grown up, and tl\c female never has that co- lour ; the lower-part of her back too is orange like the rump, and in general her tinte are more dilute, and not fo diftindly dciined as thofe of the male. — But there is ftill fome diverlity in the difpofition of the colours ; foiue males have the bright red on the rump as well as on the back ; and in many others both the back and rump are entirely of a gold colour. The male and female are nearly of the fame fize, being five inches long ; the bill only fix lines, and the legs eight lines ; the tail is fome- what forked, and the wings reach to the middle of it. ... Thefc birds appear in numerous flocks. They feed upon the tender half-formed fruits which grow on a certain large tree in Guiana. They arrive in the ifland of Cayenne when this tree is in bloflbm, and depart foon afterwards, pene- trating probably into the interior parts of the country when the fame fruits are later in com- ing to maturity. They make their appearance in ■11 1.; 'i ):f pJ' f..jii 'W ',■1: .,'rt .:;u I'll i i::i 230 THE PARADISE TANArSE. the inhabited parts of Guiana co ; v»Jou'y about the middle of September, and ftay about fix weeks ; they return again in April or May. Indeed they feem to feek always tb«; lame food ; and when any of thofe trees is in blow, we may certainly expert to find a number of thcfe birds. They breed not during their refidencc in Gui- ana. Marcgrave tells us that in Brazil they are kept in the cage, and fed on meal and bread. They have no warble, and their cry is Ihort and iharp. We muft not with Bri flbn range the T'a/ao with this fpecies ; for the defcription given by Seba is not at all applicable to it : " The Talao," fays Seba, " has its plumage beautifully varie- gated with pale green, with black, with yellow, and with white ; the feathers of the head and breaft are finely (haded with pale green, and with black ; and the bill, the legs, and the toes, are deep black." Befides, what demonftratively proves it to be not the fame bird, the author adds, that it is very rare in Mexico ; whereas the Paradife Tanagres we have feen arrive there in very great numbers. The BLUE TANAGRE. Tanagra Mexieana, var. Gmel. Tanagra Barbadinjis Ccerula, BrifT. Seventh Middle Species, Its head, throat, and the under-part of the neck, are of a fine blue ; the back of the head, the : '-\ '1 ■! '\m A-'M^f »» 4 Hi ' ■<■'■•} M ;'i'JiP mm •rifK SMAI.T. 'rAItf-AGRi:. »' T ■Bb mmtemtm ml 1 u I ':• *?>i' THE BLUE TANAGRE. 231 the upper-part of the neck, the back, the wings, and the tail, black ; the fuperior coverts of the wings black, and edged with blue ; the breaft, and the reft of the under-part of the body, fine "white. On comparing this with what Seba calls the ylmerican Sparrow., they appear to be the fame, differing only perhaps in age and fex. BriiTon feems to have amplified the imperfedl account of Seba ; but as he does not produce his autho- rities, we cannot lay any weight on his defcrip- tion. Seba's bird came from Barbadoes ; ours from Cayenne. The BLACK-THROATED TANAGRE. Eighth Middle Species, This fpecies is new. It was found in Guiana, and brought home by Sonini de Manoncour. The head, and all the upper-part of the body, olive-green ; the throat black ; the breaft orange ; the fides of the neck, and all the under-part of the body, fine yellow ; the fuperior coverts of the wings, the quills of the wings, and of the tail, brown, and edged with olive ; the upper mandible black, the lower gray ; and the legs blackifh. :fi 'i; :;».i 'in The RED-HEADED TANAGRE. Lc Roicvcrdh: * , Buff. T'anagra-Cvrc/a, Linn, and Gmcl. lunagra i'liiivianu I'iriiin, Brilf. i Frin^illa Pcciore Cdrrulto, K!ein» FitngiUa Virulls, Cup':tc ''.ha-iin-o, A^fl. Petr. Tie RcJ-I.LaJj.-{ ijfcciijiiijj, LJ-.v. F'ujl Small Specks, Its head is green ; its body entirely rufous, except a light blue ipot on the breall, and a yellow Ipot on the top of the wing. This fpccies appears in many parts of South America; in Peru t. Sarin ir* }:, and Cayenne. It would feem that it migrates, for it is not found in the lame place the wiiole year. It arrives in Guiana twir : or thrice annually, to feed upon fmall fruit that grows on a large tree, on which it perches in flocks; and again departs, probably after the proviiions are confumcd. As thcfc birds arc not frequent, and always avoid "* Formcil from Rcu.x-vcrd. f Edwards. | BriJlbn. ... . the m, 'f ^ itfri :i 1, 134 THE RED-HEADED TANAGRE. the cleared and inhabited fpots, their habits have not been obferved. [A] [A] Specific chaiafler of the Tanagra-Gyrola :-^'* It is green, •' its head red, its collar yellow, its bread blue." The SYACU TANAGRE. Second Small Species, The two birds reprefented in the Planches E»lumiri^cs, No. 133,%- i, No. 301, fig. i, feem to belong to the fame fpecies, and differ perhaps only in the fex. It is likely that the white- bellied one is the female, and the green-bellied one the male. We give them the name of Syacou^ con- traded from the Brazilian appellation Sayacou ; for ■we have no doubt that what Briflbn terms the Variegated 'Tanagre of Brazil is the fame kind. Thefe two birds were brought from Cayenne, where they are rare. [A] [A] The Lft of lUefe 'iirds is the Tanagra-Syaca o( Gnielin^ the Ttituigra Brafilienjis Varia of Briffon. Its fpecific charadler :— - •' Hoary, its wings fomewhat blue." The firft is the Tanagnt Punctata of Gmtlin, the Tanagra Vtridts IruUca Punilata o\ Brif- fon, and the Spotted Tanager of Latham. Its fpecific charaftcr : — " Green> dotted with black ; below yellowiih white." 7 .! The i -!: •j(l '"Vi have 15 green I lanchei , feem erhaps white- bellied con- m \ for ms the kind, lyenne, GiBe1in> irafter :— Tanagrit a of Brif- irafter : — The f 235 ] The ORGANIST. Third Small Specks, Such is the name this little bird receives at St. Domingo ; becaufe it founds all the notes of the oflave, rifing from the bafe to the treble. This fort of fong, which implies that the ear of this bird is organized limilarly to the human ear, is not only fmgular, but very pleafant. The Chevalier Fabre Delhayes has informed me in a letter, that in the fouth of St. Domingo on the high mountains, there is a fmall bird very rare and famous, called the Miiftc'ian^ whofe fong can be written. We prelume that this is the fame with the Organijl. But ftill we ftiould doubt of the regular fucceflion of mufical founds ; for we had not the bird alive. It was prefented by tlie Count de Noe, who had brought it from the Spanifli diftri<3: of St. Domingo, where he told me it was very rare, and diflicult to difcover, or to fhoot ; becaufe it is iliy, and artfully con- ceals itfelf ; it even turns round the branch as the hunter changes place, to elude his view : io that though there be feveral of thele birds on a tree, it often happens that not one of them can be perceived. The length four inches ; the plumage blue on the head and neck ; the back, the wings, and the tail, are ftained with black, running into i.: ' r - — t (' I! m • ■■■ >t,wi .'ffl •*\^\i mJomiESC^ 2j5 THE ORGANIST. '•i: I! ri' W-ii-- i i I; f^^> I r »' (5; vito coarfe blue; the forehead, the rump, and all the upper- part of the body, coloured witli orange-colour. — This fhort delcription is Tufn- cient to difcriminate it. We find in Dupratz's Hiftory of Louifiana, the defcription of a fmall bird which he calls Bi/Jjopy and which we believe to be the fame with the Orgainjl. " The BiOiop is a bird fmaller than the Canary ; its plumage is blue, verging on violet. — It feeds on many forts of fmall feeds, among thefe ividlogotiil and choupi-' chouly a kind of millet peculiar to the country. Its notes are fo flexible, its warble fo tender, that when we once hear it, we become more referved in our euloginins on this nightingale. Its fong lafts during a Mifcrc7-c, and during the ■whole time it never makes an infplration ; it refts twice as long before it renews its mufic, the whole interval elapfed being about two hours." Though Dupratz does not mention whether ic gives the notes of the odlaves as the Organift is faid to do, we cannot doubt their identity ; for the colours and fize are the fame in both. I'he Scarlet Tanagre, which refembles it in point of fong, is twice as large ; and the Arada, which has alfo a charming warble, is entirely brown. The \ /rganid is then the only bird to which i^ can be referred, & The C 237 1 and with lliffi- ifiana, ; calls : fame 1 bird J blue, orts of :houp't-* )untry. tender, 2 more tingale. ing the ion ; it ific, the lOurs. icther it ganift is ity; for u The point of , which J brown, which i^ The JACARINI TANAGRE. Le facarini. Buff. Tanagra "Jacarina, Linn, and Gmel. Tanagra Brnjslienjis Nigra, BrilT. Cardudis Biajiliana, Will, and Edw. Fourth Small Species, This bird was called Jiicanni by the Brazilians. Marcgrave mentions it, but takes no notice of its habits. However, Sonini de Manoncour, who oblerved it in Guiana, where it is very common, informs us that it prefers the cleared grounds, and is never feen in the large forefts ; that it lodges in the low trees, particularly the coffee- tree, and is diftlnguilhed by a fmgular circum- ftance, viz. that it fprings from the branch on which it has perched a foot, or a foot and a half vertically, and falls back to the fame fpot ; and thus continues to rife and fink alternately, till it removes to another bufh, where it repeats the {ame exercife. Each leap is attended with a feeble cry, exprcffive of pleafure, and by an ex,- panfion of the tall. This v.'ould feem to be the mode in which the male courts tlie female ; which on the contrary remains at cale, or hops about like other birds. The neft is compofcd of dry herbs of a gray colour ; it is hemiiphcri- cal, and two inches in diameter ; the female depofits in It two elliptical eggs, fcvcn or eight Jines long, and of a grccnilli wliite, fpiinkled with THE JACARINI TANAGRE. with fmall red fpots, which are numerous, and fpread moft profufely near the big end. The Jacarini is eafily known by its colour, which is black and fhining like poliihed fteel, and uniform over the whole body, except only in the male the interior coverts of the wings, which are whiliih ; for the female is entirely gray, and differs fo much in plumage that it might be taken for a different fpecies. The male aUb be- comes gray in the moult. [A] [A] Specific chAr:ii\er of the Tatiagrajcjcarina:—" ItUblack- " violet, its wings whitifh below, its tail v. ide-forked." m 4 iiA a. .;^ m. The GOLDEN TANAGRE. Le Tciu, BufF. Ray, and Will. Tanagra Fiolacea, Linn. Ginel. Borowflc, &C. Tanugra Brafdienfis Nigro-Lutea, BriiT. The Golden Titwou/e, Edw. Fifth Small Species. It IS called Teitc in its native region of Brazil. The female differs widely from the male ; for the upper-part of the body is olive-green ; the forehead, and the under-part of the bill, tinged partly with yellow, and panly with olive- yellow : whereas in the male the body is of a deep blue ; and the forehead, the under-part of tbe throat and belly, line yellow. In the young bird the colours are fomewhat different. The upper-part of the body is olive, S fprinkled ■ti and )lour, fteel, only ^ings, ;ht be ib be- is black- Brazil. Ic ; for .; the , tinged olive- r IS of a -part of THE GOLDEN TANAGRE. 239 rprmkled with feme feathers of a deep blue ; and on the front the jftellow is not diftindly marked. The feathers are only gray, with a little yellow at the tips ; the undcr-fide of the body is of as fine a yellow in the young bird as in the adult. The fame changes of plumage are obferved in this as in the preceding fpccies. The neft is alfo very like that of the Jacarini, only it is not of {o clofe a texture, and is compofed of reddiih herbs inftead of gray. There is a variety of it, which, as well as the fpecies, is called Liuk Louis by the Creoles of Cayenne. They are both very com- mon in Guiana, Surinam^ and Brazil ; they fre- quent the ground cleared near the farm-hcufe, and feed on the fmall fruits which they find on the bufhes ; they light in great numbers among rice-crops, which mufl be guarded againfl their vifits. They may be bred in the cage, where they are pleafant, if five or fix be put together. They whiftle like the Bullfinch, and are fed on the plants called in Brazil Paco and Mamao, [A] [A] Specific charafler of the Tanagra Violacta ;— •" It is violet ; " below very yellow." '^^m ¥ i'ir imewhat is olive, ■prinkled The r i J' r The NEGRO TANAGRE. « «' I I iii^ ?!M" Lr Tanagra Negre, BufF. Tanagra Cnyar.enjis, Gmel. 1 anagra Cnyaiia, Linn. T^cinugra Cayancnjis Nigra, BriiT. Sixth S?nall Species, This bird is of fo deep a blue as to appear quite black, and it requires a clofc infpedlion to perceive forne blue reflexions on its plumage ; it has an orange-fpot on each fide of the breaft, but covered by the wing ; fo that the general appearance is uniform black. It is of the i'ame fize with the preceding, and inhabits the fame countries, but is much rarer in Guiana. [A] [A] Specific characler of the Ta/iagra Cayancn/t: :—" Tt is fliin* *' in^ biack ; both fides of its breart, and its wings, yellow." Thcfc are all the Great, the Middle-fized, and the Small Tanagres, whofe fpecies can be aibertaincd with accuracy. A few remain that have been defcribed by Briflbn, but on the cre- dit of authors whofe accounts are vague and in- corredl : I lliali, however, enumerate them, with- out pretending to decide the fpecies. Eirfi:, T/je Grafs bird, or Xiiihtototl of Fernan- dez. All the boJy is blue, fcattered with fome fulvous feiithers \ thofe of the tail black, and tipt with i TANAGRES whnfe SptcUs is nst dtddcd. m appear Vion to image ; ; breaft, general ng» and ,cU rarer .« \t is {hin* illow." dle-frzed, 1% can be main that n the cre- ue and in- lem, with- of Fernan- with Ibme ck, and tipt with with white ; the under-part of the wings cine- reous, the upper-part variegated with blue, with fulvous and with black ; the bill fhcrt, fomewhat thick, and of a rudy white ; the legs are grav. Tills author adds, that it is fomewhat larger than our Houfe-fparrow, that it is good eating, that it is raifed in the cage, and that its fong is not unpleafant. — It is impoflinle from fuch an imperfetft account to deo' Ic whether it belongs to the genus of Tanagrc . [A] Secondly, ne Mcxicc ^hrd of Seba, of the fize of a Sparrow, Ti.^ whole body is blue, varied with purple, except the wings, which arc varied with red and black ; the head is round ; the eyes and the breaft are covered above and below with a blackifli down ; the inferior co- verts of the wings, and of the tail, are yellowifh afli-colour. It is ranged among the fuiging birds. So vague an account cannot warrant us to conclude that it belongs to the genus of the Tanagres ; for the only points of analogy are that it inhabits Mexico, and is of the fize of a Sparrow : and Seba's figure, as indeed all thofe of that author, can convey no didindl idea. Thirdly, The Brazilian Guira-Perca of Marc- grave. It is about the bulk of a Lark ; its bill black, fliort, and rather thick ; all the upper- part of the body, and the belly, of a deep yel- [A] This is the CceruUan Tanagre of Latham, the Tanagra Canora of Gmelin, and the Tanagra Caruka Nava Hifpania of Briffon, VOL. IV. R low, •••■•il :f^4'^i IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // 1.0 I.I iU 112.2 til Uk 2.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 *• 6" ^ ^ 0>w^ 9. %^^ > Photogra|iiic Sciences Corporation 4^ '4^ 33 WBT MAIN STRUT WiBSTIR.N.Y. \*%W (716)172-4503 '^ ^<'^ ! i/. IV' ill TANAGRES whc/e Spec! a Is net decided. low, fpotted with black ; the utider-part of th€ head and neck, the throat, and the breail, black; the wings and tail compofed of quills of blackifli brown, and feme edged exteriorly with green ; the legs are of a dull cinereous. It does not appear from this Ihort defcription whether this bird ought to be referred to the Bulfinches or to the Tanagres. [A] Fourthly, 7'he Bird /mailer than the Gold/inch^ or the ^latoiztli of Brazil, according to Seba, The half of its head is decorated with a white creft ; the neck is of a light red, and the bread of a fine purple ; the wings deep red and purple ; the back and the tail yellowifti black, and the belly light yellow ; the bill and legs are yellow. Seba adds, that it inhabits the mountains of Tet- xocarw in Brazil. We Ihall obfei ve, firft, that the name ^la- toztli, which Seba gives to this bird, is not Bra- zUian, but Mexican ; and fecondly, that the mountains of Tetzocano are in Mexico, and not in Brazil. It is probable therefore that he was miftaken in calling it a Brazilian bird. Laftly, from the defcription and the figure given by Seba, we fliould rather range this bird in the genus of the Manakins than in that of the Tanagres. [BJ [A] This is the Tellomi Tartagre of Latham, the Tanagra Flava of Gmelin, and the Bra/ilienjis of Driflbn. [B] This is the White-headed Tavagre, or Tanagra Alhifvens of Latham, the Tanagra Leuccccphala of Gmolin, and the Tanagra Brafdicnjis LeuitK'phalus of Brilfon. 15 Fifthly, T AN AG R E S whsfe Species is not decided. 243 Fifthly, The Calatti of Seba, which is nearly gf the fize of a Lark, and has a black creft on the head ; and the fides of the head, and the bread, of a fine Iky-colour ; the back is black, variegated with azure ; the fuperior coverts blue, with a purple fpot ; the quills of the wings variegated with green, with deep blue, and with black ; the rump variegated with pale blue and green, and the belly with fnowy white; the tail is of a beautiful form, brown terminated with rufous. Seba adds, that this bird, which was fent from Amboyna, is of an elegant figure (his plate is a very bad one), and that its fong is alfo pleafant. This is enough to exclude the Calatti from the Tanagres, which are found only in America, and in no part of the Eaft Indies. [A] Sixthly, The Anonymous Bird of Hernandez. The upper-part of its head is blue ; the upper- part of the body is variegated with green and black, the under-part yellow, and fpotted with white ; the wings and the tail are deep green, with fpots of lighter green ; the legs are brown, and the toes and nails very long. Hernandez fubjoins in a corollary, that this bird has a black-hooked bill, and that if it vi'ere more curved, and if the toes were placed as in the parrots, he fhould not hefitate to regard it as ^ real parrot. [A] This is the Atnhoina Tanagre of Latham, the Tanagra Am- hinenfis of Gmelin, uild the Tanagra Ambsinsnjis Carruha of Brifibn. R 2 From \\\ I Hi i ;: Ml -i\ I 1 I I '■'\:i I 1: 24^ TANAGRES who/e Species is net decided. From thefe indications, we fliould refer this bird to the Shrikes. Seventhly, TJbe Brown Cardinal of Briflbn, which is a tropic bird, and not a Tanagre. [A] [A] This is the Military Tanagre of Latham, the Greater Bui- fnch or Shirley of Edwards, the Tanagra Militaris of Lianaai and Gmelin, and the Cardinalii Fii/cut of BriiTon. < The SILENT BIRD*. We cannot refer this bird to any genus, and we place it after the Tanagres only becaufe iti exterior appearance is fimilar ; but its habits are totally different. It never appears in the cleared fpots, and remains always alone in the heart of the forefts far from fettlements, and has no fong or cry. It rather hops than flies, and feldom rerts on the lowefl: branches of the bufhes, for it commonly continues on the ground. It rc- rembles the Tanagres, however, in the fhape of its body and feet, and in the flight fcalloping on bot!i fides of the bill, which is longer than the bill of the Tanagres. — It is a native of the fame climate of America. ♦ Lnthani ranges it with tlie Tan;i^ /ith the epithet Silent. Its fpecific characler: — " It is green ; Us head, and the under- " part oi its body, hoary ; its eye-brows, a fillet on its cyti^ and •' a ftfipe on \v> throat, black." r this riflbn, [A] aier Bui- nuus and US, and ;aufe iti ibits are cleared heart of no fong \ feldom (hes, for It re- Ihape of oping on than the the fame ;pithet Mens. id the under- its eyes, and »< m ''if / .•ii m il T'gfys.; Bi'''i Bi^ " t'i mBw 1' 8 \ Mni '• It mi ^ 11' '^ ^ ' r Kll B' E' 1 ^ ' ' 18 Br > f' In :'' Ij ■ 1 Wl ' ^^ 1, . ffii , 1 '1 1 it ' : : •i X'jcj TIJK 14U:JJTIX0. f 245 ] The ORTOLAN BUNTING*. L'Ortelan, BufF. Emheriza Hovtulana, Linn. Gmel. Frif. Mull. Hortulanus, Brif. Aldrov. &c. Ortolano, Zinn. and Olin. TT is very probable that our Ortolan is no other "*■ than the Miliaria of Varro, fo called be- caufe it was fattened with millet feeds : it feems alfo to be the fame with the Cenchramus^ of Ariftotle and Pliny, which is evidently derived from K«y;^pof, that likewife fignifies millet. And thefe etymological conjedures acquire force, from the correfpondence between the properties of thefe birds. 1 . The Cenchramus is a bird of paflage, which, according to Ariftotle and Pliny, accompanies the Quails ; in the fame way as the Rails, the Snipes, and other migratory birds \. 2. The Cenchramus utters cries during the night ; which has given to thefe naturalifts oc- cafion to fay, that it continually calls to the * In German, Fet-Ammr (Fat-Bunting), Jut-Fogel; in Polifli, OgroJniezei, f Ariftotle fpells the name Kto'X?*^"'? » "°* Kiyx«f**« » PUny in- deed writes it both Cyncbramus and Ctuchramus : yet the etymology given in the text feems doubtful. J Hill. Anim. Lii. viii. 12.— Hift. Nat. Lib. x. 23. R 3 companions i m m i I'^h i*. n 2^6 THE ORTOLAN BUNTING. \hA I II ' 'He II .iSil companions of its journey, and encourages them to advance. 3. Laftly, in the time of Varro, the Miliaria^ as well as the Quails and Thruflics, were fat- tened, and fold at high prices to the luxurious *. All thefe properties belong to our Ortolan : —It is a bird of paflage, which a multitude of naturalifts and of fowlers admit : it fmgs during the night, as Kramer, Frifch, and Salerne affirm f : and laftly, when fat, it is efteemed a delicious morfelj. The Ortolans are not always caught fat ; but there is an in- fallible method to bring them into that ftate. They are fliut up in a room from which the ex- ternal light is excluded, but which is conftantly illuminated with lanlhorns, fo that they cannot diftinguifh the night from the day : they are allowed to run about and pick up the oats and millet that are regularly fcattered in the apart- ment. With this regimen they foon grow cxcelfively fat, and if not prevented would even die of extreme corpulence §. When killed at the proper time, they are moft delicate, delici- • De Re Ruftica, Lib. iii. 5. f I could cite alfo the Sieur Burcl, gardener at Lyons, who has fomeiimcs above an hundred Ortolans in his volery, and who com- municated tome, or confirmed, many peculiarities of their hillory. X It is pretended thofe caught in the plains of Touloufe are better flavoured than thofe of Italy. In winter they are very fcarce, and confequently very dear : they are difpatched to Paris iiy poft in afmali trunk filled with millet, according to the hiilorian of Languedoc, tome i. p. 46; in the fame manner as they are fent from Bologna and Florence to Rome in boxes full of corn, ac- cording to Aldrovandus. § It has been faid thtit they arc fometimcs fattened to weigh three ounces. ous THE ORTOLAN BUNTING. 247 s them sre fat- rious *. irtolan : iltitude lit : it :h, and t, it is Ortolans s an in- at flate. the cx- inftantly f cannot hey are oats and le apart- n grow uld even killed at e, delici- ans, who has id who com- :heir hillory. . fouloufe are ,ey are very ;hed to Paris the hiftorian they are fent of corn, ac- ncd to weigh ; OU8 balls of fat, but rather too lufoions, and apt to cloy.— -Thus Nature guards againft hitempe^ ranee by the fatiety and difguft which conilantly attend the excefs of pleafure. The fat Ortolans are eafily drefled in the water-bath, the fand-bath, in hot aflies, &c. And they may be alfo very well prepared in the fhell of a real or an artificial egg, as was for- merly pradlifed with the beccafigos or epicurean warblers *. It cannot be denied that the delicacy of their flefli, or rather of their fat, has contributed more to their celebrity, than the charms of their warble. However, when kept in the cage, they have a fong like that of the Yellow Bunting, which, as I have already obferved, they repeat night and day. In countries where they are numerous, and 'Confcquently well known, as in Lorabardy, they are not only fattened for the table, but trained to fing ; and Salcrne obferves that there is a fweetnefs in their notes. In this cafe they are better treated, and not being fufFered to grow corpulent, their lives are prolonged. If they are kept a confiderable time befide other birds, they adopt fomething of their fong, efpecially when they are young ; but I know not whether they ever learn to articulate words, or catch the potes of our mufic. Thefe birds make their appearance at the fame time with our Swallow, or a little after, and they ■m I) " i ;'t' i ''M ,1 7? ,1 ;H, * Petronius. R4 either ous i If 1!^ 248 THE ORTOLAN BUNTING. . either accompany or precede the Quails. They enter Lower Provence, and advance as far as Burgundy, rfpccially in the warm diftrids, which are planted with vineyards ; however, they touch not the grapes, but eat the infefls that prey upon the leaves and tendrils of the vines. On their arrival, they arc rather lean, bccaufe then is the feafon of their loves *. They build in the vines, and their nefts arc pretty regular, and fimilar to thofe of the lark : they lay four or live grayifli eggs, and have commonly two hatches in the year. In other countries, as in Lorraine, they place their nefts on the ground, and prefer the corn-fields. The young family begins to dire£t its courfc to the fouthern provinces as early as the firft of Auguft ; but the parents do not commence their journey before the end of September. They remove into Fores, and halt in the neighbour- hood of St. Chaumont and St. Etienne ; they alight among the oats, of which they are very fond, and remain till the cold weather be- gins to fet in ; during which time they become fo fat and inadive, that they might be knocked down with fticks. At this time they are proper for the table, efpecially the young ones; but they are pnore difficult to preferve than thofe which are caught in their firft entrance. In Beam alfo, the Ortolans appear twice annually ; paffing in May, and repaffing in Odober. * They may however be fatted at this time, by feeding them firft with oats, then ^^ith hemp-feed, with millet, &c. Some THE ORTOLAN BUNTING. 249 1 '* Some have fuppofed thefe birds to be natives of Italy, whence they fpread into Germany and other countries ; and this is not improbable : for though they breed at prcfent in Germany, they arc caught promifcuoufly with the Buntings and Chaffinches * ; but Italy has been cultivated from a more remote antiquity. Befides, it is not uncommon for thefe birds, when they dif- Gover a fuitable country, to adopt it and fettle in it. Noi; many years fmce, they were thus naturalized in a fmall diftridt of Lorraine, lying between Dieufc and Mulcc ; where they breed, raife their young, depart in the fall, and return again in the fpiiug f. But their journies are not confined to Ger- many ; LinniLHis relates ihat they inhabit Swe- den, and fixes the month of March for the period of their migration J. We muft not how- ever fuppole that they are fpread through all the countries between Sweden and Italy ; they return conftantly into our fouthern provinces ; fometimes their courfe lies tlirough Picardy, but fcarcely are they ever (een in the northern part of Burgundy where I live, in Brie, or in Swit- zerland, &c. § They may be caught either with the lioofe, or with limed-twigs. * Frifch. — Kramer ranks them among the birds which occuir in Lower Auftria; and he adds, that they live in the fields, and perch upon the trees which grow in the midtl of meadows. t ]h\ Lotting r. i Fauna Suecica. ^ Gcfner. In M ■'I 250 THE ORTOLAN BUNTING. ! , I i'h\ '^ i I % In the male, the throat is ycllowifh, edged with cinereous ; the orbits allb yellowifli ; thebreaft, the belly, and the fides ruibus, with fonie fpecklcs, whence the Italian name Ton:/i/io * ; tlic lower coverts of the tail of the fcsme colour, but lighter; the upper-part of the body variegated with brown- chefnul, and blackiih ; the rump aiul the Aiperior ]iart of the coverts of the tail, uniform brown- chefnut ; the quills of the wings blackifh, the large ones edged exteriorly with gray, the mid- die ones with rufous ; their fupcrior coverts va- riegated with brown and rufous ; the inferior ones witli fulphur-yellow ; the quills of the tail blackifh, edged with rult, the two outer ones «dged with white ; laflly, the bill and legs are ycllowifh. The female has rather more cinereous on the Jiead and on the neck, and no yellow fpot below the eye; but, in general, the plumage of the Ortolan is fubject to many varieties. The Ortolan is fmaller than the Houfe Spar- row. Length, from fix inches and one-fourth, to five inches and two-thirds ; the bill five lines ; the leg nine lines ; the middle toe eight lines ; the alar extent nine inches ; the tail two inches and a half, confining of twelve quills, and pro- jcding eighteen or twenty lines beyond the v^ings. [AJ • From 7'civ/o, a Thrufh. [A] Specific cliaraiftcr of the Ortolan, Emhcriza-Hortiilatia : — •' Jts wing-quills dufky, the fird three whltilli iit the margin ; the " tall- u THE ORTOLAN BUNTING. 351 " tMUquills(l«lkyi the two lateral ones black exteriorly." It is fix inches and one fourth k>ng. It buiicls in low buflic (from S^'*'*?! " ^^"■fi} i IpyOc; ly^iiHKXic, (Rujh Sparro-wJ ; Ua7i; (perhaps from Balo-, a thorn) ; in German, Rhor-Spar, Rhor-Sperlingt or Rhor-SpatK, (i.e. Reed Sparrow); Weiden-Spatz (WjIloA' Sparrow) ; in Swc- 'Ji(h> Saefsparfi in Polifll, IVrcbcl 7'rz(iu/iis. The I '5 If a ,(•1 m m i 25+ THE REED BUNTING. 'i' \ \i. ■ mi The Reed Ortolans delight in fens, and neftic among the rufties ; however, they fometimes refort to the high grounds in rainy feafons. In ipring they are Teen hy the fides of the roads, and in Auguft they feed in the corn fields. Kra- mer tells us that they are fondeft of millet. In general they feek their food like the Buntings, along the hedges, and in the cultivated fpots. They keep near the ground, and feldom perch except on the bufhes. They never aflemble in flocks, and fcarcely more than three or four are feen at once. They arrive in Lorraine about the month of April, and depart in au- tumn ; however, there are always fome of them which continue in that province during the winter. — ^They are found in Sweden, Germany, England, France, and fometimes in Italy, &c. This little bird is almoft perpetually on the watch, to difcover its foe, and when it de- fcries fome fowlers, it makes an inceffant cry, which is not only teazing, but fometimes fcares away the game. I have feen fportfmen quite out of patience at the notes of this bird, which are foraewhat like thofe of the Sparrow. The Reed Bunting has befides a pleafant warble in the time of hatching, about the month of May. This bird jerks its tail upwards and down- wards as quick as the Wagtails, and with more animation. In THE REED BUNTING. 255 m neftlc etimes s. In roads* Kra- jt. In ntings, 1 fpots. 1 perch (Temble or four .orraine in au- of them ing the rmany, , &c. on the it de- fant cry, es fcares sn quite which The t warble onth of » V. 1 d down- ith more In In the male, thj -per-part of the head is black ; the throat anu Uic fore-part of the neck variegated with black and rufty gray ; a white collar on the upper-part of the neck only ; a fort of eye- brow and a bar of the fame colour under the eyes ; the upper-part of the body variegated with rufous and black ; the rump and the fuperior coverts of the tail variegated with gray and rufly; the undcr-part of the body white, (haded with rufly ; the fides flightly fpotted with blackifh ; the quills of the wings brown, edged with different fnades of rufous ; the quills of the tail the fame, except the two outermofl on each fide, which are edged with white ; the bill is brown, and the legs are of a dark flefn-colour. The female has no collar ; its throat is not fo black, and its head is variegated with black and light rufous : the white which occurs in its plu- mage is not pure, but always fullied with a ru- fous caft. Length, from five inches three-fourths to five inches ; the bill four lines and a half; the leg nine lines; the middle toe eight lines ; the alar extent nine inches ; the tail two inches and a half, confiding of twelve quills, and projeding about fifteen lines beyond the wings. [A] [A] Specific cKarafter cf the Reed Bunting, Emheriza Bchceni- chs: — •* Its head is black, its body gray and black, the outer- " mod quills of its tall marked with a wcdgc-ftiapefl white fpot," It is five inches smd three-fourths long. It is found as high as IJenmark, ^ •('■fflW It ui '^ 4 • l!4f ■| ,1': 256 THE REED BUNTING. Denmark ; it is frequent in the fouthern parts of Ruffia ; and It vifits Britain in the fummer. It fufpcnds its neft between four reeds, a few feet above the water ; this neft is made of grafs-ftalks, lined with the down of reeds. The bird lays four or five eggs of a bluifh white, variegated with purple llreaks. It fings, efpccially at night. M The HOODED BUNTING*. Coqueluche, Buff. A fort of hood of a fine black covers the head, throat, and neck, and then, tapering to a point, defcends on the breaft, nearly in the fame man- ner as in the Reed Ortolan j and this black is- never interrupted, except by a fmall white fpot on each fide, very near the opening of the bill ; the reft of the under-part of the body is whitifli, but the fides are fpeckled with black. The hood which I have mentioned is edged with white behind ; all the reft of the upper-part of the body variegated with rufous, and blackifh j the quills of the tail are blackifh, but the two inter- mediate ones are edged with rufty; the two outermoft have a large oblique fpot j the three others are uniform throughout. Total length five inches ; the bill fix lines, entirely black, the tarfus nine lines ; the tail two inches, rather forked, and projeds about thirteen lines beyond the wings. * This bird is in the cabinet of Dr. Mauduit, who has called it me Siberian Reed Ortolan. I have not ventured to adopt this appellation, left, the fubjedl Ihould be found to be only a variety of our B-ecd Ortulan. M The 1" s C 257 3 The MUSTACHOE BUNTING. Le Gavotte de PrcvcKce, BufF. Emberiza Provincialis, Gmel. This bird is diftinguiflied by a black fpot at the ears, and a line of the fame colour which extends on each fide of the bill like muftachoes. The lower-part of the body is cinereous ; the upper-part of the head and of the body, varie- gated with rufous and blackifh ; the quills of the tail are divided by the fame colours,* the rufous being exterior and apparent, and the blackifli being within and concealed. There is alfo a little whitifh round the eyes, and on the great coverts of the wings. This bird feeds on grain ; it is fond of perch- ing ; and in the month of April its fong is pleafant. This is a new fpecies introduced by M. Guys. Total length four inches and three-fourths ; the bill five lines , the tail twenty lines, fome- what forked, and ftretching thirteen lines be- yond the wings. [A] [A] Specific c}\3ira.Sier of ^i Emhcriza Provincialis :—" It \9 *' variegated with gray and black ; the undcr-fide of the body " and a fpot on its wings, white } a fjpot under the eye, and llripc «* on the jaw. black." M w .'IT 1^1 i VOL. IV. The ' t C 258 3 «i I Hi; ; The LESBIAN BUNTING. Le Mililene de Provence^ BufF. Emerixa Lejhia, Gmel. This bird differs in fcveral refpeds from the preceding : the black which appears on the fides of the head is difpofed in three narrow ftripes, parted by white fpaces ; the rump and the fu- perior coverts of the tail are fliaded with feveral rufous tints. But the difference of habits affords a more marked diftindion ; the Lelbian Bunt- ing does not begin its fong before the month of June ; it is more rare and (hyer, and its repeated cries warn the other birds of the approach of the Kite, of the Buzzard, or of the Hawk ; in which circumftance^it rcfemblcs the Reed Bunt- ing. The prefent inhabitants of Mytilene, or ancient Lefljos, employ it, on this account, as a fentinel for their poultry, but take the precau- tion to fhut it in a ftrong cage, left itfelf become the prey of the ferocious invader. [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Emheriza Lefiiai^" It is varle- " gated with gray and black ; its under-furf'ace and its orbits " white; has three Itripes of black and white under its eyes; •' its lateral lail-t^uills partly white." M ' !. I r (i \ ^-' I- ^' III I I r If* H [ .62 } The YELLOW-BELLIED CAPE BUNTING. VOrtelan 7i Ventre 'Ja.meJu Cape de Bonne-E/perance, Buff. Emleriza Capcnjis, var. M, Linn. We received this from Sonnerat. It is the moll beautiful of the genus ; its head is of a glolFy black, with five white rays nearly paral- lel, the middle extending to the lower-part of the neck ; all the upper-part of the body is yellow, but deepeft on the brcaft, from which it fpreads upwards and downwards, growing more dilute by imperceptible degrees, fo that the origin of the neck, and the laft of the Inferior coverts of the tail, are almoft white ; a gray tranfverfe bar feparates the neck from the back, which is brown-rufous, variegated with a lighter colour ; the rump is gray ; the tail brown, edged with white on both fides, and delicately tipt with the fame ; the fmall coverts of the wings afh-gray j the uncovered part of the middle ones white ; the great ones brovi'n, edged with rufous ; the quills of the wings blackilh, edged with white, except thole next the body, which are edged with rufous ; the third and fuurth are the longed of all. With rcfpedt to the quills of the tail, the outermoft, and the one next it on each fide, are fhorter than the reft ; fo that were the tail equally divided, though the whole be fomewhat forked, each of the parts is taper ; the greateft diilerence between the length of the quills is three lines. In riNG. BuflF. t is the is of a y paral- -part of body is which it ng more tie origin r coverts ranfverfe which is r colour ; ged with with the ifli-gray ; 3 white ; fous; the ith white, are edged thelongeft he tail, the each fide, ere the tail fornewhat he greateft le quills is In THE CAPE BUNTING. 263 In the female the colours are lefs vivid and dlflliKft, Total length Wk inches and one fourth ; the bill fix lines ; the tail two inches and three- fourths, confining of twelve quills, and exceed- ing the wings fifteen lines ; the fcir^ks eight or nine lines ; the hind nail is>the Pronged of all. M The CAPE BUNTING. L'Ortelan du Cap di Bonne E/perance, Buff. Emberiza Capenjis, Linn, and Gmcl. Hortulanus Capitis Bona" Spei, Brifl". This bird is as remarkable for dulky ill-de- fined colours, as the preceding is confpicuous for the richnefs and luftre of plumage : it has, however, two black ftreaks, the one above, and the other below the eyes, which characterize the genus. The upper-part of its head and neck is variegated with dirty gray, and blackifli ; the up- per-part of the body black, and yellowifli-rufous ; the throat, the brcaft, and all the under-part of the body, dirty gray ; the fuperior coverts of the wings rufous ; the great coverts, and the quills of the wings, and the quills of the tail, blackifh, edged with rufty ; the bill and legs blackilh. Total length five inches and three-fourths ; the bill five lines ; the alar extent near nine inches ; the tail two inches and a half, confiding of twelve quills, and exceeds the wings by fifteen lines. [A] [A] Specific charadler of the Emberiza Capenjis : — '* It is gray, « its throat whitifli« a llripe on its eyes, and cheei , ■•'k{' ■ m C 174 J The YELLOW BUNTING*, « 1 i; •■i l: "41 Irl-' PllN I : m I'll.. ■»,;;« 1 ■til • I'W I 1i 2^6 THE YELLOW BUNTING. as the Sparrows *. They fly rapidly and ah'ght fuddenly, and for the mod part in the midll of the thickeft foliage, and never upon a feparatc branch. Their ordinary cry confifts of feven notes, fix of which are equal, and of the fame tone, and the laft (harper and prolonged, //, //. //, //, //, tr, /7t. The Yellow Buntings are fpread over the whole of Europe, from Sweden to Italy, and through all the interjacent countries ; and they are confequently expofed to great difference of temperature, which happens to moil birds in any degree domeilic. The male is diftinguiflied by the bright yel- low feathers on the head and on the lower-part of the body ; but on the head this colour is va- riegated with brown ; it is pure yellow on the fides of the head, under the throat, under the belly, and on the inferior coverts of the • Frifch derives the German name Ammer, or Hammer, from f>am, which fignifies a houfe : Ammer, on this hypotheftj, would denote domeflic. [The old EngliHi name i'elUw Hammer is evi. dentlv 'oorrovixd from the German.] f According to fomc, they have another cry, 'vignerot, •vignerot, I'igntrg, tiichye. Olina fays, that tliey partly imitate the warble of thd Cliatfinches, with which they aflbciate. Frifch relates that they adopt lomething of the fong of the Canary when they hear 'p. young : he adds, that the crofs breed of the cock Bunting and hen Canary chants better than the father. Laftly, Guys fays, that the fong of the cock Bunting grows pleafant on the approach of the month of Augiut, Aldrova^dus alfo fpcaks of its fine v/aibic. wings, : il'Vt Hammer is cvi- ^HE YELLOW BUNTING. 277 Vings, and it Is mixed with light chcfnut on all the reft of the lower part ; the neck and the fmall Tuperior coverts of the wings are olive ; the middle and lar^^e coverts of the wings, the back, and even the four firft quills of the wings ar6 blackifh ; the reft are brown, and edged, the two outer with white, and the ten others with whitifh gray ; laftly, their fuperior coverts ar6 light chefnut, terminated with whitifh gray. The female has not fo much yellow as the male^ and is more fpotted on the neck, the breaft, and the belly : in both, the edges of the lower man- dible are received into the upper, whofc ed^es are fcalloped near the point ; the tongue is .,i - vided at the tip into flender threads ; and laftly» the hind claw is the longeft of all. The bird weighs five or fix gros ; the inteftinal tube is feven inches and a half long ; veftiges of a caecum ; the cefophagus is two inches and a half long, dilating near the gizzard, which is muf- cular ; the gall bladder very fmall. I found in the ovarium of the females which I dlfledled, ep'gs of unequal bulk. Total length, fix inches and one third ; the bill five lines ; the legs eight or nine lines, the middle toe almoft as long ; the alar extent nine inches and one-fourth ; the tail two inches and three-fourths, confifting of twelve quills, fome- what forked, not only bccaufe the intermediate quills are fliorter than the lateral ones, but alfo becaufe the fix quills on each fide turn naturally T 3 outwards ; ;.'i i V;;'s;|| ■ 'iii ' ■ 'Ma 1)' M 'Uii ■ ■■MA i ,, T,t.M, tj2 THE YELLOW BUNTING. outwards ; they extend twenty-one lines beyond the wings. [AJ [A] Specific charaftcr of the Yellow Bunting, Emhtriza-Citri- tulla ;— •*' Its tail-quills are blackifh, the two outermoil marked with *' a fliarp white fpot on the infide." Thus dercribed by BrilTon : «* Above variegated with tawny -blackilh and white-gray ; below '* yellowilh ; the breaft variegated with dilute chefnut, yellowifli* '* and olive; the head yellowifh, varied with dufky fpots ; aduiky '< bar behind the eyes ; the two outmoft t^-quills on both fides <' marked within with a white fpot." It is fix inches and a half long; very frequent in England. It lays fix eggs, which arc iivhitilh-purple, with blackiih irregular fpots and ftreaks. VARIETIES of the YELLOW BUNTING. The colours vary, in different fubjeds and in different climates, both their ihades and diftribu- tion : fometimes the yellow extends over all the bead, neck, &c. In fome, the head is of a- yellowiih cinereous ; in others the neck is cinereous, (pot- ted with black ; the belly, the thighs, and the legs are faffron-colour ; the tail brown, edged with yellow, &c. M y.K- i! -' C 279 ] beyond '■-i.'is larked with byBriiTon*' ray ; below :, yellowifti, ots; adnflty n both fides s and a half , which arc ks. JNTING. ;£t$ and in id diftribu- (ver all the yellowifh ecus, fpot- nd the legs dged with M The CI RL BUNTING. Le Zizi, ou Bruant dt Haie *, BafF. Emierixa Cirlus, Linn, and GmeK Emberiza Sepiaria, Brifl*. Cirlus, Aldrov. The Cirlust or Zivolot Will. 'T^iiis is feen fometlmes perched, fometimea "*- running on the ground, and particularly in newly ploughed fields, where it finds feeds, fmall worms, and other infeds ; and accordingly it almoft always has earth flicking to its bill. It is eafily enfnared, and when caught with bird- lime, it ofteneft remains attached, or if it en- tangles itfelf, it lofes moft of its feathers in the flruggle, and is no longer able to fly. It foon becomes reconciled to captivity, but is not ab- folutely infenfible of its lituation ; for, during the firft two or three months, it has only its ufual chirp, which it repeats with frequency and trepidation when a perfon goes near its cage : however, by gentle treatment, it at length re- fumes its warble. Its fize and its habits are nearly the fame with thofe of the Yellow Bunt- ing, and probably, if we were better acquainted with thefe birds, we (hould perceive that they belonged to the fame fpecies. jr II, Ml ^d • i. e. The Hedge-Bunting. T4 The 28o THE CIRL BUNTING. ; f > '' h .1 ■*?! i !•''. Il' .:i 4i' ■ ' m The Cirl Buntings are not found in the northern countries, and Teem to be moft frequent in thofe of the fouth ; however, they are rare in feveral provinces of France. They are often feen with the Chaffinches, whofe fong they imi- tate, and with whom they form numerous flocks, cfpecially in rainy days. They feed on the fame fubftances as the other granivoious tribe, and live about fix years according to Olina : but this muft be underftood of them in the domeftic ftate; for it is uncertain what efFeds frcfli air and freedom of motion may have upon longevity. In the male, the upper-part of the head Is fpotted with blackifh upon an olive-green ground ; there is a yellow fpot on the fides, di- vided into two unequal parts, by a black ilreak which paffes over the eyes ; the throat is brown and alfo the top of the bread, and a yellovr cellar lies between them ; the reft of the under- part of the body is yellov/, which grows more dilute as it fpreads to the tail, and is fpotted with brown on the flanks ; the upper-part of the neck and back is variegated with rufous and blackifli ; the rump olive-rufous, and the fupe- rior coverts are of a purer rufous j the quills of the wings brown, edged with olive, except the near- eft to the back, which are rufous, and the two middle ones, which are rufty-gray ; laftly, the bill is cinereous, and the legs brov/n. In THE CIRL BUNTING. 28f in the equent re rare re often ey imi- s flocks, he fame be, and but this domeftic as frcfli ,ve upon 5 head is ive- green fides, di- ack ftreak t is brown a yellow \Q under- ows more is fpotted )er-part of ufous and i the fupe- c^uills of the pt the near- nd the two laftly, the In the female, there is lefs of the yellow, the throat is not brown, nor does any brown fpot appear on the breaft. Aldrovandus tells us, that the plumage is fub- je£l to much diverfity in this fpecies : the one which he figured had a dull green tinge on its breaft ; and of thofe which I have obferved, I found one of which the upper-part of the neck was olive, with fcarcely any admixture. T«tal length fix inches and one-fourth ; the bill about fix lines ; the alar extent nine inches and three- fourths ; the tail near three inches, compofed of twelve quills, and projeding about ten lines beyond the wings, and forked as in the Yellow Bunting. [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Cirl-Bunting, Embcrixa-Cirlus :— ••' It is brown, its breaft fpotted, its eye-brow yellow, the two " outermoft quills of its tail marked with a white wedge-lhapcd " fpot." M ' im m m : I ;'' t 282 J U.' The FOOLISH BUNTING. Le Bruant Fou, BufT. Emberiza-Cia, Linn. Gmel. Kram. . Emberiza Pratenjis, Briff. and Gefper. Emberiza Barbata, Scop. C/'r/«j Stultiis, Ray, and Will. TH E Italians have applied the epithet of Fooltjh to this bird, on account of its Incautious difpofition, being readily caught in every fort of fnare : but the want of circu n- fpedion is chara£leriftic of the genus, and the Foolilh Bunting is inconfiderate only in a higher degree. The name of Meadow Bunting is improper ; for the moft obfervant bird-catchers and fowlers have unanimoufly afTured me, that they never faw it in the meadows. Like the Cirl Bunting, the Foolifh Bunting is not found in the northern countries, nor does its name occur in the catalogues of the Swedifli and Danifh birds. It prefers folitude, and delights in mountainous abodes. It is very common and well known in the hills round Nantua. Hebert * often faw it on the ground, and upon the chefnut trees ; and the country people told him, that its flefli was excellent meat. Its fong is very ordinary, and refembles that of the Yellow Bunting ; and the Pruflian bird-catchers • This excellent obfervcr has communicated cr confirmed the fi'.cipal fails of the hiftory of the Buntings. have iH'! G. ithet of t of its ught ill circu n- and the a higher 'tntirtg is -catchers me, that unting 13 does its edifli and delights common Nantua. and, and ry people Ineat. Its hat of the d-catchers THE FOOLISH BUNTING. 283 have remarked, that when it is put into a volery among others of a different fpecies, it difcovers a ftrong prediledion for the Yellow Bunting. Indeed its cry*, its fize, its figure, are the fame, and it differs only by fome of its habits. In the male, all the upper-part is variegated with blackilh, and gray ; but this gray is purer on the head, and rufty every- where elfe, except on fome of the middle coverts of the wings, where it becomes almoft white. The fame rufty gray edges almoft all the quills of the wings and of the tail, whofe ground colour is brown, only the two exterior quills of the tail are edged and tipt with white ; the orbits are rufty white ; the fides of the head and of the neck are gray ; the throat is gray, dotted with blackifli, and edged on each fide and below by a line almoft black, which forms an irregular fort of fquare with the gray plate on the fides of the head ; all the un- der-part of the body is fulvous, more or lefs di- lute, but dotted or variegated with blackifti on the throat, the breaft, and the flanks ; the bill and legs are gray. Total length fix inches and one fourth ; the bill five or fix lines ; the alar extent nine or ten inches ; the tail two inches and one third, a little forked, confifting of twelve quills, and exceeding the wings by fixteen lines. [A] * Linnxus fays that in flying it chirps zip, zip, [A] Specific character of the Foolilh Bunting, Emberiza-C:a:-~ It is rufty, its head marked with fcattered blackifh lines, its eye- •uM ■ 4 u m M ■ffm '. ;*;,illli'!^^< .*;iS wA M\ " brows white." M m If [ ^h J The COMMON BUNTING*. ,}.: ■• 4 M: ; :' "'^ !;, Le Prayer, BufF. Emieriza Miliaria, Linn. Gmel.Kram. and Frifch. Ember iza Alba, Will, and Kiein> Cj/nchramus, BrifT. ^TT^ HIS is a bird of palTage, and arrives early -* in the fpring. It deferves to be called Meadow Buntings fince In the fummer feafon it never ftrays far from the low grounds f . It makes its neft among the fields of barley, of oats, of millet, &c. feldom on the furface of the ground, but three or four inches above, among the thick ftrong herbage J. The female lays four, five, and fomctimes fix eggs ; and while Ihe is engaged in hatching, the male brings her food, and fitting on the fummit of a tree, he re- peats inceflantly the difagreeable cry, /W, /r/, /r/, tiritZy which he retains only till the month of Auguil : the notes are fiiarpcr and (horter than thofe of the Yellow Bunting. It has been obl'erved, that when the Bunting rofe from the ground towards a branch, its legs dropped, and its wings quivered with an irre- • In German, Knuji, Kitippcr, Gevjl-Ammer (Barley-Bunting), Craue-Ammer (Gray Bunting) ; in Swedilh, Kcrnlaerka (Corn Lark) ; in Norwegian, Knoitcr. The Italian name Strikzza comes from StrHlare, to creek, on account of its cry. In Greek it was cnlled Vivyxioi-yi-(--.> or KhXi^-'A* according to Belon. f Belon fays that it follows tlic water like tlic Woodcock. X Belon. gular 'II.. -i JiT'jOJ J * \l. ES early ; called r feafon ist. It irley, of :e of ibe r, among iiale lays nd while rings her ie, he re- i, tri^ trty month ot )rter than J Bunting h, its legs I an irre- Icy-Bunting). lacrka (Corn aine Strilczza In Greek U joJcock. gular '}i TJIK J^irXTJXG ^^;i '•■■A ^''■i m "tj. Si ■I , •] Si" *:'t'i il,-'.. 'V'-..'.k:I M & .;f'|HI itM? .: i.S #'*, t gt ( f' I r u THE COMMON BUNTING. 285 gular motion peculiar to the feafon of love. At other times, in autumn for inftance, it flies equably and fwiftly, and mor .0 to a confider- able height. The young ones leave the neft long before they are able to fly, and take delight to run among the grafs ; and this would feem to be the realbn why the parents build fo clofe to the ground. The pointer- dogs often furprife them in the chace of quails. The parents ftill continue to feed and guard them till they are fledged J but their anxiety for the fafety of their brood often betrays them, and if a perfon chances to go near the fpot, they circle his head with a doleful air. ■ After the family is raifed, they pour their nu- merous flocks into the fields, efpecially among the crops of oats, beans, and the late forts* of grain. They migrate foon after the Swallows, and it very feldom happens that any of them xemain during the winter*. It is obferved that the Bunting does not flut- • ter from branch to branch, but alights on the extremity of the higheft and mofl: detached bough either of a tree or (hrub, and in a mo- ment begins its fong, which it prolongs for whole hours in the fame place, repeating its tirelbme note, /r/, tri ; and laftly, that in tak- ing flight, it chatters with its bill f . » Gcfncr. f Moft of thcfe faSs were communicated by M. Hebert. The 'iyi;s \m h 286 THE COMMON BUNTING. h i i m hi i ! n ' i r J T ;. '■■■ 'i 1 i.i Mi I'm fii:r The female fmgs alfo, after the young no longer occupy her attention ; but this is only when perched on a branchy and about mid*day* Her fong is as bad as that of the male. She is rather fmaller, but her plumage is nearly the fame. Both feed upon grain and fmall infeds, ivhich they find in the fields and meadows. Thefe birds are fpread over all Europe, or rather they vifit the whole extent of it in their migrations. Olina afHrms that they are more numerous at Rome and in its vicinity than in other countries. Bird-catchers keep them in a cage to ufe as calls in autumn ; and they not only entice the Foolifh Buntings into the fnare, but many other fmall birds of different kinds. They are for this purpofe put in low cages vrithout an) bars or roofts. In the male, the upper- part of the head and body is variegated with brown and rufous ; the throat, and the orbits, light rufous ; the breafV, and all the reft of the under-part of the body, yellowifh-white, fpotted with brown on the breaft and fides j the fuperior coverts of the wings, their quills, and thof'e of the tail, are brown, edged with rufous, more or lefs dilute ; the bill and legs brown gray. In the female, the rump is gray, verging upon rufous, without any fpots ; the fuperior coverts of the tail the fame colour, edged with whitifh ; and in general the quills of the tail, and of the wings, are bordered with lighter colours. 12 The THE COMMON BUNTING. 287 The bill of thefe birds is of a remarkable {hape ; the two mandibles arc moveable, as in the Ortolans; the edges are alfo re-entering, as in the Common Bunting, and the junction is made in a crooked line ; the edge of the lower man- dible on each fide, near the third of its length, makes an obtufe falient angle, and is received by ihc correfjponding re-entrant angle in the upper -mandible, which is more folid and bulky than in moft other birds ; the tongue is narrow, thick, and tapered to a point, like a tooth-pick ; the noftrils are covered above by a membrane of a crefcent fliape, and below by fmall feathers ; the fir ft phalanx of the outer toe is joiried to that of the middle toe. Inteftinal tube thirteen inches and a half; the gizzard mulcular, preceded by a moderate dilata- tion of the afaphagusy containing vegetable mat- ter, and nuts with fmall pebbles ; flight veftiges of a ccecum ; no gall-badder ; the great axis of the tellicles four lines, the fmaller one three lines. Total length of the bird feven inches and a half; the bill feven lines ; the alar extent eleven inches and one third ; the tail nearly three inches, fomewhat forked, confifting of twelve quills, and ftretching eighteen lines be- yond the wings. [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Common Bunting, Emheriza Mili. aria .•— *« It is brown, below fpotted with blacic, its orbits rufous.'* M !• I jt\' "■•\H ;.ii Ki: -m "S ill I I if Ij m n /:! K ' *rt> i •I KM m m I »88 ] FOREIGN BIRDS, WHICH ARE RELATED TO THE BUNTINGS. M li 1 I. The BRAZILIAN BUNTING. Le Guirtif^at, Buff. Mmieriza Brafilienjlst Gmcl. anJ Briff. TTAD not this bird been a native of South ■*^ America, and its cry been different from that of the Yellow Bunting*, I fliould have confidered it a»s a n^T^re variety. Indeed its plu- mage has even more of the Yellow than com- mon in ours f , and I have no doubt but they would intermix, and beget prolific offspring. The yellow is fpread unmixed on the head, the neck, and all the under-part of the body, and alfo borders almoft all the fuperior coverts, and the quilb of the tail and of the wings, which are brown ; on the back it is inter- mingled with brown and green ; the bill and the eyes are black, and the legs brown. • Our Bunting I"! called Z,«/,;a/rt, Aureola, Go! J- hammer, Bt'uant yauue, Bruant Dore, Cia PugHaviiia : fo that yellow would fccra to form part of its effence. •J- Some individuals of our Bunting have the head, the neck, and the upper-fide of the body almoft eiuirely yellow ; but tiiis is rare. This FOREIGN BIRDS, ts^c 289 *'-'i This bird is found in Brazil, and probably is indigenous, for tbe natives have given it a name, Cuiranbeemgata. Marcgrave praifes its fong, and compares it to that of the Chaffinch. The female is very different from the male j for the fame author tells us, that the plumage and cry refcmble thofe of the Sparrow. [A] [A] Specific charaAer of the Emberixa Brafilitnjtt : " Its top» its " neck, and the under-fide of its body, yellow; its back, its vvings« " and its tail, variegated with yellow and brown." M The MEXICAN BUNTING. La Thercft Jaune, BuiF. Emberiza Mexicana, Gmel« As I have feen only the figure, and a dead fpecimen of this bird, I can give but an imper- fedl defcription. Its plumage is much like that of the Common Yellow Bunting ; almoft all the head, the throat, and the fides of the neck, are orange-yellow ; the breafl:, and the under-part of the body, fprckled with brown on a dirty white ground ; the back of the head, and neck, and all the upper-part 6f the body, brown : this laft colour tapers to a point on each fide of the neck, and extends almofl: to the eye. The quills of the wings and tail, and their coverts, are brown, edged with a lighter brown. [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Emberiza Mexicana :—" Above it *• is rufly ; below partly white, fpotted with brovvn j its head, and •' throat, yellow." VOL. IV, U III. The. ::-5'! ''m yf. s '''I' ■ml 'mr^. WW 290 FOREIGN BIRDS whUb are III. The YZLLOW-FACED BUNTING. La Fla-veoky BufF. Ember iza Flanieola, Linn, and Gmcl. The forehead and throat are yellow, and all the reft of the plumage gray. It is nearly of the fize of the Sifkin. Linn.xus, who has made us acquainted with this fpecies, informs us, that it is a native of the warm countries, but does not mention to what continent it belongs. [A] [A] Specific charaiElcr of the Ember iza Flavcola ; — '♦ It is gray ; •' its fiice yellow." ^1 iiliiili; * !'*, ' ^; iJiHi • m\^^^ IV. The OLIVE BUNTING. VOIi've, BufF. Emberiza Olivacia, Linn, and Gmel. Emberiza Dominiccnjis, BrifT. Tills little Bunting, which is found in Domi- nica, exceeds not the fize of a Wren. All the upper-part, and even the tail, and the quills of the wings, are of an olive-green ; the throat orange-yellow ; there is a fpot of the fame co- lour between the bill and the eye ; the fore-part of the ne^k; is blackifli ; all the under-part of the body a very light gray, tinged with olive ; the anterior part of the wings edged with light yellow ; the bill and legs brown. 13 The related f^ //&^ BUNTING S. 291 -«• It is gray ; The female has not the black neqk-piece, nor the orange-yellow fpot between the bill and the eye ; nor is the throat orange-yellow, as in the male. Total length three inches and three-fourths ; the bill four lines and a half; the alar extent fix inches ; the tail eighteen lines, confifting of twelve quills, and projecting feven or eight lines beyond the wings. [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Emherixa Olivacea : — *' It Js " olive ; whiter below ; its throat orange ; a ftripe on its breall «* blackilh." V. The AMAZON BUNTING. VAmaxone, BufF. Emieriza Amaziua, Gmel. This bird was found at Surinam. It Is of the bulk of our Titmoufe ; the upper-part of the head is fulvous ; the inferior coverts of the wings whitifli j the reft of the plumage brown* VI. The PLATA BUNTING. VEmberi/e a Cinq Cculeiirs, BufF. Emberiza Platevjis, Gmcl. This bird was brought from Buenos- Ay res. We defcribe it on the authority of Commerfon, who fpeaks only of its plumage- and external u 2 chf- h' U' >' Mm m si psffr \ ! I i: . ! lit 192 FOREIGN BIRDS which art charadlers, and takes no notice of its manner of living, nor informs us whether it has the dif- criminating properties of the fpecies. All the upper-part of the body is of a brown green, verging to yellow ; the head, and the upper-part of the tail, of a darker tinge ; the under-part of the tail has more of a yellow caft the back marked with fome black flreaks ; the anterior edge of the wings bright yellow ; the quills of the wings, and the outermoft of thofe of the tail, edged with yellowifli ; the under- part of the body cinereous white ; the pupil blackifli blue ; the iris chefnut ; the bill cinere- ous, convex, and pointed j the edges of the lower mandible re-entrant ; the noftrils covered with a membrane very near the bafe of the bill ; the tongue terminating in fmall filaments ; the legs lead-coloured. Total length eight inches; the bill eight lines ; the alar extent ten inches ; the tail four inches ; the hind nail larged of all. M VII. The BOURBON BUNTING. A i' i '4 W l: Le Mordore, BufF. Emberiza Borbonica, Gmel. The whole of the body is reddifh gray, both above and below, and almoft of the fame fhade; the coverts of the wings, their quills, and thofe 12 of anner of the dif- a brown and the nge; the How call eaks ; the Uow; the ft of thofe he under- the pupil bill cinere- ges of the rils covered of the bill ; ments ; the eight lines ; four inches ; M riNG. (h gray, both ; fame fhade ; Us, and thoie of relattd to the BUNTINGS. 293 of the tail, are brown, edged with leddlfli gray, more or lefs dilute ; the bill brown, and the legs yellowifh, tinged flightly with reddifh gray. It is found in the Ifle of Bourbon, is nearly of the bulk of the Yellow Hammer, but its tail is (horter, and its wings longer ; the former pro- jecting about ten lines beyond the latter. VIII. The GRAY BUNTING. Le Gonambouch, BufF. and Seba. Emberiza Grifea, Gmel. EinberiKa SurinamenJIs, Briff. Sebr . si , us that this bird is very common at Surinam, that it is of the fize of the Lark, and that it fings like the Nightingale, and confer quently much better than any of the Buntings ; which is extraordinary in an American bird. The people of the country fay, that it is ex- tremely fond of maize, and often perches upon the top of the ftalk. Its principal colour is light gray, but there is a tinge of red on the breaft, the tail, the coverts, and the quills of the wings ; the quills of the wings are white below. Total length five inches ; the hill five lines ; the tail eighteen lines, and exceeding the wings by ten lines. u 3 IX. The 'j\ -lit- i . k iTil ■'Mm ,, , •I'l;,'. WJl ff"!!^!*'" 1 f. I. 'H' FOREIGN BIRDS tvhhh are IX. The FAMILIAR BUNTING. Le Bruant Familier, Buff. Emberiza Familiar is, Linn, and Gmel. Motacilla Familiaris, Ofb. It. The head and bill are black ; the upper-part of the body cinereous and fpotted with white ; the under-part cinereous, but without i'pots ; the rump and part of the back that is covered by the wings, yellow ; the coverts and the end of the tail, ' /bite.— This bird is found in Afia, and is nearly the fize of the Sifkin. X. ■•I 11 .) i^. The CINEREOUS BUNTING, Lt Cul-Roufct, BufF. EmLeiiza Clncrea, Gmel. Ember iza Cunailciijis, BrifT. We are indebted to Briflbn for this fpecies: — the upper-part of the head variegated with brown and chefnut ; the under-part of the neck, the back, and the coverts of the wings, variegated in the fame manner with a mixture of gray ; the rump gray without fpots ; the fuperior and inferior coverts of the tail, dirty white and rufty ; the related to the BUNTINGS. aps G. ,per-part \ white ; ots; the vered by e end of /Vria, and the throat and all the under-part of the body, dirty-white, variegated with chefnut Ipots, left frequent however below the belly; the quills of the tail and of the wings brown, edged with gray, verging upon chefnUt j the bill and legs brown-gray. — It was brought from Canada. Total length five inches and a half; the bill five lines .^nd a half; the alar extent eight inches and one-fourth ; the tail two inches and a half, confiding of twelve quills, and projeding about twenty-one lines beyond the wings. XI. The BLUE BUNTING. VJzurotix, BufF. Ember iTa Ceerulea, Gtnel. Emberixa Canadenfis Cavulea, BrilT. We are alfo indebted to Briflbn for this Ca- iiadian bird : the upper-part of the head is dull rufous ; the upper-part of the neck and of the body variegated with the fame and with blue ; the rufous is not fo deep on the fmall coverts of the wings nor on the large ones, which are edged and tipt with that colour ; the quills of the wings and of the tail are brown, edged with blue-gray ; the bill and legs are brown-gray. Total length four inches and one-fourth ; the bill five lines ^ the alar extent feven inches and u 4 one- 196 FOREIGN BIRDS which art one-third ; the tail an inch, confifting of twelve quills, and not exceeding the wings by more than four lines. XII. kx't- i ■•! . 1. The BONJOUR COMMANDER. This is the name which the fettlers in Cayenne give to a kind of Bunting, which frequents the dwellings and fings at day-break. Some call it the Cayenne Bunting. It refembles the one from the Cape of Good Hope fo exaftly, that Sonini thinks it is the fame. One of the ap- pellations ought therefore to be rejedted ; and this fhews that all epithets of birds that are geo- graphical are infufficient to difcriminate them. The cry is Ihriller than that of our Sparrows ; they are generally on the ground, and like the Buntings, they are for the moft part in pairs. The piale has a black hood crofled by a gray bar; the cheeks are cinereous; there is a black ray extending from the bafe of the bill to the hood, and below and behind it there is a rufous half-collar ; the upper-part of the body is grecnifh-brown, variegated on the back with oblong black fpots j the coverts of flie wings are edged with rufly ; all the under-part of the body is ciiiercoust It i reiated to the BUNTINGS. 297 It is a little fmaller than the Cirl Bunting, its total length being only five inches 5 its wings are (hort, and fcarcely reach to the middle of the tail. mm it :-il TT XT The RED-EYEjL> BUNTING. Commerfon defcribed this bird on the Ifle of France, which it inhabits, and where it is called Calf at. The upper- part of the head is blacky and all the upper-part of the body, including the wings and the tail, are bluifh cinereous *, the tail edged with black ; the throat black ; the breaft and belly wine-coloured; a white bar ftretches from the corner of the opening of the bill to the back of the head ; the orbit of the eyes is naked, and rofe-coloured ; the iris, the bill, and the legs alfo rofe-coloured ; the inferior coverts of the tail white. It is of a middle f)ze, between the Sparrow find the Linnet. : ' '■■T'J.'Tfi t ! 9 m 1 ; ; : Pl^ '■ m: [ \, lir J:!' I ■i., ( :''r f 298 J I The B U L F I N C H*. Le Bowurtuil, BufF. Loxia-Pyn-hula, Linn, and Gmel. Coccothraujles Sanguine a, Klein. Rubicilla, feu Pyrrhiila, Aldrov. Johnft. &c. Pjrrhula, Brifl". Riibrica, Gefner. The Bulfinch, Alp, or Nope, Will. "^TATURE has been liberal to this bird, for "*"^ fhe has beftowed upon it a beautiful plu- mage and a fine voice. The colours are perfedl after the firft moulting, but the fong needs to be affifted and formed by art. In the ftate of freedom, the Bulfinch has three cries, which are all unpleafant : the firft, which is the moft common, is a fort of whoop ; it begins with one, then two in fucceflion, and afterwards three and four, &c. and, when animated, it feems to articulate with force the repeated fyllable /«/, ////, tut; the fecond is an air of greater extent, but lower, almoft hoarfe, W i m "I PI I HM'W \\l- \ '^^^ ; m iKi.j * In Germnn, Blut-finch, Guegger, Bnm-tnei/s, Bclhn-heiffer , Rc:-'vcgel,7hiimbhcrx,, GiimpcJ ; in Svcdifli, Dom-berre ; in Daiiifli and Norwegian, Dom-prpe, Blod-jinke ; in Poliih, Popck ; in Pruf- fian, Daun pfaffc ; in Italian, Cifolottc, SuJ'uleue, FringuclU Mcntuno, Fringueilo yernino, Moniuh'ino. In Greek, it was called l'-«a?.u;, from ti.K'j\, a fig, on which it was fuppol'cd to feed ; and alfo llfffttA«4, from lit/f, fire, on account of its red plumage. and t»:= TTjo^ ^■P .'(«' tU^ 1% XT r. FrNCH . wm If. f^\M- , .1.'' •' ' 1 '■ ' ■ I ■ ■1 ii'M •< i i H ]■ i^l' ( ; .., '1 1 I ?1)' ■ft ».:"i:r! 'f . -i, ■■( THE B U L F I N C H. 299 and running into a dlfcord * j and the third is a feeble ftifled cry, which it vents at intervals, exceedingly flirill and broken, but at the lame time lo Ibft and delicate, that it fcarcely can be heard ; it emits this found much in the fime way as a ventriloquiil, without any apparent motion of the bill or throat, only with a fcnfible adion of the abdominal mufcles. — Such is the fong of the Bulfmch when left to the education of its parents ; but if man deigns to inftrucl it me- thodically f , and accuftom it to hner, mellower, and more lengthened ftrains, it will liflen with attention, and the docile bird, whether male or female J, without relinquifliiug its native airs, will imitate exadlly, and iomerimt' furrafs its mailer §. It alfo learns ealiiy to articulate words and * This is its warble, si, ut, tit, iif, tit, s1, re, ut, tit, ut. Fa, (it, ut, ii, rH, ut. With the fame voice it alio pronounced ut, la, ut, mi, lit, la. Sometimes thcfc pafi'agcs were preccdid by a drawling tone, in the fame llylc, but without aiiy inflexion, and which lefcmblcd a fort of mowing. [1 he notes of tiie iMcncli gamut are Sol, La, Si, Ut, ^e. Mi, Fa, corrclpuuding to the Ehgliih C, D, E, F, G, A, B.] f It is faid, that to fucceed in teaching tlie Buliinchcs one ftiould whillle to them, not with the Canary-liagioitt, b..t uith the lipped or Gcrnian-flme, whofc tune is deeper and fuller, 'i'he Bulfinch can alio mimic the warble of other birds. X The hei. Belhnch is the only fcmax, it is faid, of the fing- ing-biids that learns to whiUle as wel; as tlio nude. ..■Eu^nnlogic, p. iS. — Olina. — AlJrovandus &c. Som.' prct.nd lliat her voice is weaker and fwecttr than t.i.it o' the cock iiuJiinch. S " 1 know a curious perfon (fays the author ot x\\q ^^.clcmlogle, p. 89.) who having whilllcd fome .lirs quite phun to a Lalfinch, was agreeably fnrprizrd to (ec the bird add iuch graceful turns, that the malk-r could hardly recognize his own muhc, and acknow- ledged that tl.c Icholar excelled him." However, it nuiil be cun- feifed. H.i 1: f ^00 THE BULFINCM. I !•' ; „rf': •I k m. ' m ll: *•■? .ijulu m And pliralbs, and utters them with fo tender au accent, that we might almcft luppofe it felt their force. — The Bulfmch is belidcs fufccptible of perlbnal attachment, which is often ftrong and durable. Some have been known, after efcaping from the volery and living a whole year in the woods, to recognize the voice of the miftrefs, and returnjtoforfiikcher nomore*. Others have died of melancholy, on being removed from the firft objedb of their attachment '|'. Thefe birds well remember injuries received : a Buliinch, which had been thrown to the ground in its cage by fome of the rabble, though it did not appear much af- feded at the time, fell into convullions ever after at the fight of any mean looking fellow, and expired in one of thcfc f:ts eight months from the date of its lirft accident. The Bulfmches fpend the fummer in the woods or on the mountains : they make their neft in the buflies, five or fix feet from the ground, and fometimes lower : this confifts of mofs, lined with foft materials j and its opening is faid to be the leall expofed to the prevailing wind. The female lays frcm four to fix eggs fjfl'-'d, that if the Bulfmch be iil-dircflcd, it acquires harfii ftrains. Hebert favv one which never ha.l licarJ any pcrfon whifile but carters, and which whilUcd lihe them, with the lame llrcngth and ccarfcncfs. * One of thcfe btrJs which returned to its niiHrefs, after living a year ir» the woods, had all its feathers ruffled and tangled. Liberty has its inconveniences, efpccially for an animal depraved by domclHcation. t iCdonolo^ic, p. 123. of THE BULFINCH. 301 of a dirty white and a little bluifli, encircled near the large end with a /one, formed by fpots of two colours, feme of an ill-dcfined violet, others of a diftind black. She difgorges the "ood for the young like the Goldfinches, tlie Linnets, &c. The male is attentive to his mate, and LinncEus relates that he fometinics holds out to her a fpidcr in his bill a very !on}> time. The young ones begin not to whittle till they are able to eat without aififtance ; and hen they I'eem inftindlively benevolent, if what is related be true, that in a hatch of four, the three elder will feed their puny brother. Atter the breeding is over, the parents ftill continue aflbciated through the winter, for they are al- ways feen in pairs : thofe which remain iu the country, leave the forefts, and defcend froni the mountains * when the fnow falls, and for- fake the vineyard which they haunt in the au- tumn, and approach our dwellings, or lodge among the hedges by the road-fides : thofe which migrate, depart with the Woodcocks, about All Saints day, and return in the month of April f. They feed in fummer upon all forts of feeds, infedts, and forbs | j and in the winter^ upon • There are many Bulni.chcj in the mountain!! of Bologna, of Tvlodena, of Savoy, of Dauphiriij, of Provence.. ',hli:':'ule'» naile made JO (.> O A vitii w.ihiuts, &c. f Gefner caught many of thcmdiiri.ig liic vviiurr, b/ a bait of nl^ht-fliaJi berries. other ■W ill',' THE BULFINCH. 303 of alcler^ ow, &c. urgeon)^ : in that ftle i and leers the thought- ility with vour that allowing r decoyed nt of cir- ider, thofe in ftrug- and even V difentan- rked, that re the leaft ind not fo Don recon- they have crly tamed, fucceed re- -hich is the he attempt. alone; the „cs, iallad, &c. uic'ipailemadc uv,b/abaitof Other other is foon enticed to follow its compa- nion, and facrifices its freedom to the calls of friend (hip. It has been afTerted that the Canary, which breeds with fo many other fpecies, will never fubmit to the embrace of the Bulfinch, and it is alleged as the reafon, that the cock Bul- finch, when in heat, holds his bill open, which frightens the Canary. But the Marquis de Piolenc aiTures me, that he law a Bulfinch pair with a hen Canary, which had five young ones about the beginning of April : their bill was larger than that of Canaries of the fame age, and they began to be covered with a blackiih down, which feemed to {hew that they had more of the father than the mother : unfortu- nately they all died in performing a (hort jour- ney. What adds more weight to this obferva- tion, Frifch gives diretflions for the experiment ; he advifes that the cock Bulfinch be the fnT\lleft of its kind, and be kept long in the fame volery with the hen Canary : he fubjoins, that fome- times a whole year elapfes before the female will allow the Bulfinch to come near, or to eat out of the fame tray ; which fhewsthat the union is difficult but not impofllhle. It has been ohferved that the Bulfinchesjerk their tail brifkly upwards and downwards, though not in fo remarkable a degree as the Wagtails. They live five or fix yearj ; their flefh is palat- able according to feme, and not fit to be eaten according ■*! Mi ! • '«■ 'I ■ '! ! >>'>\ J 304 THE BULFlNCH. according to others, by reafon of its bitternefs j this mud depend upon the age, feafon, and food* They are of the fize of the Houfe-Sparrow, and weigh about one ounce. The upper-part of the head, the ring round the bill, and the origin of the neck, are fine glofly black, which extends more or lefs forwards and backwards* ; the fore-part of the neck, the breaft, and the top of the belly, beautiful red ; the abdomen, and the inferior coverts of the tail and wings, white ; the upper- part of the neck, the back, and the fhoulders, cinereous ; the rump white, the fuperior coverts and the quills of the tail, fine black., verging to violet, a whitifh fpot on the outernroft quills; the quills of the wings blackiih cinereous, and deeper the nearer to the body : the lafl; of all red on the outfidc ; the great coverts of the wings of a fine changing black, terminated with reddifh light-gray ; the middle ones cinereous ; the fmall ones, blackifli afii-colour, edged with reddifh ; the iris hazel ; the bill blackifli,and the legs brown. The fides of the head and the fore- part of the neck, the breafl:, the top of the belly, and in a word, almoft all that was red in the male, is vinous afli- colour in the female, and fome- times n'en the abdomen : nor has it the fine glofly changing black that occurs on the head • Hence the name of Monk, or Pope, which this bird has in many language*, and that of Coallj-hood, given to it by the people iii Scotland. T. and THE 'B U L F I N C H. 36^ and other parts of the male. I have feen a fe- male however, which had the laft of the Vving- quiils edged with red, and which had no white on the outermoft of thofe of the tail. Linn.Tiis adds, that the tip of the tongue is divided into fmall filaments ; but I have always found it quite entire in the male, and fliaped like a very Ihort tooth- pick. In many young Bulfinches which I have cbferved about the end of June, the fore- head was light rufous, the fore- part of the nefck and breaft rufty-brown ; the belly and the inferior coverts of the tail fulvous, which extends and grows more dilute on the fide ; the under-parc of the body, more or lefs duflcy ; the white ray over the wing deeply tinged with rufty ; the rump white of different fliades. — But it is ob- vious that confiderable diverfities will occur. Total length fix inches; the bill five lines, thick and forked; Kramer remarks, that the two mandibles are moveable, as in the Finches and Buntings ; the alar extent nine inches and one-fourth ; the tail tv^o inches and one-third, fomewhat forked, (but not always in the females,) confiding of twelve quills ; the outer-toe joined by its firft phalatjx to the mid-toe ; the hind-nail ftrongcr and more hooked than the reft. The dimenfions of the female when dinc: ^r.- IV. The MINUTE GROSBEAK, /Mi/^, Le llic-Roiul iii f't'tii Roiix, DulF, /-cA/rt !^U)iu!a, Linn, and Cjincl. '/Z-^ C/v»;' Loxia, Bancr. Guian. America produces alfo Round-bills, which, though analogous to the Eulfinchcs, are dill io diflcrcnt as to merit a diftiudt denomination. The prefent continues the whole year paired with its female. It is lively and tame, living near dwellings, and haunting grounds which have been under cultivation, but lately aban- doned. It feeds upon grain and fruits ; and, hopping about, it emits a cry much like that of the Sparrow, but fliriller. It forms with a cer- tain reddilh herb a I'mall round neft of about two inches diameter within, and places it in the fame flirub that furniilies its fubfiftence. The female lays three or four eggs. The upper-part of the hend, the neck, and the back, are brown-gray j the coverts of the wings, their cjuills, and thofe of the tail, are of the fume colour nearly, and bordered with white, or light chcfaut ; the throat, the fore-part of the neck, the under- part of the body, the inferior coverts of the tail, and* the rump, deep chefnut j tlie bill and legs brown. In iome lubjeds the throat is of the fame brown gray as the upper-part of the head. [A] [A] Specific charaftjr of the Loxia Minuta : — '• It ii gray ; its '« rump, and ihc under-fide of its body, ferruginous ; the four, five, " or fix \ving-c]uilis, white on both fides at their bafe ; its tail en- «« tire." V. The tb. , whicti, re tlill ib ation. ar paired ie, living ds which ;ly aban- lits; and, kc that of /ith a cer- : of about ;s it in the Qce. The neck, and rts of the ail, are of A'ith white, nart of the le inferior n chernut ; f the fame head. [A] It ii gray ; its i ; the four, five, afc ; its tail en- V. The rtkttd /fl /it^ B U L F I N C H. 8I| V. The BLUE GR0SI5KAK. Le Bec-RomI, ou Bouvrcuil-BUu tVJmeri'iue, Buff". Loxia Cterulca, Linn, and Gmcl. Pynhula Caroimenfis Cicrulca, BrilT. and Klein. Briffon mentions two American blue Bul- finchcs, of which he makes two feparate fpecics : but as they are both natives of the fame climate, are of the fame iize, of the fame Ihape nearly, and, except the wings, tail, and bill, are of the fame blue colour ; I (hall confider them as form- ing one lingle fpecies, and regard tlic differences as rcfulting from the inlkience of climate. In both of them the prevailing colour is deep blue. The one from South America has a fmall black fpot between the bill and the eye ; the quills of the tail, thofe of the wings, and the great coverts of ihefe, arc edged with blue ; the bill is blackifli, and the legs gray. That of North America has at the bafe of its bill a black circular zone, which extending forms a jundion between the eyes j the quills of the tail and thofe of the wings, and their great coverts, brown, tinged with green ; their middle coverts red, forming a tranfverfe bar of the fame colour ; the bill brown, and the legs black. The plumage of the female is uniform, and of a deep brown, intermixed v/ith a little blue. With refpe£l to the habits and oeconomy of thefe birds, we can make no comparifon, fince we cifl •*f ii .^i • <' V •'i\'^ 'I,-: ■ IP '• ' ■■■' •ic'v'l I.';' '5h: Ur Ifi >sii i: I if ; lit;,, : . 11 BHw'tf 1 llfiB'>St 1 1 §>$'■■ 1 ' n-i'M -' ' ■ IGNp 1 ' If Bir 1 ' ■ ' ' iH mk^' ID B^S f. i 'Ml ' * i t : , If ^ ' ■ ■> H Ml '' ' '' ' r^^- ■ ■ fill '- r' '^ ' • , , ^ 1 ■ 1 ' ' i 1 |r ii ' w ' i ' ■ i < ' .' 1 ■■■■ ir. . 1 1 ,M':'^ i i I: „ 1 :! 1 1, k,, . ■t ■■III liiii,' f 3.6 FOREIGN BIRDS zi'fmb are we are unacquainted with thofe of the firft. Catefby informs us in regard to the one from Carolina, that it is very folitary and rare ; that it continues paired with its female, and never appears in flocks ; that it never winters in Caro- lina ; that its fong is monotonous, and confills of a repetition of the fame note. In all thefe proper- ties the analogy to our Bulfinch is marked. [A] [ AJ Specific chaiadler of the LoxLa Ccsrulca :— " It is coerulean ; •* its wings dufky, with a purple bar at the bafe." VI. The BLACK GROSBEAK. Lt Bouvreuil ou Bec-Rond Noire ts" Blanc. BuiF. Loxia Nigra, Linn. Gmel. and Klein. Fyrrhula Mtxicana Nigra, BrifT. The Little Black Bulfinch, Catef. Alb. and Bancr. As we have neither feen this bird, nor the dried fpecimen, we cannot decide whether it is a Bulfinch or a Round-bill. It has a little white on the anterior edge, and on the bafe of the two firft quills of the wing ; all the reft of the plu- mage is quite black, and even the bill and the legs ; the upper mandible has a confiderable fcalloping on each fide. This bird is a native of Mexico. It is nearly of the fize of the Canary Finch ; total length five inches and one fourth ; the bill five lines ; the tail two inches, and exceeding the wings one inch. [A] [A] Specific character of the Lcxia Nigra : — " It \i black, with •• a white fpot on the Ihouldcr, and at the bafe yf the two exterior " wing-quills." VII. The I [le firft. [le from re; that id never in Caro- onfifts of 3 proper- Led. [A] isccerulean; Bancr. nor the lether it is ittle white of the two f the plu- 11 and the Dnfiderable t is nearly )tal length five lines ; he wings t is black, with he two exterior VII. The related ti the B U L F I N C H. 317 VII. The PURPLE FINCH. Le Bouvreuil OU Bec-Rond fiolet tie la Caroline, Buff. Fringilla Purpitrea, Gmel. Pyrrhula CaroUnenfis Purpurea, Brlft. This bird is entirely of a dull violet, except the belly, which is white ; the fuperior coverts of the wings where the violet is flightly mixed with brown, and the quills of the tail and of the wings which are parted by blue and brown, the former in the diredion of their breadth, and the latter in that of their length. The female is uniformly brown, only its breaft is ipotted, as in the Red-poll. / Thefe birds appear in the end of November, atid retire before the winter in fmall bodies. They live upon juniper-berries, and like our Bulfinches deftroy the buds of the fruit-trees. They are nearly of the fize of the Chaffinch. Total length five inches and two-thirds ; the bill five lines ; the tail two inches, fomewhat forked, confiding of twelve quills, and projed- ing feven or eight lines beyond the wings. [A] [A] Specific character of the Fringilla Purpurea : — " It is olive ; •' its belly whitiui ; its wing-quills dufky within," It appears iti Carolina in November, and feeds upot) juniper-berries. M VIII. The !»' fv.- ; i n ■ mi t-itwr'i'yi mm 'Mm 'Urn- • ^'I'l.-ci."' ■, ■ k' J i^f m. 1 fiil ;i ( 1 §',; ■'• '' i^ ■;' ¥'■'■ m '' ' n\ i' fii 1 ^ . 1 ■ I 1 : } ■i , ! . J,: 1 - ■ ii. 1 ■ ' i 318 FOREIGN BIRDS which are VIII. The PURPLE GROSBEAK. Z.(r Bouvreuil oil Bcc-Rond Violet a Gorge is Souni/s Rouge, Buff". Lcxia I'iolacca, Linn, and Gmcl. Pyrrhiila Bahamenf.s Fiolacea, BrilT. Coccothratijies Purpurea, Klein. Pajfer Niger Punciis Croccis, Ray, and Sloane. This has ftill more of the violet than the pre- ceding, for the quills of the wings and tail are alfo of that colour ; but it is principally diftin- guifhed by its red throat, and its beautiful red eye-brows painted on the violet ground ; the inferior coverts of its tail are alfo red, and its bill and legs are gray. The female has the fame red fpots as the male, but the ground colour of its plumage is brown. Thefe birds are found in the Bahama Iflands. They are nearly as large as a Houfe-fparrow. Total length five inches and two-thirds j the bill live or fix lines ; the tail two inches and a half, and projeds thirteen or fourteen lines be- yond the wings. [A] [A] Specific charafler of the Loxia Violacea: — " It Is violet; "'its eye-brows, its throat, and its vent, white." It inhabits the Bahama Iflands, and fesds upon the berries of the Jmyris Toxifera, a tree from whofe trunk a black poifonous juice exudes. M IX. The K. jane. 1 the pre- d tail are Uy diftin- lutiful red mnd ; the ;d, and its ot3 as the plumage is [na Iflands. fparrow. birds; the ches and a n lines be- _«< It is violet ; It inhabits the Jmris Toxi/era, ,udc3. M IX. The related to the B U L F I N C H. 319. IX. The BLACK-CRESTED GPvOSBEAK. **■ La Hiippe Noire, BufF. Loxia Coroncita, Gniel. Pyrrhula Americana CriJ}ata, BriflT. The plumage of this bird is painted with the richeft colours ; the head black, bearing a creft of the fame ; the bill white ; all the upper-part of the body brilliant red ; the under-part fine blue ; there is a black fpot before the neck. This juftifies the afTertion of Seba, that it is in- ferior in beauty to none of the finging birds. We may thence infer that it has fome fort of warble. It is found in America. Briifon reckons it much larj^cr than our Bul- finch. The meafures were taken from a figure whofe accuracy is not well afccrtalned. — Total length fix inches ; the tail eighteen lines and more, and proje»£ling about fix lines beyond the wings. [A] [A] Specific charaiSlcr of the L^xia Ccrovata .•—<• Ic Is f ;.irlct : " below cccrulean ; the crcll on its head, and the middle i.)«r on *' its throat, black." M Tlie m vii:^^ \.m ,::m« , 1 " ' .1.1 ^. ,f ^ \\ i'i -0m 1; •!^' ■ i' ^"" ■ '* ; ■ ■ 4-''.' ■ m il Hi ; 1 ■. ' i: '' ■•^S k ll * 1,1 IP nfi 2io F O k E I G N B I R D S, £s^^ The HAMBURGH. UHambou^reux, Buff. P)rrhula Haitiburgmjis , BriiT. Though this pretended Bulfinch is a native of Europe, I place it after thofe of Afiica and Ame- rica, becaufe its habits are diflimilar. It creeps upwards and downwards along the branches of trees like the Titmice ; feeds upon horn-beetles, and other infefts ; and has a tapered tail. The upper-part of its head and neck is rcddifli brown, tinged v/ith purple ; its throat brown ; it has a broad collar likewife brown upon a white ground ; the breaft is yellowifh brown, fprinkled with black longifh fpots ; the belly, and the in- ferior coverts of the tail, white ; the back, the Ihoulders, and all the upper-part of the body, like the breaft ; there are two white fpots upon each wing j the quills of the wings are light brown and yellowifli ; thofe of the tail, obfcure brown above, but white below ; the iris yellow, and the bill black. It is rather larger than tlvi Houfe-fparrow. — It is found near the city of Hamburgh. Tota'l length five inches and three-fourths ; the bill fix lines ; the tail twenty-one lines, fomewhat tapered, and extends almoft its whole length beyond the wings. ths i !' M L native of and Ame- It creeps ranches of rn-beetlcs, tail. : is rcddifh brown ; it )n a white 1, IpiinUed ,nd the in- ; back, the the body, rpots upon s are light ail, obfcure iris yellow, rparrow. — se- fourths ; -one lines, ft its whole ^iMk it' th? fVs i 'fm 'i'liF coL~x: I ill'-' [ 3" J The C O L Y. Le Colioit, Buff. T T appears to us that this bird fhould be ranged -*• between the genus of the Widow and of the Bulfinch. Like the former, it has two long feathers in the middle of its tail ; and the latter it refem- bles by the form of its bill, which would be ex- adly that of the Bultinch, were the lower man- dible convex as the upper. But the tail of the Coly differs from that of the Vv'idow, becaufe it confifts of tapered feathers, of which the two laft projedt only three or four inches beyond the reft ; whereas the Widow-bird, befides the true tail, which is a bundle of feathers of equal lengths attached to the rump, has appendices that in the different fpecies of this genus con- tains two, four, and even fix or eight feathers, extending to double or triple the length of the true tail. In the Widow-birds too the webs of the projecting feathers are equal on both fides, and pretty long, and taper imperceptibly from the origin to the extremity, except in the Domi- nican and Shaft-tailed kinds ; the former hav- ing its webs very fliort, and quickly contrading towards the tips ; the latter alfo very (hort, but which uniformly lengthen and expand at the tips. In all the Colics, the feathers of the tail, whether thofe which properly belong to it, or thofe which proje<^ from it, have vanes that VOL. IV. Y couti* fm 1^. rii ■ •mi H mm ■■ t '" ■'•f'1 r ■ • '»i-vr ■]' ',.?■■■■>!•'' '; . ■':-'H 'i '.'■ '■' M: •I ■'■,.>• . fr| ii; 1' i^!^ : i Ik';. ■ i ■ 1 It; ' t > yil^iui . ii 3»2 THE C O L Y. continually diminifh from the infertion to the termination. Thus the real affinity between the tail of the Widow-birds, and that of the Colies, confifts in its length ; and this analogy is the clofeft in the cafe of the Dominican Widow. M. Mauduit has made two important obfer- vations on this fubjeft. The firft is, that the long tails, the appendices, and other ornaments of certain birds, are not peculiar additions, but only the greater exteriilon of the parts common to all the feathered tribes. Thus long tails con- fift in the augmented growth of the qi ills of the tail ; and crefts are derived from the enK. rgement of the feathers on the head. The muftachoes of the Paradife bird appear to be only the produc- tion of the flender narrow plumules, which in all birds cover the meatus attditorius extcrnus*. The exuberant growth of the axillary feathers give rife to the long floating feathers which flioct from under the wings in the Common Paradife, and of thofe which prefent the double wings in the King Paradife. When thefe feathers lie flat, they ftretch towards the tail ; but when they are difplayed they make angles with the axis of the boily. They differ from all other feathers, as their webs are equal on both fides of the fhaft. They refcmblc oars, an'^ may fcrve to dircd the bird's motion. And thus all the ornaments of plumage arc derived ircm the mere exuberance or produdio!! of parts ufually lefs apparent. — *. e. The externd aperture of the ear. The THE C O L Y. 3*3 i to the veen the ; Colics* y is the idow. int obfer- that the )rnaments tions, but J common ; tails con- ' ills of the ilargement ftachoes of he produc- ;, which in externus*. iry feathers hich flioot ,n Paradife, lie wings in hers lie flat, len they are axis of the feathers, as ,f the (haft. |to direct the rnaments of exuberance apparent.— The fecond obfervation of M. Maudu't is, that thefe decorations are rare in the cold and tempe- rate climates in both hemirf)heres, but are pretty frequent in the hot countiics, efpecially in the old continent. Scarce any long-tailed birds are found in Europe, except the Pheafant, the Cock, which aUb is often crefted, and has long floating feathers on the (ides ; the Magpie, and the long- taikd Titmoufe ; and we have hardly any creft- ed birds but the Eared Owls, the Lapwing, the Crefted Lark, and the Crefted Titmoufe. Some water-birds indeed, fuch as the Ducks and He- rons, have frequently long tails, or ornaments compofed of plumes, tufts, and feathers floating ,1 on the rump. — Thele are all the birds which the frigid and temperate zones afford, decorated with luxuriance of plumage. But in the torrid regions, elpccially thofe of the old continent, the greatcft number of birds are robed with I'uch rich attire : we might inftance the Coiies, the Paradife birds, the Kakatoes, the Widows, the Crowned Pi^^-eon.s, the Hoopoes, the Peacocks, which are all natives of the hot climates of Alia, &c. The Coiies belong to the ancient continent, and are found in the warm parts of Afia and Africa, but never in America or Europe. We are but imperfectly ncqualated with four fpecies or varieties, of which we c.n here give only the defcriptions j for their habits and in- ftindts are unknown. y 2 I, T/jf y • Ml \fm\ jy^m m . It 11 * I 'hi 324 COLIES whofi Speclts »r Var'itties I. The Coly of the Cape of Good Hope*, which we have defcribed from a fpecimen in the king's cabinet. We cannot decide whether it is a male or a female. The body is entirely cinereous, pure on the back and rump, and mixed on the head ; the throat and neck have a light lilac tint, which deepens on the breaft ; the belly is dirty white ; the quills of the tail are cinereous, but the two lateral ones on each fide are edged exteriorly with white ; the two intermediate quills meafure fix inches and nine lines ; thofe on the fides diminifli gradually in length ; the legs are gray, and the nails blackifh ; the bill is gray at its bafe, and blackifh at its extre- mity. The length of the bird, including the long quills of the tail, is ten inches and three lines : 'io that the real fize of the body exceeds not three inches and a half. — It is found at the Cape of Good Hope. [A] [A] Specific charader :— " The outmofl wing-quiUs white e.T- ■"* lernally ; the body cinereous; below whiiilh " 2. The Crefled Coly of Senegal -\ refembles the preceding, and may be regarded as a variety of that fpccies, though it differs in point of fize, being two inches longer. It has a fort of creft formed by projeding feathers on the head, and * Co! ins Capeujls, Gmcl. Loxia Capenjis, Linn. fhe Cape Coly, Lath. \ Coitus Se.t.-gntenjis , Gmcl. The Senegal Coly, Lath. which ritties lope*, which in the king's er it is a male ly cinereous, mixed on the light lilac tint, ; belly is dirty cinereous, but ide are edged 0 intermediate le lines; thofc in length; the ckifh; the bill h at its extre- , including the iches and three \\c body exceeds is found at the b wing-quills white e.t- kilh " / -f refembles the d as a variety of in point of fize, las a fort of creft on the head, and art imptrfeSily known. 325 ncl. which [ which is of the fame complexion as the reft of the body ; there is a well-defined bar of fine iky-blue behind the head, at the origin of the neck ; the tail tapers from its bafe to its extre- mity ; the bill is not entirely black ; the upper mandible is white from its bafe to two-thirds of hs length, and its end is black. — Thefe differ- ences, though confiderable, do not itMow us to decide whether this bird be adlfiV. cat I'pecies, or only a variety of the preceding. \] [A] Specific charadcr : — " Mixed with pale ^ u/ and wine- " colour ; the tail bluiih ; the head crefted." 3. Another fpecies or variety rather larger than the laft is the Radiated Culy*^ which we have feen in Mauduit*s cabinet. It is thirteen inches long, including the long quills of the tail, which are only eight inches and a half, and ex- ceed the wings by feven inches and a half; tiie bill is nine lines, black above, and whitifh below. It is called Radiated Coly^ becaufe all the up- per-part of the body is radiated firft under the throat with brown bars on a rufty gray ground, and under the belly with bars likewife brown on a rufous ground ; the upper-part of the body is not radiated, is of a dirty gray, variegated flightly with lilac, which becomes more reddifli on the rump and tail, which is green, and ex- adly fimliar to that of the other Colies. Colius Stria/US, Gtncl. Tl;e Radiated Coly, Lath. Y3 Mau- <%m l:=f 1,1" /.M'if'.-sv; IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 I.I I4i|28 |2.5 ■^ 1^ 122 ■AO 112.0 I m 1.25 1 ,.4 , ,.6 < ■■ 6" » Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 VnST MAIN STRHT WIMTIR.N.Y. USSO (71*)t7a-4S03 ili -41 U 326 COLIES whe/e Species or Varletiet, iife. Mauduit, to whom we owe our knowledge of this bird, thinks that it is a native of the countries near the Gape of Good Hope, becaufe it was brought from the Cape, with feveral other birds that certainly belong to that part of Africa. [A] [A] Specific charafter : — " Gray ; belly rufous, painted with •• black tranfverfe ftripcs ; tail green.'' 4. The Coly of the I/land of Panay *. We ihall extract the account of it from Sonnerat's Voyage to New Guinea. ** It is of the fize of the European Grofbeak; the head, the neck, the back, the wings, and the tail, are afli-gray, with a yellow tinge ; the breaft is of the fame colour, crolfed with blackifh rays j the lower- part of the belly, and the upper-part of the neck are rufty ; the wings extend a little beyond the origin of the tall, which is extremely long, confifting of twelve unequal quills ; the two firft are very fhort ; the two following on each fide are longer, and thus in the fucceflivc pairs till the two laft, which exceed all the reft ; the fourth and fifth pairs differ little from each other, in regard to length ; the bill is black; the legs are pale flefh colour ; the feathers that co- ver the head are narrow, and pretty long, and form a creft, which the bird can raile or depreis at pleafure." [B] [B] Specific charaftcr : — " Cinereous, tinged with yellow ; b»- *• low rufous ; brcall llripcd with black ; head crelled," * CoHtis Panayenfis, Gmel. The VimayanQcly, Latli. lie. knowledge ive of the pe, becaufe ath feveral hat part of as, painted with may'^. "We n Sonnerat's n Grcfbeak; ings, and the ;e; thebreaft blackilh rays ; ic upper-part extend a little I is extremely al quills ; the following on the fucceffivc ;d all the reft ; ttle from each II is black; the ithers that co- etty long, and raile or deprels n red with yellow ; bt- !d crellcd." m \w > w, ■.a k m't :■ ■ I ' ti* n \ *• it ' ' ' i.i' !' f'l' !♦ i , H' +1. 2^^^jfi ^>|P»^ ■€& FKKl. TifE ^rAATAIvIN^. l"l(T/i.TIIK ( lUiSTBI) AlANIVKJ N'. C 327 3 STEDT^J-'^^'^^^*''* The M A N A K I N S. Pipra, Linn. THESE birds are fmall and handfome; the largeft are not equal in fize to a Sparrow, and the others are inferior to that of the Wren. The general chara U 1^ t ■i '! ■1 ! :l 11 '-hi' *■! 1 1 : 328 THE M A N A K I N S. other nomenclators are more culpable for deiio- minatlng them Pi/>ra, or for clalfing them to- gether with the Cock of the Rock*, to which they bear no analogy, except in this difpofitiori of the toes and in the ftjuare Ihape of the tail : for, befides the total difproportion in rize,the Cock of the Rock being as large, compared with the Manakins, as the common hen contraded with a Sparrow, there are many other obvious charac- ters which diftlnguifh them : their bill is much Ihorter in proportion, they are generally not crefted, and in thofc which have a creft, it is not double, as in the Cock of the Rock, but formed by fmgle feathers, fomevvhat longer than the reft. We ought therefore to remove from the Manakins, not only the Horn-bills, but the Cock of the Rock, and reckon them an inde- pendent genus. The natural habits common to them all were not known, and the obferVations which have been made are ftill infuflicient to admit an exadl detail. We fhall only relate the remarks com- municated to us by Sonini of Manoncour, who faw many of thefe birds in their native climates. They inhabit the immenfe forefts in the warm parts of America, and never emerge from their recefles to vifit the cleared grounds or the vici- nity of the plantations. They fly with con- fidcrable fvviftnefs, but always at a fmall height, ' it lA l^i • Briflbn. and for deno- ; them to- to which difpofuion L)f the tail : Le,the Cock ed with the aftedwith a ous charac- bill is much merally not a creft, it is I Rock, but longer than remove from hills, but the em an indc- hem all were which have init an exad emavks com- oncour, who ative cUmatcs. in the warm gc from their s or the vici- fly with con- fmall height, THE MANAKINS. 349 and to (hort diftanccs ; they never perch on the fummits of trees, but on the middle branches ; they feed upon fmal wild fruits, and alfo eat infeds. They generiUy occur in fmall bodies of eight or ten of the fame fpecies, and fome- times intermingled with other flocks of the fame genus, or even of a different genus, fuch as the Cayenne Warblers, &c. It is commonly in the morning that they are found thus affembled, and then feem to be joyous, and warble their delicate little notes ; the freflinefs of the air feems to infpire the fong, for they are filent during the burning heat of the day, and difperfe and retire to the fliade of the thickefl parts of the foreft. This habit is obferved indeed in many- kind of birds, and even in thofe of the woods of France, where they colledt to fmg in the morn- ing and evening j but the Manakins never aflemble in the evening, and continue together only from fun-rife to nine or ten o*clcck in the forenoon, and remain feparate during the reft of the day and the iucceeding night. In general, they prefer a cool humid fituation, though they never frequent marfhes or the margins of lakes. The name of the Manak'm was beftowed on thefe birds by the Dutch fettlers at Surinam. We know fix diftindl fpecies, but we can only give the lirft the appellation which it has in its native region. '1''4h i\ i iJ-' <• li li .— . V- i t 330 J The TIGE; or GREAT MANAKIN. Le Tije, ou Grand Manakin, BiifF. Pipra'Pareola, Linn. Gmcl. and Browfk. Mamciu Criftatus Niger, Brifl". Tije i^:utcu ofMarcgraue, Will. TVv Jilut-backed Manakin, Lath, and Edw. \ »■' '■ i! -1 F'lrjl Speciei, This fpecies has been well defcribed by Marc- grave. It is the larg* fi of all the Manakins; its total length is four inches and a half, and it is nearly of the bulk of a Sparrow j the upper-part of its head is covered with fine red feathers, longer than the reft, and which the bird can ere£l at pleafure, which gives it the appearance of being crefted ; the back and the fmall fuperior coverts of the wings are of a beautiful blue, the reft of the plumage is velvet black j the iris is of a fine fapphire colour ; the bill is black, and the legs are red. The Abbe Aubry, Rcdor of St. Louis, has in his cabinet a bird by the name of Tife-guacu of Cuba y which is perhaps a variety of the pre- sent, arifing from the difference of age or fex ; the only diftin£tion being, that the lare;e feathers on the upper-part of the head are of a diluier red, and even fomewhat yellowilh. The de- fignation given to it would fcem to imply that 13 it i ili ':i THE TIOE', OR GREAT MANAKIN. 331 It IS found in the Ifland of Cuba, and perhaps in other parts of America ; but it is very rare at Cayenne, and is a bird of fliort flight, and therefore it could hardly pafs from the continent to Cuba. The Green Manakin with a red creft is the youni* of this fpecies ; fevera! Manakins have been obferved, whofe plumage was interfperfed with blue feathers, but the green is obfcure. Thefe birds muft be frequent in the warm cli- mates of America, for we often received them along with otlier birds. [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Blue-backed Manakin, or Pipra- fanola : — " Its creft is blood-colour, its body black, its back «• blue." The NUT-CRACKER. le CaJJe-Nci/ette, Buff". Pipra-Maimcus, Linn, and Gmcl. Manacus, Brlfl'. T^e Blacli-capped Manakin, Edw. and Lath. Second Species, We apply this name, becaufe the cry of this bird is exadly like the noife made by the fmall inftrument with which wc crack nuts. It has no other fong or warble ; it is pretty common in Guiana, efpecially in the fkirtsof the forefts; for, like the other Manakins, it ihuns the fa» vannas f^ " .: ;■ j?til III: :>. 1:: ' .1 > 'i 'I 0i 3J» THE NUT-CRACKER. vannas and cleared grounds. The Nut-crackers Itve in fmall flocks with the other Manakins, but intermingle not with them ; they remain for the mofl: part on the ground, and rarely perch on the branches, and then they uniformly prefer the low ones. They feem to live more upon infeds than fruits : they are often found among the lines of ants, which iling their feet, and make them hop and utter their nut-crack- ing cry, which they repeat very often. They are very lively and frilky ; they are feldom at reft, though they only hop, and cannot fly far. The plumage is black on the head, the back, the wings, the tail, and white on all the reft of the body; the bill is black and the legs yel- low. [A] [A] Specific charaAer of the Black-caped Manakin. Pipra- Manacuj : — " Black, below whiter fpot on the neck and the •• wing! while." '!■ -i I '■ imiw^A The RED MANAKIN. i 4 Lt Manakin Rouge, Buff*. Pipra- Aureola, Linn, and Gmel. Manacus Ruber, BriflT. The Red and Black Manakin, Edw. and Lath. 'i Third Species, The male is of a fine vivid red on the head, the neck, the upper-part of the back, and the *if . THE RED MANAKIN. 33: the bread ; orange on the forehead, the fides of the head, and the throat ; black on the belly, with fome red and orange feathers on the fame part ; black allb on the reft of the upper-part of the body, the wings, and the tail ; all the quills of the wings, except the firft, have near the mid- dle,and on theinfide, a white fpot, which forms a bar of the fame colour when the wing is difplay- ed ; the top of the wings is of a very deep yellow; their inferior coverts are yellowifh ; the bill and legs are blackidi. In the female, the upper-part of the body is olive, with a flight appearance of a red crown on the head ; the under-part of the body is olive-yellow : the (hape and bulk are the fame as in the male. In the young bird, all the body is olive, with red fpots on the forehead, the head, the throat, the breaft, and the belly. It is the moft common of all the fpecies of Manakins in Guiana. [B] [B] Specific chara^er of the Red Manakin, Pipra Aureota : *« Black, head and breaft fcarlet, white fpot on the fore-part of '• the wing- quills. " The liSf^ ^ " '■ 'ii'''! ' I '.•'•cftiiE 4 % !■!.' L'i'l If J ' C 334 J The ORANGE MANAKIN* ' i >M »: Lt Manakin Orange, Buff. Pipra'Aurnola, var. Linn. Manaeut jiurantius, lirifl*. The BUuk and Tilloiu Matiaiin, EJw. and Lath. Fourth Species. Edwards is the firft author who has given a figure of this bird ; but he was niiftaken in iup- pofmg it to be the female of the preceding. We have juft defcribed the female of the red Man- akin, and the prefent is undoubtedly a different ipecies, fmce it is extremely rare in Guiana, whereas the Red Manakin is very common. Linnxus has fallen into the fame error, becaui'c he only copies Edwards. The head, the neck, the throat, the breaft, and the belly are of a fine orange, all the red of the plumage being black ; only the wings are marked with fome white fpots as in the Red Manakin j like that bird too, it has blackifh legs but a white bill, fo that notwithftanding tlic fimilarity in the bar on the wings, in the colour of the legs, and in the bulk and fhapc of t!ie body, it cannot be regarded as a variety of the Red Manakin. I. The f 33S ] IN* [id Lath. las given a cen in imp- eding. We . red Man- ' a different ill Guiana, y common, ror, becaulc the bread:, all the rel\ the wings 5 in the Red ilackilh legs ftanding the in the colour Ihape of the aricty of the I. The GOLD-HEADED MANAKIN*. II. The RKDMEADED MANAKIN f. III. The WHITE-HEADED MANAKINf. Fifth Specki, We prcfume that thcfj three birds arc only varieties of the fame fpccies, for they are exa<3;I)r of the fame fi/e, hchig only three inches and eight lines in lengtli ; whereas all the preceding fpecies, which have been placed in the order of their magnitude, are four inches and a half, and four inches and three-fourths, &c. Thefe three are likewife of the fame fhape, and even their colours are fimilar, if we except thofe of the head, which in the firft are of a fine yellow, in the fecond of a bright red, and in the third of a beautiful blue ; there is no other fenfible dif- ference in the plumage, which is all uniformly of a fine glofly black : the feathers which cover the thighs are of a pale yellow, with an oblong fpot of bright red on the exterior furfacc. In * This is the Pipra F.rylhroctphala of Liiina;us and Gmelin, the Manacus Aurocapillus of Briifon, and the Gold-htadtd Black Titmoufe of lidvvards. t This is a variety of the Pipra Erythrocephala of Linnxus, and •Willughby's Jecond kind of Tangara. X This is the Pipra Leucocilla of Linnsus, in Km k[l edition, the Parut Pipra in the eleventh edition, the Pipra heucccapilla of Gmelin« and the White-sapped Manakin of Edwo^d^ and Latham. the M^^ ,ii:il.:«- rnM ]i i ! S ■ 5 j 11 'i ' 1 ■ ■■' m ■^ '^! '1 '\ t< 1 it 1 - ^ 336 THE GOLD-HEADED MANAKIN, t^c. the firft indeed, the bill is whitifh and the legs black ; in the fecond, the bill is black and the legs cinereous ; and in the third, the bill is brown- gray, and the legs reddifli : but thefe flight dif- ferences do not appear fufficient to conftitute three feparate fpecies, and perhaps one of them is only the female of another. However, Mau- duit, to whom I communicated this article, aflured me that he never faw, in the White-headed Manakin, the red feathers that cover the knee in the Golden-headed Manakin : if this dif- ference were invariable, wc might infer that thefe formed two feparate fpecies of Manakins : but Sonini afTured us, that he has feen White- headed Manakins with red feathers on their knees, and there is fome reafon to fufpedl that the fpecimens obfervcd by Mauduit were mu- tilated. Thefe Manakins are found in the fame fitua- tlons, and are pretty common in Guiana. It would even appear that the fpecies is fprcad through the feveral other warm countries, as Brazil and Mexico. We have learnt nothing particular in regard to their inftinds and ctico- nomy. We are certain only that, like the other Manakins, they conftantly live in the woods, and that they have the chirping common to the whole genus, except the Nut-cracker. [A] [A] Specific charaiflcr of the Fij>ra Guttura'iis •• black, its throat while." — " It \> Tiic sr, ^c. id the legs ck and the 11 is brown- e eight dif- o conftitute me of them vever, Mau- rticle, affured Vhite-headed ver the knee if this (lif- ;ht infer that \i ManaVms: .s feen White- :hers on their to IVilpea that . ^uit were mu- j the fame fitua- in Guiana. It ,edes is fprca^ countries, as learnt nothUis inds and ceco- t, like the other in the woods, common to the acker. [M I !■. . _— " It '» W I C 337 ] The WHITE-THROATED MANAKIN. Pipra Gutturaiis, Linn, and Gmel. Manacus Gutture Albo, BriH*. VARIETY. This differs from the preceding by the colours of its head, which is glofly black like the reft of the plumage, except a kind of white collar which rifes on the neck, and tapers to a point on the breaft. It is exadly of the fame fize as the three preoeding," being only three inches eight lines in length. We know not from what country it is brought, having feen it only in private cabinets, where it was mentioned by this name without any other indication. Sonini never met with it in Guiana ; however, it is probably, like the three others, a native of the warm climates in America. The VARIEGATED MANAKIN. Manacus Serena, Gmel. Manacus Alba Fronte, BrJfl*. The White-fronted Manaiin, Lath. S/xtb Species, We have given the epithet of variegated^ be- caufe the plumage is interfperfed with fpots of VOL. IV. a^ different ■r I 'I fa , r. •■■'■• VM •■■).;■' m 338 THE VARIEGATED MANAKINT. difFerent colours, which are all very beautiful and diftind. The forehead is of a fine dead white ; the crown of the head is of a beryl co- lour ; the rump of a brilliant blue ; the belly of ft fhining orange, and all the reft of the plumage of a fine velvet black j the bill and legs are black. It is the prettieft and I'malleft of all the Mana- kins, being nor more than three inches and a half long, and not bigger than a Wren. It is found in Guiana, whence we received it ; but it is very rare, and we are unacquainted with its ha- bits. [A] [A] Specific chr.:*a£ler cf the Mauacus Serena:—" It is black, ** us front white, its rump fca-grccn, its belly fulvous." I ' \ f ^!- 1 ii Befides the fix fpecies and their varieties, which we have now defcribed, modern nomenclators apply the name of Manakin to four birds men- tioned by Seba, and which we fliall here notice, only to ihew the errors into which fuch artificial clallifications lead. The firft is thus defcribed by Seba : — Bird called Miacaiototl by the Bru^iliatis *. " Its body is ornamented with blackifli fea- thers, and its wings with feathers of turkey- blue.; its head is blood-coloured, and has a gol- dcn-yclJovv cellar round the neck and throat ; the • Tills is the Pipra TorqucUa of Gmciln, the Ma;:acus Tcrquatui <)f iirilToiif and the LoUarcU Maiiakiu of Latham. bill INT. y beautiful I fine dead a beryl co- the belly of he plumage gs are black. the Mana- ES and a half It is found 3ut it is very mill its ha- ; — «« It is black, alvdus." rieties, which nomenclators ir birds men- 11 here notice, fuch artificial ba : — 1 blackifti fea- ;rs of turkey- and has a gol- md throat ; the bn. bill ? ■■■; Seme Foreign Birds errnmujly denominated Manalins. 33 9 hill and legs are of a pa'e How." BrilTon, who had not feen the bird, ai .s the dimenfions and other details, which are furnifhed neither by Seba, nor by any other author. It is alfo ftrange that Seba fliould bellow the appellation of Mia^ catototl upon this bird, which he fays was brought from Brazil ; for that word is not in the lan- guage of that country, but is a Mexican word, and fignifies the Maize-bird. But that Seba was miftaken in this application is evinced by the circumftance that Fernandez employs the fame term in defcribing a Mexican bird which is very different. His words are thefe : — Of the Miacatototl^ or Mcu'ze-hird, " It is pretty fmall ; fo called becaufe it ufually fits upon the flioots of maize ; the belly is palifli, and the reft of its body black, but with white feathers interfperfed ; its wings and tail are afli- coloured below. It frequents cool places, and is good eating." Seba has manifeftly confounded therefore two different birds under the fame name. But the defcription of Fernandez is as imperfect as that of Seba, whofe figure is ftill worfe ; fo that it is impoffible to decide the ar- rangement. The fame is the cafe with another bird men- tioned by Seba, under the name of Bubdra^ or Crcjled American Bird *. • This is ^e Pi/ira Ridetra of L\nnx\is and Gmclin, the Mana- CHS Crijlatus Riifits of liriflbn, and the T'elloiu Manaiin of Lacliam. z 2 "It ill w i. "' 'i'l ' i % rMfM ■mm fti 'i'l !*■''' 'I mm B n }*? ■ i -; •' T 1 t , .; „ f;. f' 1 ; li<^ It.' H I 3^0 i^cwe Pip) a Crifea of Gmclin, the Manacus Cvijlatus Gri/. (US of LiiiUbii, anJ ihc Cmy MtouikiH of Latlinm. z 3 mixed ^t:-! «r .; *; 'it:*: J A*- ¥ f;*. fl" 1' { 1 ' !■ ' *' 3 - ;^ It j f< ■:'i* 344 ^5///^ Foreign Birds ertoneonJJy denominated ManahinSf mixed with fomc flcnder carnation feathers, but the principal feathers are afli-gray ; the reft of the body is gray ; there is a fmall creft behind the head." From this indication BrifTou has inferred that the bird is a Manakin ; but the lliape of the bill is alone fuificient to evince the contrary ; and befides, fince it is fhaped like a Sparrow, its form muft be ditTerent from that of the Manakins. It is evident, therefore, that this bird, vvhofe name alfo is Mexican, is widely re- moved from the genus of the Manakins. — We Ihall not venture at prefent to aflign the rank of the four birds, but wait till inquilitivc travellers may have thrown light upon the fubjcct. t' f I: ; 'i' ; SPECIES \,i R. eathers, but , the reft of creft beliind BiKToii has m; but the to evince the haped hkc a from that of fovc, that thU is widely re- makius.— \Ve rn the rank of 'uivc travellers fubjccl:. f 343 3 ,um SPECUi.-' SPECIES RELATED TO THE MANAKIN. The WHITE PLUME. Le Plumct Diane, Pipra Alhlfronst var. Linn, and Gmd. Thi White-faced Manakin, var. Lath. nrnis fpecies is new. It is found in Guiana, '*" but rare. M. de Manoncour prefented a fpecimen to the king's cabinet. It is diftinguidi- ed by a very long white creft, confifting of fea- thers about an inch in length, and which it eredls at pleafure. It differs from the Manakins by its fize, being fix inches long ; whereas the largeft of the Manakins is only four inches and a half ; the tail too is long and tapered, which in the Manakins is ftiort and fquare ; and the bill is much longer in proportion, and more hooked than that of the Manakins. Indeed, the only property in which it refembles the Manakins is, the arrangement of the toes ; and but for this charader it might be ranged with the Ant- eaters : we may regard it as forming the inter- mediate fhade. We are unacquainted with its cepQnpmy. z 4. The % If ill ' I I ; ■■\, :.V ■ii'' m ■Mix il ■ tM . P i 'a 1. W\i ' J JH C 344 i The CINEREOUS BIRD of GUIANA. P/pra Jtricafi/Ia, Gmel. Toe Black-croixiKcd Manakift, Lath. This fpecies is new. We fhall only obferve, that it ought not to be regarded as a true Mana* kin ; for its tail is much longer, and tapered, and its bill is longer j but as it refemblcs the Mana- klns in the difpofition of its toes, and in the iigure of the bill, we ought to place it after them. Yhis bird is found in Guiana, but is not fre- quent. It was prcfented by M. De Manoncour to the King's cabinet. 4 i ' ■ The PAPUAN MANAKIN, Lath, Lc Manikor*t BufF. Pipra Papuenjis, Gmel. This is a new fpecies brought* from New Guinea to the King's cabinet by Sonnerat. It differs from the Manakins, as the two middle quills of the tail are ihorter than the lateral ones, and as it wants the fcallop that occurs on the upper-mandible in all the Manakins : fo that we ought to exclude it from the genus of the Mrfnakins, efpecially as thefe birds, which are natives of America, are not probably found in New Guinea. • This name is contraJlcd for Manakin Orange, Bufibn having taken it at firil for a Munakin. The THi, : APUAN MANAKIN. 345 The upper-part of the body is black, with greeniih refledions ; the under-parr. of the body is of a dirty white ; there is an oblong orange fpot on the bread, which extends as far as the belly ; the bill and legs are black. But Sonne- rat could give no information with refped to its manner of living. ! H■:''^ ;rrf, Bufion having m mi'- ii i: ^!l m r 346 ] The COCK OF THE ROCK. % Lc Coq tie Roche, BufT. Pipra-Rupicoln, Linn, and Gmel. Rupicola, BHfl*. Vpupa Americana Luiea, Ger. Orn. ftlfinhahn, Walch. Natur. The Hecpoe Hen, Edvv. I'bt Crejltd Manakin, Ponni The Rock Manakin t Lath. tv ■!! -.IJ ^T^HOUGH this bird is of an uniform colour, it •*" is one of the moft beautiful of South Ame- rica ; for this colour is very beautiful, and its plu- mage nicely tapered. It feeds upon fruits, per- haps for want of feeds j fmce it differs from the gallinaceous tribe by the fhape of its toes only, which are conneded by a membrane, the firft and fecond as far as the third joint, and the fecond wiih the third no farther than the firft joint. The tail is very ihort and fquare, as are fome coverts of the wings ; fevcral of thefe fea- thers have a Tort of fringe on each fide, and the iirft great feather of each wing is fcalloped from the tip to one third of its ItMigth : but what cha- raderizes it the beft is, a beautiful creft on the crown, longitudinal, and of a femicircular form. In the minute defcriptions which Briffon and Vofmaer have given, this creft is imperfedly depided ; it is not fingle, but double, confifting of '.,..h I'!W7 ROCK. rn. fovm colour, it )f South Ame- ul, and its plu- on fruits, per- liffers from the f its toes only, jrane, the firft joint, and the : than the firft fquare, as are al of thefe fea- 1 fide, and the fcalloped from but what cha- ful creft on the nicircular form. ch Briffon and ; is imperfedly juble, confifting of .! THE. KllTK. J.XA.lSrAKIM. I* <■ ■ V*-. •^^■r, I] Pi W «.;•., :;i!.| lis' !• J ' I A i 16 H m ki ) ■ i '.i i m< mi v\\''m ijlii 1 ^^^Hyyil i!£iiiii. . ^ i-l 1? 1 ^^^^Hl ||ga'ni'''*t}l| THE COCK OF THE ROCK. 347 of two inclined planes that meet it the vertex. In other rclpeds their defcripiions arc accurate, except that they are applicable only to the male. The plumage of the m.ilc is of a fine red ; that of the female is entirely brown, only there ara Ibme (hades of ruft-colour on the rump, the tail, and the feathers of the wings. The creft of the female is alfo double, but not fo thick, fo tall, fo round, or fo far protruded on the bill, as in the male. Roth male and female are generally thicker and larger than the Ring-pigeon ; but the different individuals probably vary in fizc j for Briflbn reprefcnts this bird of the bulk of a Roman-pigeon, and Vofmacr aflferts that it is rather fmallcr than the Common Pigeon. This difference might alfo be occafioned by the man- ner of ftufling the fpecimcns ; but in the natural Hate the female, though fomewhat fmaller than the male, is undoubtedly much larger than the Common Pigeon. The male aflumes not the fine red till he has attained fome age ; the firft year he is only l)rown like the female ; but as he grows up, his jilumage becomes marked with points and fpots of rufous, which gradually deepen into red, though perhaps perfected before advanced age. Though this bird muft have attraded the notice of all who ever faw it, no traveller has defcribed its habits and oeconomy. Sonini de Manoncour is the firft who has obferved it with attention. It lodges not only in the deep clefts «f •r '''t ''^ '•■j'.tib ' m Vila. i'J ^t! ;-.';' * rt I I i 1 'i : J til ' ^1 \ If 1i ■ 1 i ^1 •M- vi: k » 4 * 5 ""■ i 1 li^^ ^■|( *! 548 THE COCK OF THE ROCK. of the rocks, but even in the large dark cavern.s which totally exclude the folar rays ; a ctrcum- ftance that has induced many to believe it to be a nodurnal bird ; whereas it flies and fees dif- tindly in the day-time : however, it feems na- turally to prefer gloomy recefTes, fince it is moft frequent in caves which cannot be entered with- out the light of torches. We may therefore pre- fume, that their eyes are conftrudled like thofc of cats, and adapted both for the day and the night. The male aiid female are equally lively, and extremely wild, il is itnpo/Iible to flioot rhciB, unlcfs the pcrfon be concealed behind a rock, v.- here he muil often wait feveral hours before an oppcri:uuIty occurs ; for the inftant they perceive him, they efcape to a diftance by i; flight v.hlch is lapld, though rather low and fhorr. TiTcy feed upon fmall wild fruits, and ufually forape the ground, clap their wings, and iliakc thcmfelvcs like the dunghill fowls ; but they nelilier crow like the cock, nor cluck like the hen. Their cry refembles the found of the fyl'abic /v', pronounced with a flirill drawling tone. They conftrucl their nefl rudely in the holes of rocks with fmall dry (licks ; and com- monly lay two white fpherical eggs, which are of tlie C\ze of thofe of pigeons. 7'iie males emerge oftener from their caverns than the females, which feldom appear, and pro- bably do not quit their retreats except in the night. They can cafily be tamed, and IVl. de IManoncouv rk THE COCK OF THE ROCK. 349 Manoncour faw one at the Dutcli-poft on the river Maroni, which was allowed freely to live and run about with the poultry. They are found in great numbers on the mountain Luca, near Oyapoc, and on the mountain Courouaye, near the river Aprouack ; and thefe are the only parts in this region of America whence we can exped: to procure thefe birds. They are much efteemed for the fake of their beautiful plumage, and are very fcarce and dear ; becaufe the favages and negroes, whether from fuperftition or fear, will not venture into the dark caverns where they lodge. [A] [ A] Specific charafter of the Pipra Ruphohi : —" It has an ercft " crert, with a purple margin ; its body is laffron ; the coverts of " its tail are truncated." The PERUVIAN COCK OF THE ROCK. Pipra Peruviana, Lath. There is another fpecies, or rather variety of the Cock of the Rock, which is found in the provinces of Peru : its tail is much longer than that of the preceding, and its feathers have not fquare ends ; its wings are not fringed ; inftcad of an uniform red, both wings and tail are black:, and the rump cinereous ; the crefl alio is dilFer- ent, being lower and confifting of dctaclied fea- thers : in other refpcds, this Peruvian bird re- ieinblcs the Guiana Cock of tlie P^ock io clolely, that li mi '1; Hm I IF If './Ml ■■■ ''.;'t''>.ii?''.i p.: t .:".'' m , mm 1 > » i. .;■■ ■ i H IB W "Wl ^H BBBW''f '■' ' ,,.j..,. H Hi^nM' 1 II Rip' lit 1 ^^Mj' X -'f' m wkM v ^''°'' ■ eIkiim i ' ' 1 m^m ^ -^ ' : ' .i III 1 - ,fi rHjIlj; t|- i if ■ -^ iIm I'i ' ' ' .« M 1 '; ^ '^'^ ' i' . II I'l^r ' ■■ ? ', i^ffl|^ :,'1| ;],; "i> '■ IhimI^^'' } |iff 1 >c' '\-i is. », lm^h,\\ \m'' '''^'" ^ ] mi -^ ;^:^ :'r 1 Kl|iV ^i> ■ a s ^ ■r,, 350 THE PERUVIAN COCK OF THE ROCK. that we may regard it as a variety of the fame fpecies. We might confider thefe birds as the repre- fentatives of our dunghill poultry in the New World ; but I am told that, in the interior parts of Guiana and Mexico, there are wild fowls which bear (till more analogy. Thefe are in- deed much fmaller, being fcarcely of the fize of a Common Pigeon ; they are generally brown and rufous ; but they have the fame (hape, the fame little fleftiy comb on the head, and the fame port as our ordinary fowlj their tail is alfo fimilar in fhape and pofition, and the males have the crow of the Cock, though feebler. The favages whoinhabitthe remotetrads are perfedtly well acquainted with thefe birds, but have never reduced them to the domeftic ftate ; nor is this in the leaft furprifmg, for they have tamed none of the animals which might liave proved ufcful, efpecially the Hoccos or Curalfos, the Marails and the Agamis, among the birds ; and the Tapirs, the Pecaris, and the Agamis, amonj; the quadrupeds. On the con- trary, the ancient Mexicans, who were civilized, domefticated fome animals, and particularly thefe fmall brown fowls. Gemelli Carreri relates, that they were called Cbiacchialacca ; and he fubjoins, that they were precifely like our common poultry, only rather fmaller, and their feathers brovvnilh. i^.. ii'i ". u ROCK, f the fame the repre- 1 the New iterior parts wild fowls lefe are in- f the fixe of rally brown le (hape, the ;ad, and the . their tail ofition, and lock, though : remote tracts li thefe birds, the domeftic fing, for they which might ^e Hoccos or ;amis, among Icaris, and the On the con- ;ere civilised, ticularly thefe jri relates, that |nd he fubjoins, our common their feathers [ 3S» ] ■ i The C O T I N G A S. |7ew birds have fuch beautiful plumage as the "*" Cotingas ; all thofe who have had an op- portunity of feeing them, whether travellers or naturaliils, feem to have been charmed, and fpeak of them with rapture. Nature has feleded her choiceft and her richeft colours, and fpread them with elegance and profufion : the painting glows with all the tints of blue, of violet, of red, of orange, of purple, of fnow-white, and gloffy black ; fometimes thefe tints melt into each other by the fweetefl gradations ; at other times they are contrafted with wonderful tafte : the various reflexions heighten and enliven the whole. The merit is intrinfic ; it is expreflive ; it is inimitable. All the fpecies, or, if we chufe, all the branches of the brilliant family of the Cotingas belong to the New Continent ; and there is no foundation for what fome have alleged, that they are found in Senegal. They appear to delight in warm countries ; they feldom occur fouth of Brazil, or roam north of Mexico : and confequently they would hardly traverfe the immenfe ftretch of ocean that feparates the continents in thofe latitudes, 4 All mm ill: "■\ m ■■■',t- .1.; M. m M m .+ m. i ^ ' 1%A I "H"i'.,< .1 : '! ii* ,( ii i "¥\] ,i 1 353t THE COTINOAS. All that we know of their habits is, that they never perform diftant journies, but have only periodical filttings, which are confined within a narrow circle: they appear twice a-year in the plantations ; and though they arrive nearly at the fame time, they are never obferved in flocks. They generally haunt the fides of creeks in fwampy ground *, which has occafioned fome to call them water-fowls. They find among thi aquatic plants abundance of infedls, on which they feed, and particularly what are termed karias in America, and which, according to fome, are wood-lice j and according to others, a fort of ants. The Creoles have, it is faid, more motives than one for hunting after thefe birds; — the beauty of the plumage, which pleafes the eye ^ and, according to fome, the delicacy of the flefh, which flatters the palate. But it is difficult to obtain both ; for the plu- mage is often fpoiled in attempting to (kin the bird ; and this is probably the reafon why fo many imperfedt fpecimens are now brought from America. It is faid that they alight among the rice-crops and do confiderable injury : if this be true, the Creoles have ftill another reafon for deftroying them f . • Mr. Edwards, who was unacqujunted with the occonomy of the Cotingas, conjedlurcd, from the Aru£ture of their feet, that they frequented marlhes. f The little which I have related of the habits of the Cotingas was communicated by M.Aublet: but I muft add, that M.de Manoncour hcaid that the flefli of the Cotingas was much citccmcd at Cayenne ; perhaps this is trup only of fome fpccics. The •! i: M is, that they It have only ifined within Lce a-year in arrive nearly r obferved in fides of creeks xafioned fome ind among th§ | ;as, on which It are termed according to ling to others, ive, it is faid, ting after thefe umage, which ^ to fome, the ters the palate, for the plu- ting to ikin the reafon why fo now brought ;y alight among ible injury: if another reafon with the oeconomy of oftheir feet, that they jabits of the Cotingas muft add, that M.de Cotingas was much mlyoffomefpccies. The U ''km 'Mm .''. !| fi I Itei Mm mMi i ' IM, i ; ■} V*: ■ ii'.ii'V^. ;.::m- -nf. l:^\'\. \^:m :ii' ii II: ■^'4' m M ^Sff 1 mWt''^ 'I'l'l"! ' 1 ■ IHHWI^Uf ' f % . ' 1 bJlHjTT-' 1 KfflOw^ftj'>'^' ft ». .i.y ':l^'3 S • ''■'■ "< : L- iH: ■1, 1 I *i ■ ^ 1 ! ^ 1, i^i «■{ jf.'joa THEPtinriK-BHEASa-'ElJ CIUVTTKJtKit . • .^ ^ TKJi^At. THE COTINGAS. 353 The fize varies in the different fpecies, from that of a fmall Pigeon to that of a Red-wing, or even under ; in all of them the bill is broad at the bafe ; the edges of the upper-mandible, and often thofe of the lower, are fcalloped near the tip ; the ^r^ phalanx of the outer-toe joined to that of the mid-toe ; and, laftly, in moft of them, the tail is a little forked or notched, and confifts of twelve quills. M The BLUE RIBAND. Le Cordon Bleut Buff. ♦ Jmpelis'Cotinga, Linn. Gmel. and Briff. The PurpU'breafted Manakin *, Penn. Edw. and Lath. A bright blue is fpread on the upper-part of the body, of the head, and of the neck, on the rump, the fuperior coverts of the tail, and the fmall coverts of the wings ; the fame colour appears alfo on the inferior coverts of the tail, the lower- belly, and the thighs. A line violet pur- ple covers the throat, the neck, the breaP , and a part of the belly, as far as the thighs ; and on this ground is traced, at the breaft, a belt of the fame blue with that c^ the back, and which has procured this bird the appellation of Blue Riband^ * Called alfo the Thrujh of Rio-Jandro, and the Creoles term it Hen of the Woods, VOL. IV, A A or ■\i f tj J I. Y^;^ ^ m . \. M. ■.',t 1,, ' -» 'If ' ILiE ; m "% as' m III m m. 0 v: . At ■i''''f ;< ii ■•■■■ it;'' lii ^1 i 354 THE BLUE RIBAND. ■w ^ i ;. ^U ^i 1 or Knlgbt of the Holy Ghajl, Below the firfl: belt there is in fomc fubjeds another of a beautiful red, befides many flame-fpots on the neck and the belly : thefe fpots arc not difpofed regularly, but fcattered with tliat negligence in which nature feems to delight, and which art labours in vain to imitate. All the quills of the tail and of the wings arc black, but thofe of the tail, and the middle ones of the wings, are edged exteriorly with blue. The fpecimen which I obferved was brouglu from Brazil; its total length was eight inches; its bill ten lines ; its alar extent thirteen inches ; its tail two inches and two-thirds, compofcd oi twelve quills, and projeding eighteen lines be- yond the wings. The one deicribed by Briflbii was every way fomewhat larger, and of the fizc of a thrufli. The female has neither of thefe belts j nor has it the Rame-fpots on the belly and bread *. In every other refpeft it refembles the male; the bill and legs of both are black, and the p-round-colour of their feathers is blackifli, and that of the purple feathers white ; and the tarfm is cevered behind with u fort of down. [A] * •• At Cayenne there arc two uilier (BIuc-Riband Thriiilies), ^■,lv^ Salcrne, *' which rcfeniblts this exactly, except that the onj " wants tliele fpots, and tiic otiicr ihc Ijlue-Riband." r A J Specific charaftiT of the Ampehs-Cotlv.ga : — " It Is of a very ; Sp bright bijw, below purplej its wings and tail black. IVI The !' i elow the firft another of a ;-fpots on the e not dilpofed t negligence in and which art F the wings arc nd the middle exteriorly with red was broui^lu as eight inches ; thirteen inches ; ds, compofed ot ighteen lines be- pribed by Brifl'on ' and of the fizc thefe belts; nor lly and bread*. mbles the male; black, and the is blackifli> and ; and the tarfm ,f down. [A] Blue Riband Thrulhes), tlv, except that the ok ue-Ribanii." " It is of a very >)duil black." IVI The [ 355 ] The PURPLE THROATED CHATTERER. he ^lereiva, BufF. jimpelis Cayana, Linn, and Gmcl. Cotinga Cayanenjis, Brifl', Lanius Ococeltn, Klein and Seba. t The greateft portion of each of its feathers, reckoning from their infertion, is black ; but as the tips are beryl, this is really the predominant colour of the plumage. In fome parts of the upper furface of the body the dark hue ftrikes through the coverts, but then it forms only fmall fpecks ; and it is totally concealed by the blue in the under-furface of the body : only, in fome fpecimens, there are, near the rump and the thighs, a few fmall feathers, which are partly black, and partly purple-red. The throat and a part of the neck are covered with a broad fpot of a very bright violet-purple, which in different fubjeds varies in extent. The coverts of the wings, their quills, and thofe of the tail, are almoft all black, edged or tipt with beryl j ^he bill and legs are black. This bird is found in Cayenne ; It is of the frze of the Red-wing, and fafhioned like the preceding, except that the wings, when clofed, reach not the middle of the tail, which is rather longer. [A] [A] Specific charafter of the jlmp^Jis Cayana :''** It is bright " blue J its neck violet below." M AA2 The It," ■i ^'\%^ mm m m ,1 •(. '"Mm t^ 1^ .,u,;. '•■I II •■■;!■ i I 356 ] c \ ;, The BLUE-BREASTED CHATTERER. La Ttrftne, BiifF. Ampel'n T'fr/a, Linn, and Gmcl. Llnnrt'iis is the firftjand even the only one, who has liitherto dcfc.-'ibcd this bird : the head, the top of the neck, the quills of the wings'and of the tail, are black; the throat, the breait, the lower- part of the back, the outer edge of the quills of the wings, light blue : there is a tranivcrfe bar of light blue on the fuperior coverts of the fame quills ; the belly is yellowiili-white, and the fides are of a deeper call. Linnaeus does not inform lis from wliat country it is brought ; but it is probable that it is a native of America, like the other Cotitigas. 1 fhould be even tempted to re- gard it as a variety of the preceding, lince blue and black are the prevailing colours of the up- per-part of the body, and the colours of the under-part are dilute, as ufual in the females, the young ibirds, &c. A fight of the fubje*^ would be neceiTary to decide the queftion. [A] [A] Specific chara£ler of the AmpelliTnfa: — "It is briglit *« blue, its back, black, its belly ydluwilh-white." M 1-^ The *l ><•: f I J TERER. \lyone,who c head, the gs'andofthe t, the lower- the quills of ranlvcrfe bar i of the fame , and the fides s not inform ht ; but it is iirica, like the empted to re- ^ fmce blue urs of the up- lolours of the the females, )f the fubjed ueftion. [A] -■ •__«' It is bright lie.' u The N h-^ C 357 ] The SILKY CHATTERER. Le Cotinga a Plumes So^eu/cs, BufF. Ampelit Maynana, Linn, ami Qmel. Cotinga Mayaneitjis, Brill'. Almoft all the feathers in the body of this bird, and the coverts of the wings and of the tail are unwebbed, and parted into iilamcnts ; fo that they refemble iilky briflles more than real feathers: a property which is fuilicient to dif- tinguifh it from all the other Cotingns. The general colour of its plumage is bright blue, varying into a fine fky-blue, as in the preced- ing; but we muft except the throat, which is deep violet, and the cjuills of the tail and of the wings, which are blackifli ; moft of thefe are edged exteriorly with blue ; the feathers of the head and of the upper-part of the neck are long and narrow, and the ground-colour is brown ; that of the feathers of the body and breaft, &c. confifts of two colours ; at the in- fertion of thefe feathers it is white, and then purple-violet, which in fome parts fl:rikes through the blue of the incumbent feathers j the bill is blue, and the legs are black. Total length (^^xqw inches and one-third ; the bill nine or ten lines ; the tarfiis the fame ; the alar extent thirteen inches and one-third ; the tail about three inches, confifling of twelve quills, and exceeds the wings by an inch. [A] [A] Specific charadlcr of the Ampelis Majnaiia:^-'" It is bright *• blue, its throat violet." M A A 3 The I'i v.! \ \* 1.1 ..ky,,4* ,i;V 'if;: H-'fl 1 li ,iC - >»■ I ■ il 'A IWi'MH 1 ■•! i ■II ]\l t'4 i 358 J The POMPADOUR CHATTERER. Lt Pncapae, ou Pompadour, Buff. Ampelis-Pempadara, Linn. Gmcl. and Dorowik* Cc/tinga Purpurea, Brifl'. Tardus Puuiceus, Pall. All the plumajre of this heautiful bird is bright glofly- purple, except the quills of its wings, which are'whitifli tipt with brown; and the inferior coverts of the wings, which arc en- tirely white : the under- fide of the tail is of a lighter purple ; the ground of the feathers on every part of the body is white ; the legs are blackifh ; the bill gray-brown, and on each fide of its bafe rifes a fmall whitifh ftreak, which, paffing under the eyes, bounds the face. The great coverts of the wings are oddly faftiioned, long, narrow, ftiff, pointed, and fpout- Ihaped ; their vanes parted, their fliaft white, and without webs at its tip, which refembles in fome degree the appendices that terminate the wing in the Common Chatterer (Jafiur)^ and is nothing but the projcdion of the fhaft beyond the webs. This is not the only point of rc- femblance between thefc two fpecies ; in the fhape of their bill, their fize, the proportional dimenfions of their tail, their feet, &c. ; hut their inftinds are very different, fince the com- mon Chatterer prefers the mountains, and all the fpecies of Cotingas frequent the low marfhy grounds. Total ERER. }row(k> tiful bud is quills of its brown; and vhich arc en- ve tail is of a le feathers on ; the legs are d on each fide ftreak, which, le face. ^gs are oddly ted, and fpout- ir fliaft white, ch refembles in t terminate the (Jafeur), and he ihaft beyond ly point of vc- fpecics i in the he proportional feet, &c.-, but , fince the com- itains, and all the the low inarfhy Total i i \ THE POMPADOUR CHATTERER 359 Total length fcven inches and a half; the bill ten or eleven lines ; the tarlus nine or ten lines } the alar extent above fourteen inches ; the tail two inches and a half, confifting of twelve quills, and proicding from fix to eight lines beyond the wings. The Pompadour is migratory ; it appears in Guiana near the inhabited fpots in March and September, when the fruits on which they feed are ripe ; they lodge among the large trees on the banks of rivers, and neftle on the higheft branches, but never retire into the wide forefts. — The fpecimen from which this de- fcription was made came from Cayenne. [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Amptlu Pompadora: — " It Is *' purple J the neareft coverts of its wings are fword-lhaped, elon- «' gated, boat-fliaped, and ftiflf." M u- VARIETIES of the POMPADOUR. Pacapac Gris-Pourpre, BufF. I. The Grey-Purple Pompadour. It is rather fmaller th^n the preceding, but its proportions are exactly the fame ; the great coverts of its wings have the fame fmgular con- formation, and it inhabits the fame country. So many common properties leave no room to doubt, that, though the plumage be different, A A 4 thefe 51'^ > ii '111 [ ■/ 'J ..•1,1,' ■I'lrl '' - K,*l 'rtji ». 'i' - ' li:; ■'■'•^ * . *,l ' • '*<.•'>> 'r •'<■ ■■'': .I',V m if h! I': A ■i? ;i. |S*'A-':i 360 VARIETIES OF THE POMPADOUR. thefe two birds belong to the fame fpecies ; and fincc the prefent is fmaller, I fhculd be apt to fuppoie it to be a young one that has not ac- quired its full growth, or the finlfhed colours of its plumage : all that was purple in the preced- ing is, in the prefent, variegated with purple and cinereous ; the under-fide of the tail is rofe- coloured ; the quills of the tail are brown : what appears of thofe of the wings are alfo brown ; the interior and concealed part of their fhaft is white from its infertion to two- thirds of its length ; and alfo the middle ones are edged exteriorly with white. II. M. Daubenton the younger and myfelf have feen, at Mauduit's, a Gray Cotinga, which ap- peared to belong to the fpecies of the Pompa- dour, and to be only younger than the preced- ing, but which ought not to be confounded with another which is alfo called the Gray Coiinga, and which I fliall prefently defcribe under the name of Guirarou *. It is probable that thefe are not the only va- rieties which exift of this fpecies, and that others will be found among the females of dif- ferent ages. • M. de Manoncour has verified our conjeftures on the fpot. In his laft voyage to Cayenne, he found that the Purple-gray Co- tinga is the young bird, and that it takes at lea(l eighteen months to acq ''re its full colour. The C 361 3 The RED CHATTERER. VOuette, ou Cctinga Ro-ge de Caye/mc, BufF. Ampelis-Cf- r-j'-x, Gmol. Laniui Ruher S.rrlnwnrnfis, Ger. I^ierus Tcttis R.,'cr, Kkin. Cflfin^a R.'/ra, Brill". Red Bird from Surinam, Edw. The prevailing colour of its plumage is red, but diverfified by various tints, which it a(rumes in different parts; the mod vivid, which is Icarlet, is fpread over the upper-part of the head, iind forms a fort of crown or cap, of which the fea- thers are pretty long, and are conjeclurcd by Edwards to rife like a crefl: : the fame Icarlet covers the lower-part of the belly, the thighs, the lower-part of the back, and almoft to the end of the tail-quills, which are tipt with black; the fides of the head, the neck, the back, and the. wings are fliaded with deep tints, whicli change the red into a fine foft crimfon ; but the darkeft call is a fort of border v.'hich furrounds the fcarlet cap, and this is a little more dilute be- hind the neck and on the back, and more fo on the throat and breaft ; the coverts of the wings are edged with brown, and the great quills become more and more obfcure, and terminate almoft in black ; the bill is a dull red ; the legs dirty yellow ; and, what is remarkable, the tarfus is covered with a fort of down as far as the ^rigin of the toes. The k 'I K ^(•'« 11; i"a,. \i 362 THE RED CHATTERER. The Red Cotinga migrates, or rather flits, Jike the Pompadour, only it is more common in the interior parts of Guiana. Total length about feven inches j the bill nine ] Ines ; the legs fcven lines ; the tail two inches aiad a half, and projeds twenty lines beyond the w ings, and confequently the alar extent is lefs fh; \u in the preceding fpecies. [A] [.\] Specific charadcr of the Ampdis Carnlfex : — " It is red ; " th t ihipe at its eyes, and the tips of the <]uills of the wings «* an ^ of the tail, arc black." M The CARUNCULATED CHATTERER. A\ '■' The VARIEGATED CHATTERER. VA'vcrano, BufF. Ampflis Variegata, Gmel. Cotinga Na^ia, BrifT. Guira-Punga, Ray and Will. The head is deep brown ; the quills of tlic wings blackifh ; their fmall coverts black ; the great coverts blackifli, with fome mixture; of brownifh green : all the reft of the plumage is cinereous, mixed with blackifh, chiefly on the back, and with greenilh on the rump and tail. The TERER. ■ vith yellow ; 1 e feathers of ■ thofe of the H le belly gray, 1 ow, and the H ; tail lemon- wings white, T of the fame length of the Its bafe feven inches nine lills, andpro- e wings. [A] t Gray Shrike, Penn. and Lath. F the beauty of plumage formed the charac- teriftic feature of the Cotingas, this bird, and that c f the preceding article, would be rega;;ded as degenerate branches of the original /.lock. The Guirarou has nothing remarkable either in its colours, or in their diftribution, if we except a black bar below the eyes, and the tint of the iris, which is fapphire : a uniform light gray is fpread over the head, the neck, the bread, and all the under- part of the body ; the thighs, and the upper-part of the body, cinereous j tiae quills, and coverts of the wings, blackifh ; the quills of the tail black, tipt with white, and its fuperior coverts white ; laftly, the bill and legs i ire black. The flat fhape, and the (hortnefs of ' the bill, the loudnefs of its voice, which is fome what like that of the Blackbird, but fliriiler, and its haunt- ing the margin of wMter, are the chiesF circum- ftances in which the Guirarou refei nbles the Cotingas; Its fize is alfo nearly the fame, and it inhabits the fame climates : yet Willi ighby has referred it to the White-ears; and oC her excel- lent ornithologifts have reckoned it a I^ly-catcher. t For ;!:;-pi| li-*' i"*l If'- . |H';, If 4; ..t t, f 3 :/ ! 17 ^ ^^^1 •'■■■. • 'i ■1 k ■■ 368 THE GUIHAROLT. For my own part, I iliall not venture to aflign its genus ; I fliall retain the name which it bears in its native climate, and wait for fuller obferva- tions made on feveral livinj^ fubje£ls, which will point or*: its proper arrangement. The Gnira^ rous are very common in tlie interior parts of Guiana, but are not found at all in Caycimc ; they ramble little ; many occur generally in the fame diftrid ; they pe- nh generally on the lowed branches of certain large trees, where they pick up feeds and infeds, on which they fubfift. Fro:ri time to time, they cry all at once, allowing an interval between eacli found j this cry, though harfh in itfelf, is chre ing mufic to travellers who have loft their way in the imrncnfe forcfls •of Guiana, for it direds them to the banks of a river. The fubjed obrervcd by M. De Manoncour was nin(? inches and a half total length ; its bill twelve inches Io»ig, fevcn broad, five thick at the bafe, and encirled with hairs ; the tail was fquare, four inches long, and exceeded the wings by two inches and a half; the tarfiis was an inch, and fo was the bill *. « I owe thcfc details to M. de Manoncour. VARIETY 'A \k u. re to aflign its ich it bears in iiller obferva- ^s, which vv'll The Gidrn- xrior parts of , in Cayenne ; enerally in the r on the lowed here they pick ^fubfift. From ;e, allowing an is cry, though ic to travellers .mrncnfe forcfts :o the banks of De Manoncour length ; its bill five thick at the tail was fquare, le wings by two as an inch, and lanoncour. IS C 369 3 Variety of the guirarou. I know of one only ; it is what we have called the Gray Cotinga ; and D lubenton and myfelf fufpedt that it is a variety of age, becaufe it is fmaller, its total length being feven inches and a half, and its tail rather fliorter, the wings reach- ing to the middle, and all the other differences refult from defedt. It has neither the black bar under the eyes, nor the white-bordered tail, nor the white fuperior coverts ; the quills of the wings are edged with white, but they are hot io blackifli ; and thofe of the tail not Ho black as ia the Guirarou, [A] [A] Specific: charafler of the Lamus-Nengeta : '^ " Its tall " wedge -flxaped, with a white tip ; its body is cinereous ; below, «' white." ■ M ^•1 VOL. IV. .B B The mm f'l '•'■ -l! I -in m MJi i; »..■■■ \m ;fill VARIETY % X ii: f ^ia I m C 370 ] The A N T E R S. Les Fourmiliers, Buff". ;.* ' ■5 i:'' TN the low, fwampy, thin -fettled lands of -*• South America, the fwarms of infeds and loathfome reptiles feem to predominate over all the reft of the animal creation. In Guiana and Brazil * the ants are fo aftonifhingly multiplied, that their hills are fome fathoms wide, and fcve. ral feet in height, and proportionally populous as thofe of Europe, of which the largeft are only two or three feet in diameter j fo that they may be computed to contain two or three hundred times the number of ants. Yet they exceed ftill more in num'*?r ; and in the wildernefles of Guiana they are an hundred times more fre- quent than in any part of the ancient continent. • This is alfo the cafe in many other parts of America. I'ilo relates, that in Brazil, and even in the wet grounds of I'eru, the quantity of ants is fo enormous, that they devour all the feeds vvhicli arc committed to the earth ; and though fire ard water be employed to extirpate them, the attempts have hitherto failed of fucccfs. H« adds, that it were much to be vv'ilhcd that Nature had orJair.cd in thofe countries many fpecies of animals like the Ant-eaters (^Ui-. mccopkagfe, Linn.), which might bore into the hillocks, and cxtrail thcfe infecls with their long tongue. Some of the ants are no; larger than thofe of Europe ; others are twice or t^irice .is large. Tuey raifc hills as large as hay-iiacks ; and their number is I'o va:!, that tncy make tracks feveral feet broad in the fields, .and in tlic woods, and often tiirough an extent of many leagues.— Fernandez fay« alfo that thefc aius are larger, aid pretty much like our wingtd- auts, aud that tlicir niils are of an incredible height and width. Eut •i.;-." s. [led lands of f infeds and linate over all n Guiana and rly niultiplied, ;iJe, and icve- nally populous argeft are only that they may three hundred ley exceed dill wildernefles of mes more fre- :ient continent. ;$ of America. Pilo •rounds of I'eiu, the )ur all the feeds which nd water be employed failed of fuccefs. Ha ature had ordaiiicd in the Ant-eatci-s f^'hr- e hillocks, and cMrad of the ar.ts are no: Ice or t^iricc as hrge. .heir number is io va:, the fields, and in tlic leagues.— Fernandez much like our winged- height and width. But THE ANTERS. 37' But (fuch iti the fyftem of Nature !) every crea- ture is the dcflined prey of another ; and gene- ration and dcftrudion are ever conjoined. We have in the former work given an account of the Tamanoir^ of the Tamandtiay and of the other quadrupeds which feed upon ants ; wc arc now to write the hiftory of a kind of birds which live alfo upon thc'fe infeds, — We were unacquainted whh the exiftence of the Anters till M. de Ma- noncGur prefented the fp ecimens to the King's cabinet. The Anters are natives of Guiana, and are a.nalogous to none of the European birds ; but in the fhape of their body, of their bill, of their feet, and of their tails, they bear a great refem- blance to the (hort-tailed Thruflies (Breves )y which our nomenc'ators have improperly con- founded with the Blackbirds : but as the Ihort- tailed Thruflies inhabit the Philippines, the Mo- luccas, the ifland of Ceylon, Bengal, and Mada- gafcar, it is more than probable t'nat they arc not of the fame race with the Anters of Ame- rica. Thefe appear indeed to conftitute a new genus, for which we are wholly indebted to M. de Manoncour, whom I have fo often cited for his extenlive knowledge of foreign birds : he has prefented above an hundred and fixty diflferent fpecies to the Royal cabinet ; and has alfo been fo obliging as to communicate to me all the obfervations which he made in his voy- ages to Senegal and America, I have on many B IS 2 occa- W .^'T « \ I 1 ■» . *•< ' V3 1. •' ' ' •■ ■ ■'■■I . ■!■: ' 11 ', ;,1 *ii ■Mr ' I: '}' '^ 1':, i'^'!'.' f •'.' ■! I i: -i -;>*».{ 37 a THE ANTERS. occafions availed myfelf of this information ; and in particular I have formed entirely from it the hiftcry of the Anters. In French Guiana, and indeed in all countries where natural hiftory is little known, names are applied to animals from the flighted analogies. This has heen the cafe with the Anters : they were obfcrved to perch feldom, and run like Partridges ; but as they were inferior to thefc birds in fize, they were diftinguiflied at Ct.- yenne by the appellation of LiUk Partridges, But thefe birds are neither Partridges, nor Blackbirds, nor Ihcrt-tailed Thrufhes j only they referable the laft in their chief external charac- ters. Their legs are long ; their tail and wings fli'jrt ; the nail of the hind-toe more hooked, and longer than thofe of the fore-toes ; the bill ftrait and lengthened ; the upper-mandible fcal- loped at its extremity, which bends at the junc- tion of the lower mandible, and projeds about a line beyond it ; but their tongue is fhort, and bcfet at the tip with fmall cartilaginous and flcfliy threads. Their colours are alfo very dif- ferent ; and it is very probable that their in- flinds are diffimilar, iince they inhabit widely diftant climates. When we defcribed the fliort- tailed Thruflies, wc were unable to give any account of their natural habits, fince no tra- vellers had taken notice of them, and therefore we cannot draw any comparifon with thofe of the American Anters. Iq THE ANTERS. 373 ^formation ; irely from it all countries n, names are eft analogies, inters: they and run like grior to thefc liflied at C^- Partridges. artridges, nor les ; only they eternal charac- tail and wings more hooked, :-toes ; the bill -mandible fcal- ids at the junc- projeds about ue is (hort, and rtilaginous and •e alio very dif- that their in- inhabit widely ribed the fliort- )le to give any fince no tra- and therefore n with thofc of n In general the Antcrs keep in flocks, nnd feed upon Imall infers, aiv' ^I lufly ants, wliich are for the moft part liniiiiar to thofc of I'Airopc. They are ahnoft always found upon the ant- bills, which in the interior trads of Guiana, arc more than twenty feet in diameter, and whofe infed nations retard the extenfion of cultivation, and even confume the provifions of life. There are feveral fpecies of Anters, which, though very different in appearance, often afTo- ciate together ; the large ones and the fmall, the long-tailed and the (hort-tailed, are found on the fame fpot. Indeed, if we except the principal kind, which are very few, it is rare to find it; the reft two fubjedls perfe£lly alike ; and we may fuppofe that this diverfity arifes from the intermixture of the fmall ones : fo that we mull regard them as mere varieties, and not diftind fpecies. In all thefe birds the wings and tail are very fhort, and therefore ill calculated for flying ; accordingly they only trip along the ground, and hop among the low branches ; and though lively and aQive, they never fhoot through the air. The voice of the Anters is various in the dif- ferent fpecies, and in fome it is very fingular. As infedls are the chief food of thefe birds, they feek the folitary trads where thofe are not molefted by the intrufion of man, and fwarm in abundance. They live in the thickeft and the B D 3 rcniotcit 'I i'.i.V .1 m , ■ ' i' ' , . 1 f m f ,' m , '», 374 THE ANTERS. 'U [if \^'[ ^, t ) ?*'■ I i 1111^: : ] ■r 'M' :|4 3f remoteft forefts, and never vifit the favannas, the cleared grounds, and ftill lefs the neighbour- hood of plantations. They employ dry herbs carclefsly interwoven in the conftrudion of their nefts, which are hemifpherical, and two, three, or four inches in diameter, and fufpend them by the two fides on the bufhes, two or three feet from the ground. They lay three or four eggs, which are almoft round. The flefh of mod of thefe birds is unpalatable food, and has an oily rank tafte, and when opened, the digefted mafs of ants, and of other infeds they fwallow, exhales a putrid offcnfive fmell. The KING OF THE ANTERS, Le Rci lies Fourmiliers, Baft*. Turdus Rex, Gmel. TurJiis CictUarius, Li'.th. Ind. The King Thujh, Lath. Syn. F'lrjl species. This is the largeft and the moft unfrcquent of all the birds of this genus. It is never fecn iii flocks, and feldom in pairs ; and as it is generally alone among the others, and is larger than them, it is called The Kinvr of the Antcrs, It is the more entitled to that appellation, as it affeds an uncommon diftance to other birds, and even to thofe of its ov w kind. If fo excellent an ob- ferver as M. de Manoncour had not communi- cated the details of its luanner of living, to dif- cover «* •♦••'M-lil THE KING OF THE ANTERS. 375 cover it to be an Anter, from the mere infpec- tion, would have been almoft impoflible ; for its bill is thicker, and differently fliaped from that of all the others. This bird is generally on the ground, and is far from being fo lively as the reft, who hop around it. It frequents the fame fpots, and feeds alfo upon infedls, efpecially ants. The female, as in all the other fpecies of this genus, is larger than the male. Its length from the point of the bill to the end of the tail is fcven inches and a half; its bill is brown, fomewhat hooked, fourteen lines long, and five lines thick at the bafe, which is beCet with fmall whifkers ; the wings extend the whole length of the tail, which is only fourteen lines ; the legs are brown, and two inches long. The under-fide of the body is variegated with brown rufous, blackifh, and white ; the rufous brown is the predominant colour as far as the belly, where it grows dilute, and the whitifh prevails. Two white bars defcend from the cor- ners of the bill along with the dufky fhade of the throat and neck ; on the bread is a wliite fpot nearly triangular. The upper- fide of the body is brown rufous, (haded with black and white, except on the rump and tail, where the colour is uniform. — The fize and the tiats are fubje(!ft to vary in different ipccimens, and we have only defcribed here the more ulual appearances. [A] [A] Specific charadlerof the Turdus Rex : — " Its pl'imagc con- " tills of brown and nifous; below more dilute ; the !:ack of it's " head l^c.id-colourcd i its front varieg.i'ed with while and brown." B B 4 '9' f: i '».?■::« I'll liii m 111 fi "'' , ' i 1' " '1- ■ i'l ■ L '■< . " 1 i'm 1,1 , ■!>.'■ The GREAT BELFRY. Le C,ia>:d Bcfroi, BufF. Turdu! Tinniens, Gmcl. T'he Alarum Thnijh, Lath. Third Species, Wc apply the epithet of Great only to dlf- tinguifh it from another fmaller fpecies ; for its total length exceeds not fix inches and a half; its tail is iixtecn lines, and prcjeds fix lines be- yond the wings ; its bill is eleven lines, black above and white below, and three lines and a half broad at the hdScy the legs arc ciglitecn lines ter the Black-, :o the former s undoubtedly iternal appear- ag the Anters. :onomy. It is however from L F R Y. i jt only to tl'il- fpecies ; for its hes and a half; ;6ls fix lines he- vcn lines, black ■iree lines and a igs arc eighteen lines J\^'J09 TflE AL^11U^:NC TIIRITSH. Ml. w I" m m If: '.ri''V mm 'M 11 !rt?p;- i;;^: m ii, .'i ' •.■■■• , if /■MKBh^M 11 '''^wH »Vi ' ' WBHi a.''s.?' ' IHIH Wi^f ,/ Bnfl Hi'ti ■' 1?-^' '"'ill f 1 %h ■bi ll. mhli M I f h >f! It tl -^ ^ ^.g •i :S , ■ ■:il^ ■■ ^ :> ;*'':* : I'l tl' ;l". 1 ■il, I V .M.?^ I'R* >l ■{ I*'", ' iNQ* ''. ( 'HXbM ') [H&^^ i' *' f^ ' 1 OHn ( a iifi ,\ '; ;! J .^ .H ■:? 1 . ., "t^l ^ ■■ i ■I 1 ''I 4. ' M 1 THE GREAT BELFRY. 377 lines long, and, as well as the toes, are of a light lead-colour. The tints vary in almofl each incUvidi,iq.l, and the dimenfions are alfo variable*; — we have ftated the average. In this fpecies the females are much larger than the males, and ftill more difproportioned than in the firft fpecies : in this refpeft the Anters refemhle the birds of prey. What mod remarkably diftinguiflies this bird, which we have named Belfry^ is, the fmgular found that it makes in the evenings and morn- ings : this refembles the din of an alarum-belL Its voice is fo ftrong, that it can be heard at a great diftance, and one would hardly fuppofe it emitted by fo fmall a bird. The fucceflion of founds, vvLlch is as rapid as the quick ftrokes of a bell, continues about an hour. It appears to be a fort of call fimilar to that of the Par*- tridges, only it ia heard at all feafons, and every day, at the rifmg of the fun, and before his fetting : however, as the period of love is not fixed in thofe hot climates, the Partridges, as well as the Anters, have their call in every fea- fon indifcriminately. The King of the Anters and the Belfry are the iDnlybirds of the genus that are palatable food. [A] • In fome individuals, the upper-mandible, though fcalloped and a little hooked, exceeds not the under. [A] Specific charaftcr of the Tardus Tinniens : — " It is brown ** above, white below, its bread fpottcd with bhick, its tail *' equal," The m ■ M r > ■■■■«''!;•«■ • ili' . , Mm '^1 u,.U'' it n-^t |1 , i< I ;'r'''^:N 'i m m t; % C 378 3 i'\ ' »'"i The SMALL BELFRY. V' <■*■ V* (i .! f J'. : V III .5 Hi n.n ■1 tk :^' i.:^ Hm li^' !J4| i^ 'i'H- le Petit Befni, Euff. ^urdus Linentus, Gmel. The SpcckUd Tbrujh, Latli. VARIETY. Its length five inches and a half; the upper- part of the bcdy is olive, which grows more dilute on the rump ; the tail, of which the ^m il \n fr' t ^ j*i.. ' i ['. i92 THE CRESTED ANTER. The female has alfo a creft, or rather the fame long feathers on the head, but they are rufous, and its plumage differs from that of the male in nothing except a flight fhade of rufty upon the gray. Thefe birds have a cluck like that of a pullet ; they lay three eggs *, and breed feveral times annually. * M. de Manoncour found in the month of December feveral young of this fpeciss ready to fly. He tried in vain to rear fums of them; for they all died in the fpnccof four days, though thcjr ate very hearuly crumbs of bread. The WHITE-EARED ANTER. i ■' I'll ■ ' ^ \ \ ' (■ ii •*■ * f 'i fc ' ; '41 f -'i 't 1 Turdus Auritm, Gmel. Tipra Ltucotis, Gmel. The H'hite-eareci Manakin, Lath. The WhiU-eiinJ Thrup, Lath. Sixth Species, It is four inches nine lines in length ; the upper-part of the head is brown, and the lower fides of the fore- part of the head and throat are black : a fmall bar of Ihining white flretches from the pofterior angle of the eye to below the head, where the feathers are broader and longer than thofe of the head. There is nothing remarkable in the reft of the plumage: the colour of the upper- part of the body is an unpleafant mixture of olive and 13 . J^"^)'' n length ; the and the lower ;ad and throat white {Iretches e to below the nJer and longer 1 THE WHITE-EARED ANTER. 383 ru!^y. The fuperior part of tlie under-fides of the body is rufous, and the reft gray. The tail is fifteen lines in length ; the wings extend its whole length ; the legs are brown: the habits of the bird are the fame as thofe of the preceding kinds. The C H I M E R. La Carrillouaeur, Bu(F. Turdus Tiutiu'tahallattis, Gmcl. Turdus Campanella, Laiiu liid. The Chiming Tkrujh, Lath. Syn. Seventh Species. The total length of this bird is four inches and a half, and its tail proje^s nine lines be- yond the wings. Befides the habits common to the Anters, the Chimer has others peculiar to itfelf : it haunts the grounds where the ants abound, but does not intermingle with the reft ; it generally forms fmall feparate parties of four or fix : they hop about and utter a very fingular cry, exa<3:ly like the chime of three difrerent'toned bells : their voice is fonorous, confidering the fmallnefs of their fize. We might fuppofe that they fing their parts, though it is likely that each founds fuccel- fively the three notes ; but we are not certain, as no perfon has ever been at the trouble to do- me fticate. t.M III ■ i ■ ■'■ ^ , t's- i If •■ -'1 , ii*^: ::v:'f^*.^i "(.'■': ' i •I 'It > ' .(' ;' J; Ll^ 'I all*' h !■ -)■' -U-'> ^* ' 111 38+ THE C H I M E :^. jTicfticatc them. Their voice is not fo loud au that of the Great Belfry, which is indeed equal to that of a bell of confiderable fizc ; and the Chimers arc not diftindly audible farther than fifty paces, while the Belfry may be heard at the diftancc of half a league. Thefe birds con- tinue their chiming without intermtiTion for whole hours. The fpecics is very rare, and found only in the ftill forefts, in the heart of Guiana. [A] [A] Specific charaiJlcr of the Cliimer, Turilus Tiiithinabulatus : ■ — •• Its crown and temples white, fpotted with black, its cyc- •' brows black, its chin white, its brcall carnation, fpottcd with •« black ; its back, its wings, and its tail, brown ; its rump, iu *« belly, and vent, orange-rufous." The B A M B L A. ^'urdus-Bamhla, Gniul. "■Ihe Black-i'jingeii Thntp, Laih. Eighth Specks. We have given it this name, becaufc there is a white tranfvcrfc bar on each wing (bandc' blanche). The habits of the bird are unknown; but from its refcmblance to the other Anters, I fhould infer that it belongs to the fame genus, though flill a diftindl fpecies. Bcfidcs thcfc eight fpecies of Anter.'i, we have fecn three others which were brought from Cayenne THE B A M fe L A. • .t.i.. 38s (Cayenne, but without the lead account of their natural habits. [A] [A] Specific charaderof the TurJus Bamhla .•— " It is Tnottcd, «' above it ii duflcy-rutbus, below cinereous, its wing* black, and " has A trartfverre white Uripe." ! U' [ch wing {hamk' ]d are unknown; ke other Antcrs, the fame genus, The A R A D A, Buff. 'J' Urdus Cauiani, Gme). The Mu/icianThruJh, Lath.' TMs was called by M. de Manoncour, the M/iJJaan of Cayenne ; I rather chufe to retain the name of Arada^ which it receives in its native country. It is not cxadly an Anter ; but we have placed it after thefe, becaufe it has the fame external charadlers, though it differs in its ha- bits. It perches upon trees, and never alights on the ground, except to pick up ants and ether infeds, upon which it feeds. It is diftinguiflicd from them by a remarkable property ; for all the Anters utter harfli cries without any moleftation, while the Arada has the moft charming warble. It commences often with the feven notes of the o£lave, and then whiftles different foft varied airs, which are lower than thofe of the Night- ingale, and more like the breathing of li ivveet toned flute ; and it is faid to excel even that ce- lebrated choriftct of the grove in delicate tender VOL. IV, c c melody. y-*\- :|i;.ir'' i'^h'; '■I \ 3^6 THE A R A 0 A. '■It! «4-H -6 ' ,1 ,T«^ ith'"'' . t 1 ■; ■; ■ '■■ 'h^ melody. It has alfo a fort of whiftle, refembling that by which a perfon calls upon another : tra- vellers frequently miftake this found, and, by following it, they are led more aftray ; for as they approach, the bird continually recedes, and whiftles at intervals. The Arada avoids fettled fpots ; it lives alone in the depth of the vaft forefts, and the foftnefs of its melody feems in fome meafure to relieve the gloomy ftillnefs around. It is one of the vefy few birds in the New World which Nature has diftinguifhed by the charms of its fong. But the fpecies is not numerous; and the traveller may frequently purfue his pathlefs journey without meeting a fmgle Arada to footh his fympathctic gloom. The colours of its plumage corre^ond not with the richnefs of its fong ; they are dull and obfcure. — The total length is four inches, and the tail is radiated tranfverfely with rufous, bFOwn, and blackifh ; — it exceeds thg wings by feven lines. To the Arada we may refer a bird which Mauduit fhewed to us t it refembles that in the length and ihape of its bill, the form of its tail^ the length of its legs, in having fomc white feathers mixed with the brown ones on the fides of the neck ; the fize is nearly equal, and the ihape fimilar ; but the tip of its bill is more hooked, its throat is white, with a half-collar of black below, ;ind its plumage is uniform^ and THE ARADA. 387 and not ftriped with brown lines, as in the Arada, whofe throat and under- part of its neck are red. We may prefume therefore, that this bird is either a diftind: variety of the Arada, or a contiguous fpecies, fince it inhabits Cayenne; though, being unacquainted with its habits, we iliail not at prefcnt prefume to decide the matiero [A]. [A] Specific charaAer of the Turdus Cantans : — " It Is « brown-rufous, variegated with blackifh tranfverfe ftreaks, be- " low partly white ; Its chin, its cheeks, and its throat, orange- " rofous ; a black fpace fpotted with white on each fide of the *' neck." The NIGHTINGALE ANTERS. Les Feurmiliers RoJJigmlst BufF. In their external figure thefe birds are inter- mediate between the Anters and the Nightin- gales : their bill and feet are like thofe of the Anters, and their long tail refembles that of the Nightingale*s. They live in flocks in the vaft forefts of Guiana ; they run upon the ground and hop among the low branches, but fly not in open air ; they feed upon ants and other fmall infeds ; they are very nimble, and when they friik about, they make a fort of quavering, fiiccecded by a feeble Ihrill cry, which they rcp(ja|; feveral times when they call upon each other. We know ©nly two fpecies. « c 2 The r m ■•■■I'll . "...;■ i '■■■ill:, I .ii!-. I m- f'k-; ■ 1 .!■.(;■' iisi , ■ f ? 'Pi. ■; ^^■^■^ ■ ■ "I1 '■*iii ■ -11 ■ X. i^r ;v:- ■■ ^h t 388 3 1* ^■■'(1 "i-^. The C O R A Y A, BuJ. Turdt'.' M. I M' if' ■■ (i : m . ^^1 s- it .{ -i t. >£ r.fii 4 1| t :;i 3 .1 ■Hft,i ;([ (■ t ii ^; il -s f'<' ■ill,- M' 1 6i t'r THE AG A M L 391 But the Agami is quite a diftind race. It rc- fembles indeed the aquatic birds in the charac- ter which Adanfon has properly remarked, and alfo the greenifh colour of the legs ; but its nature is entirely different. It inhabits the arid mountains, and the upland forefts; and never vifits the fens, or the margins of water. — We have here another example of the errors into which artificial fyftems lead. Nor is it a Pheafant or Curaflb ; for not only are its legs and thigh-s different, but its toes and nails are much ihorter. Still more is it widely feparated from the Common Hen ; and it can- not be ranged with the Cranes, fince its bill, its neck, and its legs, are much fhorter than in the ciquatic birds. The Agami is twenty-tv > inches long ; its bill, which is exadly like tha of the gallinaceous tribe, is twenty-one lines ; its tail is very fhort, not exceeding three inches and one-fourth, and is concealed by the fuperior coverts, and does not projed: beyjnd the wings ; its legs are five inches high^ and completely covered with fmall fcales, as in the other gallinaceous birds, and thefe fcales reach two inches above the knees, which are not feathered. The whole of its head, its throat, and the upper half of its neck, both above and below, arc covered with a fliort down, which is very clofe^ and feels very foft j the fore-part of the lower furface of the neck, and the brcaft, are covered c c 4 with v .' w ' '. '■' '' Ci I V if Ik-H ?r.:..: ii ■ » '( -'-? . •► ■-*. ■• 111 tifcf H» • 4|, -I, 393» THE AGAMI. with a beautiful gorget lour inches broad, whofc brilliant colours vary between green, gold green, blue, and violet ; the upper-part of its back, and the contiguous portion of its neck, are black ; the plumage changes on the hind- part of the back into a tawny-rufous ; but all the under- fide of the body is black, and alfo the wings and the tail ; only the great feathers which ex- tend on the rump and the tail, are light afli- coloured j the legs are greenifli. The noracnclators* have alfo confounded the Agami with tlie Miicucagua of Marcgrave, which is the great Tiuamou^ and of which wc ilmll treat in the following article, under the name of Magua. Adanfon is the firft who dc- te6led tbir. error. Pallas + and Vofmaer:): have accurately afcer- tained the fnigular power which this bird has of emitting * Barrere, Driflbn, Vofmaer, A-c. •)• " The larynx, which without the brcafl is of the thickncfs of a fwan's quill, and almoll bony, grows mucjv flendercr at its en- trance into the bro-'.ll, loofer, and cartilaginous, whence proceed two fcmi-cylinJrical canals formed of membranes, and capable oC *• The aip-bag on the right- fide defcends to the pelvis, and within the br?alt it is divided into three or four cells by tranfvcrfe membranous diaphragms. That on the left-fide is much narrower, and tcpniinatcj in the loins." MiJ'al. Zcclng. p, 7^, J The mod charaftcriflic and remarkable property of thefe birJs confilb in the wonderful noife which thoy often make, cither of Viem(elves, or when urged by the keepers of the menagerie. I do liOi wond'v'r that hithertp they have been fuppofcd to form, this through the anus. It coft me no little trouble to convince myfclf pt th^ contrary. To fucceed, one mult be on the ground, and with . a bit; '^^t THE AGAMI. 393 emitting a dull hollow found, which was fup- pofed to come from the anus*, and have difco- * M. de la Condamine entertained this opinion. Foyage da Amaxons, p. 175, a bit of bread entice the bird to come near ; then make the noife, which the keepers can well imitate, and often difpofe the Agami to repeat it. This equivocal noife is fometimes preceded by a favage cry, interrupted by a found approaching that ofjchcrck,jihenk, to which fucceeds the hollow fmgular noife in queftion, which re- fembles fomcwhat the moan of pigeons. In this way it utters five, fix, or feven times, with precipitation, a hollow noife emitlcd from within its body, nearly as if one pronounced tou, tou, tou, tou, ton, iou, with the mouth fliut, reiUng upon the laft ten ... a very long time, and terminating by finking gradually with the fame note. This found alfo refemblcs much the lengthened doleful noife which the Dutch bakers make, by blowing a glafs trumpet, to inform their cu Isomers when the bread comes out of the oven. This found, as I have already lixid, ilTucs not from the anus ; yet I am very confident, that it is formed by a flight opening of the bill, and by a fort ot lungs peculiar to almoU all birds, though of a dif- ferent form. This is alfo the opinion of M. Pallas, who heard it often with me, and to whom I gave one of the dead birds for dlf- fcflion." The dodlor has communicated to me his obfervations with refpeft to the internal ftrufturc of the animal, for which I am much obliged to him. " The wind-pipe," fays he, " before its entrance into the bread, is as thick as a large writing-pen, bony, and quite cylindrical. In the bread it becomes cartilaginous, and divides into two femi-circular canals, which pafs through the lungs, the left one being very fliort, but the right one reaching the bottom of the lower belly, and parted by tranfverfe membranes into three or four lobes." Thefe lungs therefore are undoubtedly the inftrument of the various cries emitted by birds. The air prcfTed by the impulfive adllon of the fibres, feckj to efcape through the large branches of the flcfhy lungs, and meets with an obllrudtion from the little elaftic membranes, which produces pulfations, the origin of all forts of founds f. But, what above all convinces us that this noife proceeds not from the anus, if a perfon obferves attentively when the bird makes it, he will perceive the bread and belly to heave, and the bill to open Ibmcwhat. Vos m a e r , /Jmjierdam, 1 768. t Mimoircs do TAcademie des Sciences anmi 1753, p. 293. vered ;J AM. •■■\ik M .1. • 1 .T'' 'Ir r' '¥1 I m -I" folr t ■dm mi I'"! ; 11 m m mm '^. ■ 'it, !.:r' 1 ^ .'!*»■<• '!l4i ...' 'J ^l ?^*l!i^ 1394 T !I E A G A M I. vcrcd that this is a miftakcn notion. We (hall only obferve that in many birds, as well as in the Agami, the windpipe is bony at its opening, and becomes cartilaginous in its delbent, and in general the cries of fuch birds arc deep ; but there arc alfo many birds on the other hand whofe windpipe is cartilaginous at its rife, and termi- nates bony in the breaft, and thefe have com- monly Ihrill notes. The odd fort of noife which this bird makes, 16 probably owing to the extent of lungs, and the capacity of their membranous cells. But it is unneceffary to fuppofe with Vofmaer, that the Agami is obliged to open its bill a little in order to give pa0age to the found ; for any fudden motion in the bowels is communicated through the mufcles and teguments to the external air, ivhich conveys the impulfc to the car. We have often occaiion to notice this circumftance ; and it appears to be prejudice that the founds pro- duced by animals are always tranfmittcd through the throat, or through the alimentary canal. Nor is this ipecits of ventriloquifm peculiar to the Agami ; the Curaflb without o| ening its bill makes a fimilar hollow found, which is even more articulate and more powerful. Indeed the fame property feems to obtain, though in a lels degree, in many kinds of birds in which the lungs are proportionally larger than in the (]ua- drupeds. The hoarfc murmur which the Turkey- ccc:: makes before his gobble, the cooing which the THE AGAMI. In I 395 the Pigeon effeds without motion of the mouth, are of this nature ; only in thefe the found rifes near the bottom of the throat ; but in the Cu- rafTo, and efpecially in the Hocco, it has its ori- gin deeper. In regard to the manner in which the Agami lives in the domcftic ftate, I fliall quote the words of Vofmaer: — " When thefe birds are well kept, they are attentive to cleanlinefs, and often peck the feathers of the body and wings with their bill : if they frolic with each other, they per- form all their movements by hopping, and vio- lently flapping their wings. The change of food and of climate certainly cools here (In Holland) their natural ardor for propagation. Their ordinary fubfiftence is grain, fuch as buck- whear, &c. but they alfo eat readily fmall lifli, flelh, and bread. This fondnefs for fifh, and the uncommon length of tht'ir legs, fhew that they partake of the nature of the Herons and Cranes, and that they belong to the clafs of the aquatic birds." We muft obferve here that the fond- nefs for fifh is no proof, fince poultry are as greedy of thrs fort of food as of any other, " What Pyiorhis relates," continues Vofmaer, " with refped: to the gratitude of this bird, may put many to the blulh. When tamed, it diftin- guifhes its mailer and benefador with marks of its aftedion. Having reared one, I had an op- portunity of experiencing this myfelf : when I •opened its cage in the morning, the kind ani- mal ■II 1 ■^ I . , , •) 1 • m I ■ y. • ■ \ ' '■, ■''ij" ■. ■ , '■ I ■ ■ I W %m ■[Hi? ■• -Ih ii I ..ii. I'll I <: J? '^^-if ■.!: *r»l»*.: > 1 ' i fait.: .{ • 39* THE A G A M I. inal hopped round me, expandinpj both hi; wings, and trumpet'iug (ihis is the term wliicli we may employ to cxprcfs the noilb) from his bill, and behind, as if he wiflicd me good mor- ning. He iliewed no lefs attention when I went our and returned ap;ain ; no fooru r did he per- ceive mc ^rom a dillancc than he ran to meet me : and even when I happened to he in a boar, and fet my foot on fliore, he welcomed mc with the fame compliments, which he referved for me alone, and never bcRowed them upon others." We (hall fubjoin a number of additional lads, which were communicated by M. dc Mauou- cour. In the ftate of nature the Agami inhabits the vafl; forefls in the warm climates of America, and never vifits the cleared grounds, ftill lefs the fettled fpnts. It aflbciates in numerous flocks, and prefers not the fwamps and fides of lakes; for it is often found on the mountains, and in liilly fituations. It walks and runs rather than flics, fmce it never rifes more than a few feet, and only to reach fome fliort diftance, or to gain fome low branch. It feeds upon wild fruits, like the Curaflbs, the Marails, and other gallinaceous birds. When furprifed in its haunts, it makes its cfcape by fvviftnefs cf feet, feldom ufing its wings, and at the fame time emits a flirill cry like that of the Turkey. Thefe birds fcrape the earth at the roots of the large trees to form a bed for their eggs ; and employ THE A (} A i\l r. ■S 397 employ no lining, and conftrudt no ncfl:. They lay many eggs, from ten to fixteen ; but the number is proportioned, as in all other birds, to the age of the female ; they are almoft fpherical, larger than hens eggs, and tinged with light green. The young Agamis retain their down, or rather tlicir firft dilhevelled feathers, much longer than our chickens, or infant-partridges : thefe are fometimes near two inches long, and before a certain age they might pafs for animals covered with filky hairs, which are clofe like fur, and feel foft ; the true feathers appear not till they have attained the fourth of their full growth. The Agami is not only tamed cafily, but be- comes attached to its benefador with all the fondnefs and fidelity of dogs 5 and of this dif- pofition it fliews the mod unequivocal proofs. Wiien bred up in the houfe, it loads its mafter with careffes, and follows his motions ; and if it conceives a diflike to perlbns on account of their forbidding figure, their offenlive fmell, or of in- juries received, it will purfue them fometimes to a confiderablc diftance, biting their legs, and tef- tifying every mark of difplcafure. It obeys tlic voice of its mafter, and even anfwers to the call of all thofe to whom it bears no grudge. It h fond of carefles, and offers its head and neck to be ftroked ; and if once accuftomed to thefe f.i- miliarities, it becomes troubiefoine, and will not be titisfied without continual fondling, It makes its ' ! ■■ ml ^i'^' I' ■*4 398 TUB AGAMt S ';! I' I- [{(ll ? !?• ■i'l' I .1-. J:- iBi '■'? J/' 'h l-tJ its appearance as often as its mailer fits down to table, and begins with driving out the dogs and catfi, and taking pofleffion of the room : for it is fo obftinate and bold, that it never yields, and often aftc : a tough battle, can put a middle-fized dog to flight. It avoids the bites of its anta- gonift by ridng in the air, and retaliates with violent blows with its bill and nails, aimed chieHy at the eyes ; and after it gains the Ibperiority, it purfues the viftory with the utmoft rancour, and, if not parted, will deftroy the fugitive. By its intercourfe with man, its inftinds became moulded like thofe of dogs ; and we are af- fured the Agamis can be trained to tend a flock of fheep. It even fliews a degree of jealoufy of its rivals ; for when at table it bites fiercely the naked legs of the negroes, and other do- meilics, who come near its mailer. The flefli of thcfe birds, efpecially when they are young, is not ill-flavoured, but is dry, and commonly hard. The rich brilliant part of the plumage which covers the bread, is feparatcd from the reft, and prepared for the ornaments of drefs. M. £)e la Borde has alfo communicated the following p.^rticulars in regard to this* bird. The wild Agamis," fays he, " are difperied in the back country, and are no longer found in the neighbourhood of Cayenne . . . and they are very common in the remote unfettled tracts. . . . They are always found in the im- " mcnic (C (( « u (( THE A G A M I. 399 s down to ; dogs and am : for it yields, and iddle-fized f Us anta- aliates with med chiefly iuperiority, aft rancour, he fugitive, nfts became i we are al- , tend a flock ; of jealouCy bites fiercely d other do- ly when they ' is dry, and it part of the is feparated [he ornaments ** menfe forefts, in flocks from ten and twelve to *' forty. . . . They fly from the ground to the ** low trees, where they remain ftill, and ia " fuch fituation the hunters often kill feveral " without fearing away the reft. . . . Some perfons imitate their hoarfe murmur fo exaiftly, as to decoy them to their feet. . . . When the hunters difcover a flock of Agamis, they de- fift not till they have killed feveral : thefe birds feldom or never fly, and their flefli Is but ordinary, black, and always hard ; however, " that of the young ones is more palatable. . . . ** No bird is fo eafily tamed as this, and there are always many of them in the ftreets of Cayenne. . . . They even roam out of town, " but return in due time to their matter. , . . They allow one to come near them, and handle them at pleafure ; tliey are afraid neither of dogs, nor of birds of prey, in the court-yard ; they aflTume the afccndency over the poultry, and keep them in great fubjedlion i they feed like the hens, the Murllsy and the Paraguas ; but when very young, they prefer fmall worms and flefli to every thing elfe. ** Almoll all the birds have a trick of follow- ing people through the ftreets and out of town, even perfons that they had never fs:en before. *' It is diflBcult to get rid of them : if you enter " a houie, they wiU wait your return, and again join you, though often after an interval of three hours." ** I have fometimc^," adds M. 9 de «( ii «( (( (( «c u (( l( IC ({ C( u (( (( i( (( t( Mi 'S'fl'ti: (( (t 400 TriE AGAMi. 1^: ri --.i... «( de la Borde, " betaken myfelf to my heels, buf they ran fafter, and always got before me ; and when I Hopped, they (topped alfo. I know one which invariably follows all the *' ftrangers who enter its mailer's hoiife ; ac- •* companies them into the garden, takes as " many turns as they do, and attends them " back again *." As the habits and oeconomy of this bird were little known, I have thought proper to tranfcribe the different accounts which I have received. It appears that of all the feathered tribes, the Agami is the tnoft attached to the ibciety of man ; and in this refpecH: it is as eminently diftinguiflied above them all, as the dog is above the other quadrupeds. The difpofition of the Agami is the more remarkable, fmce it is the only bird that has a fecial turn ; whereas fcvcial of the quadrupeds difcover attachment to man, though inferior in degree to that of the dop;. And is it not ftrange, that an animal, fo pecu- liarly formed for fociety, has never been do- mefticated ? Nothing can better fhew the im- mcnfe diftance between the civilized man and the rude favage, than the dominion obtained over the lower creation. The former has made the dog, the horfe, the ox, the camel, the ele- pliant, the rein-deer, &c. fubfervient to his \itility, or his pleafure : he has drawn together * Nou- comminiu-atcvl by M. ;'.? l;i Eordt, King's phyfician a^ C.iycniie, in > --6. the ■1 v.; I' THE AGAMI. 40 K the hens, the geefe, the turkies, and the ducks, and has lodged the pigeons. The favage has overlooked advantages the moft obvious and the moft eiTentiai to his comfort. It is fociety that gives fpring to activity ; that awakens the dormant faculties ; and that expands, informs, and enlivens the whole ! [A] [A] Specific character of the Gold-breafted Trumpeter:^ «* lu head and bread are fmooth and fhining green. ". if !hi'!. ifvjH m 1. (.1 '■'■ ■ ., King's pbyrician ^v VOL. IV. D D 4^ It. •:■• Ki m I ' ' , ' W ■< i 40a 3 The T I N A M O U S*. m I ill!; f, THESE birds, which are peculiar to the warm parts of America, may be regarded as a part of the gallinaceous clafs ; for they refemblc the Buftard and Partridge, though they differ ia feveral properties. But tliere are certain habits in animals which refult from the nature of the climate, and from local circumftanccs, and which ought not to be deemed effential characfters. — Thus many birds, fuch as Partridges, which remain conftantly on the ground in Europe, perch in America ; and even the palmated aqua- tic fowls, pafs the day in the water, and return to lodge during the night among the trees. The dangers with which they are furroundcd appear to drive them to fuch retreats. The im- menfe fvv^arms of inlccls and reptiles, engendered by the heat and the moilUire of the climate, threaten every moment their dertrudion. If they ventured to repolb upon the ground, tlic denfe columns of ants would att ick them in their flumbcrs, and reduce theni to fkelctons. The C^iails are the only birds in thofe countries which reli upon the furface ; and they often fall a prey to the voracity of the i"e?-pcr.ts. Nor is il iin- • This is the name given to theft- birds in Guiana. probable, THE TINAMOUS. •:»' 403 probable, that the Quails have been introduced fince the difcovery of America, and that they have not yet -icquired the habits fuited to their new fituation, or learned to guard againfl: the aflaults of their numerous foes. We fhould have ranged the genus of the 7/- namous after that of the Buftard j but thefe birds were, at that time, but imperfedly known, and we are indebted to M. de Manoncour for the prin- cipal fa£ts relating to their hiftory, and alfo for the fpecimens prefented to the Royal Cabinet, from which we have made the defcriptions. The SpaniQi inhabitants of America •*', nnd the French fettlers at Cayenne, have both termed thefe birds Partridges ; and the appellation has been adopted by fome nomenclators f, though altogether improper : for the T'uiavicius arc dii- tinguiih"Ed by their long flendcr bill, blunt at the tip, black above, and whitlfli below ; their noftrlls oblong, and placed near tlie middle of their bill ; their hind-toe is very fhort, and does not reft upon the ground ; their nails are scry fliort, broad, and channelled beneath ; their legs alfo differ from thofe of l^artiidges, being covered behind, as in the po'dtry, witli Icales, their whole length, fliaped like fmall fliells ; but the upper- part projeds and forms Inequalillcs not obfei vcd oa the legs of poultry. In all the Tinamoud, \}.X • LcUcr of M. Godin des Odonnais, to M. Je U Coiidanjjn?, '773' P- '9' "ore firft. t IJiiilbn.— Barrerc. D D 2 the iii>' '•HI- ■H'"' mm ai|i p it .V •'i. '■? ■*:. 404 THE TINAMOUS. the throat and craw are thinly ftrewed witTi ftraggling feathers ; the quills of the tail are fo Ihort, that in fomethey are wholly concealed by the fuperior coverts.— Thus they are improperly named Partridges, fmce they differ in fo many elTential characters. But they differ alfo from the Buflard, by fe- veral of their principal charadters^ and efpeci- ally by having a fourth toe behind, which is wanting ii\ the Buflard. In Ihort, we have judged it requifite to range them in a feparate genus, under the name which they receive in their native country. All the fpecies of the TInamous pafs the night upon the trees, and fometimes perch during the day ; but they always fettle among the loweft branches, and never mount to the funimits : and this circumflance feems to imply the probability that they are not adxuated by original impulfe, but diredled by confiJerations of fafety. The Tinamous are, in general, excellent for the table; their flefli is white, firm, clofe, and juicy, erpeclally about the wings, and taflcs like that of the Red Partridge. The thighs and rump have commonly a difagreeable bitternefs, which is occaiioned by the fruit of the Indian reed upon which thcv feed. The fame bitter tafle is obilTvcd i 1 tlit Ring- Pigeons which eat theie fruits. Bi ' when the Tr .tmous live upon other fruits, fuch as wild cherries, &c. their fiefh is uniformly delicate, but ftill has none of THE TINAMOUS. 405 'f,*;.: receive m of the fmnet. In the fultry humid climate of Cayenne, meat will not keep more than twenty- four hours from putrefadion, and no fort of game can be allowed time to mellow and ac- quire that delicious flavour which conftitutcs its excellence. Thefe birds, like all thofc which have a craw, often fwallow the fruits without bruifmg or even cracking them ; they are par- ticularly fond of the wild cherries, and alfo of the produce of the common fmlm^ and even of tbr.t of the cofFee-fhrub, when they can find it. Nor do they cull their fubfiftence from the trees ; they only colled: the fruits which have dropped. They fcrape the ground to form their nelt, which is ufually nothing but a fingle layer of dry herbs. They lay twice a-y ear, and havenumerousbroods ; which Ihews that thefe birds and the Aganiis are of the gallinaceous clafs, which is remark- ably prolific. Like thefe alfo, they fly heavily, and to fhort diftanccs, but run fwiftly on the ground ; they form little flocks, and it is un- common to iind them either fingle or in pairs; they call each other in all feafons ; in the morn- ing and evening, and foinctimes too during the day : this call is a flow, quavering, plaintive whiftle, which the fowlers imitate to bring them near ; for this game is the moil common and the befl; which that country aflbrds. We (hall add a remarkable circumftance with refped to thefe genus of birds, that, as in the Anters, the female is larger than the male ; a D D 3 property Si i< ,'s • 406 THE T I N A M O U S. property which in Europe is found only in the rapacious tribe. In the fliape of the body, however, and in the diftribution of the colours, the females are almoll entirely like the males. {.. H'^f ''ill I'' f . m .,h. The GREAT TINAMOU. Lc Ma^n:ia, BufF. '■J'iiianuis UrajUkiills, Lath. Iiid, Tetras Major, Gincl. Perdix BraJiUenfis, Briff. Macucagua, Ray, Will, and Klein. Firjl Species. This bird is as large as a Pheafant, and, ac- cording to Marcgrave, it has twice as much flefli as a plump hen ^ The throat and the lower-part of the belly are white ; the upper- part of the head is deep rufous ; the rell of the body is of a brown-gray variegated with white on the top of the belly, the fides, and the coverts of the thighs : there is a little grccnilh on the neck, the breaft, the rife of the back, ahd the fuperior coverts of the Vv'ings and oi tlic tail, on •which fomc blackilh tranrvcrlc fpotsarcobferveJ, that are Iclb numerous on the coverts, i-i the tall; the brown- gr.iy is deeper on the reil cf the. body, and variegalcd with black traniVerfe Ipoi:?, • This bird cats, according to that author, wild beans, and the fruit of a tK'c CillL-d in Eia-'i!, .iracicu. which Jfju "5 THE (tREAT TrNAMOU. lid beans, and the lit;' ' m. ■: THE GREAT TINAMOU. 407 \vl\*(]i nre lefs frcviiicnt near the rump : there arc alfo foinc fmall black fpots on the lateral quills of thfi taU ; the micUllc (juUls of the wln^s are variegated with rufous antl brov.n-p;ray, and terminated by a ruily border; the great quills arc cinereous, without any fpots or bvjrder ; the legs are blackifli, and the eyes black, and a little behind them the ears are placed, as in the poultry. Pifo remarks, that the internal ftrudture of this bird is exadlly like that of the hen. The fizc varies in different fubjcds : the a^ »;- rage meafures are, total length fifteen inches the bill twenty lines, the tail ihrcc inches a id a half, the legs two inches and three-fourths ; the tail projedts an inch anc! two lines beyond the wings. The call of the Great Tinamou is a hollow found, which may be heard at a great dillance, and is whiftled precifely at fix o'clock in the evening, the time when the fun fets in that latitude. It is filent during the night, unlcfs it be feared. The female lays twelve or fifteen eggs, which are ahnoft round, rather larger than hens eggs, of a beautiful greeniQi blue, and are excellent eating. [A] [A] Specific charadcr of t!ic I'inamtn Drafilici^/is, Lath.:— " It jj dufky-olive, fpotted with dufky, its belly whitiQi and va-. " negated, the thighs rough behind." a'- .'1 D D 4 Th( ;.!i.t ci-k .o^. \% IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // 1.0 I.I 1.25 lU 1^ 1^ 2.0 Photographic Sciences Corporation 4^ ^. ■17 \ -•*-.. ** ^y*. ^ ^*< ^^^- ^.^ '<<^j^ 6^ 23 WIST MAIN STM IT WItSTIR.N.Y. I4SS0 (71*) •72-4303 '^ [ 4o8 J The CINEREOUS TINAMOU. ^inamus Cinereus, Lath. Ind. Telrao Cinereut, Gmel. Second Species, The epithet cinereous will fcrve for a defcrip- tion of this bird ; for that colour is uniform over the whole body, except a tint of rufous on the head and the top of the neck. It has the fame ihape as the other, only it is fmaller. It is a new ipecies communicated by M. de Manoncour. It is of all the Tinamous the lead frequent in Cayenne. Its length is a foot; its bill (ixteen lines; Its tail two inches and a half; and its legs the fame. [A] [A] Specific charaAer of the Tinamus Cinereus: Lath.:<-« " It is cinereouS'brown, its head and neck tawny." Ihe VARIEGATED TINAMOU. T'lnamus Fariegatus, Lath. Ind. ^'eirao faricgatus, Gmel. T^hird Species, This fpecles, which is the third in the order of fize, differs from the two firft by its variegated ' plumage. I ' ,>ij! vlOU. a defcrip- iform over bus on the IS the fame ;r. It is a vlanoncour. frequent in :teen lines; its legs the m : Lath.:— lMOU. In the order ts variegated plumage. THE VARIEGATED TINAMOU. 409 plumap;e. The Creoles of Cayenne call it the Pintado Tinamou ; but this appellation is impro- per, for it bears no refemblance to the Pintado, and its ftriped plumage is not dotted. Its throat: and the middle of its belly are white ; its tail, its bread, and the top of its belly, rufous ; its^ fides and its thighs ftriped obliquely with white, with brown, and with rufous ; the upper-part of its head, and the top of its neck, black ; all the upper-part of its body, the fuperior coverts of its tail and of its wings, and the middle quills of its wings ftriped tranfverfely with black and olive brown, deeper on the back, and lighter on its rump and on its flanks ; the great qurlls of its wings are brown, and uniform without a fpot ; its legs are blackifli. Its total length is eleven inches ; its bill fifteen lines ; its tail two inches, and exceeds the wings by fix lines. It is pretty common in Guiana, though not fo numerous as the Great Tinamous, which occur in- deed the moft frequently in the woods, for none of thefe three fpecies haunt the cleared ground. The female Variegated Tinamou lays ten or twelve eggs, which are rather fmaller than thofe of the hen Pheafant, and are uniformly tinged with a beautiful black. [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Tinatnus Variegatus of Lath»:— " It IS llriped with rufous, brown, and blackifti ; below rufous, « with a black cap ; its throat, and the middle of it; bell/, « white.'* The ■.Si m i i ■'I m V -J fi .■■: m ■ m till: if; ^: i '^■' ■; I'll !'■■ . ■' ■'. ' ■ -I f 410 3 The LITTLE TINAMOU. Le Soiii, Bufl*. TiiHimw'Soui, Lath. Ind. T'etraa-Soni, Gdicl. "Fourth Species, Soui is tlie name by which this bird is known in Guiana, and which was given by the natives of the country. It is the fmallcfl: of the genus, not excccditij; eight or nine inches in length, and not being larger than a Partridge. Its llcfli is as delicate as that of the other kinds, but it lays only five or fix eggs, and fomctimes no more than three or four, wliich arc rather larger than Pigeons eggs ; they are altno'l: fplicrical, and as white as thofe of hens. The Little Tina- mous do not form their neft like the Great Ti- namous, by fcraping t!ie ground ; they build it with long narrow leaves on the lowed branches of fhrubs : it is hcmiiphcrical, about fixinches in diameter, and five inches high. Of all the four fpecies, this is the only one which does not live conilantly '^ the woods ; it ofteu frequents the young i\\ _ ^ Ing trees and buflies, which flioot up in land that has been cultivated and abandoned ; and fometimes it even vifus dwellings. Its THE LITTLE TINAMOU. 411 Its throi*" is variep^rited with white and rufous ; all tiie u ulcr-part of its hody and the coverts of its thighs arc of a light-rufous ; the upper-part of its htad and of its neck are black ; the lower- part of its nc ck, itb b.'ck, and all the under- parr ot it^■. liody, are brown, radiated with dull bla( ki(h ; its fupcriur coverts and the middle qui'ls of its vvines are brown, ed'^cd with rufous; the great qnilU of its wings are brown, without anv fpots or bord:.'s ; its tail proje«5ls ten lines beyond its vlngf^, hut is exceeded by its owa coverts. [A] [A] Sprcific charafter of the Tinamus-Soui of Lath.— *' It is c'oiiJcd wiili brown; below rufous; its throat varu-gated *' wiiii w liitr ; the upper-part of its head and the hind-part of its *' neck, black." ^i >l i>* '-J ' % '>m i 1 nV'i-i \!A 1 ■r-' '. j % m '1 i| i ■! il:- u ■ '4f{ \:h' '•; ,:■ ■ 'v'> ■: i!i\'t- ii:; 'f;'. , Zi f 1 1 ti^' r ■ihi iii: 1 i'i " 1 ' ,U '.: .. ' ',. y ': 1 ' ' M' i ^^: ■ m • h •': • %% ;l . >' ■ ■ iV fcltji ■; ■;• U , ,'.f i"'-'h r 412 3 The T O C R O- Tetrao Gulancnjls, Gtncl. Terdix Guiauenjts, Lath. Ind. The Partrit/ge of Guiana, Buff. npiiE Tocro is fomewhat larger than our Gray Partridge, and its plumage deeper ; but in other refpedls, it is exadly fimilar ; in its figure, in the proportions of its body, in the fliortnefs of its tail, and in the fhape of its bill and legs. The natives of Guiana call it Tocro^ a name lyhich well exprefles its cry. Thefe Partridges of the New World have nearly the fame habits as thofe of Europe ; only they ftill continue in the forefts, becaufe they have not been accuftomed to cleared grounds. They perch on the low branches of the bulhes, but only to pafs the night ; which is to avoid the damp, and perhaps the fwarms of infeds. They lay commonly twelve or fifteen eggs, which are entirely white ; the flefij of the young ones is excellent, but has nofumet. The old onec are alfo eaten, and are even more de- licate than ours ; but the rapid progrefs of pu- trefadion in thofe climates will not allow fuf- ficient time for acquiring the proper flavour. As THE TOCRO. 4t3 As our Gray Partridges do not intermix with our Red Partridges, it is highly probable that the Brown Partridges of America would breed with neither, and confequently are a feparate fpecies. [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Perdix Guianenjts of Lath.— ^ " It is rufous-brown, {potted and variegated; its throat is cine- «< reous ; a fulvous fillet pafles over its eyes ; its wing-qulUs are " marked externally with rufous fpots.'' 'X'vl ■!>., ■ K '■'. ' ■.'■ '■i.r' m . ';! -.'it;. .' ■.\t ■'■'■' i:. 1 ■ 'h! . ;i t't . , ■ ■'* ■ Ui «■< 1 C 4»4 ] The FLYCATCHERS. Les Cobc-Mauches, MciicL'nullei y TjranSi Buft". TWTATURE has afTigned tlicfe a place after the •*-^ hiimbleft of the rapacious tribes. Tlicy are hannlefs and even ufeful ; they confiime not fruits, but live upon flics, gnats, and other winged infeds. The genus comprehends nu- merous fpccies, vvliich vary exceedingly in point of fize, from that of the Nightingale to that of the Shrike. Some charadters however are com- mon to them all : their hill is comprefled, broad at the bafe, and almoft triangular, befet with briftles, and the tip bent into a little hook in many of the middle fpecics, and more curved in all the large fpecies ; the tail is of coniider- able length, and only half covered by the wings. Their bill is alfo fcalloped near the point ; a property which they fliare with the Blackbird, the Thrufti, and fome other birds. Their difpofition is in general fliy and folitary, and their notes are neither lively nor melodious. Subfifting in the region of air, they feldom leave the fummits of the lofty mountains, and are rarely feen on the ground. Their habit of cling- ing to the branches would feem to have increafed the THE FLYCATCHERS. 4^5 growth of their hii toe, which In mod of the Flycatchers is longer than the fore-toe. The i'ultry tropical countries, which teem with various infeifts, arc the favourite abodes of thefe birds *. Two fpecies only arc found in Europe; but we reckon eight in Africa, and in the warm regions of Afia, and thirty in America, which are alfo the larged fpecies ; and as in the New World the infedl nations are the moft numerous and the moft formidable, fo Nature has provided a ftronger body to prey upon them. — We fliall range them according to their fize into three divifions : the firft are hnaller than that of the Nightingale, and are the Flycatchers pro- perly fo called ; the fecond are fomewhat larger, and may be termed Moucherolta ; the third are the Tyrants, which are nearly as large, if not larger than the Wood-chat, or Rufous Shrike, and refemblc in their fliape and inftindt the genus of the Shrikes, which feems to connect the clafs of rapacious birds with the Flycatchers. • " The Flycatchers nre in general common birds in hot coun- tries. The fpecies are there more frequent and more numerous than in temperate countries ; and few occur in cold climates. They feed only upon infcds. They are dcflrudllve creatures, which, in the hot and moill regions, Nature has oppofed to the exceflive fecundity of liic infedi." t'cjage a la Noii-velU Guincc, par M. SONNERAT, m I: -ii i\ " '.',1 ii'-'' '.'l ' '■"'.i:.r' ^ I , •» ' .1 The .'•I I' ; .I'M-' Wi !■ .4 I; ^ ij y- [ 4i6 ] The SPOTTED FLYCATCHER. Le Gobe-Mouche, BufF. Mu/cicapa'Crifola, Linn, and Gme^ Gri/ola, Aldrov. Sylvia Fu/ca, Klein. Mu/cicapa, Brifl". The Cobweb, Mort. Northamp, Firji Species. This fpecies being well known, will ferve as a term of comparifon. — It is five inches eight lines in length ; its alar extent eight inches and a half; th» wings, when clofed, reach to the middle of its tail, which is two inches long ; its bill is flat, broad at its bafe, and eight lines long, befet with brillles : its whole plumage confifts of thefe three colours, gray, white, and blackifh wnercous ; its throat is white ; its breafl and the fides of its neck are fpotted with faint ill-de- fined brown ; the reft of the under-parC of it» body is whitifh ; the upper-part of its head ap- pears variegated with gray and brown ; all the higher-part of its body, its tail, and its wings, are brown ; the quills and their coverts are lightly fringed with whitiih. The fpotted Flycatchers arrive in April, and depart in September. They live generally in the forefls, and prefer the iblitude of the clofe fhady fpots; and fometiraes they are found in the 7 thick ]^^m T101J!HB SPOTTED JPJUV-CAXI'MER or l^OKRATO", jf'iG'^i.TirB cnAnvcoif spottkjj s-xrv^rATCJiKR.. 'I 'Si' J ' I I* •.■\ j-.-r -'t: I jfi »«<■('; It; ■I' ii'i- ii;i-' ■ • J.' ^V'l THE SPOTTED FLYCATCHER. 417 tliick vineyards. Tliey have a melancholy air ; their difpofitioa is wild, inanimate, and even ilupid : they place their neft, entirely expofed, either on the trees or the biifhcs. No linall bird is fo incautious, and none has inftinds (o unfettled. The nefts are not of an uniform conftrudlion ; fome confift entirely of mofs, and others have a mixture of wool. They con- fume much time and labour upon the rude ftru£ture, and fometimes we find it interwoven with thick roots, and are furprized that fo finallaii artificer could employ fuch materials. They lay three or four eggs, fometimes five, which are covered with rufous fpots. Thefe birds procure the principal part of their fubfiftence while on the wing, but fcldom alight, and then only by ftarts, upon the ground, and never run along it. The male is not different from the female, except that its face is more varie- gated with brown, and its belly is not fo white. They appear in France in the fpring, but the cold weather which fometimes prevailsin the middle of that feafon is pernicious to them. Lottinger ob- ferves, that they almofl all perifhed in the fnows which fell in Lorraine in April 1767 and 1772, and that they were caught by the hand. Every degree of cold that deftroys the infedls, their only fupport, mufl prove fiital to them ; accord- ingly they leave our provinces before the frofl fets in, and they are never (ecn after the end of September. Aldrovandus fays, that they VOL. IV. E E do i(. y^H t;; .. ■'l^ ■ ''*'.' ..'I il -l ■ i ■ I ,1, ; i.r 1 4r8 THE SPOTTED FLYCATCHER. do not migrate ; but this muft be underftood in regard to Italy, or of Hill warmer coun- tries. [A] [A] SpeclHc chaiai^e- of the Spotted Flycatcher, Mu/cicapa:- Cri/ola : — " It is duficifh, below whitifh, its neck fpotted longi- •* tudiiially, its vent tawny." The Flycatcher appears in Eng- land in the fpring, and retires in Augulh •' It is of all our fummer " birds," fays Mr. White, " the moil mute, and the moll familiar. ** It builds in a vine, or a fweetbriar, againft the wall of an houfe, ** or in t^iie hole of a wall, or on the end of a beam or plate*. ** and ofcen clofe to the poft of a door where people are going in " and out all day long. This bird docs not make the leaft *' prctenfion to fong, but ufcs a little inward wailing note, when ** it thinks its young in danger from cats or other annoyances : ** it breeds but once, and retires early." When its young are able to fly, it retires with them to the tiiick woods, and frolics among the high brraiches, finking and rifing often perpendicularly in queit of flies, which hum below. The COLLARED BLACK FLYCATCHER, or, the FLYCATCHER of LORRAINE. ' Muj'cicapa Atncapiila, var. Linn. The Red Flycatcher, var. Lath. Second Species- It appears to be better knowa in Lorraine, and more common than in other parts. It is rather I'maller than the preceding, being fcarcely five inches long; it has no other colours than white and black, which arc difperfed in diftin£t fpots; but its plumage uotwithllanding varies more re- wai'kably than that of any other bird. The adr wai eft THE COLLARED FLYCATCHER, b\. 419 The male appears to have four dilTerent garbs, according to the fcafons. The lirft is that of the autumn, or winter, when the plumage is the fame with that of the female, which is not fub- jedt to fuch chan.<2;es. The fecond is worn when thefe birds arrive in Provence or Italy, and is then exadly like that of the Epicurean Warbler. The third is what they aflurne (hortly after their appearance, and may be termed the fpring attire *. This is only the intermediate gradation to the fourth ftate, which is that of fummer, and which, as Lottinger obferves, may be properly termed its marriage Juit^ becaufe it af- fumes this at pairing, and lays it afide after the breeding is over. The bird is then in its full beauty : a white collar three lines broad encircles its neck, which is of the fineft black ; its head is of the fame colour, except the front and the face, which are bright white ; its back and its tail are ftained with the black of the head ; its rump is variegated with black and white ; a white ftrcak of a line in breadth borders for fome way the outermofl quills of the tail ; the wings, confiding of fcventeen quills, are of a deep chefnut ; the third and the four fol- lowing are tipt with a* much lighter brown, which, when the wings are clofed, has a very fine efTedl : all the quills, the two firfl: excepted, * ** I fed one this fpring three or four days. Every perfon admired it, though one of its fineft ornaments (the cullar) was wanting. The white and blacic of its plumage were of the brlght- cll tiftts." Lcttn' 0/ M Lot Tin GE?., ^oih J/>rtt ijjz. £ £ 2 have I .;■'■!'' ', -:;j!^ . '^Hi ' ■ ' ', nh- : 'I ■ i : It"' • ■'filKl.jjfj' '! It ' iJiH ifh If ..111 ^ m ' 420 THE COLLARED BLACK FLYCATCHER, have a white fyoX. on tlie outer edge, which en- larges the nearer it is to tlie body ; fo that the outer-edge of the lad quil! is entirely white ; the throat, the breail, and the belly are white ; the bill and the legs black. There is a remarkable luftre and glofs Ipread over the whole of the plumage ; but thefe beauties are gone before the beginning of July. The colours grow dilute and dufky ; the collar fnft difappears, and the reft foon becomes ftained and obfcure, and the male is no longer diftinguilhable from the female. " I have frequently met with bird-catchers,'* fays Lottinger, " who fpread the nets on the fprings *' in places where they breed ; and though it *' was only in July, tlicy told me that they caught " numbers of females, but not a fingle malej" fo entirely was the external diftindion of fex obliterated. That naturaiilT: has not defcribed fo fully the vernal plumage with which they enter into the fouthcrn provinces. However, Aldrovandus fccms to indicate the change of this Flycatcher, which he has w^cll defcribed in ano- ther place *, when, ranging it again with the Be- cafigos, he tells us of his having furprized itat the very inllant of its transformation, being then nei- ther an Ep'iairccin JVjfi'/cT, nor a Black-Cap. Al- ready, he fubjoins, the collar was become white ; there was a white fpot on the front j * lie defcribcs its collar, the white fpot on its wing : he com - menila its beauty. It is known, he fays, by the fowlers of Bo- logna, und-r the name of Fc^^lia-Mojiht. white or, the FLYCA-^'CEIER of LORRAINE. 421 white on the tail ■ u the wings ; the under-part of the body white, and the rell black. ThcTe properties rufliciently diicriininatc the Collared Black Flycatcher. This bird arrives in Lorraine about the mid- dle of April. It livesnin the forelts, thofc efpe- cially which confifl; of tall trees, and breeds in the holes of the trunks, ibnietimes pretty deep, and at a confuicrable height above the furface of the ground. Its ncfl: is formed of fmall ftalks of grafs, and a little mofs, which covers the bot- tom of the cavity. It lays fix eggs. After the young are hatched, tb.e parents frequently go in and out, carrying fupplies of food ; and this care of their infant brood often betrays the re- treat, which would otherwife be difficult to dif- cover. They fubfift only upon flies, and other wing^ ed inre(fts. They are never feen on the ground ; and for the moll part they keep very high, flut- tering from tree to tree. They have no fong, but only an exceeding fluill plaintive accent, which turns upon the fliarp note crn, crri. They appear fad and gloomy ; but their attach- ment to their offspring inlpires adivity, and even courage. Lorraine is not the only province in France where the Collared Black Flycatcher is found. Hcbert has informed us, that one was feen in Brie, but where it is little known, becaufe it is wild and tranfitory. We ourfelves found one E E 3 of ' ?■',<■ ■ '■ '1, 1.1..), I ' ^^\ ' U )'• ■1-1'' .I'i' . i * -l ■ m I'll:] wm it I. H; ii7 ■ iv :■•;■; .!■: ■ .V I, " '••it , mi m m i hi ill 11;' 'iff 'ti" 'I h i Iff n 422 THE COLLARED BLACK FLYCATCHER, of thefe Flycatchers on the tenth of May 1773, in a fmall park near Montbard in Burgundy ; and it was in the fame ftate of plumage as that defcribed by Briflbn. Of the great coverts, which he fays are tipt with white, thofe only which were next the body were fuch, and the more remote were brown ; the inferior coverts alone of the tail were white, the fuperior ones were blackifli-brown ; the rump was dull pearl- gray ; the nape of the neck where the collar was iituatcd, was lighter than the head and the back; the middle quills of the wings were near the tip of the fame brown as the great quills ; the tongue appears to be indented at the tip, broad for the fizc of the bird, but proportioned to the breadth of the bottom of the bill ; the inteftinal tube was eight or nine inches long ; the gizzard mufcular^ preceded by a dilatation of the ajhphagus ; there were fome marks of a cacum ; and no gall- bladder. The bird was a male, and the tefticles feemed to be a line in diameter ; it weighed three gros. In this fpccies of Flycatchers, the ends of the wings meet, and flretch beyond the middle of the tail ; which is the reverfe of what generally takes place in the genus. — There are fcveral inaccuracies in the figures given of it in the Plr.ucbcs Enluminecs. Tliio penfivc bird enjoys a quiet peaceful life, proteded by folitude. It avoids the cold feafon, i:nd (hlfts the fccuc to the genial climes of the foulhj cr, the FLYCATCHER of LORRAINE. 415 fouth, there to renew its loves. They are found, however, pretty far north, fmce they inhabit Sweden*. — There are two fpecies from the Cape of Good Hope, which feem to be the fame with that of Lorraine ; the firft, being dif- tinguiflied only by a rufty fpot on the breafl ; and the fecond is only the female. The dift'er- ence of appearance is very Ilighf, if wc eftimate the influence of fo diftant a climate. * Fauna Succica. The UNDULATED FLYCATCHER. Le Gohe-Mouche de Vile de Frame, BufF. MiijcUapa Vnditlo.ta, Gmel. I'll! !'< I 1 .L.'', i'jili' ^ Third Specks, We have in our cabinet two Flycatchers fent from the Ifle of France ; the one rather black than brown, and the other fimply brown. Both are fmallcr, and cfpccially fiiorter, than the Eu- ropean Flycatchers. In the firft, the head is blackilh-brown, and the wings rufty-brown ; the reft of the plumage is a mixture of whitifh and of a brown, like that of the head and wings, difpofcd in fmall waves, or fmall fpots, without much regularity. — The fecond appears to be only the female of the firft. In fadfc, the differ- ences are too flight to conftitute two fpecies; for the fizc, the figure, the colours, and almoft E E 4 the •'•;i:i tl ■t !■: 1 1 I I' I- 5 'i,< 0'- vl' ill 1 1^ M^ ■ ! ! M 424 THE UNDULATED FLYCATCHER. the (hades are fimilar. The fecond has indeed more white, mixed with rufty on the bread and belly ; the brown-gray on the head and body is more dilute ; but the colours of the female arc lighter in all the fpecies of birds. [A j [A] Specific cliarader of the i^lufdccpa Undulata :-~ «' It is " waved with whitilh and brown ; its head partly blackiih ; its " wings dulky rufous." The SENEGAL FLYCATCHER. Le Giihe-Mouche a Bandeau Blanc efu Senegal, Buff. Mitfdcapu Scnegalenjis , Linn, and Gmcl. Fourth Spcaes. Under this appellation wc (luill comprehend the two birds figured in the Planches Enltwi'mt'es, by the names of Riifotis-hrcajlcd Flycatchtr of Senegal, and Black-lytjficd Flycatcher of ScucgaL Tliefe handibme birds may be defcribcd toge- ther ; tliCy are of the fame iizc, and arc natives of tlie fame climate; and the diftribution of their colour is fimilar in both. It is probable that they are the male and female of the fame fpecies. The white line which paiTes upon the eye, and encircles the head with a fort of little diadem, is not fo enlire or diflindt in any other of the ge- nus. The firfl; is the fmaller, being only three inches and a half long ; a rufous fpot covers the top of the head, which is furrounded by the white THE SENEGAL FLYCATCHER. 425 white ring : from the exterior angle of the eye an oval black fpot extends, which is bounded above by the ring, and ftrctclies into a point near the tip of the bill ; the throat is vt'iute ; a light rufous fpot marks the brcafl: ; the back is light-gray, fpread upon Vwhite ; tlie tail and the wings are blackifli. A white line extends .obliquely on their middle coverts, and the fame coverts arc edged with fcales of the rufous colour of the breaJFl. A glofly tranfparency is fpread over all tlie plumage of this bird ; ftill lighter and more vivid on that of the other, which is fimpler in its colours, confiding of a mixture of light gray, of white, and of black, and is not inferior in point of beauty; the white bar palfes upon the eyes ; a horfe-Ilioe of the fame colour rifes pointed under the bill, and is cut fquare on the bread, which ib diftinguiflied by a black belt ; the top of the neck is black, which mingling with the white of the back melts into gray ; the quills are black, fringed with white, and the white line of the coverts opens into fcftoons ; the flioulders arc black ; but there is a little fringed white interwoven with all this black ; and through all the white of the plumage fmall black fliades are interfperfed, which are fo light and tranfparent, that this little bird is more beautiful than many which are deco- rated with a profulion of rich and vivid tints. [A] [A] Specific clurartLi- of the Mu/cicapa ScncgcJenfis : — •* It is *' variegated ; its cyc-biows are white ; the outcrnioll tail-quills ?' are white one halfof thtlr Icngtli." The 111,1 .'1 ■ V . W «!•' i\t #■■11 'A ■ %<■'■ ■ if-' Ii i t; J*! Hi m 11 fl '14 f 426 J The BOURBON FLYCATCHER. Le Ccke-Moucht: Hupfe du Senegal, JJufF. Muj'cUapR Borhcnica, Gmel. Fifth Species* We (hall confuler the Creftcd Flycatcher of the ifland of Bourbon as only a variety of the Crefttd Flycatcher of Senegal, and both as forming one fpecies. The ifland of Bourbon, placed in the midfi: of a vaft ocean, and fituated between the tropics, enjoys an uniform tem- perature, which requires not periodical migra- tions, and when firft: vifited by the European ftiips contained no land bird. Thofe found in it at prefent have been carried thither by chance or defigu ; nor mnfl it be regarded as the native feat of original fpecies* ; we (hall therefore clafs • We find alfo two Flycatchers of the ide of Bourbon, whiclj we (hall barely mcinion, convinced that they belong to fomc fpecies on the continent of Africa. The one is reprcfented in the Uhnninecl Plates, N" 572, Fig. 3 ; it is fmall, and quite black, except a little rufous whicii it ha.s uhder its tail ; and, iiotwithllanding the differ- ence of colour, we may fuppofe it to be a variety of the Cape Flycalcliers, which we have already referred to our Collared Black flycatchtr : ihtfe diiTerences of plumage being apparently nootlicr than what we fee it undergo itfcilf, and which the influence of a hotter climate mull render more extenfivc and rapid, cfpecially as it is naturally difpotVu to change. M. Driffon indicates in the fol- lovvinn terms the third Flycatcher of the ifle of Bourbon, to which he fays the inhabitants j;ive the name of Tfchr: — " Flycatcher, •' above brown ; the edges of the quills tawny ; below tawny ; f* (mah), Diity white ; the tail-quills devp brown ; their outer V edge:, light brovvn ; (female)." the :ti THE BOURBON FLYCATCF^ER. 427 the bird difcovcrccl on tlic Ifl.md uith its analo- gous one of the continent. In fadl, the difTcr- ences between them are not greater than thofe which often occur among inc!iv"ulu:ils of tiiis genus J their figure, their bulk, and their prin- cipal colours, are the fame ; in both the head Is furnilhed with fmall featliers, half-raifed into a black creft, with green and violet rcfle(flions ; this black defcends in the Senegal riycatclier like a fquare fpot upon the breaft, and the fore- part of the neck. In that of Bourbon, the black povers only the head, with the eye, and alfo the lower-mandible ; but, in other fubjeds, it is Cpread alfo upon the top of the neck. In both the under-part of the body is of a fine light flate- gray, and the upper-fide bay, which is more yivid in that of Bourbon, and deeper and chef- jiut in that of Senegal ; and this colour, which extends equally over the whole of the tail and wings of the lafl:, is interfe61:ed by a little white in the other, and alTunies a deeper caft on the coverts, which are alfo fringed with three lighter flreaks. The blackifh colour of the quills ha| only a light rufty border on the outfide, and whitifli on the infide of the webs. The greatefl: difference occurs in the tail ; that of the Bour- bon Flycatcher is fhort and fquare, being only- two inches and a half long ; the tail of the Sene- gal Flycatcher is more than four inches, and is tapered from the two middle quills, which are the longed, to the outer ones, which are two inches W rn. Bi :l':''^ t\h\ ■V J ' It: 428 THE BOUkBON FLYCATCHER. indic3 lliortcr. 'Ihls tiiiTcrcncc may I)c imputed to the cltc^fl of ago, Icafun, or of (ex : at any rate, the cliHing of them togetlier will excite a fuller inve(lip;ati()ii, aiul aii attention to the points of diieiiminaliun. The imOWN-THROATED SENEGAL FLYCATCHER. Mu/ciccpa MeUvwptcra, Gnicl. TIh Collared Fljcatc.bcr, Lath. Sixth Species, This Flycatcher was brought from Senegal by Adanfon. It is the fame with wliat Briflbu cicfcribcs under the appellation of Collared Scj/e^ iral Flycatcher^ which is improper, fmcc neither the brown fpot on the throat, nor the black line that bounds it, can be termed a collar. A brown chefnut fpot rifes with a flraight tranf- vcrfe margin under the bill and the eyes, and fpreads on the throat, but extends not to the Thread, being terminated at the lower part of the neck with a narrow black line, which is very diflindl, as the breaft, with the reft of the lower- part of tlie body, is white ; the upper furface is of a fine bluifli gray; the tail blackifh ; the out- ermoft quill is white on the outfidc ; the great coverts of the wings are white alfo, the fmall ones blackifli \ the quills are deep cinereous, fringe^ Bmvn thnaUJ SENKGAL FLYCATCFIER. .jiy fringed with white, and the two next the hody arc white thvongh their outer half ; the bill is broad and flat, and bcfct with bridles at the angles. [A] [A] Specific chara£l;M- oT tlie Collared Flycatcl'.cr, ?.l:if.icctpa Melanoptera, Gmel.~" It is cinereous ; below white; tlie tliroat •« tawny-bay ; a tranfvcrrc bb.ck belt below ; the bill, wings, and •' tail, bhck." The AZURE FLYCATCHER. Le Petit Aztir, Gobe-Moucbe Bleu dts Philippines^ BufF- Miif(ii:apa Caruka^ Gin el. Seventh Species. A beautiful azure covers the back, the head, and all the fore-part of the body of this pretty I'lycatcher, except a black fpot on the back of the head, and another black fpot on the bread; the blue extends to the tail, and gradually grows more dilute ; it tinges the fmall Tvcbs of the ■wing-(piills, of which the rcPi arc blackiih ; and it alfo gives fliades to the white of the ventral feathers. This bird is rather fmallcr, taller, and flen- derer, than the Spotted i'lycatcher of Europe. Total length live inches ; the bill Ibvcn or eight lines, and not fcalloped or hooked ; the tail two inches, flightly tapered ; the blue has a glofly luftre. The -I' I ■ ■ Y )> ■ il ; 1 .11 Mi I 1.,, . i ■^; ■r ■ i I ..'•ji f w \k : it* ■Mi ■, ' i':' U li r 430 } The WHISKERED FLYCATCHER. /-/.' narhL'^'in dc Cnynut, Buff. !^lij'fi:upa liarljata, Gnid. Eighth Si'jt'dt's. In all the Flycatchers the bill is bcfet with brilllcs ; but, in the prcl'ent, thcfe are fo long that they reach to the tip, which is the reafon of its epithet iv/jjfit'nv/. It is near live inches long ; its bill very broad at the bafe, and very fiat through its whole length j the upper man- dible projeds a little beyond the lower, all the iippcr-fidc of the body is deep olive-brown, except the top of the head, which is covered by orange featheni, partly concealed by the other feathers ; theunder-lide of the body is greenidi- yellovv, which, on the rump, runs into a fine yellow. The female is fomewhat larger than the male ; all the upper-fidc of its body is blackilh-brown, mixed with a fllp,ht tint of grecnifli, not fo con- fpicuous as ill the male ; the yellow of the top of the bead fc^nn's only an oblong fpot, which is partly hid by the feathers of the general colour ; the throat and tlie top of the neck are whitifli ; the feathers of the rcfl of the neck, of the bread, and of the under-furface of the wings, have their middle brown nud ihc reft yellowifli ; the TlfE WHISKERED FrYCATCIIER. 43« the belly and the under-furface of the tail arc entirely of a pale yellow ; llu* bill is not fo broad as in the male, and hus only a few lliort bridles on each fide. The notes of the WhiH^crcd Flycatcher arc not Iharp ; it whilllcs gently the Ibuiid ///>/; the male and female generally keep together. The incautious manner in which the Flycatchers place their neft is remarkable in this fpecies ; it does not feek the leafy boughs, but builds on the moft naked and ercpofed branches. The neft is the more eafily detedled, as it is exceedingly Jarge, being twelve inches high, and more than five in diameter, and entirely compofed of mofs ; it ir> clo'ed above, and has a narrow aperture in the fide, three inches from the top. We owe our information to M. de Manoncour. [A] [A] Specific chanftcr of the WhifkcrcJ Flycatcher, MufcicKpct Barhata, Gmi;l : — " It is i)!ivc-brown, below grecnifli -yellow. " its top orange, its rump yellow." The BROWN flycatciif:r. J^ Gche-Tildicbe Briin de Cayfnnf, Buft". Mi./iuapii FiJigi V.J,., Gmcl. Kitlb Species. The Brown Flycatcher is fcarcely four inches long ; the feathers of its head and back are blackifti- brown, edged with fulvoub brown ; the & fulvous 7' «.| ' i ■ K I r'! '"I '0^ ■k t mi t s ir hi If' ■■ 432 'HE BROWN FLYCATCHER. fulvous is deeper, and predominates on the quills of the wing, and the black on thofe of the tail, which liave a whitifli fringe ; all the under-fide of the body is whitlfh, except a fulvous tint on the bread ; the tail is fquare, and half covered by the wings ; the bill is fliarp, with fmall brif- tles at its root ; — fuch arc the diftinguilhing fea- tures of this little bird. Its fpecies feems how- ever to admit a variety, if the differences which we perceived in another fubjedl are not to be im- puted to age or fex. The dufky ground of the plumage, in this laft bird, had a yellovvifh tint under the belly, and an olive-brown on the bread ; the head and back had a (light cad of a deep olive-green, and on the great quills of the wings were fome lighter dreaks, but the fmall coverts were dyed with a pale light rofe-yel- low. [A] [A] Specific characlcr of the Brown Flycatcher, Mujlicapa Fiiliginoja, G.mei,.: — " It is dark brown, the margin of its " feathers ycllowilh-brown, below whitifh, the niaigiii of iis " c^ual tail-cpills, and of its wing-i|uills, whitilh." TIic t 433 3 he quills the tail, ider-fide ous tint f covered mall brif- hing fea- ms how- :es which to be im- nd of the owifh tint n on the C caft of a aills of the the fmall rofe-yel- ler, Mu/ci<.apa margin of its margin of its The RUFOUS FLYCATCHER, Le Gobe-Motuhe Rotix a Poitrine Oranget de Cayeimtf Buff. Mu/ckapa Rtifej'cens, Gmel. Tenth Species, The Rufous Flycatcher is found in Guiana in the fkirts of the woods and the margins of the favannas : it is eafily diftinguilhed, its bread being orange, and the reft of its body rufous : its length is four inches nine lines j its bill is very flat and broad at the bafe ; the head and the higher-part of the neck is greenifh- brownj the back is rufou", ftained alfo with greenifli-brown ; tlie tail is entirely rufous ; the black of the wing-quills does not appear when they are clofed except at the point, their fmali webs being rufous : inftead of the orange fpot on the breaft, white or whitifli covers the under- part of the body. There is only one fpecimeri in the King's cabinet. [A] [A] Specific charai^er of the Rufous Flycatclier, Mufdcapa Rnfi:fcens, Gmel. : — *' It is of a glolTy tawny, below white, its ♦* wing-quijls black, a brown dafli on its top." r t Z% I li ill' VOL. IV, r r The [ 434 3 The LEMON FLYCATCHER OF LOUISIANA, J?»^. Eleventh Specks, This Flycatcher may be compared for Its fize and colour to the Yellow Wagtail. Its breaft and belly are covered with a fine lemon-colour, which is ftill brighter on the forehead and the cheeks ; the reft of the head and neck are enveloped with a fine black, which extends below the bill, and forms a round horfe-fhoe on the breaft ; a greenifh-gray covers, on the back and fhoulders, the cinereous ground of the plumage, and ap- pears in lines on the fmall webs of the great wing-quills. The vivacity and elegance of its colours, the glolfy black confpicuous on its light yellow ground, the uniform tint of its greenifli robe, confpire to render this bird one of the handfomeft of the genus. The RED-EYED FLYCATCHER. he Guhe JMouche Oiive de la Caroline 13 de la Jamaijue, Buft". Mufcicapa Oli-vacea, Linn, and Gmel. Mvfcuupa Jamaiceiijis, Briff. The Olixie-cclourcd Flycatcher, Edw. Twelflb Species, This confifts of two kinds of varieties ; the one deicribed by Edwards, the other by Catclby. The ;vftl THE RED-EYED FLYCATCHER. 435 The firft Is of the fame bulk and proportions as thofe of the European Flycatchers. The upper- part of the head and body is olive-brown ; a white fillet rifes above the eyes ; the grouiul- qolour of the quills is afh-brown, and they are fringed with olive for a confiderable part of their length. — The fecond kind is dcfcribed by Catefby under the name of the Red-eyed Fly^ catcher; its colours are darker than thofe of the former. It breeds in Carolina, and re- moves to Jamaica in winter; but Sir Hans Sloane makes lio mention of it. Brown how- ever reckons it one of the migratory Jamaica binls. It has not a- great extent of notes, he tells us, but its tones are full and mellow. —This property muft be peculiar to it, for all the other Flycatchers utter Ihrill broken founds. [A J [A] Specific cl.aradcr of the Red-eyed Flycatcher, Mi'/dsapa Olivaaa, Linn. : — " It is (jlive, below whiter, its eye-brows " white, its eyes red." In J-iir.nica it is called, on account of its note, li'hip Ton Kelly. It make?, a pendulous neil, formed with wool and cctton, lined with h.air and withered grai^', and bound together by a thready niofs. Jt lays nve eggs, white, and thinly ftrcwed with rufous fpots. |?;i ill r r 2 Tl le C 436 ] The MARTINICO FLYCATCHER. he Gobe'Mouche Iliippe ^c la Martinique t BufF. Mufcicapa Martiiiica, Linn, and Gmel. Mti/cicapa Martinicatia Crijlata, Briff. 'Thirteenth Species, A fine brown, which is deeper on the tail, covers all the upper-part of the body of this bird as far as the head, whofe fmall feathers, tinged with fome ftreaks of a more vivid rufous- brown, are half ered, forming a tuft on the crown : under the bill is a little white, which foon gives place to a light (late-gray, that covers the fore-part of the neck, the breaft, and the ftomach ; the fame white appears again on the belly. The quills of the wings are blackifli- brown, fringed with white ; their coverts, which are fringed with the fame, enter by degrees into the rufous tint of the Ihoulders ; the tail is fomewhat tapered, its third-part hid by the wings, and is two inches long. The bird is five- inches and a half. [A] fA] Specific cb;iraftcr of the Mufcicapa Marlinica : — " Its " hiaci is crcfled, its body brown, btlow cLngrcoiif> the exterior *' margin of its wing-quills whitilh." The fm [ 437 3 The BLACK-CAP FLYCATCHER. Lc Gohc'Mouchc Noirdtre de la Caroline, BufF. Mu/cicapa Ftifca, Gmel. Mufcicapa CaroUnenfis Fufca, BrifT. 9'he Black-headed Flycatcher, Penn. Fourteenth Species, This bird is nearly as large as the Nightin- gale ; its plumage, from the head to the tail, is of an uniform dull brown j its breaft and belly are white, with a fliade of yellowifh-green ; its thighs and legs are black ; the head of the male IS of a deeper black than that of the female, and this is the only difference between them. They breed in Carolina according to Catefby, and migrate from thence on the approach of win- ter. [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Mufcicapa Fufca : — «« It is " brown, below ochry-white; its bill, its top, and its legs " black." The BLACK and WHITE FLYCATCHER. Le Gillif, ou Gobe-Mouce Pie de Cayenne, BrlfT, Mufcicapa Bicolort Gmel. Fifteenth Species, This bird, which is calied Gillit in Its native country Guiana, is of an uniform white on the F F 3 Jiead, /I38 THE BLACK, end WTIITE FLYCATCHER. lieacl, the throat, and all the under-part of the body. The rump, the tail, and the wings, arc bl.ick, and the linall quills of thefc edged with white. A black fpot rifes behind the head, and flretches to the neck, where it is bounded by a white cap, which makes a circle on the back. — The length is four inches and a half, and the plumage of the female is entirely of a light uniform gray. It is found in the over- fiowed fhvannas. The White Bellied Flycatcher of Cayenne^ N*^ 566. fig. 3. PI. Enl. hardly differs at all from the C/7//V, and we fliall not fcparate them. We fliall alfo clafs with it the White and Bliick Flycatcher of Edwards, from Surinam, of which the colours are the fame, except the brown on the wings, and black on the crown of the head, differences which are not fpccific. The CINEREOUS FLYCATCHER, Zi.' C,r,h,. hiuchc Brun de la Caroline, BufF. Mf/ciciipu t'lri'iis, Linn, and Gmcl. hl'.i'.Udpu Caioltncnfis Cinera, Urifl'. Sixteenth Species, Tb.is is called by Catelby, The Little Br'rWr FiycdUbcr, its figure and fizc are the fame as thofe THE CINEREOUS FLYCATCHER. 439 thofe of his Olive Flycatcher with red eyes and legs, and we fliould have ranged them together, had not that accurate obferver diftinguifhed them. A dull brown tint, which covers uniformly all the upper-part, is interfered by the rufty-brown of the feathers of the wings and tail ; the under- part of the body is dirty white, with a ftiade of yellow ; the thighs and legs are black ; the bill is flat, broad, and a little hooked at the point, and eight lines in length j the tail is two inches ; the whole length of the bird five inches eight lines ; it weighs only three gros. — This is all that Catefby informs us ; and from him the reft have borrowed their defcriptions. [A] [A] Specific charadler of the Mufcicapa Virens : — greenifli-brown, below yellow, its eye-brows white." It is f v.' t: ■6^ ■ it* ; m I f The ACTIVE FLYCATCHER. Le Gobe-Mouche de Cayenne, BufF. Mufcicapa Agilis, Gtnel. Seventeenth Species. This Flycatcher is not larger than the Yellow Wren of Europe ; its plumage is almoft the fame, being cinereous and dirty white in both, only this little bird has a greater mixture of greenilh. The flatnefs of its bill indicates its relation to the Flycatchers Our Wrens however have the fame inftinds, and feed upon F F 4 the . ' '.X ■ \ ■■ •i'i 'i V ;' ,* J I ■..St y 440 THE ACTIVE FLYCATCHER. tlie various forts of flics : in fummer, tliey con- tinually circle in fearch of the winged infcds ; and in winter ihov attack their chryfalids and pierce tiie Lcrny -liell. The total Ic.igth four inches and a half; the bill feven lui.s ; tl;. t.iil t'venty lines, and pro- jeds fiftCL'i lincL beyond the v.ings. [A] [A] Spfcific churaiTlerof thcM/wV'.vr,'^ ' jijilis • — »' It is olive- «' bronn, below partly v.'utilh ; il.i: qui!I. cf its wings and tail " black, and clivcbjown u^ their margin. " The STREAKED FLYCATCHER. Le Gcbc MoKche Tachete tie Cayenne, Buif. hlujcicapa V ark gat a, Gmel. Eighteenth Species, This ."^treaked Flycatcher is nearly of the fame fize as the Active Flycatcher, which is alfo a native of Cayenne. Dirty white, with a caft of grecnifli on the wing, and loine diflinder fpots of yellowifh wliite, with afli-brown on the head and neck, and blackllh cinereous on the wings, form the confufed mottled plumage of this bird. It has a fmall beard of whitifli briftled feathers under the bill, and a half crell of alh- coloured feathers mixed with yellow fiuiments on the crown of the head. The bill is of the fame fize as that of the preceding, and the tail is II THE STREAKED FLYCATCHER. 441 IS of the fame length, but differs in its colours. The Adive Flycatcher appears alfo more nicely formed, and more lively in its motions than the Streaked ; at leall as far as we can judge from the ftuffed fpeciraens. The LITTLE BLACK AURORA FLY- CATCHER OF AMERICA. ,v' fe' t' I ;> ( Miifcicapa-Ritthilla, Linn, and Gmel. Mu/cicapa Americana, EvVS. ^he Black-headed IVarblcr, Lath, and Penn. The Small American Redf.art, Edw. The Small Black and Orange -coloured Bird, Ray, Nineteenth Species, We thus mark the two confpicuous colours of rVic plumage of this bird, to which naturalifts have 'litherto given only the vague appellation of American Flycatcher. It is hardly fo large as the Ycllcw Wren. A bright black is fpread over the iiead, the throat, the back, and the coverts ; a beautiful yellow aurora is pencilled on the white gray of the llomach, and deepens under the wings ; it alfo appears in ftreaks between the quills of the wings, and covers two-thirds of thofe of the tail, both which are tipped with black, or blackilh. — Such are the colours of the male. In the female the black is dilute blackifh, and the orange and blulh-colour yellow. Ed- wards gives figures of both male aud female. Catefby ■n p^v- t .-yt ■rli i I |i li; . ' ii 'i #1 M (i " ' < J ''I'Jt 442 LITTLE BLACK AURORA FLYCATCHER. Catefby reprcfents the bird alfo under the name oi Small j^mcricajt Red- St art ; but it is rather of ^ larger fize, which would make us prefume that it is a variety, [A] fA] Specific charnftsr of the Mu/ticapa-Rutidlla : — " It is *' black ; its hrcali, a fpot on its wings, and at the bale of the tail- " quills, yellow." The PvOUND-CRESTED FLYCATCHER. ^ ! I Le RtfRii, ou Gobc- Moiiche Rouge Huppi de la Riviere (fa Aviazoncs, BtifF. M'-tJciiopa Coiotata, Gmel. Twentieth Species* Of all the numerous family of Flycatchers this is the moft brilliant. Its fleu^lcr delicate fliape fuits the luftre of its garb : a creft, coii- fifting of finall divided feathers of fine crimfon, projed.s in rays on its head ; the fame colour appears under its bill, covers its throat, breaft, belly, and reaches the coverts of its tail ; an a(h-brown, interfe£ted by fome whitiih waves on the edge of the coverts, and even of the quills, covers all the upper-part of the body and wings ; the bill is very flat, and feven lines long ; the tail two inches, and exceeds the wings by ten lines ; the whole length of the bird is five inches and a half. Commerfon calls it Cardinal T'ltmoufc^ though it is neither a Cardinal nor a Titmoufe* THE ROUND-CRESTED FLYCATCHER. 44J Titmoufe*. It would be one of the handfomcfl birds for the cage ; but the nature of its food feems to place it beyond the dominion of man, and to eni'ure it liberty or death. [A] * We found the figure of thcfe birds among the drawings brought by vJommerfon from the country of the Amazons. Jn Spanilh it ii called Futillas, as appears from a note at the bottom of the fifriire. The female, which is reprefented with the male, has no crell ; all the beautiful tints of its plumage are fainter. [A] Specific charadlcr of tlie Mufdctipa Coronata:-^" It Is *' brown ; the crell 0.1 its head roundilli ; its temples, and the *' under-fide of its body, red." it ■ The RUFOUS FLYCATCHER. Le Gobe-Moiiche de Cayenne^ BufF. Mujdcapa Rufejlens, Gmel. The Twenty-firJI Species. Thio Flycatcher, tvhich Is five inches and a half long, is nearly of the fize of the Nightingale ; all the upper-part of its body is of a fine light rufous, with a fiame caft, which extends over the fm.tll quills of the wings, and thefe covering the great quills when the wings are clofed, have only a fmall black triangle formed by their ex- tremities ; a brown fpot covers the crown of the head ; all the anterior and the upper-parts of the body, are tipt with fome flight fhades of rufous ; the tail is fquarc and fpread ; the bill is broad, ihort, and ftrong, and its point refleded, and partaking I .;•■ n ; m i I' m i. 'iy i: il If m 444 THE RUFOUS FLYCATCHER. partaking therefore both of the Flycatchers and of the Tyrants. \Vc are uncertain whether to refer it to Brillbn's Rufous Flycatcher of Ca- yenne.—-It is a difcouraging circumflance that nomcnclators have fo often clallcd diftindt ob- jcds by the fame name : however, the Rufous Flycatcher of C4ciyefiiie, is, according to Briifon, eight inches long, and ours is only five ; and the difference in regard to colour will appear from comparing his dcfcription with what we have given *. But there is no elfcntial diftinc- tion between them, except in regard to fize ; and that difference cannot be imputed to age, for if the fmaller were fuppofed to be the younger, the orange fpot on the breafl would be lefs vivid than in the adult. [A] • '• Above, tawny rufous ; below, dilute rufous ; itshcnd, throat, and neck, deep cinereous ; the feathers on its throat, and its lower- reck, edged with whitifli ; its bread, rump, and tail-quilbj bright rufous." Brisson. [A] Specific charaiTler of the Mufdcapa Rufefiens:—" It Is of " a gloffy tawny ; below white ; its tail-quills black ; a brown •« dafli on its top." I' The YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER. Le Gohc-Mouche a Venire J nunc. Buff. Mrjcicapa Cayeneitjis, Linn. Gmcl. and Briff. Twcftty-fecond Species. This beautiful Flycatcher inhabits the conti- nent of America, and the adjacent iflands. The one I THE YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER. 445 one figured in the PUmcbes Enhimiuccs was brought from Cluyennc ; wc have received another from St. Domingo, under the name of Creftcd Flycatcher of St. Domingo . We are of opinion that thcfc differ only by their fex : that of St. Domingo feems to be tlie niale ; for the goklen yellow of its crown is more vivid and more fpread than in the other, where tlie lighter tint fcarce appears through the blackifli feathers which cover that part of the head. In other rcfpeds the two birds are fimilar. They are rather fmaller than the Nightingale, being five inches and eight lines long j the bill is eight lines, and fcarcely curved at the tip, and the wings reach not to the middle ; the orange fpot on the head is edged with a blackilh a(h- colour, a white bar croffes the face over the eyes, below which a fpot of the fame colour appears that fpreads, and is loll in the rufty-brovvn of the back ; this rufty-brown covers the wings and the tail, and becomes rather more dilute on the edge of the fmall webs of the rjuills j a fine orange-yellow covers the bread and the belly, which vivid colour diftinguiflies this bird from all the other Flycatchers. Though the golden yellow feathers or" the crown can be eredled at pieafurc, as in the fmall European Wrens, yet, iince they are ufuilly reclined, the bird is not properly a CreJIed Flycatcher, [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Mufcicapa Ctryincnfis :-^" It is *' brown ; below yellow ; its eyebrows white ; its top fonievvha( (jrange The 'if i K I"! 4 ' k ■ ■I % Hit .' lii «' Si! ■; ■'Ik ■'i-f i^ [ 44^ 3 » The KING OF THE FLYCATCHERS. Le Rot des Golg-Mouches, BufF. Twenty- third Species, This has been named The King of the Fly- catchers y on account of a beautiful crown placed tranfverfely on its head; whereas in all other birds. the crefts lie longitudinally. It confifts of four or five rows of fmall round feathers, fpread like a fan, ten lines broad, all of a bright bay co- lour, and terminated with a little black fpangle ; fo that it might be taken for a peacock's tail in miniature. This bird is alfo remarkably fhaped, and feema to combine the features of the Flycatchers, of tljie Mgucherollcs^ and of the Tyrants. It is fcarcely larger than the European Flycatcher, and has a difproportioned bill, which is ten lines in length, and very broad and flat, befet with briftles that reach almofl to its tip, which is hooked. The tarfus is fliort ; the toes flender ; the wing is not more than three inches, nor the tail more than two. It has a fmall white eye-brow j its throat is yellow ; a blackifh cellar encircles its neck, and joins that tinge which covers the back, and changes on the winp; into a deep fulvous brown. The quills of the tail are light bay ; and the fame colour, though more dilute, llains the rump and the belly ; the whitilh colour of the ftomach is 4 crofled •Vrr tHE KING OF THE FLYCATCHERS. 447 croffed by fmall blackldi waves. — This bird is very rare ; only one fpecimen has been brought from Cayenne, where even it feldom appears. m m lis If' The DWARFISH FLYCATCHERS. Les Gebe-LIouchero>is, BufF. "■I, li"' 1 " Tiventy-foiirtb and Tiventy-fifth Species, Nature has proportioned thcfe birds to their feeble prey ; a large American beetle might be a match for them. — We have fpccimens of them in the King's cabinet, and a fliort defcription will fuffice. The firfl * is the fmalleft of the Flycatchers ; it is lefs than the fmalleft of our Wrens, and in its figure, and even in its colours, it is nearly the lame. Its plumage is olive, without any yellow on the head, but a few light Ihadcs of grcenilli appear on the lower-part of its back and on its btlly; and fmall lines of yellowilli white are traced on the blackifh quills, and on the coverts of the wings. — It is found in the warm parts of Ame- rica. The fccoiid I is ftill fmaller than the firft j all the under-part of its body is light yellow, verg- * This is the Mufcicapa Pygmera of Gmelin, and the Dnuarf Flycatcher of Latham. t This is rlie Mu/^icapa Minuta of Gmelin, and the Petty Flj- catcktr of Latham. ing ;!if w I ill t*ft •A \ i ; .til ■I '■ k I' I ' M 11: if 448 THE DWARFISH FLYCATCHERS. ing on draw colour j it is hardly three inches long ; its head, and the beginning of the neck, are partly yellow, partly black, each yellow fea- ther having in its middle a black ftreak, which fhews the two colours difpofed in long and alter- nate fpots ; the feathers of the back, the wings, and their coverts, are black cinereous, and edged with greenifh ; the tail is very fhort, the wing ftill Ihorter ; the bill is (lender, and lengthened, which gives this little Flycatcher a peculiar ajj- pearance. The ufeful deftination of the Flycatchers will occur to the moft fuperficial obferver. The infetSl tribes elude the interference of man ; and though defpicable as individuals, they often be- come formidable by their numbers. Inftances arc recorded of their multiplying to fuch an amazing degree as to darken the air ; of their devouring the whole vegetable productions ; and of their carrying in their train the accumulated ills of famine and peftilcnce. Happily for man- kind fuch calamities are rare, and Nature has wifely provided the proper remedies. Moft birds fearch for infeds' eggs ; many feed on tlieir groveling lurvx ; fome live upon their cruA:ic£Ous cryfalids ; and the Flycatchers feize them after they efcapc from prifon, exulting on their wings, lieuce in autumn, when thele birds migrate into other climates, the fwarms of gnats, "■• f FLYCATCHERS. 449 [lers win 1 whole. an; and 1 ■^ pften be- 1 [nflances ■ fuch an 1 of their 1 }ns; and 1 amulatcd ■ fur man- 1 Lture has I ;. Moil feed on k • )on their lers feize exulting hen thefe warms of VOL. IV. gnats, \ gnatSj Hies, and beetles, are in our latitudes more than ufually numerous. But in the tropi- cal countries, where heat and moifture confpire to ripen the exuberance of infedt life, the Fly- catchers are more eflential. All Nature is ba- lanced, and the circle of generation and deftruc- tion is perpetual ! The philofopher contemplate* with tender melancholy this cruel fyftem of war ; he drives in vain to reconcile it with his ideas of benevolence of intention : but he is forcibly ftruck with the nice adjuftment of the various parts, their mutual connexion and fubordina- tion, and the unity of plan which pervades the 0 6 2K m^ ft' ■ ■ I 1: ;1 \% !•' ■(■■ u •111 .' iH ; ' if i; A in n i m C 450 ] The MOUCHEROLLES, 117 E fhall term thofe Moucherolles which arc - ^ larger than the common Flycatchers, but fmaller than the Tyrants ; and to avoid coufu- fion, we fhall range them in two diviHons, cor* refponding to their fize. As the Moucherolles arc intermediate between the Flycatchers and the Tyrants, they participate of the nature of both. They are found in both continents ; but they are different fpecies which occur in each. The ocean that intervenes between the tropics is the great barrier, which none but the palmipede birds, from their facility in refting on the water, can pafs. In the hot climates Nature fports in the luxu- riance of her produdions. Many fpecies of birds, fuch as the Widow-birds, the Mouche- rolles, and the Bee-eaters, which inhabit thofe fultry regions, are furnifhed with tails of un- common length : this character diflinguifhes the Moucherolles from the Flycatchers, from which they differ alfo in having their bill fomewhat ilronger, and more hooked at the tip. The 1 Hl'i.Iii. ilch are :rs, but coiifu- is, cor* herolles zrs and ituri of )ut they I. The :s Is the Imipede e water, le luxu- ecies of /louche- 3it thofe 1 of un- iflies the n which tmewhat The 4' riii» M ,;f.i iP n jr^jij THE JTORKEM-T^iri rX.Y(lATCHER . C 451 3 Tht S A V A N A. Lt Sa'vana, Buff. Mufcicapa-'lyraHHus , Linn, a'ld Gmel. Tht Fcik-tail Flycatcher, Penn. and Lath, Ftrjl Specks. This Moucherolle is nearly as large as the Tyrants, and is figured in the Planche Enlumi- neeSy under the appellation of Forked-tail Tyrant of Cayenne ; it is diftinguifhed however by its bill, which is more flender and not fo much hooked as in the Tyrants. It is called the Widow at Cayenne ; but this name is appropriated to another kind of birds, wVich it refembles in nothing except the length of its tail. It con- ftantly haunts the flooded favannas, and for that reafon we have termed it the Savana, It is ob- ferved to perch upon the adjacent trees, and to alight every minute upon the clods or grafly tufts which rife above the furface of the water, jerking its tail like the Wagtails. It is as large as the Crefted Lark ; the quills of its tail are black, the two outermoft nine inches long, and forked, the two following only three inches and a half, and the reft gradually fiiorter, fo that the two mid-ones are only an inch :— -and thus, though the bird is fourteen inches long, mea- furing from the point of the bill to the end of the tail, the diftance between its bill and its nails c G 2 is M •li' 'm- it ii ir fl 11 ■ if '1 452 THE SAVANA. is only fix inches. On the crown of its heitJ is a yellow fpot, which is however wanting in many fubjeds, thefe being probably females. A flict blackiih fquare hood covers the back of its head ; beyond that, the plumage is white, which colour advances under the bill, and fpreads over all the anterior and under- part of th« body ; the back is greenifh-gray, and the wing brown. — This bird is found on the banks of the river De la Plata, and in the woods of Montev'tdeoy from whence it was brought by Commerfon. [A] [A] Specific character of the Mufdcapa-Tyramut : — " lu " tail is very long and forked, its body black» below white," It is found as far north as Canada. The CRESTED MOUCHEROLLE, ^ith Steel-coloured Head* Mtt/cicapa-ParadiJi, Linn, and Gmel. the Pkd Bird of Paradife, Edw. The Paradife Flycatcher, Lath. Second Species, This bird is found at the Cape of Good Hope,, Senegal, and Madagafcar. Briflbn defcribes it in three different places of his ornithology, by the names of the Crejied Flycatcher of the. Cape of Good Hope *, the White Flycatcher of the Cape * " Crel^ed Flysatcher :— "Above dilute fcarlet, below white ; «' the breaft cinereous white ; the head and the uppfcr-part of the *' neck greeoiih.Uack} the tul*qiuHi dilute purple." if THE CRESTED MOUCHEROLLE, i^c. 453 of Good Hope *, and the Crejled Flycatcher of Brazil f. Thefe tUree arc really the fame, the firft and third beuig males, and i« fecond, which is rather larger, a female ; a property which, though principally confined to the birds of prey, obtains alfo in the Flycatcher, the Moucherollcs, and the Tyrants. The male is feven inches long, the female eight inches and one-fourth ; this excefs being aimed entirely in the tail ; but its body is alio fomewhat thicker, and of the fize of a common Lark : in both, the head and the top of the neck are covered, as far as the circular divifion in the middle, with black, fhining with a green or bluiih glofs, whofe luflre is like that of burn- ifhed fteel : its head is decorated with a beautiful creft, which falls loofely back ; its eyes arc £ame-coloured ; its bill is ten lines in length, a little arched near the tip, reddifli, and befet with pretty long briftles. All the reft of the body of the female is white, except the great quills, through which the black appears at the tips of the wings when clofcd ; there are two rows of black ftreaks on the fmall quill-feather* and in the great coverts ; and the fhafts of the tail-quills are uniformly black throughout. • White Creftcd Flycatcher:—'* The head and upper-part of «« the neck greeni(h-black ; the tail- quills white, their outer edges *» and fhafts black." f Crcfted Flycatcher :—" Above dilute fcarlet; below white ; *' the head greenilh-black ; the fuperior coverts of the wingjgoid- *' colouredt the tail-quills dilute fcarlet." G G 3 \X\ ( \\ |ie^ 1 T "A i ' t :■■% liH fjh ii- ^•8 454 THE CRESTED MOUCHEROLLE, dfc. In the male, the hreaft, below the black hood, is bluiih-gray, and the ftomach and all the under-part of the body white : a bright bay robe covers all the upper-part to the end of the tail, which is oval ihaped and regularly tapered, the two middle quills being the largeft, and the others fhortening two or three lines each : the fame is the cafe in the female. According to Adanfon*, this Moucherolle lodges among the mangrove-trer.s, which grow in the folitary and unfrequenteri fpots along the banks of the Niger and of the Gambra. Seba places it in Brazil, and ranges it with the birds of Paradife, applying the Brazilian appellation Acamacu f ; but little can be relied upon the accuracy of that collector of Natural Hiftory, who foof»^?n bellows names without difcernment. It is very unlikely that this bird could be found both in Africa and Brazil ; yet Briflbn founds his claflification upon the authority of Seba, at the fame time that he exprelTes a fufpicion, that Seba was miftaken. Klein fuppofes it to be a Crejled Thrujh ±, and Moehring a Jackdaw || ;— a ftrik- ing inftance of the confufion bred by a rage for nomenclature. But we have ftill another : Lin- noeus imagines it to be a Raven; but as it hns a long tail, he c^Us it the Paradifi Raven §. [A] * Supplement de rEncyclopedie, tome i. f Brafilian Paraclife-bird, or Crelled Cuiriri Acamacu. \ Turdus Criftatus. || Moncdula. § Corvus Paradifi. [A] Specific charafter of the Mu/iUapa Paradifi : — " its " head creiled and black; its body white; its tail wed gc-fliaped ; " its iiiiei mediate tail-quiUs longeft." The mm fV C 455 ] The VIRGINIAN MOUCHEROLLE. Mu/cicapa Carolitienjis, Linn, and Gmcl. Tbt Cat Flycatcher, Pcnn. and Lath. Third Species, Catefby calls this the Cat-bird^ becaufe Its cry reftmbles the mewing of a cat. It pafles the fummer in Virginia, where it feeds upon infeds; it dees not perch on large trees, and frequents only the fhrubs and bufhes. // // a little larger^ he tells us, than a Lark, Its fize is therefore nearly the fame as that of the i.ittle Tyrant ; but the flraightnefs of its bill dii\inguiihes it from the Tyrants. The plumage is dark, being varioufly mixed with black and brown : the upper-fid';, of its head is black, and the upper-fidc ©fits body, of itswings,andofits tail, deep brown; an even blackiih on the tail : its neck, its brcaft, and its belly are of a lighter brown ; a dull red caft appears on the lower coverts of its tail, which is three inches long, and confifts of twelve equal quills, and only two-thirds of it covered by the wings ; the bill is ten lines and a half, and the whole length of the bird is eight inches. r— It breeds in Virginia, and lays blue eggs j it migrates on the approach of winter. [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Cat Flycatcher, Mu/cicapa Ca- rolinen/iit Link.: — " It is brown, below cinereoHS, its head ** black, its vent red." It builds its nell with leaves and ruilie.s, and lines it with fibrous roots. It is very courageous, and will attack a crow. c o 4 The !■ ' '! I 1 » ' 4 i ■ ! 1"^ n r I ! I J, ■ ' ! ■ ■ [ 4S6 ] The BROWN MOUCHEROLX.E of MARTINICO. Mu/cicapa Martinica, Gnicl. Mu/cicapa Martitficana Criftata, BriflT. Fourth Species, This Mouchcrolle has not a long tall like the preceding kinds; in its iizc and figure it re- fembles the largefl of the Flycatchers. It is dif- tinguiiKed from the Tyrants by the fliape of its bill, tvhich is not fo much hooked as the bill of the fmalleft Tyrants, and more flender ; it is however eight lines long, and the bird it- felf fix inches and a half. A deep brown of a pretty uniform tinge covers the upper-part of the body, the head, the wings, and the tail ; the under furface of the body is undulated with tranfverfe waves of rufous brown ; a few reddifli feathers form the inferior coverts of the tail, which is fquare, and the edges of its outer-quills are fringed with white lines. [A] [A] Specific charaiftcr of the Mu/cicapa Martiiika : — " In *• head is crefted, its bo'ly brown, below cincreousi tlic outet «• margin of its wing-qudh whitilh." The t 457 1 I" ) .E of ike the it rc- t is dif^ 2 of its as the lender ; bird it- pwn of part of til; the with reddi(h he tail, r-quills — " hi the oiitfr I' The FORKEi:)-TAIL MOUCHEROLLE of MEXICO, BuJ. Mufiicapa Forfcata, Gmel. The SivalU-w-iailed Flycatcher^ Latlv. Fifth Species, It IS larger than the Lark ; its whole length is ten inches, of which its tail meafures five ; its eyes are red, its bill eight lines long, flat, and flendt head and back coven The rather with a very light gray, mixed with a dilute reddifli ; the red colour below the wings extends alfo on the fides, and tinges the white that is fpread over the whole of the under-fide of the body; the fmall coverts are a(h-coloured, and edged with fcaly white lines ; the great coverts, which are blacki(h, are fimilafly fringed ; the great; quills of the wings are entirely black, and fur- rounded with rufty-gray : the outcrmoft quills of the tail are the longeft, and are forked like the Swallow's tail : the other quills diverge lefs, and gradually Ihorten ; To that the middle one is only two inches long : they are all of a glofly black, and fringed with rufty-gray : the outer webs of the largeft quills on each fide appear white almoft their whole length. Some fpeci- mens have the tail longer than that fent from Mexico by M. de Boynes, then Secretary for the Marine Department. The M , ;.i H 'm ■ ;v I I C 458 J The MOUCHEROLLE of the PHILIPPINES. Mufcicapa Philippenfis, Gmel. Sixth Species, It is as large as the Nightingale ; all the upper- part of its body is brown-gray ; all the under- part of the wings and tail are whiti(h from below the bill J a white line ftretches over the eyes, and long diverging hairs appear at the corners of the bill. Such are the obfcure ambiguous fea- tures of this bird. A fpecimen is lodged in the JCing's Cabinet. The GREEN-CRESTED VIRGINIAN MOUCHEROLLE, Buff, Mufcicapa Crittifa, Linn and Gmcl. Th- Crejled Flycatcher , Penn. Cat, and Lath, Seventh Species, The length of the tail and bill of this bird marks its relation to the MoucheroUes : it is rather larger than the Flycatchers, being eight inches long, of which its tail forms the half; its bill is flat, befct with bridles, and fcarcely hooked at the tip, and it meafures twelve lines and a lialf; the head is furniihed with fmall *!%$ Grten-Crejled Virginian MauchtroUe. 459 fmall feathers reclined into a half-creft ; the top of the neck, and all the back, dull green ; the bread and the fore-part of the neck leaden-gray ; the belly of a fine yellow ; the wings brown, and fo are the great quills which are edged with bay ; thofe of the tail are the fame. This bird is not fhaped like the Tyrants, but appears to partake of their gloomy fullen temper. It would feem, fays Catefby, from its difagreeable fcreams, to be always in enmity, and continually at va- riance with the other birds. It breeds in Caro- lina and Virginia, and before winter it removes to hotter climates. [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Crefted Flycatcher, Mufcicapa Crinita . — " Its head is crefted, its neck bluifli, its belly yel- *f lowifli, its hack greenifli, and the quills of its wings and tail " rufous." It builds its neft in the holes of trees, employing for the materials, hair and fnakes (kins. The SCHET of MADAGASCAR. Mu/cicapa Mutata, Linn, and Gmel. The Mutable Flycatcher, Lath. Eighth Species. The name Schet is applied in Madagafcar to a beautiful long-tailed MoiichcroUe ; and two others are called Schet- oll^ and Schet-Vouloulouy which feem to denote the Rufous Schet and the Variegated Schet, and mark only two varieties of the fame fpecies. BrifTon reckons three ; but a few differences 11" i, ';,i. 1 ■■\ i i, n M m i ! ; '4 I* f : 46o THE SCHET OF MADAGASCAR. differences in the colours are not fufficient to conftitute diftind fpecies, where the fhape, the fize, and all the other proportions, are the fame. The Schets have the long form of the Wag- tail ; they arc rather larger, meafuring fix inches and a half to the end of the true tail, not to mention two feathers which extend almoft five inches farther; the bill is feven lines, triangular, very flat, broad at the bafe, befet with briftles at the corners, and with hardly any perceptible curve at the point : a beautiful black-^ ifh-grcen creft, with the luftre of burnifhed fteel, is bent fmooth back, and covers the head ; the iris is yellow, and the eye-lid blue. In the firft variety, the fame dark colour that paints the creft, encircles the neck, and invefts the back, the great quills of the wings and of the tail, of which the two long feathers mea- fure feven inches, and are white, as are alfo the fmall quills of the wings, and all the ynder- part of the body. In the Schet-all^ the colour of the creft ap-» pears only on the great quills of the wings, whofe coverts are marked with broad white lines ; all the reft of the plumage is a bright gilded bay, which Edwards terms a finefiining cinnamon^ which is fpread equally over the tail and the two long projeding fliafts j thefe fhafts are fimilar to thofe which are fent off from the tail in the Angola and Abyflinian Rollers, only in w ft ap-* wings, white bright the tail fhafts om the ,only in THE SCHET OF MADAGASCAR. 461 In thefe birds they are the outerinoft, while in the Madagafcar MoucheroIIe they occupy the middle. The third variety, or the Schet-Vouloulouy has? fcarcely any difference from the preceding, except that the two projediug feathers of the tail are whitifh ; the reft of the plumage is bay-coloured, jis in the Schei-all. In the Scbct-all which is preferved in the King's Cabinet, thefe two feathers are fix inches long ; in another fpecimen, I found them to be eight inches, and the outer webs edged with black three-fourths of their length, and the remainder white ; in a third, thefe two long feath ;r3 w*?re entirely wanting ; whether we mufti ^'Viz this to fome accident, to the age, or to the moulting, which Edwards thinks laft& fix months in thefe birds * ? They are found not only in Madagafcar, but in Ceylon, and at the Cape of Good Hope. Knox gives a good defcription of them f . Edward* • «« I received this bird (the Schet-all) from Ceylon. M. Brif- fon fays, that it comes from the Cape of Good Mope ; but the figure which he gives of it is furely impcrfcdl, as it has not the two feathers of the tail, which are fo remarkably large. I believe it is natural to fome birds which have thefe long tails, to wans them fix months in the year .... which I have feen in fome long- tailed birds at London. . . . The White Crellcd Flycatclier de- icribed by Briton, is certainly the male of the famu fpecies." GlE A N'l NC^. f •* They arc fmall birds, not much ejrcccdir.g Sparrows, charming to the eye, but good for nothing eife. Some of thefe birds have their bodies ai white as fnow^ the quills of their tail a fout • t \ ix 11 4_ •I 'I ?• ^1 •I' ! • p :' It* % ■i 11 462 ITHE SCHET OF MADAGASCAft. Edwards calls the third Schet-all the Pied Bird cf Paradife ; however, Schets are totally differ- ent from the Birds of Paradife. foot long, and their heads black like jet, with a tuft or crel!; There are many others of the fame kind, the only difference con- fifling in the colour, which is reddifti-orange : thefe birds havi alfo a tuft of black feathers erefl on the head. I believe the one fort are thr> males, a>:d the others the females of the fams fpccics." Jfiji. of Ceylon, by Robert Knox, London, i68i.' [ 453 ] The TYRANTS. r TH t appellation of Tyrant applied to theft? birds muft appear whimfical. Ac- cording to Belon, the ancients termed the Little Crowned Wren Tyrannus * : in the prefent cafe, the name refers n^.^t only to this crown, but alfo to their fanguinary difpofition. A fad proof pf human mifery, that the idea of cruelty is ever conjoined with the emblem of power ! We fhould therefore have changed this mortify- inc and abfurd term, but we found it too firmly cftabli(hedby naturalifts :— It is not the firft time that we have been compelled by the general ufagc to ac(iuierc;e in improper and incongruous epithets. Thel'e inhabitants of the New World are larger than the Flycatchers or Moucherolles; they are ftrongcr and more vicious ; their bill is larger and firmer ; their difpofitions are darker and more audacious, and, in this refped;, they refemble the Shrikes, to which they are analo- gous alfo in the fize of their body and the fhape of their bill. * This word, ill Greek, fignilica merely a king or prir.cs. Si' ;ri %m I ■I- ■I II ^1 If C 464 J The T I T I R I, or P I P I R t, Lanius-Tyr annus, Linn. Gmel. and Boroufk. Mu/cicapa Tyrannus, Briif. Pica Americana Criflala, Frifch« tardus Corona Rubra, Klein. ^he Tyrant Shriki, Lath. The Firft and Second Species* TT has the fize and ftrength of the Great Cine* •*• reous Shrike ; it is eight inches long, thirteen inches of alar extent ; its bill flat, but thick, and thirteen lines long, bridled with muflachoes, and {Iraight to the tip, where it is hooked : Its tongue is acute and cartilaginous ; the feathers on the crown of its head are yellow at the root, and terminated with a blackifli fpeckling, which covers the reft when they are flat, but, when the bird fwells with rage, they become ered, and the head then appears crowned with a broad tuft of the moft beautiful yellow j a light brown- gray covers the back, and on the fides of the neck it melts to the white flate-gray of the anterior and under-part of the body : the brown quills of the wing and of the tail arc edged with a rufty thread. The female has the yellow fpot on the head though not fo broad, and its colours are more dilute, or duller than thofe of the male. A fe- male, meafured at St. Domingo by the Chevalier 8 Dcfhayes, Rt it Cine* thirteen ck, and )es, and ; tongue on the )Ot, and which hen the idi, and oad tuft brown- theneck rior and Is of the ^ thread, le head re more Afe- Ihevalier lefhayes. JVfM4r THE GKAXli TYJiANT, i '■;v ^4 -•I •I •I /I: i' i' ; THE TITIRI, OR PIPIRI. 465 Defliayes, was an inch longer tlian the male, and its other dimenfions in proportion : hence, in general, the Imallell individuals in this fpecies are the males *. At Cayenne, this Tyrant is called T'ttir'i^ from the refemblance to its (hrill noify fcreams. The male and female keep commonly together in the cleared fpots of the foreft;- ; they perch on the lofty trees; and are very numerous in Guiana. They breed in the hoilow trunks, or in the clefts of the branches below the fliade of the moil leafy bough. If one attempts to plunder their young, their natural audacity changes into in- trepid fury ; they contend obftiiuitcly ; they dart upon the perfon ; purfue him ; and if, in ipite of all their exertions, they are unable to refcuc their dear offspring, they fondly viiit the cage, and carry food. This bird, though finall, appears to dread no fort of animal. " Inftcad of lieeing, like the other birds," fays Defhaycs, " or concealing itfelf from the rapacious tribes, it attacks them with intrepidity, and haruiies them to fuch a degree, that it generally fucceeds in driving them off. No animal dares to come near the * " All the Pipiris are notexaftly of the fame fi7.e or cf the fame plumage ; bi'!ulc'sthc uifte:\-uC'; vemaike.l i'l a'l tlie kinds betivecn the male and thefemalcj there is jtill another with refped to the bulk of inJividuals in this fpeci'js. This diiieience is oltcii perceived, and llrikes even the molt carclefs oblbrvers. Probably th.- abun- dance or fcarcityof proper food is the caufe of the Ji\erfity." Note communicated bj ibi C H E V A L i E R D E s H A Y B S , VOL. IV. a H tree :ifi if II iff m 466 THE TITIRI, OR PIPIRI. tree where it breeds. It purfues to a confider- able diilancc, and with implacable obftinacy, ail that it conceives to be its enemies, dogs efpe- cially, and birds of prey *." It is not even inti- midated at man ; to lately has his empire been eilablifhed in thofe favage countries, that it feems not confcious of his power f. In the moments of its fury it fhuts its bill forcibly, which occa- fions a quick repeated cracking. In St. Domingo this bird is named Pipiri^ which, as well as Titlri^ exprefles its ufual cry or fquall. It is diftinguiihed into two varieties, or two contiguous fpecies : the firft is the Great Plpiri^ of which we have jiift fpoken, and which is called in that country The Black-headed Pipiri^ or The Thick-billed Pipiri ; the other is called The Tcllow- headed Pipiri^ or The Migratory Pipiriy and is fmaller and weaker. The upper- part of the body in the laft is gray, fringed throughout with white j but in the Great Pipiri it is fringed with rufous. The difpofition of the fmall Pipiris is alfo much milder, and not fo favage as the others. Thefe remain fequeftered in the wilderncfs, and are never met with ex- cept in pairs ; while the fmall Pipiris appear often in troops, and come near the fcttlements. « M. Defhayes. f " I ihot a young one, whu'h was only fllghtly wounded. My little n.gro who ran riftor it wjs attacked by a Shrike i;f the fame fpecies, which wns probably the mother ; this bird fixed with fuch raneour on the boy's head, that he had the luinoil dif- ftcuhy to get rid ql" it." Nqu (emmHuieated bj M, di Wanoncour. They THE TITIRI, OR PIPIRI. 467 jnfider- acy, all 8 efpe- en inti- re been It Teems LomenU h occa- Pipiri^ fual cry arleties, le Great d which iPipiri^ s called ignUory I upper- fringed at Pipiri n of the , not fo ueftered irith ex- \ appear k-inents. ^ wounded. irikc cf the bird fixed utinoll dif- Vlanoncour. They They aflemble in confiderable flocks during the month of Auguft, and haunt thole places which yield certain kinds of berries that attra(5l the beetles and infers. At that time thefe birds are very fat, and are caught for the table*. Though they are called Migratory Pipiris, it is not probable, fays Defliayes, that they ever quit the ifland of St. Domingo, which is of fuf- ficient extent to admit local changes. In fa£V, they leave their ufual haunts in certain feafons, and follow the maturity of the fruits which feed their infeft prey. All their other habits are the fame as thofe of the Great Pipiris : both fpecies are very numerous in St. Domingo, and few birds occur in more frequency f. They live upon caterpillars, beetles, butter- flies, and wafps. They perch on the higheft fummit of trees, and efpccially on the palms, from thence they defcry the iiifedt as it roves in the air, and the inftant that they feize it they return again to tl\eir hough. They iecm mofl engaged from fcven in the morning till ten ; • M. Delhayes. f *' They nre fcen in tlie forclh, in the abandoned ground:;, in the cultivated fpots ; they like every licuatiou ; yet t'.ie Ipccies of the Yeilow-hcadcd ripirls, whicli ate the iT.oIl numerous, feem to prefer the fettled parts. Jn winter they com- near the houfcs ; and as this feafon from the niildncfs of the cliinate correfpnnds to the ipring in France, it feems that tho coolncl's which then pre- vails infpires them with cheerfuinefs. Never nre they ken fo noify, or (o joyous, as in the months of November and December. Tlicy frolic with each otlier, toy, and carcfi." Note iom/nunicatcd Ij M. Dciliayts. II n 3 and '-if t V >t> I!: a !'»: M 468 THE TITIRI, OR PIPIRI. and again from four o'clock in the afternoon till fix. It is amufing to fee them hunting their fugacious prey, and purfuing their devious courl'e ; but their lofty confpicuous ftation ex- pofes them perpetually to the eye of the fowler. No birds arc fo early awake as the Pipiris ; they are heard at the firfl appearance of dawn* ; they pafs the night on the fummits of the tallefl: trees, and hail the approach of the morning. There is no ftated fcafon for their amours f. They breed, fays M. Defliayes, /// the heats of autumn^ and ihir'in^ the Jrcjljcmng air of w'tiitcr^ at St. Domingo, though fpring is the moft ufual fcafon ; they lay two or tlirec eggs, fomctimes four, which are whitilh, and fpotted with brown. Bavrerc reckons this bird a Bee-eater, and terms it Fctit-ric. [A] * " Except the Cocl;, tlic Peacod:, and the Nightingale, which ilng during tiic night, no bird \u fo early." Note communuatui hy M. Frcrnnyc/hwi.//,- Cowf.l'r.r at Poil-.ui-Princc. f " The lilatk-hf.iJed i'jj.'iris hiy nuill undoubtedly in Decctti* bcr. We cannot .'.illrni ulieiiur each Icnialc breeds every year ; nor H lethcr thcfe wii.ter hatches, wliicli (ccni extraordinary, be not orcafior.d by accidcns " i deili^ed to repair the lofs of hatches jjiade in the [.roper ii Hibii." t-ine iuinmunhcUid Ij M, D..lhayts. [A] Specific chnr.ii^lcr of the I.anius-l'p-annus :~" It is cinc- •« rcuus ; below while ; its tup black; a longitudinal llre.iu, f'ul- •• yuui.' The C 469 3 The TYRANT OF CAROLINA. LaiiitiS'Tyraiiitus, var 3. Linn, and Giucl. *. The TJj'inl Species. From the accouiU which CateToy has given of this bird, wc tlo not hcTitatc to clafs it with the Pipiri of Sr. Dcmingo, fmcc its difporitioa and its habits arc the faine '^\ But it is d llin- guillied by its red crown, and the manner of placing its nell, which is left entirely cxpolcd in the flirubs or bulhes ; whereas the Pipiri con- ceals its nefl:, or even lod;^cs it in the holes of trees. It is nearly of the lame lize as the Cireat Pipiri: its bill fecms Ids -hooked: Catefby fays only that It is bruacf^JIat^ and lapcnng. Tiic red • " The cournc^cof this littbbirJ is fingnlar. lie purfu-'s and puts to ni;jhi: ;iil kimh oKbiiJs that com:: near his (lation, from the finall 'll to the l.irjj;c;l, none cfc.'.pinj; his fury ; nor Jid I ever fee any tiiat clar..\l to opnofo iiim wluL- Hying, tor lie does not o.icr to attack them when fuiinc;, 1 iiave I'ccn (j;ie ofthi'ni fix on the back of an Kaj^Ic, and pcifcciitc him io tiiat he ha^. turned on his back into various pollurcs in tiie air, in urder to get rid of him ; aid at lali was forced to alight on the top of the n.-xt tree, from whjnce he dared not to move til! tlie little Tyrant was tired,. ■ t/.ou;:'^. fit to leave him. — This is the conftant pra.'^V.ce of the c. -' , wliile the hen is breeding ; he fits on the tO:i of a bulh, or f;ni!I tree n t far from her neit, near which if any fma!! birds approacli, he drives tliem away; but the great ones, as Crows, liawks, Iv'.gles, he will not fuiTei; to come within a quarter of a mile of him without attacking them. They have only a cliattcring note, v.hich they utter with great vehemence all the time they are fighting. -Wlicn their young arc flo.vii tliey are as peaceable as other birds." 11 n 3 fpot I It 470 THE TYRANT OF CAROLINA. fpot on the upper-part of its head is very bril- liant, and is encircled with black feathers, which conceal it when they are clofed. — This bird ap- pears in Virginia and Carolina about the month of April J there breeds, and departs in the be- ginning of winter. A bird fent to the King's cabinet, under the name of Louifuma Tyrant^ appears to be exadtly the fame with the Carolina Tyrant of Catefby. It is larger than the fifth fpecies, or C; vetme Tyrant, and almoft equal to the Great Pijn! i of St. Domingo. An afli-colour, almoft black, is fpread over all the upper-part of the body, from the crown of the head to the end of the tail, which terminates in a fmall white bar ftiaped into feftoons ; light whitifh waves are inter- mixed in the fm^l quills of the wing ; fome fmall ftrcaks of deep orange, inclined to red, fhine through the blackifh quills on the top of the head ; the throat is of a pretty pure whjte, which is fhaded with black on the brcaft, and again becomes ihovvy from the ftomach as far as the tail. [A] [A] The Carolina Tyrain buUds its neft with wool and mofs, and lines it with fibrous roots. It lays five eggs, which are white, with rully fpots. The r 47' ] The BENTAVEO, or The CUIRIRI. Lanius-Pitangua, Linn, and Gmel. Pitangua-guacii, Ray and Will. Tyrannus Brajilienjis, BriiT. The Brajilian Shrike, Lath. Fourth Species. This Tyrant, called Bentaveo at Buenos- Ayres, whence it was brought by Commerfon, and Pitangua-guacu by the people of Brazil, has been defcribed by Marcgrave*. He makes it of the fize of the Stare (we will obferve that it is thicker, and more bulky) ; and reprefents its bill as thick, broad, and pyramidal, its edges fharp, and more than an inch long*, its head bulky; its neck Ihort j the head, the top of its neck, the whole of its back, its wings, and its tail, of a blackiih brown, flightly fhaded with dull green; * "The Pitangaa-guacuof the Brazilians, Bcmtereofthe ?ortu- guefe, is equal in bulk to the Stare ; has a bill thick, broad, pyra- midal, fomewhat more than an inch long, (harpcned exteriorly ; its head compreffed, and broadifl\ ; its neck fhort, which it contradls when fitting. Its body is nearly two inches and a lialf long ; its tail broadifh, and three inches long ; its legs and feet are brown. Its head, the upper-part of its neck, the whole of its back, its wings, and its tail, are of a blackiih brown, mixed with a very little greenifh. The lower-part of its neck, it* bread, and its lower- belly, have yellow feathers ; the upper-jfirt, however, near the head, has a little crown of white, l-'rom below the throat to the origin of the bill is white. It calls with a loud voice. Some of thefe birds have a yellow fpot on the top of the head ; fome have it partly yellow ; they are called by the Brazilians, Cuirirl. In every other refpeft they are like the Fiiangua-Guacu." Marc- crave. ■'■.If ■n I & H H 4 its 472 THE BENTAVEO, or TflE CUIRIRI. its throat wliltc, and alfo the little bar on the eye ; the breaft: and belly yellow ; and the fmall quills of the whigs fringed with ruRy colour. INIarcgrave adds, that iome of thefe birds have an orange fpot on the crown of the head, and others a ycl!>:;w one. The Brazilians call thefe Cuiriri ; and in every other property they are fimilar to the FlUmgua-^itacu, Seba applies the name Cmrir'i to a Ipecies entirely diiferent. Thus the Bentaveo of Buenos-Ayres and the Pitangua and Cuiriri of Brazil are the fame ; and in their inlUnds fimilar to the Great Pipiri of St. Domingo, or the Titiri of Cayenne : but the colours of the Bentaveo, its bulk, and the thicknefs of its bill, the mod obvioully diftiii- guifli it. [A] [A] Specific character of the Lan-ns-Pitaugua: — " It is black ; *• below white ; a yellow llrcuk on its top ; a wliitc bglt on its " eyes." The CAYENNE TYRANT, Mufcicapa Fcfcx, Grtlcl. Tyrann:,! Cir;annenjist BrilT. ^hc Tyrant Fiycaldxr, Lulh. * Fifih Species. It it. I'rger than the Red-backed Siirike of Eu- rope. In the fpecimen belonging to tlie King's cabinet all the iippcr-part of the body is alh- gray, deepening into black on the wings, of which THE CAYENNE TYRANT. 473 which fome quills have a light white border ; the tail is of the fame dark caft, and is pretty- broad, and three inches long ; the whole bird meafures feven inches, and the bill ten lines ; a lighter gray covers the throat, and receives a greenifh tinge on the breaft ; the bill is of a ftraw, or light fulphur colour ; the fmall fea- thers on the top, and anterior part of the head, are half ere£t, and are painted with Ibme ftrokes of citron-yellow and aurora-yeliow ; the bill is flat, befet v/itli hriftles, and hooked at the point. The female is nor of fo deep a brown. The Little Cayenne Tyrant of the Planches Enlum'inces is rather fmaller than the preceding, and only a variety of it. The one defcribed by Briflbn is aUo a variety. [A] [A] Specific charadler of the LIufcicapa Ferox: — *' Tt is brown ; " its chin, its throit, and its breaft, cinereous ; its belly yellowifli j ** the greater quills of its wings olive at their margin." -n The C A U D E C. Mufcicapa Audax, Cmel. Ibe Tcllov:-cron.\}ncd Flycatcher, Lath. Sixth Species. This is the Spotted Flycatcher of Cayenne^ as reprefcnted in the Planches Enluminces ; but the hooked form of its bill, its ftrength, its fr/e, and its difpolition, entitle it to the name of Tyrant. It •M 474 THE CAUDEC. It is called Caudec at Cayenne, and is eight inches long ; the bill is fcalloped at the edges near the hooked point, is befet with bridles^ and is thirteen lines long. Dark gray and white, intermixed with fome rufty lines on the wings, compofe its varied plumage ; white predominates on the under furface of the body, where it is fprinkled with long blackifli fpots ; the blackifli, on the other hand, is the prevailing colour on the back, where the white forms only fome edgings. Two white lines run obliquely, the one over the eyes, the other below them ; fmall blackifli feathers half conceal the yellow fpot on the crown of the head. The feathers of the tail, which are black in the middle, have broad borders of rufous ; the hind nail is the ftrongeft of all. — ^The Caudec haunts the creeks, and perches on the low branches of trees, feed- ing probably upon aquatic infedts. It is lefs fre- quent than the 77//>/, but has the fame audacity and cruelty. In the female, the yellow fpot is wanting on the head ; and in fome males that fpot is orange, a difference which is perhaps owing to the age. The C 475 ] The TYRANT OF LOUISIANA. Mvfclcapa Lttdoviciana, Gmel. Seventh Species, This bird was fent from Louifiana to the Royal cabinet, under the name of Flycatcher^ but ought to be ranged with the Tyrants. It is as large as the Red-backed Shrike ; its bill is lonp;, flat, befet with bridles, and hooked ; its plumage is gray-bro\vn on the head and back, lighi flate-colour on the throat, yellovviOi on the belly, and light rufous on the great coverts ; its wings cover only the third part of its tail, which is a brov/n a(h-colour, (haded with a little rufous from the wings. We are unacquainted with its inftindts, but thefe features fufficiently charac- terize it ; and as it has the ftrength of the Pipiris, it probably has aUb their habits. [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Mu/dcapa Ludo'viciana :—" It is " brown -cinereous ; below yellowifli ; its throat flate-colour ; the " quills of its wings, and the edges of thofe of its tail, rufous." [ 476 3 BIRDS RELATED TO THE FLVCATCFiKRS, THE MOUCHEROLLES, AND THE TYRANTS. The KINKl-MANOU of MADAGASCAR. l>hifcicapa Cava, Gmel. Jilufciccpa Madagafiarcnjh Cincrea Mojor, Brlfi". 'ihc j'ljb-cok'.'.red I'lycatc'.cy, Lath. 'T^ 11 1 s bird is dlilinguULed from the Hy- "^ catciicrs by its ilze, being almoft as large as a Slirike ; but it refcmbles them in many other characlcrs ; though a contiguous fjiecies, there- fore, it cannot be included among them, but evinces tliat our artilici \\ dividons correlpond not to the dircrim:n:iiing luics traced by Nature. The Kinki-Manou is eigiit inches and a half long, and is bulky ; its head is black j and that colour extends like a round hood on the top of its neck and under its bill ; the upper-part of its body is cincreou<5, and the undcr-part afh- blue; the bill is iliglitly hooked at the tip, and not io firong as that of the Shrike, nor even fo ftrong as that of the I.itde Tyrant ; a few (hort briftles rife from the corner of the bill ; the legs are of a lead colour, and thick and ftrong. The C 477 3 The RED FLYCATCHER. I am of opinion that the Red Flycatcher of Catefby, and thei?^^ Carolina Flycatcher of Brif- Ibn, cannot be referred to the genus of the Fly- catchers, or that of the Moucherolles ; for though its fize, the length of its tail, and even its mode of life, feeni to be analogous, Its bill is thick, large, and yellowilh, which rather points its re- lation to the Yellow Bunting. We fliall there- fore regard it as an anomalous fpecies. It is thus dcfcribed by Catefby : " It is about the bulk of " a Sparrow ; it has large black eyes ; its bill " is thick, ftrong and yellowiili : the w'hole of " the bird is of i line red, except the inner " fringes of the Wi ig-quills, which are brown ; " but thofe fringes are not feen unlefs the wings " are fj'read : it is a bird of palTage, and leaves " Carolina and Virginia in the winter ; the fe- " male is brown, with a yellow fliade." Edwards alio defcribes it, and admits, that it has the bill of the granivorous clal's, only longer. I think adds he, that Catelby found that thefe birds feed upon flies, fince he gives the Latin appellation of Mnfcicapa Rubra. The I 478 ] The D R O N G O. Lanlus Forfcatus, Gmel. Mu/cicapa Madagafcarenjls Nigra Major Crlfiata, DrKT, The Fork-tailed Shrike, Lath. Though nomenclatorshaveclafled this bird with the Flycatchers, it appears to differ widely both from thefe, and from the MoucheroUes; we have therefore feparated it entirely, and afligned it the name of Drongo^ which it receives in Madagafcar. Its characters are : i . Its bulk, being larger than the Blackbird, and thicker: 2. The tuft on the origin of the bill : 3. Its bill IS not fo flat : 4. The tarfus and toes are very ftrong. All its plumage is black, varying with green j diredly under the root of the upper- -mandible fome long and very narrow feathers rife ere£l to the height of an inch and eight lines ; they bend forward, and make a very odd fort of creft ; the two outer-quills of the tail projedt an inch and feven lines beyond the ':wo middle ones ; the others are of an intermediate length, and diverge, which occafions the tail to be very forked. Commerron azures us, that the Drongo has a pleafant warble, which he com- pares to the long of the Nightingale ; and this makes a wide difierencc from the Tyrants, which have all Ihrill criej^, and arc bclidts natives of America. This Drongo was firfl brought from 7 Mudagaicar THE DRONGO. 47J' Madagafcar by Poivre j it has alfo come from the Cape of Good Hope, and from China. We have remarked that the creft is wanting in fome fpecimens, and we have no doubt that the bird fent to the Royal cabinet under the name oi the Forked- tail Flycatcher of Chifta^ belongs to this fpecies, and is perhaps a female; the refem- blance, if we except the creft, being entire be- tween this Chinefe bird and the Drongo. There is alfo a kind of Drongo found on the Malabar coaft, whence 't was fent by Sonnerat: It is rather larger thai that of Madagafcar, or that of China ; its plumage is wholly black, but its bill is ftronger and thicker ; it has not the creft ; and what the moft diftinguifties it are, the two long fhafts which proje^l from the ends of the two outer-quills of the tail ; they are almoft bare for fix inches of theic length, and have webs near their extremities as at their origin. We are unacquainted with the habits of this bird of Malabar ; but they are probably the fame as thole of the Drongo of Madagafcar, fmce the external cliarad:ers arc alike in both. [A] [A] Specific character of the Lcniins For/satiis :—*' hstdjt " is forked ; it has aii cicil cieil on iti front ; Its body is greenifli- " black." Ths f 480 1 The P I A U H A U, Bnjf, Mufc'icapa Ruhr i colli s, Gmcl. Miifcicapa Cayaneiijis Ni^ra Major, Brifl*. ^rijc Purplc-throati'd Flycatcher, Lath. The Piaiihau is larger than any of the Tyrants, and is therefore excluded from the Tiycatchcrs ; indeed, except in its bill, it bears not the leaft analogy to tlicfe, and feems to occupy a detached place in the order of Nature. It is eleven inches long, and is larger than the Miflel Thruih. All its plumage is deep black, except a deep purple fpot that covers the throat in the male, but is wanting in the female ; the wings, when clofcd, extend as far as the end of the tail ; the bill is lixtecn lines long, and eight broad at the bafc, very flat, and ihaped almoft like an iibfceles triangle, with a finall hook at the point. Thefe birds move in flock,?, and commonly precede the Toucans, and always uttciing the fliriil cry p'lbanhau : it is fild that fhey feed upon fruits like the Toucans ; but probably they alio eat the winged infctres, for the catch- ing of which Nature feems to have lafliioned their hill. They are very lively, and almoll in continual motion. They rcfulc only in the woods like the Toucans, and generally haunt the fame fpots. BriObn The ?iauhau* 49l teriflbn afks if the Jacapu of Marcgrave be hot the fame with the Piauhau * ? We may anfwer that it is not. The Jacapu of Marc- grave has indeed a black plumage, with only a purple, or rather a red fpot under its throat ; but at the fame time, its tail is long^ its iving is Jhortf and its Ji'ze is that of a Lark ; thefe cha- raders do not apply to the Piauhau. [A j Thus the Kinki-Manou and the Drongo of Madagafcar, the Red Flycatcher of Virginia and the Piahau of Cayenne, arc all contiguous ipecies, but eflentially different from thofe of the Flycatchers, the Mouchcrollc^y and the Tyrants. • " Jacupu. a bird of the bulk of a Larl: ; Its tail cxtenued ; its legs Ihort and black ; its nails (harp on the four toes ; its bill fomewhat curvec and black, half an inch long ; its whole body is clothed with blixk Ihining feathers ; but under the throat, fpots of vermilion are mixed with this black." [A] Specific charaftcr of the Mu/cicapa RubrieoUh :•—" It is •* black, a great fpace on its chin and throat red." END OP THE FOURTH VOLUME. VOL. IV. I 1