eT ee ied A RP IOR EM OTE ET Ie FIELD COLUMBIAN MUSEUM LIBRARY. em Sees ae wT 7, i SSS SS dy, 1 TAX My YOK) Wi} 4 .) NY) WY .) XY Pome ite y ; 2 Pad me 5 Natural Hiftory Engh{b SON G-BIR DS, And fuch of the Foreign as are ufually brought over and efteemed for their singing. | ¥ To which are added, Figures of the Cock, Hen and Ege, of each Species, exactly copied from Na- ture; by Mr. Eleaxar Alb: And cys tioufly Engraven on Copper. ; LONDON: Printed and fold by 4 Bettefworth and C; Hitch in Pater-nofter-Row; and §. Birt in _ Adve- Mary-Lane, 1737. Spi, i , " Pein We byte - A) M4 Bayt ea ea oD 91 dy % casita, ei ae cs bak”? =k sat Yaar ave ed mega} NO mavexgad yf an \y * *% a QQINGING Birds ave fo pleafant.a, Part of the WD Creation 3 whether we confider their Vayiety, Beau- ty or Harmony ; thar the Animal World does not af- ford more agreeable Objetts tothe Eyes, nor. none that fo-fweerly Gratifies the Sense of Hearing : “They were - undoubtedly defisned ‘by the Great Author of Nature, on Purpofe to eutertaia and. delight Maikind, who, for the Genevality, ave well pleafed with'thefe pretty innocent Creatunes..... 3 f. 3 : Therefore I thought I could not do a more ac- ceptable Service far the Lovers of thefe fweet Chorifters of the Wroods, coxfidering that it had never been yet done, I mean with fuch ufeful Improvements, than to furnifh them with Taftructions for preferving them it their Houfes, becaufe they, cannot always be entertained with their melodious, Mufick ia the Fields. To which End, in a,concife methodical Manner I have given the Defeription, Charatter, &c. of each Species ; the Marks/of Cick and Hen; the Time and Manner of Building their-Nefis; the Number, Co- dour, &c, of their Exes; show to order and bring WP ; the ~Toth READER. ‘ the Young; and whatever elfe is either Pleafant or Neceffary to be kuowit conceruing them, | And to render it ftill move Ufeful and Entertuin- ing; there ave added the Figures of the Cock, Hen; and Ege of each Sort, exattly copied from Nature : This laft very Pleafant, and fuitable Addition, which is univerfally Delightful to all Perfous, is wauting inthe Books that have been hitherto publifbed on this Subjett: Befides thefe, the Reader will find fome Obfervations not to be met with in any Author. 1 ‘do not fay this to under-value any other Man’s Work, No, there ave fome good Performances of this kind Ex- tant; and to which I own myfelf in fome few Par- ticulars a Debtor; and had they exhibited the Figuves of the Birds, &c. as is here done, it would have an- ticipated my Defign. I {hall obferve nothing more coucerning what has bee done by others; and as to this Treatife, only Wifh that my Readers may receive the Satisfattion that was intended by the fincere Endeavours of their Moft humble Servant, A Lover of Birds, , Ney sities dhe Myirecey oN Black et NATURAL HISTORY. O F Englife SiINGING-BIRDs. The Defeription ‘and Charatter of the Black-Bird. exp—=wal LIS is a Bird well known, be- (iG, ing common in moft, if not all the Counties in England ; there- fore needs not a particular De-- = feription. He is the largeft Song- _ Bird that I Rnow of, found in this Kingdom ; and likewife one of the firft that proclaims the welcome Spring, by his fhrill harmonious Voice, as if he were the Harbinger of Na- ture, to awaken the Reft of the feathered Tribe | to prepare for the approaching Sea- eg fon ; 2 4 Natural Hiflory- of fon: And by the fweet Modulation of his tuneful Accents, endeavours to Delight the Hen, and allure her to fubmit to his Em- braces, even before there are Leaves on the Trees, and whilft the Frofts are in the Fields; building their Neft the fooneft of any Bird ; d having young Ones, commonly by the Twenty. Fifth of March, and fometimes by the Mid- | dle of that Month. ~ ‘The’Cock, when kept in a Cage, whiftles. and fings very delightfully all the Spring and Summer-Time; at leaft four or five Months in the Year; isa ftout, hardy Bird; which, befides. his own pleafant natural Note, may be taught to Whiftle, or Play a Tune. - The Black-bird, when wild in the Fields, feeds promifeuoufly upon Berries and Infects : ?’Tis a folitary Bird, that for the moft Part flies fingly. The diftingnifoing Marks of — : Hen. poe % lb 3 an a . HEY are not eafily known by their Colour while young, but the - blackeft Bird generally proves a Cock: The Ivides, or Circle, that circumvefts the Eye in the — young Cock-bird, is yellow ; his Bill is black, and turns not perfeatly Yellow ‘till he is near a Year old: The Bill of an old Cock-bird is — of een Ss om a, | | by Enelith Singing-Birds. = 3 of a deep Yellow; in:the Hen the tip and upper Part is black ;° the Mouth in both. is Yellow within: The Hen, and Cock-birds are rather brown, or of a dark Ruflet, than black, and their Bellies of an Afh-colour ; _ but after-he has mewed his Chicken F eathers, he becomes Cole-black. The Time and Manner of the Black-bird’s © tigre: her Neft, &c. H 1S Bird, as. 1 obferved before, breeds very foon in the Year; has young Ones by the end of March, or fooner : ‘They build their’ Neft very artificially ; the Outfide of Mofs, flender Twigs, Bents, and Fibres of Roots, all very ftrongly cemented, ‘and join’d together with Clay; plaiftering the Infide __alfo, and Lining it with a Covering of {mall Straws, Bents, Hair, or other foft Matter ; upon which fhe lays four or five Eggs, fel- dom more, of a bluifh green Colour, full of dusky Spots. They build pretty open, ge- _ nerally in a Hedge, near the Ground, and ad _ fore there are many Leaves upon the Bufhes, which fo expofes their Neft, confidering the largenefs: of it, that it may be eafily dils covered. The Cavity of a compleat Neft I mea- faved, it was two Inches and an Half deep ; B 2 Diametet 4 A Natural Hiffory of *' Diameter at the Top, four Inches oneWay, and five the other, being of an Oblong Figure ; It weighed thirteen Ounces: The Bird it felf, is in Length, from the Tip of the Bill to the End of the Tail, eleven, of which the Bill is one Inch, and the Tail four Inches long. 211 Of the Young, bow i Order them, 8c. \HE Bilack-bird has either four or five young Ones at a Breeding, hardly ever more or lef$; you may take them at twelve Days old, or foonér; ; they may be raifed with little Trouble, taking Care to keep them - clean, and feeding them with Sheep’s Heart, or other lean Meat, that is not falted, cut very fall, and mixed with a. little Bread ; and while Young, give them their Meat ‘moift, ao and feed them every two Hours, or there- abouts; when they are grown up, feed them with any Sort of Flefh Meat raw or drefled, provided it be not Salt; it will be rather bee ter Food for them, if you mix a little Bread with it; when their Neft grows foul, take ~ them out, and put them into a Cage or Baf- ket, upon clean Straw; and when they can feed themfelves, feperate them. He is a ftout healthful Bird, not very fub- ject to Diforders 5 but, if you find him fick or Englith Singing- Birds, ie or droop at any Time, an Houfe Spider or two will help him; and let him have a lit- tlee Cochineal in. his Water, which is very — chearful and good, They Love to Wafh and Prune their Feathers, therefore, when they are fully grown up, fet Water in their Cages for that Purpofe. | It is to be remembered at all Times, to give your Birds wholefome good Food, never ftale or four, and to be ever Mindful of keeping them clean ; ’tis the beft, Means to make all Kinds of Birds. thrive, by pre- venting many Difeafes they are Subject too; occafioned chiefly from being kept Nafty, and with bad unwholefome Food. Black-birds are not taken Old and tamed, ; but always brought uP from the Neft. 99 _Of the Song-Thurhh. T he Defcription and Charatler. B HE common Song-Thurfh is a little lef than the Black-bird: The upper Sure face of the Body, is of an Olive Colour, with a Mixture of Yellow in the Wings; the Breaft Yellowith, {potted with dusky Spot, and the Belly White. There 6 A Natural Hiflory of © »>' There are three or four other Sorts of | Lharfhes found in England; as firft, the great Thurfo, called the Mifél-bird, Mea/le-Taw, or Shrite, which in the Colour and Spots-of the Breaft’and Belly, agrees with the Song- Tharfb, but isa bigger Bird: Heis very beau= tiful to look at, but not valued for Singing, therefore feldom kept ina Cage. - The fecond Sort, called the Redwing, Swinepipe, or Wind-Thur/b, is in Shape and : Colour, fo like the Song-Thur/b, that they | are hard to be diftinguifhed, only the latter hath more and greater Spots on the Breaft and .Belly, and is fomewhat bigger: This Kind is in no efteem for Singing. It is a Bird of Pafflage, that fhifts Places according to the Seafons of the Year; but whither it goes, is not to us perfectly known. The third Sort is called the fmall Heath- Thurfo, from its Building upon Heaths and Commons; he is of a darker Colour_than ~ any of the other of the Zhrufh Kind, and by fome valued for Singing; but as none of the Sorts are comparable to the common: Song- Thurfb, at 'eaft, to my Fancy, nor fo well known, I fhall fay no more of them, but of the Song-7 burfo only; which is a curious Bird, as well for the great Variety of his Notes, as his long Continuance in Song, which is at leaft nine Months in the Year. In the Beginning of the Spring,. he fits on high apie ant Enelitt Stiepinge Birds. 7 and fings bie {weetly, and is as Delight- ful a Bird, as a Perfon can defire to keep in a Cage; ‘fome of them, when they have . been brought up from the Neft, have learnt the Waodelark:s, Nightingale’s, and other cu- rious Birds Songs. in. | The Marks of the Cock and The HE Cock and-Hen of this Kind are _ fo much a-like in the Colour of their - Feathers and Shape of their Bodies, that, notwithftanding I have carefully examined. them divers Times, could not Dilcover, any certain external Marks, whereby to know the one from other’: Yet, thus much I have difcovered, which will appear to a nice Ob- ferver; in a full feathered Bird, the Dusky, or Olive Colour on his Back, Gc. is fome- _ what darker than the Back, &c. of the Hen Birds and has a more elofly Caft.s. the Spots on his Breaft and Belly, feem darker ‘and brighter likewife, and rather more White appears on his Belly. It is obferveable, that in the Gicks and Hens of all Kinds of Birds, were the Co-. lours are the fame in both, yets the Cock. ‘bird conftantly excels the Hen in the Refplen- dency of his Feathers: In the Song-Thurfo, in an old Bird, this Difference. is Apparent ; but | 4 A Natural Hiffory of but then we are not put to fuch Difficulties to Know the Cock, he fufficiently Difcovers ' himfelf by his fine Song. In young Zhurfbes, 1 would always choofe the fleckeft and brighteft Bird: When they begin to Feed themfelves, both Cocks and Hens will Record: The Cock will get upon his Perch, and fing his Notes low, for fome Time; the Hen will attempt to fing, but do | it only by Jerks, and fo difappoint your Ex- _pectation. At the latter End of the Sum- mer, when their Moulting is over, the Cocks will break out ftrong in Song, and fing in Winter, as well as Summer. — The {Time and. Manner of the bailing her Neft. HIS Bird breeds very early in the 2- Spring, near as foon as the Black-bird, — fhe commonly has young Ones by the end of March, or Beginning of April, 1 faw a Neft of young, about the fifth or fixth of April this Year, notwithftanding it has been a cold Spring, which were well feathered, and at leaft twelve Days old. The Thurfb builds in Woods or Orchards, fometimes in a thick Hedge near the Ground. The Outfide of her Neft confifts of fine foft green Mofs, interwoven with dead Grafs, Hay, Englith Singing: Birds. o Hay, @c.. The Infide very curioufly plaifter- ed with Cow-dung, not dawbed, as fome have faid, but with better Skill than many of our Wiitcrere. could do the fame Work. Noze, the Black-bird always Plaifters with Clay or Mud,’ this Bird always with Cow-dung ; 3 the ) ‘other lays a Covering of foft Stuff in the - Infide to lay her Eggs upon; the Thur, My lays hers upon the bare Infide or Plarftering, but not ’till ic is thoroughly dry; five or fix ~ in Number, of a bluifh ‘green Colout, fpeck- hs ae Ee , Fey Se: PoM Kanye led with a ‘few {mall black arg: chiefly a at the biggeft End. =. | ~The Hollow: of a compleat Nek I ttieas fared; ‘was two Inches and a Half deep; the Diameter of the Infide at the Top four Inches; — it was exactly round, and the whole Neft weighed one Ounce” Ged three Quarters.—TI examined two more at the fame ‘Time; which were nearly of the fame Dimenfions with this, but in Weight, one ‘three Ounces, the: other three and an Half. The Length of a full grown Bird, from the Point of the Bill, to the end of the Tail, is nine Inches; of. which the Bill is one, and the Tail three and a half; therefore, ‘allowing for Tail, Bill, and | Head, which always lie out when: “fhe Ste i in 3 her !Néft, the Cavity is juft fitted to receive _ her Body. The fame I have obferved of the Nefts of fome other Birds; efpecially fuch as” +: aga with Sides, vm make deep: Cavi- ties, xo Al Natural Hiffory of ties. ‘The Bird ftands within Side, wher ‘fhe is at Work, and makes her own Body the me of hei: Dimenfions, in snp de the tome bis to Onder them, 8c... H h Shingo. hurfo bik five or fix. young Ones at a Breeding; they may be taken : at ache or fourteen Days old, or fooner if it be mild Weather ; they muft be kept warm ‘and clean, and fed with raw Meat, Bread, and Hemp-Seed bruifed; the Meat cat’ final, and the Bread a little wet, and then mixed - together) Feed them once in ‘about twoHours ; you muft be fure to keep them very neat anid clean, take their Dung away every Time you feed them: : When their Neft:grows very foul, take themrout, and: put them in-clean:Straw ; and when they are pretty well feathered,: put — them ina large Cage-with two or three Perches in it, and dry Mots or Straw. at the Bottom. “When they are grown up, you may feed them with any Thing of Flefh Meat, boil’d, raw, or rofted, provided it be not Salt, or you may by Degrees intirely wean them of Flefh, and give them only Bread and Hempéfecd ; but I ap- a. | Pee ne =a Get ; tee or: eee, Ae $ : “ yy (A eh ee Ee GE OR prove of Flefh, mixt with Bread, as'the beft ue Food. Give them frefh Water twice a Week to Wafh.themfelves ; otherwife they will not thrive : If they are’ ‘kept bbity, it will give them MV Wiis Hpk Ad Larioer, ZA ran! pe 20, Cock, Men, and. fog. Starting, : Englith, Singing-Birds. ) LL them the Cramp, which ‘they are. yery fube. ject too. Good Vietaals, Water, and. clean niques is the beft Means to prevent.it.... ‘The Lhurfh, whenin, the Fields; feeds on Ineéts and: Snails, as alfo; Berries, of. white T hor and Mifletoe. Of he eae “The Defeription and Charaltrel | * HE Starling i is near as big” as the Black= bird, and in Shape, very much like that Bird. Tt does not fing naturally, but has a wild, fcreaming, uncouth Note; yet “for his aptnefs in imitating Man’s Voice, and fpeaking Articulately, and his Learning to Whiftle: divers Tunes, is highly valued as a very pleafant Bird ; and when well taught, will fell for a great deal of Money, BYE Guineas or more. > They are gregarious Birds, livide and Aye ing together in great Flocks: They Company alfo with Redwings and Fieldfares; yet, they do not Fly away with eros but abide hia us: ‘all the Year. , | | The Dis ap Oi Cock and Hen. HERE isa Mark peculiar to the Cock of this Kind, whereby. he may be known fom the Hen, . whilft Young. | Under his C'3 ae Kony st r2 A Noirdral Hiflory of Tonge he has a black Stroak, very plaia to be feen if you open: his Mouth, which the Hen-hath not} or, at leaft fo faint, that *tis hardly. vifible’s but’ the 'firft Time the Cock moults “his” Feathers: the lofes that black Stroak: He may hie be known from “the Hen by: his Colours, in the Beauty of which, he much excels her, His Breaft has a caft of Green, Red," Purple, &c, elfe the Feathers all over his Body. are Black,with a blue and pur- ple Glofs, yarying, as it is varioufly expofed to the Light; only the, tips of the et on his Head, Neck, and Breaft are Yellowi and on the ‘Belly, @&c. White: Al his Spots and Colours, are brighter than thofe' of the Hen. Tie Bill of the Cock is of a pale Yellow, inclining to hcg in the Hen, Bekint a! The Tine, &c. of the Starli ing’s big i pees Nef. rps Bird ufually peers in May, has young Ones fit to take towards the End of that Month, fometimes by the Middle of it. Ehey build their Neft in the Holes of Towers, Pidgeon-Houfes, Trees, Ge. Phe Goodnefs of thefe Birds does not depend up- on the Places where they Breed, tho’ fome haye given the Preference to one Sort,’and ~ fome og ~ Englifh Singing-Birds. oe fome to the other; for my Part, I could never find fuch a Difference as to efteem one Sort before the other, for the fame Birds may build in any of thofe Places, as they find it moft convenient for'them. She lays four or five Eges lightly tin@ured with a greenifh Blue. SOK (O34 | : of | the Young, how. to Order them, 8c. ) PUNHE Starling has four or five young ie Ones at a Breeding; they may be taken when double Pen-feathered, which is :about ten: Days old; taking the fame Cate in keep- ing them very clean and warm, as was directed - in the Black-bird and Thurfb: You may put © them in a Basket in clean Straw, :and: bring them up with the fame Meat, and after the fame Manner as young Black-birds, feeding them every two Hours, five or fix {mall Pieces at a Time; let them have enough, but never over-load the Stomachs of young Birds, it does them more Harm than Good. Every Time you feed, or take them in Hand, you may Talk to them what you would have them learn; they aré apt Birds, and will take. it prefently. To flit their Tongues, as many People Advife and Practice, that the Birds, as, they fay, may fpeak the Plainer, is of no Seryice, they will Talk as well without, as I : have 14) A Natural FHiffovy of © have found by Experience; as will hkewife Magpies,’ and. other, Talking Birds... When they can Feed themfelves, put them in a large Cage ‘with: clean Straw, ‘or Mofs at:the Bot- tom, and give them fometimes clean Water to Wafh themfelves in ; this is the moft fure Method to have good healthful Birds, fuch as will Reward your Trouble in bringing them up. The Staring, when wild, feeds upon Beetles, Worms, and other Infeets. - The Length of a full grown Bird, from the tip of his Bill to the end of ‘his Tull “is nine Inches; of which the Bill is an Inch and a Diaticr, and the Tail three Inches long; and when in Eleth, weighs about three - Ounces. The Bird. is naturally, hardy and Health ful; but when kept in a Cage, is fubject to the Cramp, Fits, ¢c. fometimes it feizes him fo fuddenly, that he will fall down. from his Pearch and beat himfelf to Death prefently ; a Spider, or Meal-worm is a good Remedy again{t it, giving him two or three at a Time, twice or. thricea Week. If you give him good Meat and Drink, as I faid by the Bluck- bird, and keep him clean, it will prevent his Fits, or any other Diforder, better than it Agine-ch elie, that 1 know off. ¥ OF Re: Se A ABR AN Le) eres +S Engh ; iy dri 15 Of the Bullfinch. The De feviption ut Charter. ULLFINCHES': are fo called ott their Heads; which “are Black, and for the Proportion of their Bodies large : In fome Places in England, they are called Noges, in others, Z/ bick-bills, and in fome Hoops; This ' daft Name they have, probably, from. their wild: hooping fort of a Note. ‘They are very docile Birds, the Hen Learning after the Pipe or Whiftle, as well as the Cock, having no Song of their own, but what is taught them, in which they excel moft Birds; and the peculiar Rarity of thefe Birds 1s, "that they _ never forget what they have once learnt, tho’ they hang among ever fo many Birds: Some have been taught to {peak feveral Words at Command: ’Tis a Bird much efteemed in England, both for Beauty and Singing; and | defervedly in my Judgment; for, in the for- mer, he equals, and in the latter, when. well taught, excells all {mall Birds; they have been frequently fold from five to ten Guineas a Bird. Thefe Birds delight to Feed upon the Buds of. Fruit ‘Trees, fuch as the Apple; Pear, Peach, and ‘other Garden Trees; of which, they 16 A Natural Hiffory of they only take the blowing Buds, and by that Means do great Damage to the Gardeners ; who, therefore hate and deftroy them, asa great Peft of their Gardens. They fay, in fome Part of the Kingdom, a Reward is given by the Church-Wardens for every Bul/finch that’s killed; if fo, that may be affigned as cone Reafon of their Scarcity ; being lefs com- mon than moft other Singing Birds that Breed with us. The Marks of the Cock and Hen. \HE Cock is in Bignefs, equal to the - Hen, but hath a flatter Crown, and ex- cels her in Beauty of his Colours; a lovely Scarlet, or Crimfon, adorns his Breaft; the Feathers on the Crown of the Head, and thofe /.. that Compafs the Bill, are of brighter Black i than thofe of the Hen: If both are feen to- gether the one may very eafily be known from the other; the Colours in the Cock being much more Refplendant than in the Hen; but whilft the Birds are young, it is | more difficult to diftinguifh them: One of the fureft Ways is, to pull off a few Feathers — from their Breafts when they are about three Weeks old, and in about ten or twelve Days after, you will perceive the Feathers to come where you haye pulled, of a curious Red, if i a Cock; Enelith ‘Singing-Birds. 17 a Cock, if a Hen, they will come of a palith Brown. The Time, Manner, - &c. of a ‘ide HE. Bulléuch breeds late in the Spring ; feldom ie young Ones before. the End of gta: or Beginning of “Yune- She. builds -in.an Orchard, Wood, or Park, where there are Plenty of Trees, oron Fcarhioe? Her Neft is not very common to be found; ’tis an ordinary mean Fabrick, made with feemingly little Art : She lays four or five Eggs, of a bluifh Colour, fpotted at the biggeft End, with Bree dark brown, and faint reddith Spots. 4 the Young, and how to Order shem, 8ic. OU muft not take thefe Birds too young 5 let them be well feathered firft, at leaft twelve, or fourteen Days old; keep them warm and clean, feed them every two Hours, from Morning until Night, giving them lit- ole at’ a Time: Their Meat muft be Rape. Seed foaked in clean Water,’ eight or ten Hours; then fcalded, Strained, and bruifed, mixt with an equal Quantity of white Bread foaked.in fair Water, boiled with a little Milk to a thick Confiftency ; ‘Make but little at a Time, but? let them have frefh every a it being apt to four in two Days, and ay D fuch 18 AA Natural Hiffory of © - fach Meat will fpoil the Birds: When, they begin to feed themfelves, break them from this foft Meat as foon as you can; then give them Rape and Canary-feed, the fame as you do the Linnet, but more of the former than ~ the latter. If at any Time you perceive them out of Order, put a blade of Saffron in their Water; and you may try them with the Wood-lark’s Meat, or fine Hemp-feed, but Keep moftly to Rape, with a little Canary-— feed mix’d with it. You muft remember often to Pipe, Whiftle, or Talk to them, whilft they are young, what your are minded they fhould learn, and ou will find them foon take it. 3 A Ballfinch at full Growth is fix Inches long, from Point of Bill to the End of the Tail, of which the Tail is two Inches : In W eight thirteen Drams. © Of the Goldfinch, Which in fome Places, from its feeding in Wintér Time on the Seeds a cee | called, Thiftle- finch ; The Defeription and. rg i SS : is every where in England well known, | and highly efteemed both for Singing aad tor the Elegancy re its Colours, being cer- by YY ih My, WM Wy My ify ww oS “ N NY ee KAW A an : i ANY AN ® aN * \\ rene aA Englith Singing-Birds: 19 tainly the moft Beautiful and Fineft-feathered of all Cage Birds: A Ring of curious Scar- let-coloured Feathers encompaffes the Fore- part of his Head, or Bafis of the Bill; and from the Eyes to the Bill on each Side, 1s drawn a black Line; the Jaws are White, the Top of the-Head Black, from which a- broad black Line is produced on both Sides, ‘almoft to the Neck; the hinder Part of the Head is White; the Neck and Fore-part of _ the Back are of a reddifh Afh-colour; the Rump, Breaft, and Sides of the fame, but a little Paler; the Belly whitifh; the Wangs — and Tail Black, only the Tips of the princi- pal Feathers in both are White; befides, the Wings are adorned with a moft beautiful Tranfverfe Stroak of Yellow or Gold-colour. I fhould not have been fo Particular in de- {cribing the Colours of this Bird, but I think the great Variety that Nature has painted it with, wherein it excels all fmall. Birds, at leaft what are found in thefe Parts of the World, make it deferving of it; yet by Rea- _ fon of Age, Sex, or: other Accidents, . the Goldfinch fometimes varies from thefe Colours. They are of a mild and gentle Nature, as may even thence appear, that prefently after they are caught,without ufing anyArt or Care, they will fall to their Meat and Drink ; nor are they fo affrighted at thePrefence of a Man as moft other Birds are wont to be, nor very D 2 much 260° 0©— A Natural Hiftory of much troubled at their Imprifonment in a Cage; for, if they have éontinyed there a good while; they like it fo well, that though you let them loofe, they’ will not Ay away 5 but when’ feared, fly dire@ly to their Cage for Shelter, a$ 1 have proved by Experience, | Theyare called in fome Places, Draw- waters, from their aptnefs to learn to draw their Water when they want to Drink, ina little Ivery Bucket, faftened to a fimall Cihitit; made for that Purpofe: Tis a pretty Sight to fee with what Dexterity thefe little Creatures . will'pull up their Bucket, Drink, and throw 1 it down again; and lift up the Lid of a {mall Box, or Bin, with their Bill; to come at their Meat, &c.'° They are wonderfiilly delighted with viewing themfelves in a Glafs, fixed to. the Back of their Bucket-board, where they will fet upon their Perch, Pruning and Dref- fine themfelves with the greateft Care imagin- able, often looking in the Glafs, and placing every Feather in the Niceft Order; no Lady can take greater Pleafure, or be more nice in Dreffing herfelf than this little beautiful — | Bird is in reétifying all Diforders in his Plume, noi fuffering a Feather to lay a mifs. 7 The Goldfinch is a long lived Bird, that will fometimes reach to the Age of twenty Years: Mr. Willoughby makes mention of one that lived Twenty-three Years. ‘They are Birds that fly in Flocks, of Companies ; and when Englifh Singing- Birds. 21 when at Liberty, Delights to feed upon the ee of T jae Teafel, Hemp, Dock, &c. in The Maske af the Cock and Fen, ‘HE Feathers on the Ridge of the Wing in the Cock are Cole-black, quite apt the Shoulder, whereas in the Hen Bird, though they appear Black, are of a grey, or dusky Afh-colour, when compared to thofe of the Cock: He is browner on the Back and Sides of *the Breaft; the Red, Yellow, and in fhort, all his Colours are much brighter than thofe of the Hen: Thefe are conftant, infallible Marks, by which the Cock may be _ known from the Hen, either old or young: - Befides, the Hen hath a fimaller Note, and fings not fo much. T he Time, Manner, &c. of Building their Nef HE Goldfinch begins to build in April, when the Fruit Trees are in Bloffom: As they excel all our fmall Birds in Beau- ty of Feathers, fo do they likewife in Art: Their Neft is not only very fmall, but ex- ceeding pretty ; the Outfide confifts of very fine Mofs, curioufly Interwoven with other foft 22 | A Natural Hiffory of © foft Bisse ; the Infide lined with Delicate fine Down, Wool, @c. She lays fix or feven whitd Eges, Speck’ d and Markt with a Red- dithybrown. ‘To find their Neft is not very eafy, for they generally build in Fruit-Trees, ms Apple, Pear, Plumb, &c. but moft com-— B nly in the Apple, pretty high upon the anches, where either the Bloffom or Leaves FAtercept our Sight ; and at fuch a Time, when we cannot come at them without the Hazard of damaging the Bloom, or young Fruit. I have known thefe Birds very often to build in the Elder-Tree; and fometimes in Thorns and Hedges; but noe near fo common as in Fruit-Trees. : \ (a the Young, how to Order them, &e. pur Goldfinch has fix or feven young Ones at a breeding; they are tender Birds, and therefore fhould not be taken too foon; let them be pretty well feathered firft ; they ‘will not be fullen, like the young of many other Birds, by flaying too long im the Neft; when.you take them, prepare their Meat after this Manner: Soak white Bread in fair Water, ftrain it, and then Boil it, with a little Milk, ’till. ’tis as thick as Hafty-pud- ding, adding to it, a little Flower of Canary- feed ; with “this Meat feed. them every two | \ PORE oss ! Englith Singing-Birds. eg) Hours, or oftner, giving them butdittle at a - ‘Time, two or three fmall Bits only ; begin to feed them about Sun-rifing, and continue after this Manner, “till Sun-fetting: Let them have frefh Vidtuals every Day, or every other Day at fartheft; when you have fed them a _ Month, or thereabouts, begin to break them — from this loft Meat, by giving them alittle -Canary-feed, and foft Meat befides;. when you find. they feed pretty freely upon the Seed, keep them conftantly to that Diet, tho’ they will eat Hemp-feed, and fome other Kinds of Seed,, yet’ I never found it agree fo well . with ‘them as the Canary. ; If a young Goldfinch be brought up wader | the Canary-bird, the Woodlark, or any other — fine finging Bird, he will take their Song very readily: 1am told of a Lady that has one of thefe Birds at this prefent Tie; that. will Talk very finely. A Cock-bird, bred from the Nef, will Cou- ple with a Hen Canary-bird, and produce a Bird between both Kinds; partaking of the _ ‘Song, and Colours of ‘both. The Length of a-full. grown Bicd, from, the ‘Tip. of his Bill to the end of his Tail, is five Inches and a half; of which the latter is two, and the former a little more than half aan Inch long; when in Flefh the Bird weighs _ about an Ounce. This, Mere. Al Natural Hiffory of This, as I faid before, is a long lived and _ wery healthful Bird, that is feldom out of Order; but when I find him droop, I give him ‘Saffron i in hisWater, if -he has a fcouring, crumble a little dry Chalk in his Cage, or a- mong his Seed, or ftick a Bit betwixt: the ~ Wiers of his Cage, and Gravel at the Bottom, and try him with a little 'Thiftle-feed, or other ’ Seeds which they Delight to feed upon when wild: The firft may be found in the great Thiftle, at the Bottom of a white Down, — Thefe Birds are taken almoft at any Time of the Year, either with Lime-Twigs, or the Clap-net, in great Numbers ; the young Flight in Yune, Fuly, or Augufi, but the beft Time for catching them is about Michael- mas: "They frequent the Fields where the Thiftle, and thofe other Seeds grow, as men=— tioned before: They are eafily caught, be- ing of fo gentle and familiar a Nature, and _ will both feed and fing prefently ; ; when you — firft take them, you may give them Hemp- feed, or fome of the fame they love to feed upon in the Fields; you may foon bring . ‘ethem to feed on the Canary, which is more wholefome, and agrees better hago i than Hemp-feed. Of la Eniglith Singing-Birds: = bs Of the Chaffinch. ‘The Defeription ae Charatter: o HE Chaffinch is a ftout, ‘handy well : known Bird ; being common almoft in every 7 ice or Hedge ; of the Bignefs of the Bullfinch ; \avith in his Song, and when brought up from the Neft, or Branchers, will fing fix or feyen Months in the Year; > the wild, not above three Months; and chiefly in breeding Time. Some of thefe Birds prove good and — valuable, but the erie Part not worth keeping. . °Tis a Cuftom among the Bird-men, when _ they want to learn the Chaffinch ‘a Song, to _ blind him when he is about three of ‘four Montlis old; which is done by clofing up his _ Eyes with a Wier made almoft Red-hot, be- caufe, as they fay, he will be more Atten- _ tive, and learn the better; bat Iam fire it. would be much better never to confine them in Cages, than Purchafe their Harmony by fach Ufage. I think it is enough to de- -prive thefe little innocent Creatures of Li- berty for our Pleafure and Entertainment ; but to put out their Eyes to encreafe it, is ex- ceedingly Barbarous. If what they affign. for this, is true; yet the Practice is cruel; : Ez and 26 Natural Hiffory of | and what no one, who has any Tender- nefs in his Nature would ever be guilty of. This poor Bird, befides the Pain of the firft Operation, and what he fuffers before, to pre- pare him for it, by being kept in: Darknefs till he can find his Meat, &c. and the Mifery that follows for a Fortnight or more, is fome- - times tortured a fecond Time, becaufe, per- haps he has rubbed his Eyes open again, of the Cruelty was to favourably perform’d. « The Marks of the Cock and Hen. “FFE Male of this Kindmay be diftin-. ff = guifhed from the Female, at ten or” twelve Days old’; the Difference is very plain, if you View them together: I havea Neft _ of young Ones before. me at this Time, of B that Age;) the Cock-bird has a great deal more White in his Wing then the Hen, par- ticularly. on his Pinion ; his Breaft is remark- ably Redder, and the Feathers of the whole _ Bird of a higher and brighter Colour than the Hen’s. In an old Bird, the Head of the Cock is bluifh, the Back of a Reddifh-brown, with a:Mixture of Afh-colour or Green ; the Breaft of a fine Red; and the Belly under the Tail White. .The Colours of the Hen are not fo bright and lively ; her Rump is Gieen, Back not. foBrown, and the Belly nef Bis at aeeG, Englith Singing-Birds. 47 Red, eri to a dirty Kind of Green; the Breaft is alfo of a duller Colour, more upon the sige The Time and Manner of Building PR Neff, &c. | HE Chaffinch breeds in May, ad has young Ones the Beginning of that Month. She builds near the Top of an high Hedge; or on the Branches in the Side of a Tree: Her Neft is the prettieft of all {mall Birds, excepting the Goldfnches, which I think excels it in Beauty: The Outfide .is green Mofs, {mall Sticks, withered Grafs, Horie and ~ Cow "Hair, Wool, Feathers, @c. the Infide lined with Feathers, Hair, Wool, @c. making an exceeding fofr Bed for her young. The Infide, or Cavity of the Neft, is an Inch and three Quarters deep ; the Diameter two Inches and ahalf; and nctwithftanding the Bottom and Sides of this curious Fabrick, were near an Inch thick, the whole Weight of a come pleat Neft was no more than. feven. Drams, Another Neft, whofe Dimenfions agreed with this, wastwo Drams lighter. ‘The Bird it felf, when fully Grown, weighs about fourteen Drams: Its Length from the End of the Bill, ‘tothe End of the Tail, is fix Inches; of Which the latter is two and a half long. She lays Ee CaN ene 28 AA Natural Hiffory of ufually four Eggs, but fometimes five, of a ‘whitifh Colour, {potted with a few, large, Reddifh-brown Spots, with a few fmall Specks and Streaks at the bigeft End of the fame Colour. | e. Of the Young, how to Order them, 8c. GAS Chaffinch has commonly but four young Ones at a breeding, you may take them when they are about ten Days old; and feed them as you do the Goldfinch or Linnet ; they are hardy Birds that may be eafily raifed : And when they are out of Order, apply the fame Things as you do to thofe Birds when fick. ‘ Thefe Birds are taken with Clap-nets in great Plenty, in ase and Fuly, efpecially the young Flight, which we call Brauchers, when they come to Drink at their Watering- Place, &c. therefore “tis hardly worth the Trouble of bringing them from the Neft, though fome that are bred under the {weet Song Chaffinch, fometimes proye very good Birds. ~ 7 Le YY} A Li es = SS Ss SSSSn NSS aN ASS \ Green Birdjlock Henand Cgg. « Englifh Singing-Birds. 29 Of the Green-finch, Green-linnet : Or, as it is commonl ly called, the Green-bird ; The Defcription and Charatter. JT is a little bigger than the Chaffinch, of a A ftrong hardy Nature: They are frequent- ly kept in Cages, but not much efteemed for Singing ; they are more valued for their Learn- ing to Ring the Bells in a Cage contrived for that Purpofe: Tho’ fome of them, if brought up from the Neft, will learn to Pipe, Whiftle, and the Song of ‘moft other Birds. At the Beginning of Winter, and in hard | Weather, they eather j in F locks, and may be taking with the C lap-nets in great Numbers. The Marks of the Cock and Hen. IS Head and Back are Green, the Edges of the Feathers Greyifh; and the Mid- dle of the Back hath fomething of a Chefnut- colour intermix’d: The Fore-part of his Head, Neck, and Breaft, quite down to his Belly, and Rump, are of a deep Yellowifh green ; the lower Belly inclining to Whitifh: The Borders Ve A Natural Hiflory of Borders of the outermoft Quill-feathers of the Wings are of an elegant Yeliow; and the Feathers along the Ridge of the Wing, are of a lovely Yellow likewife. The Colours of the Hen are not fo bright and lively ; and on the Breaft and Back hath oblong dusky Spots; where the Cock is of a fine Yellow, her Co- louis are of a fordid Green. The young Cock- birds, as foon as they are feathered, may be Known from Hens, # the fame Brightnefs in their Colours. , ) : aide The Time and Manner of their Building. PESHE Green-bird has young Ones about R the Middle of May. She. builds in “Hedges, aud makes a large Neft; the out- moft Part of which confifts. of Hay, Grafs, Stubble, @c. The Middle of Mofs; the in- moft, on which the Eggs lie, of Feathers, Wool, Hair, &c. foft and pretty. She lays five or fix Eggs, of a very faint Green-colour, forinkled with {mall reddifh Spots, efpecially at the blunt End. The Infide was an Inch ~ and a Quarter deep, and four wide; the whole Compofition weighed eleven Drams¥ another Neft I] examined at the fame Tithe, differed not in Weight quite half a Dram, and had Dinenfions “equal likewife. The Bird from _ the End of his Bill to the End of the Tailis — fix pz iH i ET i} ZL j ee Englith Singing-Birds.. 34° fix Inches and a half; the Bill is half an Inch ; and the Tail two and a Quarter. ‘Its . Weight is about fixteen Drams. | tf the Young, ‘tahag to Order hee sc. | \HE has five or fix young ‘Ones.at a Breed- “ding; they may be taking at ten Days old, and brought up with the fame Food and Management as Linuets, or other Birds of the Finch Kind ; they are not very Tender, only keep them clean, and there is no Fear but they will thrive. And after all, I cannot re- commend them for pleafant Cage Birds. If you regard his Colours, he is as finely fea- thered as moft Birds ; and in an Aviary makes as pretty a Show as the beft of them. _ | He is feldom Sick; but when he is, give him what you give Linnets ox Chaffinches, of the Jeeta Linnets The Defcription and Charatter. J.OR the Sweetnefs of its Singing, the Linnet is fo much efteemed, that by many Perfons, he is thought to excel all {mall — Birds: He has: certainly a curious -fine’ Note, little inferiour to the beft of Birds ; he may be Taught likewife to. Pipe, Whiftle, or the. Song 32 A Natural Hiflory of Song of any other fine Bird; but as his own is fo good, that Trouble is unneceffary ; ; the natural Note. of any fine Song Bird, to my Fancy, is ever to be preferred, but where the Bird has but an indifferent Song of his own, then to learn him to Pipe, Whiftle, &c. is Pleafant, and well worth the Trouble. He is pretty apt in Learning, if you bring him up from the Neft, and will take the Wood-lark’s Song to Perfection, or that of Canary Bird’s. The Marks of the Cock and Hen. by a may know the Cock-bird, either old or young by thefe two Marks ; firft, the Feathers on his Back are much Browner than’ thofe of the Hen; fecond, by the White of _ hisWing. Take your Linnet, when the Wing- feathers are Grown, and Stretch out hisWing, holding his Body faft with the other Hand, and then obferve the White upon three or four Feathers; if it appears clear and bright, and Reaches up to the Quills, it is a fure Sign of a Cock-bird; for the White in the Wing of the Hen is much lefs, and fainter. | The Time and Manner of their Building. % HE Linnet has young Ones by the ick _ of April, or Beginning of May; builds commonly i in a thick Bufh or Hedge; I have féen her in both black and ‘white Boia’: fhe — ihe En olith Singing-Birds, 33 likewife builds among Furze - Buthes, a, making a {mall pretty “Nett: The Outfide of Bents, dry’d Weeds, and other ftubbly Mar- ter; and the Bottom all matted together: The Infide of fine foft Wool, or Cotten, mixed with downy Stuff eathered from dry’d Plants; with a few Horle Hairs, exceeding “Neat and Warm... The Cavity of this Neft was one Inch deep; Diameter three Inches, and the Weight five Drams. ‘The Neft here defcribed, was taking with young Ones in a Furze, May. the Ninth, this prefent Year, I believe the Nett which the Linnet builds in a Hedge, differs from this in the Materials ; I had not an Opportunity now of examining both. She lays either four or five white Eggs, with fine red Specks, efpecially at the Blea End. The Bird, including Bill and ‘Tail, five Inches and a half long, of which ie _ former is balf an Inch, the latter two and a Quarter ; in Weight ten Drams, si the Young, how to Order them, &c. MA\HE Linnet has four or five young Ones ~ at a Breeding; they may .be taken at ten Days old, or fooner; they will learn the Song of another Bird the better for being took young ; but be fure to keep them very Warm, and feed them once in two Hours, from Six in $8. AA Natural Biffory of in the Morning, till fix-or feven at Night: Prepate their Meat as was direéted by the Buil- finch, viz. Rape-feed foaked in Water ‘eight ér ten Hours; then fcalded, ftrain’d, and bruifed, iningled with an equal Quantity of white Bread, foaked in fair Water, ftrained and boiled with a littl Milk; as -I faid be- fore, to a thick Confiftancy ; let them have frefh every Day, becaufe four Meat will fling the Birds into a fcouring, which often brings Death; when they begin to feed themfelves, fet fcalded Rape-feed in their Cages, to wean them from, the Bread and Milk as 6A as pof- fible, becaufe, fometimes feeding too long up- on foft F ood, will make them Rottent ‘Tt will be a Month or fix Weeks before they will be able to crack their Seeds, and live entirely upon hard Meat. In the mean while, for Change of Diet, you may give them fome of the Wood-lark’s, or other Birds Viétuals. There are other forts of Food made Ufe of — in bringing up young Lizuets, but this is proved to anfwer as well as any. The Lintets Difeafes and their Cures. HIS is a very healthful Bird, I have known them kept many Years without ailing any Thing : But fometimes he is troubled with Melancholy, occafioned from a Swelling at the End of his Rump, which, if Englith Singing-Birds.. 35 if Ripe, you may with a Needle let out the Corruption,; and anoint the Part, with the Ointment made of frefh Butter and Capons ' Greate, and feed: him; for two or three. Days with the Seeds and Leaves of Lettice,. or Beets, or the,Seeds of Melon chopt in Pieces, which he willeat very greedily ; and when you find him to mend, take the Melon Seeds, &c. away, and give him. his old Diet again: You may put into, his Water, a Blade: of Saffron, and white Sugar-Candy. for a Week or more, till you perceive the mre to be entirely, re- — govered. The Difeafe this Bird is moft troubled with, is a fcouring ; occafioned by bad Seeds, and many Times for want.of Water. Thereare | three Sorts of this Diftemper; the firft very thin, and with a black Subftance in the Mid- fics which is not very Dangerous. The fe- cond: is between a Black and a.White, but not fo thin as the other, but very clammy and fticking, this is worfe than the former, It is recovered by giving the Bird fome Melon Seed fhred ; Lettice Seeds, and Beet Seeds - bruifed; ee in his Water put Liquorice, or Saffron. "The third and worfe fort.of fcouring is the white Clammy, which is Dangerous,and ~Mortal, if not looked after in Time. For this, give him firft Flax-feeds, taking .away all other Seeds; ; then give him Plantain-feeds, F 2 ae 46 A Natural Hiffory of af Green, otherwife they will do him no good : For want of Plantain-feeds, give him fome of the Leaves fhred fmall, or a little bruifed Hemp-feed 5 putting into his Water as be- fore, Sugar- ‘Candy, Liquorice, or a Blade or two of Saffron: You may give the Bird now and then a {mall Matter of feeded Chick- weed, and a little Chalk. You muft be Dili- gent at the firft to obferve him when he is Sick, that fo he may have a Stomach to eat: For ‘this Third and worft Sort of Scouring, if it be not taken at the firft Appearance, it immediately caufeth him to droop, and in two or three Days his Stomach will be quite gone, and then all Medicines are Ufelefs. Linnets are taken with Clap-nets i in “fune, July and Auguft; and likewife Flight-birds about Michaelmas in great Plenty, by laying the Nets near where the Birds come to drink, or feed, or any Spot of Ground they fre= quent. ~ As you Catch the Birds, put them into what you call a ftore Cage made for that Ufe, and give them fome of the fame Seed . you find them feeding upon, and put into the Cage likewife fine Hemp-feed ground or bruifed : feed them after this Manner for two or "three Days, fetting them where they will not be difturbed, and they will foon ’ grow tame, then you may Cage them fingle, 8) is WO SSS SS WAT, fi i! ips y YY Sp hy YP TZ, Z Gy yf MOE Lhelritz, Cock, Hen and EF GG. Englifh Singing. Birds. ? 37 in Back Cages, or any other, not too big 3 and feed them with Rape and Canary-feed, which agrees the beft with them of any Seed. Of the Twites The Defcription and Charatter. HE Twite Ys in Colour and Make fomething like the Linuet, but lefs ; he has a very fhort Bill, a dark, or blac- kifh Legs; the Cock has ‘curious "red Spot | upon his Rump, which the Hen hath not. ’Tis a Bird vaftly brisk and merry, that’s al- ways a Singing, therefore they hang him a- mong other Birds, to provoke them to fing. * hey do not breed in England, that I know of, but come here in Winter, and go away. again in the Spring; but what Place they come from, or whither they go, to us is un- known: The Bird-catchers take them as they do Linnets, &c. They eat Rape and Canary- feed, but love the Canary beft: ’Tis a pretty — | | familiar, gentle naturd Bird, well worth keeping. Lam juft now told by a Gentleman, curious in fuch Enquires, thatthe 7wfe ig common in ( 3.8. A Natural 1 Hifory Of, 17] in fome Parts of France, and is cas there by a Name, which with.us fignifies the leffer — Linunet ; and that its Eggs is like the Ege of that Bird, but lefs. ee A ee ee a eee te Of ‘bn Skie-tark ; The Difcription and Charatter. \ELE, Cock Skie-laik is as good.a Baas bird as moft this Land produces: He is vaftly. ftout and lavith in his Song; but thought by fome)Ecople, too loud and harfh, I muff own, tho’ he has a great many fine Notes, they are not fo melodious as the Wosd= fark’s,, which in Variety and Softnefs much excels him, and to my Fancy, all imall Birds, without Exception; but that valuable Bird is - exceeding Tender, very fubject to the Cramp and other Difeafes, that he can be kept but.a fhort ‘Time in a Cage ; two or “three Years Wwe count a great eile: I don’t Deny, but _ fometimes they Reach beyond that Date; yet the far greater Number make their Period. great deal fooner ; whereas the Skie-lark is a Jong-liv’d, healthful Bird, that will reach fifteen of twenty Yearg; I. have heard of feyeral which have lived to that Age, and fung a Ge Shp Cobh \ SCEM y and. lag y tle titi ‘Enolift Singing- Birds. 55 fung ftoutly all that Time; therefore, con= fidering the Statelinefs nd Beauty of this Bird; his great Freenefs in Singing his plea- fant ‘harisionions Notes, for at leaft: eight - Months in the Year, and the Time he may be kept in a Cage, with Care, 1s bighly de- ferving of the Character I have: given. him, and worthy the H{teem of all Lovers of Birds, #f you can bring a young One'up under fome | fine Sone-Lark, “tisia way to havea very va- luable Bird; but if you fuffer him: to hear other Birds, he will be apt to take their. Notes, whether good or bad, to which: no Bird 1s more ate a? ‘bits the Cock from the fe O. diftinguith one from ie other, inthis Kind, is no ealy Matter ; and about which there are various Opinions, bat hardly one that can be depended upon.: ‘They fay, the Bird that fets up his Feathers on his ‘Crown, -is certainly a Cock ;.,.and that the longeft Heel Bitd.is another: “fare Sign, and fome fay, by two white Feathers i jn Po aa.; TVhis is all but guefs Work, that fometimes proves right, and fometimes wrong.. Tam told the biggeft and longeft bodied) Bird never fails of proving a Gock; 1 can't day that I , pubes made the Obfervation my felf; nor dof | | pretend 40 AA Natural Hiffory of — pretend to know a Cock Bird of this Kind till he is about a Month old; when he will begin to record his Notes very diftinély, like an old Bird, but low and inwardly ; if -you hear him do that, you can’t well be deceived. When they are grown up, and fully feather-+ ed; that general Remark, in fome Meafure | will hold good, that the higheft coloured Bird is the Cock ; for whoever obferves them toé Pether, may perceive the Cock-Lark to. be fomething browner upon the Back; of amore_ yellowih Caft on the Throat and Breaft, and the Feathers whiter upon the Belly. T he Tim® dud Manner of Building their aa Neff, &c. | HE Skie-Lark has young Ones by the End of April, or Beginning of May: She builds her Neft, fuch as it is, for fhe Ufes but very little Stuff about it; only with a few Bents, or fuch like Materials always upon the Ground, or in a Hole made by the Foot of a Horfe, the Wheel of a Cart, @c. - either in Corn- Fields of any Sort, or im Pafture of any Kind; and lays four or five brown Eggs, almoft the Colour of a Clod of . Earth, thickly fpeck’d, as the Figure repre=_ fents, with brownifh Specks. 1 ee Engl Singin Bids. “4 i of ie Young, how to Order yh &C. HESE Birds muft be taken when a- bout ten Days old; if you let them alone longer, you run a great Hazard of lofe- ing them, I have known them qait their Neft in feven or eight Days, when they have been difturbed, efpecially if the old Ones fee you Toole tie. thet young, they will then intice ee them away of a fudden; and in Rainy Wea-.. ~ ther, “tis furprizing to "fee how young they “~.9 will leave their Neft; I have been difappoint- ed at fuch a Time, when I thought it almoft impoffible for them to get away; one would naturally think the Neft to be the beft, and fafeth Place for them in fuch Weather ; but. fo it is, I have Remark’d it often, that the young of moft, if not all kinds of Birds, are: nourifhed more, their Feathers grow fafter, and fooner fly, or quit their Nefts in wet, than in dry Weather. When you have taken a Neft of young, put them into a little Basket with fome fhort. Clean Hay at the Bottom, cover and tie them down clofe and warm, and feed them with white Bread and Milk boil’d thick, mixed | with about a third Part of Rape-feed, foak’d, _boil’d and braifed :.Some bring them up with Sheep’s Heart minced very fine, or other Fleth Meat ; I cannot to often repeat the Care G that 42+ 4 Natural Hiffory of that is neceflary in bringing up young Birds, in keeping them clean, feeding them Regu- lar once in about two Hours, from Morning till Night, withe frefh and wholfome Food, as the principal . Means of preferving them : Ina Week’s Time you may Cage them ina large Cage, putting fome Hay cut pretty fhort, or courfe Bran at the Bottom, turning or fhif- ting it every Day 5 order them after this Man- ner till they can feed themfelves with dry Meat, viz. Bread, Ege, and Hemp-feed, which they will ido. in about three Weeks or a Month. Remember to boil your Egg very hard, chop it fine, and. mix it with an equal Quantity of Hemp-feed, bruifed while the. Birds are young, but when they are able to crack the Seed, give it them Whole, anda | little Bread erated among it.. You may then. let them have a frefh Turf of Grafs once or twice a Week, and fift fome fine dry Gravel at the Bottom "of the Cage, fhifting it often, that it may not clog their Feet: Fort Change. Lat of Dict,. you.may fometimes give them a- — little BE the ,Flefh Meat. After they have done Moulting, you may give them Bread, Egg, and whole Hemp- feed every other Day, and a frefh Turf once a Week. As the Birds are of an hardy Nature, this careful Manage- ment will prelerve then many Years. gop This Bird at ful! Growth is fix Inches and’ a ou long; of which the Tail iS three ‘Inches, lin te atin Englith Singing B ois ie Inches; and ine Bill three Quarters of an Inch. When ‘in Fleth it weighs about an Ounce and Half, The Skie-lark, as mentioned before, fel- ai ails any Thing, but if you perceive him at any Time to feour,: Dung loofe, grate a fall Matter of old Cheefe among his Viduals, or give him’ three or four Wood-lice in “a Day, or a Spider or two, and in his Water a little Saffron, or Liquorice ; ; thefe,are the beft Things that I can’ recommend; and what Will ‘relieve him, ‘tho’ he’ won’t often ftand in need of any a3 hing more than good Meat ie se i lea Grave, atid a froiht ae ¢- Soutral ey of catching Shicarks. (To take Pufhers. SHE Y are Birds sebich habe left fietd ~f Neft three or’ four Days: To take therm you' muft watch’ in’ fotne ‘convenient Place, as much out of' the! old Ones Sight’ as poffibles either ftand clofe in' a Hedge, or lic down in the Field, @c: and you will pre- fently fee them bring Meat “to ‘feed ‘their young ; which, as foon,as you perceive, and obferve them to hover. jut over the Grafs, Gc. and drop down ona fudden, run in upon them as faft as you can, where you will ge- G 4 nerally og 44 A Natural Fiiffory of nerally find the young Birds; if you. mifs them, fearch narrowly about, for they will — creep into fome Hole and lie clofe, or in a large Turf of Grafs, &c. fometimes. ‘they will run away among the Grafs or Corn, exceed- ing faft, when they. do that, you. can, very feldom catch any : You mutt. wait for the old Ones bringing them Meat again, but don't run in the firft Time, fee if they come two or three Times. with Meat, and fettle at the. fame Place, if at different Places, and. at lit- tle Diftances from each other, then you may be {ure the young Ones. have firaggled in the fright, and are at thofe different Places ; you may then run in where you judge they are by the conftant coming of the old Birds, which will find them: out, and foon get them together again. When you .take any. of thefe Birds, ae them in a large Cage with Hay or courfe Bran at. the Bottom, and feed and order-them as: you do the Neftling. If you‘find them fullen,.that they won’t eat, you muft for a little: while..cram, them. with Sheep's Heart, 5c. they will, foon: ‘come, too. | Thefe Birds generally prove as good, OF: better shay eae saifed from the Nei dy vt ab fiOol eR, eae 0 PG peentitge _ Lo. + é : Engete Simging- Biv 45 To bike Beaaliees E call. all thofe young Birds by that Name that were bred, and flew that Year, about two or three Months old, before they have moulted their Neftling Feathers; what are taken at that Age before they. be- gin to Moult, are very good, little inferiour to the Neftlings, but after they have moulted, or in moult when taken, fcldom Prove, g good Birds. — ‘The Time fb taking havo is in June or Yuly; with a. Hawk, and a Net of about eleven or twelve. Yards long, and three or four broad, with a Line run through the Mid- dle of it. ‘There muft be two Perfons, one to carry the Hawk, the other to take hold of one end of the Line; and when you find where Larks lie, get as near to them as you can, then hold your Hawkup upon yourHand, . making him hover his Wings, which when they pereeive him, will lie very clofé to the Ground ; then let one take hold at one end of _ the Line, and another hold of the other end, till you come at the Place where they are, holding your Hawk up as you go; ‘at the Sight of which, they will lie fo clofe that you may very eafily draw your Net over them. When you have taken them, give them Bread, Egg, and:bruiled Hemp-feed ; pur in Ores ! the 46 A Natural Hiffory of the Bottom of the Cage red Sand, and ftrew them a little Meat \in the Cage "for two or three Days, and es will prefently becgmng fame. Skie-larks are ates in nFlight with Cla nits in great Numbers, In fome Places they take them with a Glafs, called a Larking-Glafs ; this they ufe of a Sun-fhiny Day, and makes great Havock amoneft thefe Birds: But the’ moft defiruétive Way is in the dark Nights with a Net called a Trammel; ’tis a very murdering Net, taking all forts of Birds that. it comes near, as Partridees, Quails, Se. Larks are ea fraretl® 1ieewile “vate Noofe made with two Horfe Hairs twifted together, which catches them by their Neck or Legs. This Way is practifed when the rete is coy ig with a ar Snow. — | Of the Wood-lark sa The Difeiprion and Charatker.. HIS .Bird: ts: aanivexdally ssdiesigill wa vhis great Variety’ of foft and. delight-' ful Notes; that- im ithe Opinion of moft Peo= — ple, he is the beft Song-bird. found in this Kingdom: He is:not only, as fome have faid, com- Lge LEY Wig Englith Singing-Birds. ‘4t comparable to the Nightingale for finging, but in. my Judgment, deferving to be preferred before that excellent Bird; and if he be hung in the fame Room, will “ftrive with him for Maftery ; as likewife it fometimes happens in the Woods, where there is a ftrong Con- tention between thefe two Charming Chori- fters to excel and out-do each other. . He is of great Beauty, both in Shape and Plume: His Breaft and Belly are of a pale yellowith Hair Colour, faintly fpotted with Black ; the Back and Head are Farty-colour- ed of Black and Reddifh-yellow, a white Line encompaffing the Head from Eye to Eye, like a Crown, or Wreath. It is fome- thing leffer, and fhorter bodied than the com- mon Skie-lark, and fets upon ‘Trees, which that Bird feldom or never does. ; T he Marks of the Cock and Hen. E is known by his Size, the biggeft and longeft bodied Bird, generally proving a Cock; and _ by the largenefs ant” length of his Call; the tall Walking of the Bird about the Cage ; ; and at Evenings the doubling of his Note, which we call Cud- ling, as if he were going to Rooft. Other _ Marks are by the length of his Heel, the largenefs of his VARS and by his fetting up the 48 A Natural Hiffory of ; the Crown upon his Head: Some will tell you, that thefe are certain Signs of its being aCock ; _ yet they do not always prove true: But if you hear him fing ftrong, you cannot be de-— ceived, for the Hen Birds will fing but little. The Ufle of this is chiefly to know thofe Birds that are taken at Flight-Time; becaufe thofe taken.at other Seafons, fing foonafterthey are _ taken, or not at all. I cannot give any cer- tain Notes to know the Cock from the Hen, whilft Neftlings; unlefs it be by that general | Remark, that the higheft coloured Bird al- - ways proves a Cock, and that the biggeft, and longeft bodied, and other Marks before- mentioned, will hold good in fuch young Birds, as well as thofe that are full feathered. This Particular indeed is not very material, - becaufe fo few are brought up from the Neft ; it being very difficult, with the utmoft Care that can be taken, to raife them; either the Cramp, or Scouring kills them; or they die in moulting. | Ye T he Time and Manner of their Building, &c. T is a very tender Bird, and yet breeds early in the Spring, as foon as the Black- bird, or any other; the young Birds being ready to fly by the Middle of March. ‘They build at the Foot of a Bufh or a Hedge, or 1n En elith Singing Birds. 49 in Lays iitderet the Grafs is rank and dry, uri- ‘der fome Turf to fhelter them from the Wea- ther. Their Neft is made of withered Grafs, fi- brous Roots, and other fuch like Matter ; with a few Horfe Hairs within Side at the Bottom, being ‘a fmall; and very indifferent Fabrick ; it has hardly'any Hollow ‘or Sides, ‘the Bot. tom was almoft upon a- level with the Top: The whole. Compofition did not weigh a ‘Quar- ter of an’Ounce : The: Weight of the Bird:a little above an Ounces, its Length fix Inches, of which the Bill is fomething above Half an Inch; ‘and the ‘Tail two Thghiés. She lays four Eges of a pale Bloom Colour, Beautifully arated and clouded with Red, Yellow, 8c. a the eis ue to Order ijigo port | HE, Wood- lark, as | 4 before, breeds “very early in ‘the Spring ; her young Ones are tender Birds, and generally four in _ Number: If you are minded to bring them up from the’ Neft, which you will find exceeding difficult to da don’t take them too focn, not before they are well feathered; becaufe, when they. are too young, they are more fubject to the Cramp and Scouring, which conimonly _ kills them: Put them into a Basket with a — little Hay at the Bottom,, or fome fiach Thing, where they may lie clean ani warm, tying H them | $0 A Natural. Hiflory. of them, clofe down:: Feed, them. with Sheep’ Heart, or other. lean.Flefh Meat raw, mixt with a hard boil’d Egg, a litle Bread, and Hemp-feed, bruifed or ground, all chop’d.to- gether as fineas it is poflible t to doi it, and made a, little: moift with: clean Water: Every. two Hours, or. oftener.; -give. them five or, fix fmall . Bits, taking, great Cate never to overload theix » tender Stomachs.. + Let. not. their Meat be too fale, dry,” mouldy, or, four; for your Birds “fo. fed, whether old or. young, Wal neuer thrive, ayrgl The wild ee. feed, viet Beetles,. aired pillers, and other Infeats ; 3 dikewife upon Seeds. The Wood-lark, as, if fenfible of his. own melodious Song, will take from no other, un- lefs brought up from the Neft, then he may ag taught thie gi of another Bird. * The Seafons for catching Wood- hue si th Nets, and haw to order them.. aaa). IR S'T, Brintobers sihich, are -Dirtivabut if were hatchedsthat Spring, are) taken’ in, une and Fuly, with a Net and:a Hawk, after the fame Manner as I told:you they. took Shies darks. You may find thefe Birds Harbouring a- bout Gravel-Pits, upon: Heath and common Land, and‘in Pafture Fields. For fear of the — Hawk, ==? will lie. fo? pclae that fometimes they ~* Englith Singing-Birds. gt they fuffer themfelves to be'took up with the Hand. ‘Thefe Birds foon. grow tanie. "The next Seafon is for: Michaelmas Birds, which! are taken with Clap-nets in great Numbers in Segtember, and are counted ‘bet- ter Birds than what are catched at any other Time of the Year, becaufe keeping them all the Winter, makes them. more ‘tame than Birds cateh’d in january or February, and! will . fing longer, eight or nine Months in the ‘Year, Woodelarks at ‘this Tinte commonly fly very high, therefore the bigheft Ground “is afually chofe.to-lay the Nets upon, Tikewife ina Cart-way, or wheie a Spot of Eartheis frefh turned up; or fometimes: oe may tare it ae , on Purpofe. A’third Seafon 10h taking: Woolies) ‘is in Fanuary ; what 'ate caught at that Time, ‘are very ftout good Birds, and will fing ina/few f Days after: they are taken, ‘both ftouter and louder than one taken in September, but’ not fing fo many Months: ‘Thefé are casch’dwith the Clap-net likewife; as they areat Michaels mas, and are found .at that’ Time of the Year, Tying. near a Wood-fide in Pafture Ground, where the Sun rifes, | Woodl-larks are fometimes taken when they are’ match’d with their Hen, which 1 think is wrong ; they fhould by no ‘Means be difturb. ed in. breeding Time, or when they are pré- porigg | for it: "TheEnd of Yanuary ought tobe H. 2 the vy > 92. A Natural Hiffory afAN the lateft Time for taking thefe Birds, be- caufe they are early breeding Birds, that if the Weather be mild, couple at that ‘Time, or foon after ; befides, the Bird taken then is worth very little; ’tistrue, he will fing almoft as foon as you ‘have him, by reafon of his RanknefS in accompaning with the Hen, but will foon fall off from his Song, and-you heat but little more from him all that Summer. — _ All the Wood-larks taken at different Sea+ fons, muft be fed alike with. Hemp-feed bruifed very fine, and mixed with Bread and Egg hard boil’a and grated, or chop’d as {mall as poffible. W hen he 3 is firft taken, he will, be fhie fora little Time; you-muft fift fine red Gravel in the Bottom of his Cage, and feartér fome of his Meat upon it, which — will intice him to eat fooner than out of his Trough; you may leave that off when you | find he eats out of the latter freely. ° In a great Meafure, order his Bice as . the | Skie-lark’s, give him no Turf of Grafs, but — often fine red Gravel in his Cage, and when not well, inftead of that, ‘put Mould full of © Ants, which i is the moft agreeable Live-food you can give him. Or give him Meal-worms, or _ _ Hog-Lice, not more then two or three a Day: And let him have a little Saffron or Liquorice fometimes in his Water.’ If he fhould feour, grate Chalk or Cheele among his Meat, and Aeon gst hus ‘Gard asim He will eat : any Nag me n 4 Ge Loki Ande Englith Singing-Burds. Ci. any Kind of,Flefh Meat minced fine, and ordered as before for fome other Birds, which you may let him now and then have for | Change. of Diet, always leaving fome of his conftant Meat in the Cage at the fame ‘Time, that he may eat which he will. _ An-uncommon Care fhould be taken of . preferving this fine Bird, becaufe he is fo very Tender, in often fhifting his Gravel, Victuals, Water, Se. tad 8 OF the Tit lark: The Defcription and Charatter. HIS. Bird.is lefs than the Skie-dirk, about the Bignefs of the Nightingak ; very handfome fhap'd, and finely feathered ; that in Beauty few Birds excel him: He fines moft like the Canary bird of any whatfoéver, whisking, curring, chewing, @c. but his Song is fhort, and hath no Variety in it. Somie+ times indeed a Cock Tit-larke proves a very- fine Song-bird, but ’tis very rare, and the beft of them fing but four or five Months in the Year. - He comes with the Nightingale, Bibne. the Hsia of Murch, and goes vat out the Bezinnj ing K of 54 A Natural Hiflory of © of September. Before his going away, he is apt to grow fat like the Nighringale: He is a hardy Bird, and long-lived ; if preferved with Care, not fabjeéts to Colds or Cramps, Re The Marks of the Cock and as ‘ [N this kind the Cock is all over more _ Yellow than the Hen, but efpecially un- der the Throat, on the ‘Breatt, Legs, and Sauls of the Feet. In Neftlings, they can’t well be diftinguifhed by their Colours, there- fore muft wait till you. hear them begin to Record their Song, which is the fareft Sign of a Cock-bird, Of their Nefi, 8c. ‘HEY build amongf Grafs, or in the Corn Fields; her Neft is fmall, pret- ty much like the Wood-larks : She lays five or _ fix Eggs of a dark Brown-colour; and has | young Ones fit to take towards the End of May. They may be brought up with the fame | Meat and Management as young Wood-larks or Nightingales: But I think it hardly worth theTrouble, becaufe fo many are taken, when they firft come to vifit our Part of the Lao oth WOM YOLK, 4 Hay HY Aotin- Red- Breast Cock, Hen and é. et | —-Englith Simgmg-Birds. = 55 - both with Clap-nets, and Lime-T wigs; as they catch Linnets, Gold- finches, &c. when you firft take them, tie the ends of their Wings with Thread, to prevent their flutter- ing and beating themfelves againtt the Cage; and they will foon grow tame. Feed them as you do the Wood or Skie-lark: At firft give them Hemp-feed-and Bread, made very fine and mixed together ; likewife Ants Mould in’ their Cage, Meal- worms, &c, flrew their ¥. iduals aboak their Cage to allure: them to eat; and in three. or four Days ‘they will take it freely enough; and will fing in about a Week’s Time. Cage them fingle, in a Cage fomething clofer than: the common tifocd- larks, a the Robin-Red- Breatts “The Deferition and Chara : AHI S Bird: denominated om its Red: Breaft, is fo well known in almoft all Countries, that it needs no tong Defcription. [tis by many Perfons efteemed little inferiour to the Nightingale; the Cock has a {weet me- lodious Song, fo free and fhrill, that von few Birds can equal him. | Tn U6". A Natural Hiflory of -) Inthe Winter-time, when there is a Scarcity - ‘of Meat abroad, to feek its Food, will enter into Houfes» with much Confidence, besa ‘very bold Bird, fociable and familiar. Gath Man: But in the Summer, when there is Plenty -of Food in the Woods, and it is not pinchec with Cold, will withdraw it felf into the moft defert Places, being a folitary Bird, that loves to. feed fingly 5 and lives*upon Worms and other Infeéts, Ants, and their Eggs, Crums of Bread,. Oe. notwithftanding thefe: ‘Birds are faid to withdraw from Houfes into the Woods: in Summer-time, as indeed fome of them do; yet are: there’a great many that Breed and Harbour about -Parm-yards, and _ Out-houfes all the Year round. ‘The Marks of the Cock and Hen, HE Cock may be eatwh by hi Breaft, being of deeper Red than the Hen’s, and the Red going up farther upon the Head ; and fome fay, by the Colour of his Legs, which are darker;-and by certain Hairs which grow on each Side his Bill. . His bright Red- Breaft is a Mark that may be depended upon; the other do not always ‘Anfwer. The Cock is likewife of a ‘darker Olive- Colour oe the upper Surface of his whole Body. » | Englith Singing. Birds. “5 vA bs he Time and Manner of Building stheer Neff, ik al | T ES Robin has young Ories by the End of April or Beginning of May. . She builds in a Barn, or Out-houfe ; fometimes in a Bank or Hedge} and likewife in the Woods; Her Neft is made with courfe: ‘Materials; the Outfide of dry Green Mofs, intermixed with courfe Wool, {mall dry’d Sticks, Straws, dry’d Leaves, Peelings from young Trees, and other dry’d Stuff; with a few Horfe Hairs within — “Side: It had a very little Hollow, hardly an Inch deep, and about three wide; the corm- — pleat Neft weighed eleven Drams. Another whofe Dimenfions were equal with this, was half a Dram lighter. The Bird is fix Inches ~ long, of which the Bill -was little more than half an Inch, and the Tail two and a_ half long. She lays commonly, either five or fix Eggs, but fometimes no more than four, never ~ lefs,of a Cream Colour, fprinkled all over with fie Redifh, Yellow Spots ; at the blunt End fo thick ject at they appear almoft all i in one. Of the Toung, how to Order them, &e. : , As the Beginning af May, the Robin aed ufually . has young Ones fit to ‘take, » five or fix 1 in Number’: You may take them : i 7 OW at \ 58 A Natural Hiffory of at ten or twelve Days old, if you let them _ lie too long they are apt to be fullen ; ’ keep them warm in a little Basket with Hay at the Bottoms feed them with the Wood-Lark’s Meat, or as you bring up young Nightingales 5 let their , Meat be» minced very fmall, as ordered for other Birds, giv- ing them but litele ata. time 5 if you over- ‘load their tender Stomachs it will diforder the Birds; when they are grown. ftrong ‘Cage them in a :Cage, like the Nightiz- ‘gales or Wood-Larks; it fhould be fome- thing clofer wiered, vand. let them have — -Mofs ‘at. the Bottom, and in all Refpeds ‘Keep ‘and order. them like the Nightingale : When they feed themfelves you may try them “with the Wood-Lark’s Meat, becaufe fome of thefe Birds like it better than the irs te see S. | Of their Difee fes nd C Cure. q HEY are very. ale! Sh to ya Cramp and Giddinefs ; for the Cure © of the. former, give them a Meal-Worm _ ~ now and then; for the latter, fix or feven ‘Earwigs in a Week. | There are many Kinds of Infeas- that Birds will eat greedily, and very probably ‘would relieve them under Maladies — they Englith Singing- Birds. 59 they be conveniently procured at all Times, fuch as young, fmooth Caterpillars (a ‘Ro- biz will not touch a hairy one,). fomeSorts of Spiders, Ants, @c. but I know of no In- fect that is more innocent, or agrees-better with Birds in general than ‘the Meal- Worm, which may be ‘had. with. little Trouble at the Meal-Shops almoft at any Time. The Earwig 1 do not approve of, that Infe& is armed in the Tail with a Pair of very fharp Forceps og Knippers, which it can clapfe apes and’ may wound or hure the Bird. Above all} to prevent Difeafes, be fure to keep him clean and waim, taking ‘Care never to let’ him want Water or wholefome Food, and fometimes a little Saffron or Liquorice in his Water, which will make him chearful, long. winded, and help him very much’ in’ his Song, >!» A young One brought up from: oa Nett | may be taught to pipe or whiftle: finely ; but I prefer his own natural Song to thofe that are taught him, becaufe_ it is an €X- | ceeding good. ones" Robins are taken with Lime: Pacinisp and likewife with the’ Trap-Cage 5 Pings ania laft eieae Numbers are enfnared, wi An old Bird when: he’is caught, is tia to be fullen, when you" put him’ in a..Cage will not ‘fing, but: a) young Cock-Bird-will ri ina few ere hobo 8 Birds. Pou catch in 60. A Natural Hiftory of in your Traps, feed and order them as he | do the Nightingales, : Of the Red-Pole. ty he Defeription and Charatter. | he yen Red-Pole is a very fmall, but an- | exceeding pretty feathered Bird: The Head and Breaft of the Cock are of a fine Red: The Hen’ has a red Head likewile, . bet not of fo bright a Colour; ’tis not a very fine Bird for finging, but has a pretty chattering Sort of a Song, I can’t call it — oS melodious, yet they are often kept in Cages, and eat the fame: Sort of Seeds as the Linnet or Chaffinch, We are not fure that thefe Birds build in Exglawd 3 they are found here in Winter, but go away again in the Spring. I never faw or heard of any of their Nefts being found ; I rather be- lieve they come to fhun the Cold, as the Aberdivine, Twite, and fome other Birds do. They are taken as they catch Lizsets, Gold- finches, and other {mall Birds. Mr. Wile tughby has not the Red-Pole in his Col- lection, defcribed by that Name, or any other that will ey. an{wer ; but T be- lieve ip we ! NU : at yp Mayan \ iy \ \ i SAN (ee: oe Y * Englith Singing- Birds. Cr -Vieve it to be the fame with what he calls the Lefer Red beaded Linnet , his Defcrip- tion of that agreeing in many -Particulars with this Bird, whichisas follows: This, fays he, is leffer than the precedent, meaning the Greater Red-headed Liunet, which he makes ° SONS if leffer than the common, and will agree very _. well with the Size of the Red-Poles; the Back coloured like the common Linnet 3 the Forehead adorned with a remarkable fhi- ning red Spot; the Bill like that of the. Great Red Linnet, but lefs ; the Breaft red 5 __ the lower Belly white ; the prime Feathers of the Wings and Tails dusky; the Tail about two Inches long, and fomething forked ; the outmoft Borders of the Wing and Tail-Feathers round are white; the Legs and Feet are dusky; the Claws black and long, for the Bignefs of the Bird, but the _ Legs very fhort. ‘ ; In this Kind the Female alfo hath a Spot on her.Head, but more dilute than thatof the Cock, and of a Saffron Colour. tb; 62. A Natural Hiffory of Of the Red-Start. The Defcription, Charatter, and Marks of : the C ock and Hen. T isa fmall Bird, fomething leffer than the Robin- Red- Breaft. The Cock is ‘very beautiful, his Breaft, Rump, and Tail are of a fine Red; the Back, Neck, and hind Part of the Head of a Lead Colour ; the fore Part of his Head and Throat of a’ Jet Black, and has a white Mark upon his’ | Pole. The Hen is a beautiful Bird like- | _ wife, but partakes more of the Colour of the ‘Nightingale, with a red Tail, fome- thing fainter than the Cock’s. The Cock is known at all times from the Hen, by his black Head, that Mark being peculiar to the Male only. He fings fweetly, and has pretty Notes, very pleafant to: hear, OF their Breeding 5 ewhen to take, and how to Order the Young, &c. HESE Birds breed in May, have young Ones fit totake by,the Middle of that Month. They build their Nefts in the _ , Holes - Wy : Mt) ( : = Pe (Nt | i Hf q A Any ay } Redstart, CchHen and Ek hi wy? | Englith Singing-Birds. C3 Holes of old Walls, Trees, Gc. Their Eggs are like the Hedge Sparrow's, but of a paler Blue; and not fo big. | This Bird is faid to be of fo dogged and fullen a Temper, that if taken when old, will not for fome Days look at his Meat; and when he feeds himfelf will - fometimes continue a whole Month with- out finging ; but if brought up young, they ‘become gentle and tame ; and with re- gard to her Neft, they fay, fhe is the thiefk of all Birds, for if fhe perceives you to mind her when fhe is building, the will forfake what fhe hath begun;.and if you touch an Egs, never comes to her ‘Nett more ; and if you touch the young ones, will either ftarve or throw themout of the — Neft and break their Necks, as’ Mr. Wl- | lughvy fays, he found by’Experience’more | than once. | : The Young are to be taken at ten Days -old, and are to be fed and erderéd as the Nightingale or Robin-Red-Breaft. “Keep them warm, and they will fing in the Night as well as in the Day, and will learn ’to whiftle, and imitate other Birds: When wild it feeds upon Infetts, ec. like the Robin or Nightingale, and *tis thought comes to us in Summer-time,.and goes away in the Winter; of which Matter I own my felf ignorant, ~ | Of Fae A Natural Hiffory of Of the Common Wren. The Defcription anid Charatter. XCEPTING it be the Goldex Crown'd- Wren, this is the fmalleft Bird found in this Kingdom; it weighs about three Drams ; its Length, from the Point of the | _ Bill to End of the Tail, is four Inches and | an half. Hecommonly creeps about Hedges — and Holes, making but fhort Flights, and if it be driven from the Hedges, may ea- fily be tired and rundown. It will fit up- on a Barn or Tree, @c. about a Farmer's Yard, where it moftly: frequents, and fing exceeding fine; and being kept in a Cage it willfing very {weetly, and with a higher and louder Voice, than one would think forits Strength and Bignefs, and is a very pleafing. Bird, that will fing a.great many Months in the Year: Some Perfons have kept thefe Birds a great while in a Cage, and have had them fing as ftout as if they were in the Fields. The Wrerr, Coch. Hén, and GF Enelith Singing-Birds. Gs - The Marks of the Cock and Hen, \HE Cock is of a dark brown upon the Head and Back ; his Breaft ahd Belly whitifh ; the Tail and Wings are va- fied with a bright Yellow, and blackith Lines. The Bird with the largeft Eye is generally thought to be a Cock. The Hen Bird is all over of a redith brown Colour, excepting the Lines a-crofs her Tail. and Wings which are black and redifh. The Dif- ference i in young Birds can hardly be known till ene Cocks begin to record and i ing, T he Time and Mauner of their Building, ail of Bre Wren has young Ones in Mays fhe builds her Neft fometimes by the ‘Walls of Houfes, in the Back-fides of Sta- bles, or. other Out-Houfes, but more com. monly in Woods and Hedges, in avery ar- _ tificial Manner, having the Form of a Su- _gar Loaf, without of Mofss; within of Hair, Wool, or Feathers, and hath inthe Middle of the Side a Door or Paflage, by which it goes in and out; fhe lays a great Num- ber of Eggs, fometimes fifteen or fixteen, but many times hatches not above half se that ‘OG “7 hit Hiffory o br that Number ; they are very {mall white Eggs, | fprinkled all over with {mall pale red Spots. y the Young, how to Order them, &e. | i you are minded to bring up a Neft of Wrens, let them be very well fea- - ‘thered before you take them: They are to be fed and reared like the young Nightin- gales, giving them often, and but little at a time, one or two very {mall Bits, When they are grown fit for a Cage, let them — have a large one made with very clofe Wier s one Side of which fhould be made like unto. a Squirrel Houfe, and have it lin'd with any thing that is warm. Keep them conftantly to the Nightingale's Food, and there is no queftion but they will anfwer your Expectation ; you muft take — the fame Care in keeping them clean and wartn. as of young: Nightingales. And if at any time they are fick, give them two or three Flies, or a {mall Spider or two, but not too ee dae Enolith Singing-Birds, «67 bf the Nagitingale. : “The Defrigtion and Charatier. 5; ae ‘ai TOtwithttanding the particular Fancy ¥ of divers Perfons, for this or that Bird which they efteem and prefer to all others, the N ightingale, by the Generality of Mankind, is ftill accounted: the chief of all finging Birds: He fends forth his pleafant Notes with fo. lavifh .a Freedom, that he makes even the Woods.to eccho with his melodious Voice ; and this de- lightful Bird, {corning to. be out-done, will not “yield fo any Competitor, ‘either of Birds or Men; the Wood-Lark is his great- eft Antagonift, between whom there fome times happens fiich a Contention for Ma-- _ftery, each {triving to outvy the other,.thar, hiketrue bred Cocks, they. feem. refolved to dye rather than loofe the Victory 5 if the _ former carries it. in Stoutnefs and Freenefs of Song, fo does. the latter in, /hisipleafing Variety of foft isthe harmonious. Notes, , in which; to my Fancy, none excels, or is equal to him, * Hhe Nightingale is not fo remarinble for any Maricty or Beauty of Colours, but well K 2 known 63 A Raisin Hi iffory of known from ‘its finging by Night : In Size he is about the Bignefs of the Goldfixch, fomething longer bodied. Thefe Birds are not {een in this King- dom in the Winter Time; where they are when abfent from us, is altogether un- known: They come towards the latter End of March, or Beginning of April, and leave us at the latter End of the Summer. - Thofe that are kept here in Cages will (ing feven or eight Months in the Year, from the Begin-. ning of November till Midfummer ¢ There muft be a great deal of Care taken to keep © them clean and warm, and they will are all | the os bh a The Marks of ‘he Cock and Hen. ‘HERE are no siete Marks in ‘their Colours to know them bys but a$ in other Birds; fo in thefe the Cock is of a deeper and brighter Colour than the Hen, which, when feen together, may eafily be perceived, and is fomething Jarger. In Neftlings the Cock may be known by ‘this Token ; ; after he hath eaten, he will get upon the Perch, and begin to ‘tune or record to himfelf, which you may obferve _ by the Motion of his Throat ; whereas the Hen at firft records shel or not at all. if e Englith Singing-Birds. 69 The Time and. Manner of Building their ( Nef, &c. : “\HEY have young Ones ufually by | F the Middle of May, build ima clofe, thick Hedge, pretty low, a little above the Edge of the Bank, and moft commonly where Briars, Thorns, Bufhes, and fuch like Things grow very thick, to fence them from their Enemies, making their Neft of the Leaves of Trees, Straws, and Mofs, and lay Eggs of a brown Nutmeg Colour, It feldom fings near its Neft for fear of difcovering it, but, for the moft part, about a Stone’s caft diftant. It frequents cool and fhady Piaces, where are little Rivulets of Water, fuch as Quick-fet Hedges, {mall Groves and Buihes, where are no very | high Trees; for it Delights in no high _ Trees except the Oak. To find the Nightingal’s Net, obferve where the Cock Sings, and if he fings long in a Place, then the Hen is not far off ; but if he hath. young Ones he will now _and then be miffing, and the Hen, when you are near her Neft, will {weet and cur ; but if you have fearched long and cannot find it, try this Experiment ; ftick two or three _ Meal-worms upon the Thorns, near where rl you 72 A Natural Hiiflory of you find the Cock moft frequents, and ftand fill, or lie down clofe, keeping the Worms in view, and'obferve when he comes to take them, which Way he carries them, liften, and you will hear the young when the old Ones feed them, for they make a great, Noife for fo {mall-a Bird. When you have found the Neft, if they be not fledged enough, touch them not, if you do, they will not ftay long, the old Ones will intice them out. SARRIOV WoT. ae eieh Of the Young, how to Order them,. 8c. _ HE Nightingale has five young Ones at.a, Breeding ; they fhould not.be taken till they are fledged almoft as) well as the old. Ones; and though they, are apt to. be,-fullen, and refufe their.Meat when they.are fo old, you may open their Mouths, and give them. two or three {mall — Pieces .at sa time, and in a few Days they will come .to, and feed themfelves:: If you take them, too young, they are fubject to the Cramp. and Loofenefs, which makes their. Feathers|matt together, and kills the | Birds. .When you take them, put the Nett. in a. little. Basket, and keep the Birds cas | -vered up .warm, for they are very) tender, and without, fuch Care the Cold ag iee'! them. ¢ OF the Nightingale’ . Enelith Singing. Birds. : 7 them. Feéd them ‘every two Hours, giving ‘them two cr three fmall Bits at. a time: Let their Meat be Sheep’s Heart or other Flefh Meat raw; chopped very fine, well cleanfed and freed frém Skin, Sinews, and Fat or Strings, which will be apt to ftick in their Throats, or twine about their Tongues, and canfe them to.fall off from their Meat, ec. mixed with Hens Eges hard boiled. In afew Days they will take their Meat off from the Stick themfelves 5 you may then cage them in the Nightiveale’s Back- cage, Let them have a little Straw or dry Mofs in the Bottom of the Cage; but when they. come to. be large, give them Ants Mould as you do the old Ones: You may Jeatn them to feed upon fome Kind of In- fects, fuch as Meal- worms, Spiders, Ants, ec. being very ufeful when they are fick, I do not approve of giving them much of that Sort of Food» when well. - Difeafes, and their k IRST, Note, that the priscipal Thing — _ which caufes moft Difeafes, not only in Nightingales, but in other Birds kept for finging, is as mentioned before, want of Grose! | keeping 72 A Natural Hiffory of — keeping them clean and neat, whereby they clog their Feet, which caufes the Claws of feveral to rot off, and breeds the Cramp and Gout in others, and makes them never thrive, nor delight in themfelves. No Birds can be kept tooclean and neat, there- fore be {ure to let them have twice a Week Gravel at the Bottom of the Cage, and let it be very dry when you put it in, for then it will not be fubje@ to clog. In Autumn this Bird is apt to grow ex- traordinary fat and foggy, that fometimes he will hardly touch his Meat for a .Fore- night or more ; during that Time give him three times a Week Meal-Worms, two or | three at a time, or Worms taken out of Pidgeon-Houfes, or two or three Spiders a Day, which will purge and cleanfe him wel}. Upon the falling of his Fat he muft be kept warm, and have a little Saffron in his Water. To raife them when they. are very lean and poor, give them Figgs chopped fmall among their Meat, conti- nuing no longer than till they have re- covered their Flefh. | | When they have been kept two or three Years in a Cage, they are very fubject to the Gout; anoint their Feet with’ freth Butter or Capon’s Greafe, three or four Days together, and it is acertain Cure for ) | them. Englith Singing-Birds: ram theni. They are fubjed likewife to. break-_ ings out. about, their Eyes and Nib, for which Ole theifame. 30.606 A _ If they grow melancholy put into their Water fome white Sugar-Candy; if that will not do, befides theit conftant Meat of Sheep’s Heart, Gc. give them three or four ‘Meal-Worms a Day, anda few Ants and Ants Eggs, and fome of their Mould atthe Bottom of the Cage: Alfo boil a new-lai Egg, and chop it {mall, and ftrew it among the Ants and their Eggs, and let them have Saffton in their Water. “AY Cogedaalege tll The Nightingale is fometimes troubled with a Straitnefs or ftrangling of the Breaft, which comes very often for want of Care in making his Meat, by mincing Fat there- with, or by reafon of fome Sinew or Thread of the Sheep’s Heart, for want of well fhredding, hanging in his Throat, or claf- _ ping about his Tongue, which caufeth him ‘to forfake his Meat and grow very poor | in a fhort time ; when you perceive this, which is known by the Bird’s gaping, and the unufual beating and panting of .his Breaft, take him gently out of his Cage, and open his Bill with a Quill, and un- loofen any String or Piece of Flefh that may hang about his Tongue or Throat : After you have taken it away, give him fome white Sugar-Candy in his Water, be th dali ent & “elf oe Natal ‘Hiflory oft elfé aifelve it, ahd ‘avdiftem his Méat, which is a préfent’ ‘Retiedy to: ig © bing, rey amils. hl Gh ee ett clotiiw ols: CF viodonaloa: ; wear Saye Whig” ba tiiah intuild é 23 ky ¥ ? Eats 4a fake: lin fo one old. ee “gales, aiid” to Order them awhen' takems:\? WRG © eae W Asai Sint #! hoe are es becatch’d. inPubpyat _ Beginning of Auguft,, the latter “atthe End of March, or Decl of ay S [ys 7 \? kev y « SAT PETS ter “the iath Ay ‘that Nbealan seri Fixe: Citks are-matched “with the Hens,’ “byReafon' of their. Ranknefs, feldom ‘cértie’ to ‘any Thing, it ‘being * very. ‘difficult to- preférve thems iy When | you ‘have ‘found ‘the Birds Haaiits, wach As ufually” fn -2" Wood)! ‘Coppice, “or Quick-fet Hedge, “you' may take them by the Trap-Cage, made on Purpofe for ‘catching of | Nightingales, baited ‘with a'Meal-worm : Place your Trap as near where'the Bird firigs as you can; if it is in the Middle ‘of ‘the Hedge, ora Place where he ufed to feed, ‘be- ‘fore. you fix the Trap, turn up the? Farth'a- bout twice the Bignefs of the Trap, for’where — the Ground is new turned up, there 'they Took for Food, and efpying the W orm they come | prefently. to it; if they come not'foon; ‘then — turn up a freth Spot of Earth, as big again - as Englith Simgmg-Bards. 7h as, the, aan, and, you,. will, quickly. have. thena, . for they will mot, leave the. Place where , they Ufe to Refort....It is proper to, this Bird, as they-fay, at his fir. coming. to, fettle,. or. feize,.apon one, Place,,as its Freehold, dnto, which,it, will nog admit any, other, Nghtingale: bugpits, ‘Mate. . ni baste, Birds.a are taken likewife ‘with Lime- Twins, . by. placing, shem UpoR . the Hedge,, near} where they: fing,» with Meal-worms fa- fiened at proper.Places,to.allure them, to the ~ Snare; but T think the. Tees Cage, is a great dealythe bef Way of catching;them,, (5. »-As foom as. you. ‘havestaken, one, tig “the ; “Taian of hiss Wings. with, fome. Thread, , shot ftraining, it, too hard, to prevent, his, beating himfelf againft, the. Lop, and, Wiers.,. of the Cages, he, will grow, tame, the fooner,for it, and, be; more apt to.eat. his Meat. «You. ‘hould ‘put, him,in. a Nightingales Back: Gages ox if i anjopen one, darken one Side with. Cloth: or Papers, and at firkt shang him ia fome Par Place,» that he be not. difturbed... Feed him once, in. an Hour. and Half,.or two Hours with. Sheep’ s Heart and Egg ‘fred fmall and Aine, mingling amongft,, the fame, fome Ants, .or Meal-worms..And,becaufe no Nightingale will, at, firft cat any. Sheep's Heart. or Egg, -but, muff be brought, to. it. by Degrees ; his Food being live Meat, .as Worms, Ants, Ca- erpilat OT, Flies; therefore taking the Bird ho! L, 2 iQ Le —--—~ 96. Natural Hiftory f in your Hand, you muft open his Bill with a Stick made thin at one End, and give him three, four, or five Pieces ‘according as “he tikes them, as big as Peas; then fet him fomeé Meat mingled with Store of Ants, that’ when he goes to pick up the Ants, he may eat fome of the Heart and Egg with it: At the firft you may fhred’ three or four Meal-worms in his Meat, ‘the better to intice him, that fo he may eat "fome of the Stieep’ s Heart by little and little, and when’ you perceive him to eat freely, give him the Iefs’ Ants, &c. in his Meat, and at laft, nothing but’ Shéep’s Heart and Ege. ‘You fhould take fome of this Meat with you when | you g0 to catch Nightingales, and in an Hour or two after they are taken, you muft Force them to eat, by Opening their Mouth and Craming them, ‘taking Care — that their Meat be not “too dry 5 moiften it with {prinkling’ a little clean Water. upon it, as you prepare it. Remember when you firft take a Bird to clear his Vent from Feathers, by pulling, or cutting them off, otherwife he will be fubje& to Clog and Bake up his Vent, which is fudden Death. Birds that are jong a feeding, and’ make no Curring or Sweeting for eight or ten Days, feldom prove good’ but on the contrary, they : give great hopes of proving well when they take their Meat kindly, and are familiar, and not buc- kith, and fing Gana, and learn to eat’ of pth them- op My My Virginia Aighungale, Lock, and flen. Enolith Singing-Birds. 77 - themfelves without much Trouble. ‘This is a fare Toking of their proving excellent Birds; when they will feed in a few Hours, or the , next Day after they are taken, afd fing in two er three Days; thofe never prove bad. You muft tie the Wings of the Bird no b donget than till wie is oa" tame, Of the Red-Grosbeak, Or the Virginia- Nightingale, called like- aif, the Red-Bird... The Difeription and Charaller TT i is near as big as the common Song-Thurfh: The Bafis of his Bill is encompaffed with a Border of black Feathers Reaching to the Eyes: It hath a large Head adorned with a high towering Creft, of a bright Scarlet Co- lour, as is alfo the whole Bird, except the Back, fome Part ‘of the Wings and’ the Tail, which are of a more Dirty and Brownifh-red. Thefe Birds are brought from Virginia, New- England, and other Parts of North “Anerica, where ‘they catch them as we do Larks in England, by {weeping away the Snow, and baiting the Place’ with Virginia Wheat, Se. It me 208 Natesah ‘ify hoi 13 Tt hath amidgaenbles melodious, Song,.) with fome Notes o,like, the ,Euglifb. Nightingale. fw Hen. isnot fo)Beautiful'as the Cock, .-be- oe ‘Byown;~ witha Tincture, of Reds _ Thefe fing awhea vin» Cages; as, well asthe ‘Gack, and reibroughé over with them. »,,., Its Strength with its.Bilbis. ‘Surprizing, it; Ph able to crack the Stones of Almonds, Olives, and Iudiau Maiz, very.expeditioufly, the Ker-— nels of which it is very fond of. In England they brite ae to feedunpon Hemp, or Canary-_ feeds ; « it’ will eatalfo-the Wood-lark’ 1 oo Nightingale’ Food. . There are Perfons with us that highly Walue-t thefé Birds, which’ makes them fometimes fellat a‘preat Price. I have heard of thofe that have attempted to breed them in: Exgland, but \made: little of it. If your Bird fhould be fick, a Spider or Meal- worm will relicve him.) 5.050 6 0) TY he (as ~ °. 33 7 = of th ta Yellow-Hammer 5 5. ‘The Defeription and Charatter.: ond TT is equal to the Chaffinch in Piench 4 Both Cock\,and Hen are. beautiful Birds ; ; sand the Cock will,fing very:prettily, when i in the ‘Fields, but-is not. kepticwery; common) ina ene > yet he ‘is ‘no contemptable Bird; bes “fides ; AY (\W n\ \ \ | BN \ We Zz N ANS MSS Sy eal Sr au a Rig, OS Retreats ~ a ean ~~ ¢ aN ae © = —> ade as Yellowv-hanmer, lock, Sten and too. Englith Staging -Birds, 79 fides his Song, his fine Feathers are enough to recommend him,: A lovely. eet eae | his Head, Throat, “Breaft, and: Belly; his Back and Wings are pretty much like the Linnets. The Hen is of :a Paler-colout all over her Body, and the Parts that are of a fine Yellow in the ia in the; jalen are-or dirty Green. ahd] ‘Thefe-Birds build: i hie Gronnag ‘at the Side of a River, Pond, or Brooks; they make a large flat, ordinary Neft; “with Mofs, dry'd Roots of: Grafs, Weeds; Ge. with Horfe Hair intermixed, more of the latter than .,ever obferved any other Bird to make; Ufe of. She lays fix or feven white Eggs, vained, and fpotted with Black. Her young!Qnes. ate ufually fit to take by the Beginning, of May; you may let them -be.ten or ewelye, Days old before you take them. Feed them,withPlefh Meat miaced very fine, as you prepare jit for other {mall Birds; or, you..may bring them-up with the 77, or Wood-lark’s Meat ; they will eat likewile Worms. cut in fall Pieces, which Food agrees very well with them. -'Thefe Birds are common. every where in England; for the moft Part, they abide on the Ground, feeking their F ood, there of Worms, Seeds and other Things. Of go A Natural Hiffory of Of the Reed-Sparrow 5 co The Defeviption and Charafter.. : ‘HIS Bird in Bienes is poe to thé Chaffinch : The Cock has a black Head and Throat: A Ring of White encompafles the Neck: His Breaft and Belly are White, | {potted with Redifh-brown Spots : The Back of a dusky Brown, with black Spots: The Pinion of his Wing is of a Redith-colour ; the reft of the Wing and Tail; are ofa dark | Brown: The Hen, as in moft Birds, is not fo fair coloured : The Ring about her Neck is darker, and fcarce appearing, and her Head’ is not Black like the Cock’s. They frequent the Reeds by the Rivéne fides, where they breed, hanging: their Nefts between the Reeds ; they are chearful merry Birds, and fing finely. When. we Walk in Summer-time by the Sides of the River, ge- nerally prefent us with an agreeable Harmo-_ ny. They are not kept very common in ‘Cages, therefore ’tis not neceflary. to dwell any longer upon this Bird. Her Eggs in Co- lour are like the Hedge Sparrow’s. To ~ Vn a ~~ \ DN ey 5 Lev) GY YY f WY Mi Y Englith, Singing-Birds; Br Of the Hedge-Sparrow 5 : The Defeription and Charatter. E, is ; about the Size of the Robin-Réd. | _ Breaft; has. a..pretty. long flender. Bill, of a Dusky. or Blackifh-colour : ‘The upper Side of his Body, is Party-coloured, of black, and. dirty Red; and his Breaft_of a. Blue, or Lead Colour : "This Bird is. as well. known as any of our {mall Birds, being found almoft in every Bufh, that hardly a Boy, that. fearches the Hedges, but. can give an Ac- count of its Neft, Eges, @¢. therefore would feem unneceflary for me to take any Notice of it, but that I think the Hedge-Sparrow too niuch neglected; no Bird is more defpifed; Iam fure he ought to be more valued; he is.a very pleafant Song-bird, fings fweetly, and has a great Variety of pretty Notes: E- have known them kept in Cages by fome cu- rious Perfons, and much valued for their fine finging; a great many People Cage worfe, and account them good Birds: ’Tis Plenty that leffens the Worth of this Bird, as of every Thing elfe, though ever fo valuable in itfelf. ‘The Hen is known from the Cock, by a fain- ter Breaft, and bong, of a brighter Colour on the Back. Mm. Of 82 A Natural Hiffory of Of their Building, Be. Their foithy and haw order them. HESE Birds, a6°T faid Benet ‘build their Neft almoft i in every Hedge, low, and open, that it may ‘be found with little ‘Difficulty. It confifts chiefly of fine green Mofs, platted with a ‘little Wool and Hair ; ’tis not of fo curious: a Model as fome’ are. ‘The Hen lays commonly five Eggs, ofa fine pale Blue, or Sea green Colour. ' She has young. Ones at the End of April or Beginning of May: Take them at nine or ten Days old, and feed them with Bread’ and Flcfh-Meat, chop’d very fine, and» mixed together, made moift, as for other Birds: Or you may bring them up with the Wood-lark’s Victuals. If the Cock is brought up under fome fine — Song-bird, he will take his Song, and’ aniwer your ‘Expectation. oe ote aN En olith Singing-Birds, ee $3 Of the Aberdevine ; The Defcription and Charatter. N Size and Colour, it is pretty much like the Cavary-bird, only the Cock has a black Spot upon_his Head, and a little Black under his Throat, The Hea 1 is more upon the Grey, and -has :a {potted Breaft and Belly. ‘They are lively, merry Birds, and fing very pret- tily, and are frequently keptin Cages. Thefe Birds do not breed any where in England that ever Wheard of, but thift Places according’ to. the Seafons of the Year; they vifit our Parts in the Winter-time, anid leave — us in the Spring. They frequent the Alder- “Trees, @c. by the. River-fide: The Bird- | catchers take them as they do Linnets, Gold- _ fuaches, Gc. and feed them like thofe Birds, [tis of a very mild Nature, and not at all Crafty, fo that it is eafily taken by any kind of Engine or Deceit. Mr Willughby calls: it Siskin. It is, ‘fays he, kept in Cages for its finging, and is common in Germany and England. At Vienna in Aw- ifiria, they call: it ‘Seifel, a Name not much different from our Englifh Siskin. In Suffer. “itis vimoaial in the Name of Barley-bird, fo | M2. , called, $4 Natural Fliffory of called, becaufe it comes to ai in Barley- Seed ine. | r > , Of the Canary-Bird ; 3 The Defeviption and Charatter. HIS Bird has its Name from Canaria, vam [land of the Atlantick Sea; one of thofe which the “Antients, for the excellent Temperature of the Air, called Fortunate ; all thofe I/lands which’ they fo named, be- ing now called the Canaries: Fromewhence thefe Birds were firft brought into Ewrope, ‘and from’no other Place: But now they are bred in Germany, France and England; and each of thofe Countries have improved the Breed ; for what are there produced, exceed the Birds brought from their Original natural Climate, both in Beauty and Sone ; among which the Englifb bred Birds are not inferiour to the beft, being of a more hardy Nature, and better for Breeding than thofe of any o-_ ther Country, and as good in Song. The Cock of this Kind hath a very fweet -and fhrill Note, which, at one Breath, con- tinued a long Time without Intermiffion ; it can omy out fometimes in Length, fome- times ry iN 4 y \) \ INVA i ae yi Hf | NN Hit ty ty “4 ZG iE YE Uy te YW) Ye, Canary Bird, lock, Hen,and Eg j Big ; {8 Ae Enplit ili bae Birds. Bi - | times raife very high, by a various, and al- moft mufical Inflexion of its Voice, making very ete: and ‘artificial Melody,’ : The Marks of pa Cock od Hen. : H E, i ee of his Head, his Throat, Pinion of the Wing and Rump, are of -a brighter Yellow. than in the Hen: Which Marks will hold good, let the Birds be of what Sort they.will; they always have a lit- tle Yellow above their Bills, under their ‘Throats, @c. of a ftrong deep Yellow in the Cock; in the Hen of a much paler Colour. There is a Difference likewife in.their Vents ; if you blow the Feathers in both, you may “perceive his to ape longer than that of the Hen’s}. ire Another Mark of a. Male Bird is his Size, the biggeft and longeft bodied Bird feldom fails of proying a Cock; efpecially if his Gefture and Carriage: be. {fprightly and ma- jeftick 5 and if he often extends his Neck and | Head with Life and Vigour, then you may depend upon its being a Cock-bird. Befides’ all this, you may know him by his fine fing- ing, in which you can’t well be deceived, for the Hens do not fing, or fo indifferently, that “tis not deferving of the Name of a Song; and whenever the Cock fings, if you obferve his Se A Natural Hiflory of. his Throat, you will fee it dwell and play all the Time he is warbling out his pretty. Notes. But let the Hen fing either well, or ill, th Motion is never obferved in her Throat. This one Note will be fufficient to dire& you to choofe'a Cock-bird at all Times 5 when you’ will find, for the Generalty, all the other Marks to. ‘catrefpond nates ts = ae ae 2] ia Be DiveStions for choofing a ces bite anil to know if be be in, Health. H E tot beautifel ‘elsheres Birds ate dof aybnght lovely: Yellow, with »Jétt black’ Spots. : The next is the Mealy-bird, fo named fromthe Mealy kind of Colour, which feems toicover his Feathers,. ‘The third Sort are called Motzled-birds; their chief Colour is White, mottled with »black or brownifh Spots. Befides thefe,, fome are all Yellow, others all White, and fome Grey, @c. ‘Thefe laft for Colour iare the leaft valued, but often prove as good:in Song, as the ‘fineft feathered of them all: The Choice of a good Bird not depending in the leaft on the Co- Inur, that being merely Fancy.) | For Health, take a Bird that appears a Life and Boldnefs, ftanding ‘like a Sparrow- Hawk,, not Subjed to be feared at every tii that ftirs: Therefore. when you obferve him him, approach not too near the Cage, leaft by a Motion of the Hand, or otherwife, you di- fturb him. It. will make the Bird, tho’ not well, appear Sprightly, and in Health for a little ‘Time; but if you ftand Quiet, and at a proper Diftance, you may: foon, difcover whether it is the EfeG of Pear, ior the nas tural Spirit of the Bird: If he fiands up bold- ly, without crouching or fhrinking his Fea- thers: If his Eyes look Chearful, and not Drowly, they are good Signs of a healthtulk Bird: But on the contrary, if he be apt to clap his Head under his Wing,..and. ftand all of an. Heap, | yen may Be eid i is not well + | Obferve likewife his Bite: vititeh ‘wie ; he is in perfect Health, will be round and hard, with a fine White on the Ontfide, and Dark within, and will quickly be dry. i he bolts his Tail like a Nightingale after he hath | - dung’d; or if his Dung be. very thin, or of _ a flimy White, ‘with no Blacknefs in’ ie you may conclude the is a fick Bird,” The next Thing we are to Regard it in hots g a Canary-bird, is the Goodnefs of his Song. Some of thefe Birds will open with-the fweet of the Nightingak, and run through feveral of that Bird’s fine Notes, and End in the Zi#- larks Song ; and fome will fing only the Tit- larks. Others’ will begin almoft like a Skie~ ao and “by a foft’ ‘Melodious: tuin of the | Voice, 88 § 4 Natural Hiffory of Voice, fall into the Nightingale’s Sweet and Jug, Whisking and Chewing after a very de- lightful Manner. The Birds that have fuch a — curious Change of Harmonious Notes, want no Recommendations, every Body muft ‘be fenfible that they are valuable. ‘There are others of this Kind, that fing with fo much Force, they even Deafen the Ears of the Hear-' ers with their Shrilnefs: Many Perfons are delighted with this Kind of ‘finging, others are offended at it. Therefore, before you pur- chafe the Bird, hear him fing in a fingle Cages and as you have Directions to know a Cock- bird, and when he is in Health; as to the Colour and Song, pleafe your own Fancy. © To Order them im Breeding, BEES ay, (CANARY BIRDS that are kept tame will Breed three or four Times in the Year : They ufually begin in April, and Breed in May and une, fometimes in Fuly or Augu/t. There are many People in England, as well as in France, Germany, &c. that get a good Live= lihood by: Breeding Canary-birds; befides, a great Number of Perfons which Breed them only for Pleafure. 2 diy Whether for Pleafure or Profit, make Ufe of fuch Birds for Breeders, as were produced between the Englifh and French, which arg i ftrong. Englith Singing- Birds. 85 ftrong healthful Birds, and Breed the beft « of any. ” Bat let them be of what Sort chey will, be fure to chufe ftout Birds. If the Cock or Hen be very fimall, match either one,or the other with a larger, as a {mall’ yellow Sort, with a large Mealy one, &c. which will ftreng- then the Breed. Towards the Middle of March, begin. to Match your Birds, putting one Cock and one: Hen in a fmall Cage: And when they have’ been fo long together, that they are perfec be ly reconciled, and well pleafed with each c= ther ; towards the End of March or Begin- ning et April, put them into the breeding Cage, made for that Ufe ; let it be as big a- gain as what we commonly call breeding Cages, that the Birds may have the more _ room to Fly and Exercife themfelves. Let’. there be two Boxes in the Cage forthe Hen © to build in, becaufe fhe will fometimes Hatch a fecond Brood, before the firft are fit to Fly, leaving the Care of them'to the Cock to feed’ and bring them up, whilft fhe Breeds in the. ther Box 5 “therefore if fhe has not a {pare - Box to build i in, will be apt to make her Neft | upon the Birds, as it fometimes happens and’ fmoother them, or build fo near that they will fpoil one another. Whilft your Birds are a pairing, feed them with foft Meat; Egg, Bread, Maw-feed, and a little fcalded "Rape- feed, hardly ar hiird Part of Ee 86 this laft, * N a) @ 9° Al Natural Hiffory, of - _ -and, the. Bread erated fine, and fo, mix_it all together : When they haye young Ones, give the fame foft Victuals, frefh every Day, and Iet them have frefh Greens likewife ; fuch as Cabbidge-Lettice now and then, but give them more conftantly, Chick-weed with Seeds upon it, towards ‘ue, Shepherd’s-Pufs, in Fuly. and Auguft, Plantain, and, before they haye young Ones, give them Groundfel with Seed;upon it. I would recommend to fuch Perfons.as breed only a few Birds for their Diverfion,, to Ufe thefe large Cages, it being much the beft Way : But thofe that intend to, breéd a Number, fhould prepare a Room for that Purpofe. 7 _ Let the Situation of it Be fuch, that the: Birds may enjoy the Benefit of the Morning Sun, which is both delightful and nourifhing 3, and let Wier, inftead. of Glafs, be at the Win- dows; that they may have the Advantage of the Air, which will-add to their Health, and make them thrive the better: Keep the Floor be of the Room clean, fometimes fifting fine dry Gravel. or Sand upon it, and often romaine the Dung and other foul Stuff, You muft take Care to fix Neft-Boxes, and Rack-Cager in every convenient ‘Corner and Place of the Room, at leaft, twice the Number that you have Birds, that they may have the more Va- riety to chufe a Lodging to their Minds; for fome love to build high, and forne very low, | fome Englith Singing-Birds. 91 fome in a light Place, and othe® will chufe a dark Place to build-i EAA There ought to be two windows’ in the ‘Room, one at each End, and feveral Perches at proper Diftances for the Birds to fettle up- on, as they Fly backward. and_ forwards. You may fet likewife a Tree in fome con- venient Place of the Room; it will divert the ‘Birds, and fome of them will like to build in it: You muft obferve that their Neft 1s fecure from falling through, and if in Danger, to tie the Tree clofer to prevent it, and they will hatch there as well asim any other Place. Remember not to put too many Birds toge- ther, eight or ten Pair are enough for a mid- dling Room. When your Birds are firft paired, as I di rected before, turn them into this Room; where they will live, as it were, aconjugal — ‘Life, and’ notwithfanding there are feveral “Male and Female Birds in the fame Room, ° one Cock and one Hen, as they firft coupled - together, will keep conftant to each. other, and both concur and affift in fitting and feed- ‘ing their young: For the Cock-bird takes his turn in Building the Neft, fitting upon the _ Eggs, and oa the young, as well as the ‘Hen. - CONE nal a: rer 32 od Natural Hiffory of Ba thei Neff, ee bas to order the othe, OU muft furnith the Birds with Stuff 3 for making their Neft; fiich as fine Hay, Wool, Cotten and Elk’s Hair, if it can be got : Let all thefe Materials be thoroughly ‘dry’; then mix and tie them up together ina Net, or fome fuch Thing, fo that the Birds ‘may cafily pull it out as they want it; and det it be hung i in a proper Place in the Room | for that Pa rpofe. They: build a pretty Neft, about which they will fometimes be fo Indu rious, as to begin | and: finith it in one Day, though they are ge- nerally two or three Days in making their Neft. The Hen’ lays commonly four or five Eggs and fets fourteen Days. When the Young are hatched, leavethen: to the Care of the old Ones to Nurfe and — bring up, till they can fly and feed them- felves. ‘The Hen, as I faid before, by Rea- fon of their Ranknefs, in being ‘kept toge- ther, and, provided with all Things neceffary ‘at Hand, without amy Trouble in feeking their. Food, &c. will fometimes build, and ‘hatch again before the firit can fhift for them- felves; the Care of which, fhe transfers to the Cock-bird, who will feed and Nurfe them — himfelf, fupplying that of both Parents, while fhe brings on and attends her new Progney. But Englifh Singing- Birds. , 93 But ‘tis not fo. with thofe Birds that live at large in the Fields: They obferve their Sea- fons for Breeding, and after they have hatch’d, Company with their Brood, till their Young aré grown up, and able to provide for them- felves, . When the young Cavary-birds can feed them- felves, take them from the old Ones, and Cage them. If they are Flying about the Room, to catchthem bring a {pare Cage with fome foft Victualsin it, taking the other Meat that’s in the Room away, placing the Cage there in its ftead, with the Door open, and a String faftened thereto : ‘Then ftand at a Di- ftance, and the old Ones’ will prefently, for the fake of the Meat, intice the young Ones into the Cage, then pull the String and fhut in One, Two, or as many as’ you can, the ‘Old you let fly, the young Cage: This do ull you have caught as many as you want. — Let their Meat be the Yelk of an Ege hard boil’d, with as much of the beft Bread, and a little fcalded Rape-feed : When it is boiled foft, bruife the Seed fine, and put a little Maw-feed among it, and mix it altogether, and give them a fufficient Quantity frefh every Day; never let it be ftale or four. Befides this, give them a little fcalded Rape-feed, and a little Rape and Canary by itfelf. You may Keep them to this Diet till they have done ‘moulting ; and afterwards feed them as you do. | the 94 . > ibid. Marks of the Cock and Hen ’ 16. Their Neft, Eggs, Oc. ee To feed and bring up the Young ibid. CANARY-BIRD, Defcription and Character 84 Marks of the Gack. and Hen ) 85 Direétions for choofing a good Bird Ngo "To know if it be in Health $7. The Difference of their Song - abid. To order them in Breeding | 88 When to match your Birds . 89 How to prepare a Cage for Breeding ibid. Or to fit a Room for the fame Purpofe 90 WhatStuf to furnifh them with for theirNeft 92 ‘To order the Young | ibid. Their Difeafesand Cure | 94 CHAF-FINCH, Defcription and CharaG@er 25 The cruel Cuftom of Blinding thefe Birds con- demn’d ibid, Marks of the Cock and Hen ~ 26 Of their Neft, Eggs, Oc. 27 To order the Young 28 How to take Branchers — ‘ibid, GOLD-FINCH, Defcription and Charedebe. 18 . Its mild and gentle Nature 19 Its great Docility in Learning to drawWater 20 The Age of this Bird . Lane bas Marks of the Cock and Hen | . Time. ale Pie UNDE xX. "Time and Mannef, of ds their Nef ibid, | .-To order the Young he 22 . Difeafes and Cure 4 Time and Seafons for catching Goldfinches ‘bid GF EEN BONG or Green. bird, Defeription and Character | j29 ~ Marks of the Cock, and Hen iC, cetou) Bead. - Of their Neft, Eggs, Oc. ah a et: . Of their Young, Ov. - HEDGE-SPARROW :Defeription andCharatt Se Of their Building, Young, Oc. 32 LINNET, Defcription and Chara&er 31 Marks of the Cock andHen 32 _ "Time and Manner of ae their Neft ibid. . How to bring up the Young — ¢ 33 Their Difeafes and Cure. | aa How to catch, and order thefe Birds 36 NIGHTINGALE, Defcription and CharaGer 67 — Marks of the Cock and Hen : 68 _ Oftheir Neft, with Diredions for finding it 69 How to bring up the Young | ve Their Difeafes and Cure The Seafons, and various Ways of ae Nightingales OH} | rs To order them when taken RED-GROSBEAK, Detcription and Charad. . RED-POLE, Defcription and CharaGer 60 RED- START, Detcription and Charafer 62 Their Breeding, Cini ibid. Of the ftrange dogged Temper of this Bird 63 REED-SPARROW, Defcription and:CharaG. 80 ROBIN-RED-BREAST, Defcription and Cha- yacter” 55 Its Manner of fegieae es wild 56 Marks of the Cock and Hen ibid, Time and Manner of+making their Nef, Co- lour of their r Ege Oe, | 57 eee Nears > ae neo Th ae a LN DE uf ve s Phi a oy] 5 When to take, and to ig, up the Young 57 ‘Their Difeafes and Cure © 58 How to take old Ones, Gc. Leg eee Defeription and “Charset Marks of the Cock and’ Hen . 39 » Time and Manner of Building, (7c. - 40 --OF the Young, how to order them, Oc. 41 MBhein Dileafes‘and Cure oO") ee ei To take Pufhers 7 | SO a eee To take Branchers A5 | STARLING, Defcription and CharaGer Spat 9 --Marks of the Cock and Hen ~~“ ibid, ‘Their Building, Eggs, Oc. | Iz To order the Young, Oc. pivot Be Difeafes and- Cure | i fs THRUSH, Defeription and Chara@er The different Kind of Thrufbes ; their Defi mr tion and Chara@ers “Marks of the Cock and Hen | : Of their Neft, Eggs, @c. ao Be ae Of their Young, and how to order them 10 ‘TIT-LARK, Defcription' and CharaG@er = 553 Marks of the Cock and Hen — dpi F Of their Neft, Eggs, Oc. abid. TWITE, Defcription and CharaGer 37 WOOD-LARK, Defcription and Character 46 . Marks of the Cock and Hen | ee Of their Neft, Egos, Oc. 48 How to order the Young ~~» 49 ‘The Seafons for catching thefe Birds, and to Orderthem whentaken ~° 3 50 WREN, Defcription and CharaGer * 64 Marks of the Cock and Hen 7° Wa AES Of their Neft, Eges, Oc. : ibid. "'o order the Young, Cc. GO YELLOW-HAMMER, Defcription and Cha- racter | 78 Of their Neft, Eggs, &c. 79