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PART THE FIRST.
BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
FALCO CHRYSAETOS :
OR,
GOLDEN-EAGLE.
r v
{I
Tl; ornithologia,
VAi 0R
E*
THE BIRDS:
A POEM, IN TWO PARTS,
WITH AN
INTRODUCTION TO THEIR NATURAL HISTORY;
AND
COPIOUS NOTES ;
BY JAMES JENNINGS,
»«*
AUTHOR OF
Observations on the Dialects of the West of England, tyc. fyc.
"They whisper Truths in Reason's ear,
If human pride will stoop to hear."
Lord Erskine.
Qnel bien manque a vos vceux interessants oiseaux ?
Vous posse*dez les airs, et la terre/et l/s eaux ;
Sous la feuille trerftblanteun zephyr vous 6veille;
Vos couleurs charment l'oeil, et vos accents l'oreille.
. - De Lille.
SECOND EDITION,
WITH ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS.
LONDON
SHERWOOD, GILBERT, AND PIPER,
23, PATERNOSTER ROW.
1829.
ft
RICHMOND
COLLECTION.
«tf/'onal Mui
J, AND C. ADLARD, PRINTERS,
BARTHOIOMEW CLOSE.
9C ,*l
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
The favourable reception of Ornithologia, especially by
those who are judges of the science, has induced the author to
revise it, and to make such additions to it which the late rapid
progress of Ornithology has rendered necessary: those ad-
ditions will be found in the following Preliminary Notices;
to which, as the author has no wisli to shrink from the closest
scrutiny into the merits of his work, he has appended a few
Explanatory Observations on some objections that have
been, either carelessly, iynorautly, or wanton 1 y, made to it:
with a liberal and discerning public he has no doubt of the
result.
Since the appearance of Ornithologia, in 1827, the
the public attention has been more than ordinarily excited
to Animal Natural History. The Zoological Society is men-
tioned in page 94. Its collection of living animals in the
Regent's Park is now, under suitable regulation, open to the
public at a very trifling expense, namely, one shilling each
person. The crowds that daily visit the Gardens are almost
innumerable. They are, at once, a fashionable, an agreeable,
an amusing, and instructive lounge ; and far exceed, in
exciting interest, any thing which could have been pre-
viously anticipated concerning such an establishment.
The members of the Society exceed, at the present time,
(September 1829,) 1300. The Museum in Bruton Street con-
a2
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
tains 600 specimens of Mammalia ; 400 specimens of Birds;
1000 of Reptiles and Fishes ; 1000 of Tcstacea and Crustacea;
and 30,000 Insects. The Gardens were opened to the pub-
lic in June 1828, and with the Museum, from that period,
in one year, had been visited by 112,226 persons. In the
Gardens are between five and six hundred living Quadru-
peds and Birds. Among the curious birds are the follow-
ing: Curassows, the Guan, the Crowned Crane, Black and
White Storks, Spoonbills, Herons and Bitterns, Parrots,
Pelicans, Emus, an Ostrich, the Gannet, the Shag ; various
species of the Duck tribe ; Tame, Wild, and Black Swans ;
various species of the Goose tribe: Gulls ; many varieties
of Pigeons and Domestic Fowls; the Condor; the Griffon
Vulture; various Eagles ; curious Owls ; numerous species
of the Falcon tribe; Pheasants ; Partridges ; and many
singing Birds, &c. See the Guide to the Zoological Gardens,
drawn up by N. A. Vigors and W. J. Broderip, Esqrs.
It maybe also useful to state, that, although this Society
were reluctantly compelled to postpone the attempt to
become more directly and practically useful, by experi-
ments in the breeding and domestication of animals, yet
that they are, now, about to direct their attention to those
important objects. The Regent's Park not being calculated
for the purpose, they have engaged a farm, with suitable
offices, &c. of about thirty-three acres of land, in a beautiful
situation under the wall of Richmond Park, nine miles
from Hyde Park Corner. Here it is intended that their
experiments for breeding and domesticating animals are to
be made. The animals are to include not only Quadru-
peds and Birds, but also Fish.
Besides the work of Wilson on the Birds of America,
noticed in page 90, one now in course of publication, in this
country, by Mr. Audubon, consisting of Drawings of the
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
same size as the Birds, must here be mentioned. Et is enti-
tled Birds of America, from Drawings made during a resi-
dence of twenty -five years in the United States and its Terri-
tories. Ten numbers have already appeared. The Plates
are three feet three inches long, by two feet two inches wide:
" a size," says Mr. Swainson, in his notice of the work, in
the Magazine of Natural History t " which exceeds any
thing of (he kind I have ever seen or heard of; on this vast
surface, every bird is represented in its full dimensions ;"
the whole are also correctly coloured, according to nature.
In allusion to two ornithological narratives by Mr.
Audubon, printed in one of the Scotch Journals, Mr.
Swainson says, " There is a freshness and originality about
these Essays which can only be compared to the animated
biographies of Wilson. Both these men contemplated
Nature as she really is, not as she is represented in books.
The observations of such men arc the corner-stones of every
attempt to discover the natural system. Their writings will be
consulted when our favourite theories shall have passed into
oblivion. Ardently, therefore, do I hope that Mr. Audubon
will alternately become the historian, and the painter, of his
favourite objects ; that he will never be made a convert to
any system, but instruct and delight us, as a true and un-
prejudiced biographer of Nature. The largeness of the
paper has enabled Mr. Audubon to group his figures, in the
most beautiful and varied attitudes, on the trees or plants
which they frequent. Some are feeding, others darting,
pursuing or capturing their prey ; ail have life and anima-
tion ; the plants, fruits, and flowers, which enrich the scene,
are alone still."
There has been, as yet, no letter-press description pub-
lished of 7\Ir. Audubon's Drawings; but it is designed that
every bird shall be suitably described; the number of which
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
delineated by him, is, we understand, between four and
five hundred; and he, being;, it is said, a native'of Louisiana?
will, we doubtnot, supply much original information relative
to the birds of the southern regions of North America.
It appears, by a Catalogue of the Birds of the United
States, published in an American work, by Prince Charles
Bonaparte, that they cons'st of 28 families, 81 genera, and
362 species: 209 land, and 153 water birds. Of these 81
genera, 63 are common to Europe and America, while .18
have no representatives in Europe. Arranging all the
known birds in 37 natural families, 28 of these are found
in America ; and of these 28, two are not found in Europe.
The Magazine of Natural hHstory t \\as begun last year, and,
under the able superintendence of Mr. Loudon, is diffusing
its utilities around. While it preserves a scientific character
it, at the same time, renders the study of Natural History,
whether animal, vegetable, or mineral, easy to the plainest
capacity. Among its advantages are the accentuation and
explanation of the scientific terms ; compendia of the various
scientific departments ; much new and explanatory desiderata ;
and original communications from various able naturalists.
There is another point, too, for which the intelligent Editor
deserves gre;tt credit; namely, that of permiting authors
and others who have been misquoted or misrepresented,
to explain themselves in their own words and in their own
way. See a Letter by the Author of Ornithologia, below.
As connected with Ornithology, it ought also to be stated
that the Linnean Society has lately enriched its collection
with the Collections and Library pf Linnaeus, and those of
its late President Sir J. E. Si\:ith ; so that nearly all the
materials which that great naturalist employed are now in
this country. The Society gave for these treasures 3000
guineas.
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
Enough has, perhaps, been said concerning the quinary
arrangement of Birds proposed by Mr. Vigors, in the Intro-
duction, see page 41 ; but as Mr. Macleay, the original
propounder of the s) stern, has given us a learned and valu-
able paper, in the sixteenth volume of the Linnean Trans-
actions, relative to the analogies existing between Birds
and the Mammalia, it may be useful to observe that he has
proposed the following comparative Table;
MAMMALIA. AVES.
1 Ferce Carnivorous 1 Raptores.
2 Primates Omnivorous 2 Insessores.
3 Glires Frugivorous 3 Rasores.
i tt j , f Frequenting the > . ^ , 7 .
4 Ungidata \ . S 1 .. c ° . > 4 Grallatores.
a ( vicimly of water, S
5 Cetacea Aquatic 5 Natatores.
Corrections arid Additions to Ornithologia.
Colymbus minor, or Di dapper, page 11. This is a mistake;
it is the Fulica chloropus, or Moor-Hen.
Turdus musicus, or Song-Thrush, page 18. In regard to the
structure of the nest of this bird, see forwards in the Letter to
the Editor of the Magazine of Natural History,
Hirundo esculenla, or esculent Swallow, page 23. The
Chinese carry on a large trade in these birds' nests. It is said
that the quantity annually sent from Java to China is 242,000
lbs. the export value of which is estimated at £284,000. What
there can be in these superior to the gdatine to be obtained
from innumerable animal substances the luxurious Asiatics can
best explain.
Sleep <f Birds, page 57. Ducks will also sleep while floating
on the water; and, most probably, many other of the natatoria
tribe; hence the facility of their moving from one region of the
earth to another.
Incubation of Birds, page 60. Mr. Sweet, Mag, Nat. Hist,
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
vol. ii. page 113, states some curious facts relative to birds for-
saking their nests. He says that " the redbreast, wren, black-
bird, song-thrush, missel-thrusli, and, he thinks, almost every other
bird, will forsake their first nest for the season, if frightened
out of it once or twice, and will immediately begin to build
another ; but they will not forsake their nest while laying, handle
the eggs as much as you please, or change them one for the
other; or even if you take one out every day, the same hen will
return, and lay, in the empty nest. A redbreast will sit on any
egg substituted for its own, even a blackbird's or thrush's, and
will breed up the young ones; a hedge-sparrow will do the
same ; and, most probably, any soft-billed bird. Later in the
season, after a bird has made one or two nests, it will not for-
sake its nest when sitting, drive it out as often as you please ;
some will even suffer themselves to be taken out and put back
again without leaving the nest."
In regard to the Goldfinch, when it breeds in gardens, I can
say that it builds sometimes a few feet only from the ground,
in an espalier, for instance; and pass to it as close as you please
during incubation, it usually remains in the nest. The greatest
enemies of birds that build in such places are eats.
Birds of London, page 75, et seq. The Corvus monedula, or
Jack-Daw frequents some of the church towers of London,
particularly St. Michael's, Cornhill; and it is said that the Fa!co
tinnunculus, or common Hawk, builds in some of the more ele-
vated parts of St. Paul's Cathedral.
I heard the Song-Thrush, Turdus musicus, singing on one
of the trees in Berkeley Square, March 22, 1828. I am quite
certain of this fact, as I took care to see the bird.
Mr. Britton informs me that, in the winter, Tomtits, Parus
caruleus, frequent his garden in Burton Street, Burton Crescent,
to the number of four or six at a time : the Chaffinch, Fnn~
gilla ccelebs, has also been observed in the same garden : and
last summer, 1828, the Whitethroat, Mvtacilla sylvia, poured
its pleasing song in the same place. It is scarcely necessary to
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
add that Pheasants and Partridges are to be seen in the
Regent's Park, because these were, it is presumed, brought
there by those having command in that region, and which, there-
fore, can hardly be considered as the natural, voluntary domi-
cile of those birds. The Nightingale is also occasionally to
be heard in the same park. And Starlings now, I observe,
build very commonly in or about some of the capitals of the
Corinthian columns at Sussex Place.
It may be staled also, in addition to what is said in page 77,
concerning the Martin, Hirundo urbica, that I observed, Aug,
10, 1829, several of those birds actively on the wing, over, and
around the Southwark bridge, where they were evidently
collecting their food.
It is stated in the Mag. of Nat. Hist, that the Gardens about
London, are much more injured by insects than those in distant
parts of the country ; and it is conjectured that this is owing to
the number of birds which are taken by the bird-catchers and
also by the cats. Although this statement is in favour of the
necessity of Humanity to Animals for our own well-being, yet
I cannot confirm it by any knowledge of my own.
The Falco Harpyia, or Crested Eagle, page 104, is sometimes
called Harpy. It is one of the most powerful of the Eagle
tribe ; a fine specimen of this bird is in the Horticultural Socie-
ty's Gardens ; by this time, we hope,"in the Zoological Gardens.
Falco Washingtoniana, or Great American Sea-Eagle.
We are indebted to Mr. Audueon for a description of this
large, rare, and rapacious bird, in the Mag. of Nat. Hist. vol. i.
p 115. This Eagle is much larger than our Golden Eagle. The
male weighs 14^ lbs, and is three feet seven inches long, by ten
feet two inches in extent. The female is, of course, larger. The
upper part of the head, neck, back, scapulars, rump, tail-coverts,
femorals, and tail feathers, are a dark coppery brown; the
throat, front of the neck, breast, and belly, a rich bright cinna-
mon, all the feathers of which are dashed along the centre with
a 3
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
the brown of the back. Primaries brown, secondaries between
the last-named colour and rusty iron-grey, of which colour are the
lesser coverts. Legs and feet strong, and of a dirty yellow. Bill
three and a half inches long, bluish black, turning into yellow to-
wards the mouth which is blue, and surrounded with a thick yel-
low skin. Found, though rarely, in the back settlements of North
America. The knowledge evinced by these birds, and the care
of their young, are deserving notice. " In a few minutes," says
Mr. Audubon, " the other parent joined her mate, which, from
the difference in size, we knew to be the mother bird. She had
brought a fish, but, more cautious than her mate,ere she alighted,
she glanced her quick and piercing eye around, and perceived
that her nest had been discovered ; she dropped her prey, with
a loud shriek communicated the alarm to the male, and, hover-
ing with him over our heads, kept up a growling threatening cry,
to intimidate us from our design. The young having hid them-
selves, we picked up the fish, a white perch, which the mother
had let fall ; it weighed o^lbs. the upper part of the head was
broken in, and the back torn by the talons of the Eagle." Mr.
Audubon could not, however, obtain either of these birds, nor
one of their young. The specimen which he describes was
obtained by him on another occasion.
ddurnha migruloria, or Passenger Pigeon, page 120. Every
account from travellers confirms the immense numbers of these
birds in the back settlements of North America. An incalcu-
lable quantity were seen passing over the village of Rochester,
{Genesee County, N.A.) on the 13th of December, 1828, from
the North. Such an unusual migration, at such a season of the
year, excited great attention ; and, what was very remarkable,
those of them which were taken were very fat. Whence could
they have come ; from some northern summer ?
Another account, from the Susquehannuh County Register, for
May 1829, states that an encampment of these birds was about
ten miles from Montrose, N. A. ; where they built nests and
reared their young : this encampment was upwards of nine miles
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
in length and four in breadth, the lines regular and straight,
within which there was scarcely a tree, large or small, that was
not covered with nests. They caused such a constant roaring,
by the flapping of their wings, that person?, on going into the
encampment, had great difficulty in hearing each other speak.
Every thing throughout the camp appeared to be conducted in
the most perfect order. They take their turns regularly in feeding
their young; and when any of them are killed upon their nests
by the sportsmen, others immediately supply their places. The'
editor of the paper mentioned observes, " we incline to believe
that they have in part adopted Mr. Owen's community system, as
the whole appears to be a common stock business. The squabs,
(young pigeons,) are now sufficiently large to be considered by
epicures better for a rich dish than the old ones ; they are caught
and carried off by waggon loads."
It appears, by the latest accounts, that the statement that this
pigeon lays only one egg for a brood is incorrect. It often lays
two eggs for the same sitting ; and it also breeds nearly as often
as our domestic pigeon, seven or eight times a year. In twenty-
three days from the laying of the eggs the young can fly ; in eight
days after being hatched they fly from the nest. New York Med.
and Phys. Journal.
Cygnusferus, or Wild Swan, page 125. The chief specific
difference between this and the Tame Swan, consists in the
structure of the trachea or windpipe, which, in this species?
enters into the sternum, or breast-bone, forms a circumvolution
within it, and, returning out again, enters in the usual manner
into the lungs. In the tame Swan there is nothing unusual in
the progress of the trachea into the lungs. Like the tame Swan
this species may be bred in confinement. Lord Egremont has
reared it at Petworth: the pair now in the Zoological
Gardens came from his lordship's menagerie. Guide to the
Gardens.
Cygnus atrata or Anas atrata, page 125. The Black Swan
is bred with ease in England. The trachea of this bird is singu-
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
iar, being exactly intermediate in character between those, of
the wild and the tame Swan: it has the convolution of that of the
wild species, but it does not enter the breast-bone.
Phasianus gallus, or Common Cock and Hen, page 146.
The Dorking Fowl is distinguished by having five claws on
each foot.
It appears from Crawford's Embassy to Siam and Cochin-China,
that, in the forests through which the embassy passed, they
observed several flocks of wild poultry. One of these, not far
from a village, appeared so little shy that, at first, it was ima-
gined they were domestic fowls : this account confirms the
statement of naturalists that the cock and hen came originally
from Asia.
Scolopax gallinago, or Common Snipe, page 161. This bird
Is called in some of the provinces, chiefly, it is presumed, Scot-
land, Heather Bleuter, from the male making a noise during the
breeding season like the bleating of a goat.
" The cuckoo and the gowk,
The lavrock and the lark,
The heather-bleat, the muire-snipe,
How many birds is that ?"
Mag. Nat. Hist.
Answer, Three only.
Scolopax arquata, or Curlew, page 163. The young of this
bird are called in Somersetshire, Checkers.
Slurnas Vulgaris, or Sterling, page 168. Although I have
never met with the nest of this bird in Somersetshire, the bird
itself is not uncommon there in the winter. See before, in these
notices, Birds of London.
Loxia coccothraustes, or Hawfinch, page 175. A nest of
this bird was found, May 1828, on the bough of an apple tree,
at Chelsfield, Kent, and of no very curious construction; eggs
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
five, size of a skylark's, of a dull greenish grey, streaked and
spotted with bluish ash, olive brown, or blackish brown. 3Iag.
Nat. Hist.
The Tringavanellus, or Lapsing, page 183, is found in many
of our English marshes and moors. Shakespeare, in Hamlet, act v.
scene ii. has the following line :
''This lapwing runs away with the shell upon his head.''
See page 222. Some of the learned commentators on Shakes-
peare, Dr. Johnson among them, have made strange havoc with
this passage; the plain truth, I presume, is, they knew nothing
of the fact in natural history, that, occasionally, young birds of
the rasor, thenatator, and wading tribes, do run away as soon as
they are hatched, with the shell upon their heads ; hence Osrick,
to which the above line is applied in Shakespeare, is called a
lapwing, not being properly informed concerning the business
on which he was sent, in other words, was an ignorant young
bird.
The Great American Bittern (see page 200) is said to
have the power of emitting light from its breast equal to that
of a common torch, which illuminates the water so as to enable
it to discover its prey. Mag. of Nat, Hist, vol, ii. page 64. It
is also suspected that other birds of the ardea genus in this
country have similar properties ; yet we are not aware that any
one has observed them : the breast of the common heron,
ardea major, has a space void of feathers, but covered by a tuft
of down, the use of which is not at present known ; is it for the
purpose of emitting light? See Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. ii. p. 206.
Mergus senator, or Red-breasted Merganser, page 210.
A nest of this bird was found by Mr. Selby and Sir W. Jardine
upon an island in Loch Awe, in Argyleshire, in June 1828 ; it
was made of moss mixed with the down of the bird ; in struc-
ture and materials it resembled that of the eider duck; it con-
tained nine eggs of a rich reddish brown colour. Mag, Nat. Hist.
1
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
Parus biarmicus, or Bearded Titmouse, page 220, is called
in Kent, the Reed Pheasant.
Fringilla carduelis, or Goldfinch, page 251. It is said, by
Mr. Murray, that when this bird is fed exclusively on hemp-
seed, the red and yellow colours of the plumage become black.
Mag. Nat. Hist. My own observations do not confirm this ; it
is, I suspect an occasional effect only of such food.
Fringilla ccelebs, or Chaffinch, page 252, is sometimes called
Whitefinch.
Turdus torquatus, or Ring Ouzel, page 259, is seen occa-
sionally on the Quantork hills in Somersetshire.
Turdus iliacus, or Redwing, page 260. A friend J. N. C.
Esq. of Trowbridge, on whose report I can rely, informs me
that this bird occasionally sings in this country before its depar-
ture in the spring. The Redwing's song will be found in the
Pleasures of Ornithology, page 46.
The Sylvia atricapilla, or Blackcap, page 272, sings some-
times while sitting upon the egg«. See forwards in these preli-
minary notices.
Fringilla domestka, or House Sparrow, page 280. Many
nests of this bird were to be seen on the young elms in the
Regent's Park, in November 1827. And in the ivy which covers
the front of a house near Spring Gardens, and which looks into
St. James's Park, a colony of the same birds are now domiciled.
August 1829.
Page 287. The account of the death of so many Geese from
plucking them was copied by the Hera'd from the Taunton
Courier, a paper distinguished for the superior mental talent
with which it is conducted by its proprietor Mr. Marriot.
Vultnr gryphus, or Condor, page 306, 313. A living speci-
men of this bird is now in the Zoological Gardens ; it is neither
so large nor so formidable as it has been common!} represented.
We are not informed, in the Guide to the Gard(?is, what the age
of the specimen is; it is, we suspect, a young bird. But we
still want a record of more facts concerning it. The gentlemen,
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
Messrs. Vigors and Broderip, who drew up the Guide to the
Gardens, state that " although the Mil, body, and wings of this
bird exhibit great strength, the legs and claws are, compara-
tively speaking, feeble. No Vulture has talons formed for
seizure ; the birds of this group feed upon carrion and not, like
the other raptorial birds, on living prey. Our condor is cer-
tainly not the Roc of our old friend Sinbad." [Arabian Nights.]
They add, the feats which have been related of the condor may
with more apparent justice, be attributed to some of the eagle
tribe, whose bodily strength is equal to that of the vultures,
whose talons are adapted to seizure, and vvho feed on living
animals. The Harpy exhibits much greater strength of limb
than the bird before us. See a preceding notice and also
page 104-
Muscicapa atricapilla, or Pied Fly Catcher, page 370,
breeds in the woods near Ullswater ; but it is suspected to be,
nevertheless, a migratory bird, it not being seen in Lancashire
before April nor later than September. It is also, according to
the same authority, (Mr. Blackwall, in Mag. Nat. Hist.) a
bird of some song, the notes of the male, which are sometimes,
though rarely, delivered on the wing, being pleasing and varied.
The Didus, or Dido, of which three species are described in
page 383, is now, in all probability, extinct: for although no
doubt is entertained that this tribe has existed, and on the
islands mentioned in the text, yet, by the latest researches, no
living specimens of it can be found in any of the Islands named ;
nor has it been discovered any where else. See the Zoological
Journal.
The Tanager , s Songj page 409, set to music by Mr. Jacob,
has been published by Mr. Power, of the Strand.
I avail myself of the corner of a page, to say that Mr.
Yarrell laid a valuable paper on the Trachea of Birds, a short
time since, before the Linnean Society, and which will, no doubt,
in due time, appear in that Society's Tran c actions.
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
To the Editor of the Magazine of Natural History.
SIR,
There are a few points to which I desire to reply in the
notice of Ornithologia, in the Magazine of Natural History,
vol. i, page 341.
First, I wish to observe that " the chief of my knowledge
of the natural history of birds bas been obtained by a long
residence in Somersetshire, at Huntspill, of which place I
am a native ;" that the observations which I have made on
the Song Thrush (turdus musicus) are particularly appli-
cable to facts with which I have there become acquainted.
I have stated also that " we must not be in haste to con-
demn what we have not ourselves witnessed ;" throughout
my work I hope I have been constantly impressed with this
sentiment.
IS est of the Thrush.
Now, although I am not prepared to deny that, some-
times and in some places, the nest of the song-thrush might
be plastered with cow-dung, yet I do strongly suspect that
no clay enters, even as a cement, into the composition of the
plaster; and I am led to this conclusion chiefly from the
lightness of the nest. The Blackbird's nest (Turdus merufa)
is, I am well aware, plastered with clay, over which is laid
dry grass or some such material; and it is, in consequence
of having clay in its composition, much heavier than the
thrush's nest. That I have never seen a nest of the thrush
in Somersetshire lined with cow-dung, I think I may confi-
dently assert. The lining of the thrush's nest, there, at least,
I have always found of a very light buff colour ; and that it
consists chiefly of rotten wood, I am equally well assured,
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
as, pieces of this material, and those sometimes tolerably
large, are frequently apparent in it.* As to the
Singi?)(/ of the Thrush while sitting on the Eggs*
I admit that it might possibly be a solitary fact, although
I think otherwise ; but it is one of which, however, I can
entertain no doubt, as it was heard not only by myself but
by other branches of my family, the sweetness of the song
having excited our particular attention ; and what makes
the fact still more memorable is that the nest was a short
distance from my father's house, and we afterwards took
the young, one of which we raised and kept for some years
in a cage, where it sang delightfully.
* As it is now known that some of the Swallow tribe, see
pages 158 and 159, have glands which secrete an adhesive gum
or glue with which their nests are, in part, constructed, why may
there not be such glands for a similar purpose in many other
birds? in the thrush, in particular, I am disposed to think there
are, and recommend this subject to our anatomical ornithologists.
I have neither leisure nor opportunity for sucli inquiry or I would
gladly undertake it.
Nest of the Mag-pie.
From what the Reviewer says {Blag, of Nat. Hist. vol. i. page
345) an uninformed person would conclude that the inside sur-
face of the magpie's nest is clay; now, it ought to be known that,
although the magpie does certainly plaster the interior part of the
nest with clay; yet over the clay is invariably laid, according to
my experience, a pietty extensive one, some dried grass, or other
soft material. I ought certainly to have mentioned this in my
description of the magpie's nest, in page 19 ; but it too often
happens that what we well know ourselves we presume other
persons must also know.
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On the Cuckoo.
In regard to the cuckoo not being a climbing bird, which
your Reviewer, in a note, decidedly affirms, (an affirmation
without any evidence, to which one scarcely knows how to
reply,) I can only say that as few, if any, persons have seen
this singular bird climbing trees for its food, we can only
reason from the few facts which we possess concerning it.
It is, we know, furnished with scansorial feet, and I have
never seen it collect its food on the ground ; indeed, except
in its flight, have rarely seen it any where else but on trees,
not often, if ever, on bushes or near the ground. The
cuckoo kept in a cage, as mentioned in Ornithologia, page
142, did occasionally pick up its food, but this it always did
while it was on the perch ; if an earthworm happened to
fall from its beak it never descended to the bottom of the
cage to pick it up. I think it therefore quite fair to con-
clude that it does climb about the trees which it frequents,
and possibly obtains its food from them. Mr. Yarrell,
than whom perhaps a more accurate and intelligent observer
never existed, has dissected many cuckoos, and he says that
the stomach is similar in structure to the woodpecker's, and
therefore fitted for the digestion of animal food only ; that
the contents of the stomach invariably indicate the presence
of such food, namely, the larva of some insects. Surely
these facts warrant us in placing this bird among the
scansors.
The public papers informed us, last summer, 1828, of some
one near Worthing having been fortunate enough to pre-
serve a cuckoo through the winter ; if this notice should
meet the eye of the possessor of the bird, a communication
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
of any facts concerning it through this Magazine will be
greatly esteemed .*
On the Terms used in Natural History.
The Reviewer mistakes in supposing that I might be led
away by any authority whatever, independently of facts.
1 incline to think that scientific naturalists, those, I mean,
who think more of terms than of facts, will be rather dis-
posed to find fault with me for an opposite line of conduct :
for placing terms in the back and facts in the foreground ;
for setting too little value upon systems of any kinds. But,
while I frankly admit, that I think our system-builders have
pushed, in many instances, their generalization too far,
it behoved me, nevertheless, as a faithful natural historian,
to lay before the reader, Ornithology, in science and in
fact as it is, rather than what I could wish it to be. As to
the introduction of the terms cuculid scansor, and a few
others, every one will, I hope, perceive that this has been
done to show how the scientific terms may be anglicised
* I have just been informed by a gentleman of my acquaint-
ance that some years since he knew of a cuckoo having been
kept in a cage, after being hatched in this country, till the
beginning of February in the next year: it was kept, of course,
in a warm room, and fed on raw flesh ; but, by omitting one
frosty night to keep the room warm, it died.
The following is the notice alluded to above :
A person named Moore, residing at Goring near Worthing,
has in his possession a cuckoo which was taken from the nest
last year; and has been kept in a healthy state in a cage since
that period. During ihe present season " it has poured forth its
well-known call, and is a rare and perhaps a solitary instance
of a cuckoo surviving in this country after the usual period at
«hich these birds migrate, which is seldom later than August.
Sussex Advertiser; Morning Herald, June 12, 1828.
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
and used ; and sure I am that, if they cannot be anglicised,
the introduction of them, and the multiplication of new
terms in a learned language, how much soever they may
please the pedant, must very materially obstruct the pro-
gress of science; learned terms may, and perhaps always
will, please a few, but, by the generality of persons, their
introduction will be disapproved, and their acquisition will
be felt and deemed a wearisome pursuit. Things and facts,
not words, are now and, in the acquisition of all knowledge,
ought ever to have been the order of the day.
On the Songs of Birds in the Torrid Zone.
The Reviewer wonders, seeing I am acquainted with
Wilson's American Ornithology, that I am disposed to echo
the opinion that birds of song are scarce in the western
world. I am not aware that I have in any part of my work
stated such an opinion. I have said, "It is perhaps true
that the birds of warm climates do not equal those of the
temperate ones in the sweetness and the richness of their
notes ;" and I have also said that, " From the abundance
of many of the Pica- tribe, such as parrots, and some others
of harsh note, it is probable that their sounds in the tropical
woods overpower and confound the more soft and sweet
modulations of the warbler tribes; and hence the opinion
has obtained credit that the tropical regions are deficient in
birds of song." But how this can be interpreted into the
opinion given to me, I really cannot divine : when, more-
over, I reflect that Wilson must have been most conver-
sant with the birds of the temperate climates of the United
States, how what I have said can be applied to the birds
which he has described does indeed surprise me*.
* The whole number of birds described by Wilson, be it
remembered, is only 278.
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To write a book that should please every body would not
only be hopeless but impossible; that various opinions
should be entertained concerning Ornithologia, is what I
ought naturally to expect. The value of such a work cannot
be immediately known ; but I feel assured that the more it
is examined, the more will its statements be found to cor-
respond with actual facts in natural history.* I shall,
nevertheless, feel grateful to every one who will take the
trouble to look into it; and should he find any error in it,
none will be more ready to acknowledge and to correct it
than myself.
Aware of the necessity of being careful in a selection of
facts in Natural History, I am persuaded that no one can
accuse me, justly, of hastily rejecting or of heedlessly adopt-
ing whatever may be presented to my notice ; but, as the
evidence of my own senses is, to me, the best of all evidence^
I have, as it became me to do, laid no inconsiderable stress
upon that in the composition of my Work ; and hence, some-
times, my observations are very different from those made
by persons who have preceded me in the same path.
London ; Nov. 15, 1827. J .is. Jennings.
From the Mag. Nat. History, vol. ii. p. 111.
To the above Letter I wish to add, that the Reviewer of
Ornithologia, in the Magazine of Natural History, has, in a
note to my observation, page 285, stating that " the Gold-
* I might add, in defiance of the nibbling and the cavils of
reviewers, that I challenge the whole of our English literature
to produce a work of Jive hundred pages in duodecimo, which con-
tains such a mass of information on the Natural History of Birds:
as I have said, in my letter to Mr. Campbell, " the volume
contains the labour of three years, and the accumulation of a life
of observation."
PRELIMINARY NOTICES,
finch feeds in winter principally on thistle seed," objected
to this statement, because, he says, " the only thistle seed
which he can procure in winter must be unproductive, all
the fertile seeds being scattered by the winds during the
autumn." Really this point blank contradiction is too bad
even for an anonymous reviewer. Had I not been well
aware of this habit of the Goldfinch, I should not have stated
it. Lest, however, any one should be still disposed to ques-
tion it, I say, once for all, that the seed of the Common
Thistle, serratula arvensis, is not, in Somersetshire, usually
dissipated by the winds in autumn ; and that I have seen
a hundred goldfinches at a time feeding upon its seed in
the winter season. And, notwithstanding the seeds of the
Bull Thistle, carduus lanceolatus, are more readily dissi-
pated by the wind, these seeds do also occasionally furnish
food in the winter to those birds. But there is, in fact, no
end to objections and objectors of this sort. Some years
since, happening to enter into conversation with a farmer,
a very knowing one, too, in his way, I mentioned that the
world was a globe, and that persons had sailed round it ;
the only answer he made was, " I dont believe it." If a
reviewer be pleased to dispute a fact of which he does
not himself happen to be cognisant, although stated by
respectable authority, argument with him must be thrown
away. The Inquisitors imprisoned Galileo ; but he still
contended the earth moved for all that. I acquit, however,
the respectable Editor of the Magazine of Natural History,
from having any hand in that review, being convinced that
it was got up by another person, and most probably while
he (Mr. Loudon) was out of the kingdom.
By a singular coincidence, Mr. Sweet, in the same number
of the Mag. of Nat. Hist, in which the above letter appears,
(March 1829,) and whose account of the songs, See. of his
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warblers is given in page 72 et seq. of Ornithologia, says,
" I certainly have never heard a thrush sing when sitting,
perhaps for want of attending to it ; but have frequently
heard and seen the male blackcap sing while sitting on the
eggs, and have found its nest by it more than once ; the
male of this species sits nearly as much as the female."
Thus confirming the statement that somebirds do occasionally
sing while sitting on the eggs; and thus demolishing the
theory of the Hon. Daines Barrington.
It is, we must admit, somewhat temerarious to contro-
vert the statement of such respectable writers as Mr. Bar-
rington, to whom naturalists have so long deferred ; but if
we always take care to be supported by fact and not fancy ,
we need not doubt the result ; in the mean time we may
expect to be assailed by those who, relying on such respecta-
ble authority, or their own confined vision, are unwilling to
admit more than they have dreamt of in their philosophy.
On this subject I must add one other remaik: if that
respectable naturalist were now alive, and felt that interest
in the science which a genuine natural historian ought to
feel, he would rejoice in having any of his statements cor-
rected, explained, or even disproved, if untrue: the ever-
lasting fountains of truth and nature will continue to flow,
and cannot be turned aside to gratify the vanity or self-suf-
ficiency of any one.
Hyper criticism.
He who writes and publishes a book has not unfre-
quently the misfortune of being pelted at by wags and other
mischievous persons, who are ever on the alert to observe
something wherewith to excite laughter in themselves and
others, totally regardless of the feelings of the author, or of
the truth and knowledge contained in his book. More espe-
cially will this be the case should the author be so unfor-
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
tunate as to step out of the via trita, the beaten way, in the
prosecution of his design. For many and important reasons
the author of Ornithologia has thus done. It was not, there-
fore, to be expected that a work which, among other novel-
ties, lays the axe to the very root of long cherished amuse-
ments and inhumanities, sanctioned too by innumerable
authorities, poetical and prosaic, plebeian and patrician,
could escape some vituperation. Talk of giving up hunting,
shooting, and fishing, too, with Sir Humphry Davifs Sal-
monia, and Isaac Walton to boot ! God help the man, he
must have taken leave of his senses!!! No, gentle reader,
the author does not think that he has yet taken leave of his
senses, but he fears that our hunters, our shooters, and our
fishers for sport, have long left theirs, or so much would
not have been said and written in favour of such silly, inhu-
man, and, for the most part, unprofitable pursuits.
fn regard to the Critics, however, let him not be mis-
understood: the most intelligent of that formidable body
have borne ample testimony to the value and importance
of his work, as the subsequent notices will testify ; others,
a few only, whom there is here no occasion to name, have
poured out their vials of vituperation, chiefly, it appears to
him, because they neither understand nor like the science of
ornithology itself; and, also, because they have totally
misapprehended the object of the author in combining
science with familiar poetry.
Some of these gentlemen Critics, who appear to know
as much of the science of ornithology as an inhabitant of the
polar regions of North America, have thought proper to
abuse the author for the introduction of new terms, although,
in the preface to Ornithologia, he has not said much in favor
of such terms; and has, besides, studiously avoided the intro-
duction of many of them into the poetical parts of his work,
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forgetting that it is, most probably, their own ignorance, and
not the terms, which is in fault. Besides, although the author
has, it is true, anglicised many of those new terms, the merit
of their introduction must not be ascribed to him. He found
them, if not in current use, proposed at least by learned and
respectable ornithologists, and it beeame his duty to notice
them. The only new term which the author of Ornithologia
has introduced is citrine! for the yellow-hammer ; his rea-
son for doing this is assigned in page 226; even this term
can hardly be called neiv, being anglicised from citrinella.
The author laments, as much as any one can possibly do,
that numerous terms, and to those unacquainted with the
science, new they must be, present themselves to us in books
treating of ornithology : he laments also the almost infinite
variety of names, both scientific as well as trivial, which
are applied to birds by different naturalists: he complains,
likewise, of the heedlessness and, in some instances, wan-
tonness, with which terms have been introduced ; thus
rendering the study of ornithology at once perplexing
and repulsive. But, how much soever he may lament all
this, it was his duty, nevertheless, as an historian of the
science, to exhibit it as it is, despairing as he does of ever
seeing it, at least in its nomenclature, what he could wish
it to be.
The author is old enough to remember the first intro-
duction of the present Chemical Nomenclature, and those
who remember it as he does, can tell how it was opposed
and derided; yet it has steadily made its way: he who
should now, for a moment, contend that Glaubers salts was
a better term than sulphate of soda, for the same substance,
would assuredly be dignified with a fool's cap. Although it
is not certain that, fifty years hence, sylvia luscinia will be
preferred to the nightingale, yet, as a more correct know-
h
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
leclge of natural history shall generally prevail, Dames
which designate the genus and the species, or groups and
families, in the most explicit manner; will, in all probabi-
lity, become more common; and thus supersede the abun-
dance of synonyms, for the same animal or plant, in the
various languages of the intelligent and civilized world.
In the nomenclature of chemistry care was, however,
taken to denominate substances from the ingredients of
which they are composed, or from some of their sensible
qualities, a few only, such as water, being excepted from
the rule. Unfortunately the same care has not been taken
in natural history : for, too often, the name of the discoverer
of a bird is applied toil as a specific term, instead of having
given to it that which shall inform us concerning its pecu-
liar shape, colour, or other qualities. This misapplied
nomenclature has been noticed in page 399 : and, as it
appears to be gaining ground in ornithology, it cannot on
this account be too strongly deprecated. Even the specific
name of place, much less of person, isnot,in natural history,
sufficiently discriminative, and should be avoided.
Some of the critics complain, also, of the harshness and
unmusical nature of the new terms, forgetting that it is,
most probably, their own ignorance, as has been before
hinted, certainly not the unmusical nature of the terms, of
which complaint should be made. It would be very kind of
those gentlemen to inform us, what there is in the following
words less musical than in thousands of our common words
in constant use in our poetry ; nay, it may be contended,
with some truth, that several of them are greatly superior
in their musical intonation to such as kouse'Sparrow, hedge-
sparrow, yellowhammer, woodpecker, &c. ; surely these are
less musical than alaudina, oriolina, merulid, sylviad, luscinia,
corvul, trochilid, fringillid, insessor, raptor, rasor, anatid,
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
columbid, cygnine, galbule, scolopacid, &c. Besides, as every
scientific term is explained either in the glossary or at the
foot of the page in which it is used, the complaint of the
introduction of new terms loses much of its force; had such
explanation been omitted the objection to their introduc-
tion would appear more specious, although not decisive
even then, against their use.
Ornithologia was written for the uninitiated, the Plea-
sures of Ornithology for those whose tastes and whose
science require no such initiatory method as that adopted
in Ornithologia ; yet, by some perversity, one of our jour-
nalists has complained of the last production as fc something
too much of the subject." Really these critics remind one
of the fable of the old man, his son, and the ass : it is evi-
dently impossible to please them.
While, again, one says "do not separate the poetry from
the prose ;" another says " you ought not to attempt to com-
bine them." Another says, the poetry is a "failure :" it is
asked, a failure to do what? — to teach more effectually the
science of ornithology ? If it does not fail to do this, with
humble submission to Messrs. the Critics, it is not a failure.
Another says, that Darwin failed on a similar subject ; and
another, that the attempt would have floored the genius of
Byron.
That Darwin failed to render his work popular by his
method of handling his subject, there can be no doubt 5 but
that he failed in his object in writing the Botanic Garden, is
more than we are warranted in assuming. That By ion
might have failed on a similar subject, is very possible ;
chiefly, it is presumed, because he would not have conde-
scended to that familiarity and simplicity which appears
necessary to success. In what has the author of Ornitho-
logia failed ? He has stated, that his object was to render
b2
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a knowledge of Ornithology more pleasing and facile by
the aid of poetry; and if he have succeeded in this, his object
is accomplished.*
"In every work regard the writer's end,
Since none can compass more than they intend." Pope.
Besides such various and contradictory opinions, for which
an author ought to he prepared if he write on Natural
History, he may also expect to be told, as the author of
Ornithohgia has been, that " he does not comprehend
our higher naturalists." To this, however, he does not
think it necessary to reply, except by reference to his
work ; and if in that, when examined throughout, there
be any evidence of his want of comprehending our higher
naturalists, he will at once plead guilty to the charge. Per-
haps, in the mean time, he may be pardoned for asking,
whom are we to consider as our higher naturalists? those
who know and record, in clear and intelligible language, the
greatest number of facts and existences, or those who, more
intent upon systems and system-building than facts or
existences, attempt to reduce to a Procrustes'' bedthe nume-
rous anomalies with which the whole world of nature
abounds, and which, despite of all learned classification, still
unfurl their flags of defiance, by whomsoever that classifica-
tion be attempted, and whether those attempts be dignified
with the title of Natuhal method or by any other terms.
* While the author is still of opinion that his object in the
composition of his work is accomplished, he thinks that, instead
of calling Ornithologia a Poem, had he called it a Metrical
Catalogue, which in fact it is, the title would have more strictly
corresponded with the contents: but cavillers, even with this
title, may no doubt be found ; he has therefore not altered it in
this second impression.
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
For the Pleasures of Ornithology, as it was elaborated
with considerable care, and in which the scientific terms are
less sparingly introduced than in Ornitkologia, the author
must confess he had confidently anticipated, from the critics
at least, some encouragement ; but, if the London Magazine
can be relied on, his labour and time on that production
have been extremely ill applied.* He desires, however, as
judges of this work, none but the Masters of the Science,
for whom chietly it was written ; if they Condemn him, he
will be unfortunate indeed. Only three hundred copies of
the Pleasures of Ornithology were printed, as he never anti-
cipated, from its very nature, a large sale; yet those natu-
ralists, on whose judgment reliance can be placed, have
borne a willing testimony to its merits and its truth. But
the hunters, the shooters, and the fishers, those to whom
Isaac Walton's book is a dainty ; some of the critics too,
those who are fond of hunting and shooting, at authors at
least, have, it seems, determined that hunting, shooting, and
fishing, are not only praiseworthy but even intellectual pur-
suits ; ergo, his book is to them unpalatable: how, in fact,
can it be otherwise to depraved tastes? It is fortunate for
mankind, that such persons form a very small portion of that
public by whom the pretensions of all authors and books must
be ultimately decided ; and, at the same time, unfortunate
for the author, that the sneer and the gibe of such persons
deter many a well-disposed reader from looking into his
book.
* The London Magazine is now defunct. Its decease is not
at all wonderful: the continued attempts at wit and witicism,
with which too many of our periodicals abound, to the neglect
of other sterling and useful qualities, must end in their destruc-
tion : they burrr out with their own flashing, — by flashing are
they kept alive, and of flashing they will die. Who ever looks
into such publications a second time?
63
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The following observations on the Technicalities of Science,
by the author of Ornithologia, appeared in the Magazine
of Natural History, for July 1828; as subservient to the
author's views, a place is given to them here.
It is time that we should get rid of that puerility which would
persuade us that a fact described in terms and language familiar
only to the learned, becomes of less importance when displayed
in the energetical simplicity of our mother tongue. It is time
that such puerility should be placed upon the shelf, or hurried
to the tomb of all the Capulets. If, however, for the sake of
foreigners, such a course should at any time be deemed expedient?
it is hoped that an English translation will accompany the Latin
description, so that it may escape the complaints frequently
made, and with much truth, against many of the works on natural
history which have been published in this country and elsewhere;
and which appear to be designed rather to display the learning
of the writers, than to state the facts which such learning ought
to convey. Such, nevertheless, it is admitted, is the effect of habit,
or the pride of science, or both combined, that it is often difficult
for those accustomed to scientific language and terms, to con-
descend to the use of such as shall make what they write at once
agreeable to, and understood by the general reader. Through
inattention to these circumstances, the study of natural history
has not obtained that attention, in this country, to which it is
entitled and deserves: and I may venture to predict that,
while the pride of science shall refuse to condescend to familiar
explanation, the number of students in natural history will not
very materially increase. However, it is to be hoped, that the
prospects of natural history are extending, and that the esta-
blishment of the Zoological Society, in particular, will excite
the public attention ; that the study of nature will be more sim-
plified, and be made more attractive and more amusing. The
publication of the Magazine of Natural History will, it is also
hoped, be instrumental in this work, by reducing the science
to the level of ordinary capacities, and by smoothing the road to
more recondite views.
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
The following Letter has been some lime before the
public ; it is, neveitheless, deemed expedient to republish
it here.
To THOMAS CAMPBELL, Esq.
Lord Rector of the University of Glasgow, &c.&c.
London, Jan. 2d, I82S.
Sir : As it is generally understood that yon are the Editor
of the New Monthly Magazine, I take the liberty to call your
attention to an article which appears in the number of that
periodical published yesterday, and which I am quite sure you
did not write, and most probably, before its publication, never
saw : for if you had, I think you could never have suffered such
trash to be made public. And were it not that the name of
the author of the Pleasures of Hope, seems to sanction what
appears in that Magazine, I should not think it deserved the
least attention.
The article to which I allude, treats my work on Birds, lately
published, and which has been, I am happy to say, very well
received by those who are competent judges of it, as a work of
utter woi thlessness, and, in your critic's opinion, stale, fiat, and
unprofitable! Not content with abusing the poetry, he has
pounced upon the prose; and although I have candidly, and, I
trust, modestly, explained in the Preface my motives for my
attempt, and that it is designed as an eltmentary work, yet all
that I have said, seems to have rendered the poor thing more
pertinaciously blind. I am, however, sir, obliged to draw this
conclusion, either that your critic is totally incompetent to
judge of the merit and value of my work, or that all the nume-
rous journalists and other scientific persons who have spoken
of it are fools !
It 13 very easy, sir, for a critical butcher, with a knife and
saw, to cut up the labour of three years, and the accumulation of
a life of observation, with all the iffiontery and cruelty of igno-
lance and malice ; but it is not very easy for those who are the
objects of his cold-blooded operations to bear them. He may-
wrap hnnse! r up in his anonymous cloak, and welcome; I have
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no wish to see him in his nakedness ; but of this I am sure, that
he is neither a judge of my work, nor of the science of which
it treats.
In conclusion, and not to weary you with a long letter, let
me entreat you, sir, for the future, to exercise your discretion
as an Editor, and refuse such trash offered to you as criticism,
or disavow your connexion with such a periodical, — your fame
and credit will not be improved by the alliance.
I am, sir,
With much respect, your most obedient humble servant,
JAS. JENNINGS.
p.s. You will observe, sir, a few of the public testimonies to
the value of my work on the following page. I could adduce
many letters from some of the first naturalists of the age, and
fellows of the Linnean Society, to whom I am personally
unknown, who have voluntarily and unsolieitedly expressed their
approbation of it ; but such gratifying communications I have,
of course, no right to make public.
To conclude this Hypercriticism, what a delightful book
would Omithologia have been, had not the author introduced
the subject of Humanity to Animals; how pleasant couid
he have made it, had he eulogized, as is the fashion, Isaac
Walton and other piscatory writers; how would our lite-
rary gourmands have gloated over whole pages of inanities,
so that he had left them to the enjoyment of their pleasures.
More especially if he had written in praise of the Pleasures
of the Chace ; of the destruction of Grouse and Partridges ;
of the exhilaration produced by the cry of the loud -mouthed
hounds ; or by the flash of Manton's rifle, on a frosty morn-
ing in October. But no, he has not chosen to do this,
and verily he hath his reward, — the silly criticism of the
London and the New Monthly Magazines, and the vitupe-
ration of the ignorant and the unfeeling.
London; September 1829.
CRITICAL OPINIONS OF ORNITHOLOGIA.
"This is, at once, a curious, an instructive, and an amusing
work. The meritorious author has put together an immense
quantity of information and anecdote respecting birds and their
habits, &c: and his stories are not the less entertaining for being
strung together by poetical licence. The latter, it is true, is
rather of a medley cast ; but we can assure our readers, espe-
cially those who are young, that they will hardly be able to clip
into a page of this volume, without meeting with something to
entertain and instruct them." — Literary Gazette, Nov. 10, 1827.
" Mr. Jennings's Ornithologia is agreeable and amusing." —
Gent. Mag. for Feb. 18 28.
"Too often have books on ornithology, as on other subjects,
been rather adapted forscientific than for general readers, much
less youthful minds; and terms not understood by every one,
and diliicult of remembrance, have been generally used. Mr.
Jennings has long turned his attention to the removing of this
impediment ; and it is but honest to avow that, whether we
consider the extent of information he has here collected, or the
easy and unaffected style in which his work is written, our opi-
nion is, that it should obtain a place in the libraries of those who
are seeking for themselves, or their children, a plain and full trea-
tise on this interesting branch of study." — Literary Chronicle,
Dec. 1,1827.
" We cannot conclude this notice of Ornithulogia, without
paying our due meed of praise to its scientific details, as well
as to the amiable spirit of philanthropy that pervades both
poetry and prose.'' — New Literary Gazette.
''A very interesting volume : the poem which forms the ground-
work affords a favorable specimen of the author's genius in this
branch of composition." — Atlas.
PRELIMINARY -NOTICES.
"We can promise those who look into Ornithologia a most
pleasant and profitable employment. For youth especially, we
know not a more clear or attractive book." — Sunday Monitor.
u Mr. Jennings has certainly the merit of producing a very
pleasing and useful little volume." — Taunton Courier.
{i Mr. Jennings's volume is well adapted for presentation to
young persons ; while the knowledge which it displays entitles
it to a much higher stand than a mere book of amusement." —
Mirror.
See also the Magazine of Natural History, &c. &c.
THE PLEASURES OF ORNITHOLOGY, (2s. 6d.)
"Once more, Go seek YE in their various nests
Much pleasure and much wisdom. Who shall cope
With Birds in architecture? Not nice skill
Of man's most practis'd hand ; not all the lore
Of sages." — Page 37,
" A meritorious production." — London Magazine.
[See the Preface to the Pleasures of Ornithology.'}
"The Pleasures of Ornithology is written with great feeling,
and proves that the author has the love of nature deeply im-
planted in his breast." — JVest of England Magazine.
"A beautiful little poem. The object of the writer, ' to ally
poetry to nature, to science, to truth, and to humanity; to make
her a useful handmaiden in the accomplishment of great, good,
and important ends ;' has, in this production, been happily at-
tained,," — Leamington Spa Courier.
Lately published, by the author of Orniihologia, (price 2s. 6d.)
AN INQUIRY
CONCERNING THK
NATURE AND OPERATIONS
OP THE
HU2&.A.3J XVXXND ?
IN WHICH
THE SCIENCE OF PHRENOLOGY, THE DOCTRINE OF NECESSITY,
PUNISHMENT, AND EDUCATION, ARE PARTICULARLY
CONSIDERED.
(A Lecture delivered at the Mechanics' Institution, London.)
1VITII NUMEROUS CORECTIONS, ADDITIONS, AND NOTES.
" Altogether the work is one of great research, and well merits
the attention of the public." — West of England Magazine.
"In this inquiry there are many things, especially those which
show the fallacy of metaphysical notions concerning the mind,
which deserve attention. Of course the same principle per-
vades this inquiry as does all others of the kind and party to
which Mr. Jennings belongs ; viz. that every thing old and esta-
blished must be bad, and every thing new and innovating good."
Gentleman's Magazine.
While the author admits that the Gentleman's Magazine
is one of the few honourable exceptions to the trashy lite-
rature of the day, he regrets that sentiments should be, in
that publication, attributed to him which can be no where
found in his writings. So far is the author from thinking
that every thing new and innovating is good, he thinks
much of what is new and innovating is bad; as he does
also much of what is old. As useful knowledge consists in a
record of facts and of existences, and deductions from them,
PRELIMINARY NOTICES.
whether apprehended by the mind or stored up for us in
books, so, from the multiplication of our means, in conse-
quence of the present general diffusion of knowledge, the
latest knowledge, if properly chosen, will be, most probably,
the best : for it is by the united, as well as insulated, expe-
rience of a large number of observers, accurate ones of
course, that the greatest certainty in every kind of know-
ledge, science, is to be attained. For these reasons it is,
the ) paucity of observers in ancient times, and from the scanty
data on which they reasoned, that few of their deductions
in any science can be depended upon. Therefore, modern
knowledge must be preferred to ancient. Some centuries
hence, in all probability, the same opinion will be held of
much of our present knowledge, as is now entertained by
us concerning that of the ancients. We can, of course, only
reason from what we know; all ages and all countries have
done the same: that man is a progressive being, what we
know of him incontestibly proves.
$3= The preceding worhs, as well as the Family Cyclo-
paedia, (for a notice of which see the end of the volume.) are
to he obtained of Messrs. Sherwood, Gilbert, and Piper,
23, Paternoster row.
ORNITHOLOGIA
OR
THE BIRDS:
A POEM, IN TWO PARTS ;
WITH
AN INTRODUCTION TO THEIR NATURAL HISTORY ;
AND
COPIOUS NOTES:
BY JAMES JENNINGS,
Author of Observations on the Dialects of the West of England, &;c. &c*
"They whisper Truths in Reason's ear,
If human pride will stoop to hear.''
Loed Ebskine,
Qnel bien manque a vos voeux iuteressants oiseaux ?
Vous posseMez les airs, et la terre, et les eaux ;
Sous la feuille tremblante un zephyr vous eveille ;
Vos couleurs charment 1'oeil, et vos accents l'oreille.
De Lille.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR,
AND PUBLISHED BY
POOLE AND EDWARDS, STATIONERS' COURT.
1828.
J. AND C. ADLARD, PRINTERS,
Bartholomew Close,
hM
TO
THE NOBLE,
THE HONOURABLE,
THE LEARNED, POETIC, SCIENTIFIC,
AND OTHER
SUBSCRIBERS,
THIS WORK
is
RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED,
AS,
BY THEIR FOSTERING ENCOURAGEMENT,
During a period of unexampled Commercial Difficulty, it has
been published.
The Marquis of Lansdowne;
Lord Stanley ;
The Countess of Mayo;
Lady Paxton,
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Sir William Jardine, Bart, f.l.s.&c.
Major Gen. T. Hardwicke, f.r.s. f.l.s.&c. &c.
Adlard, Messrs. J. and C. Bar- Burrows, W. esq. Islington.
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Bell, Thomas, esq. f.l.s. New Conduit, Edward, esq. Great
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PREFACE.
Although the science of Ornithology has already many
votaries, it is presumed that it can be rendered more gene-
rally interesting by a combination with Poetry, an attempt
at which is here made ; with what success must be left to
the public to determine.
Having made the attempt, the author will not, of course,
be understood as agreeing with the sentiment expressed by
an ancient writer, namely, that
Miranda canunt sed non credenda Poetce.
Cato.
For, although, doubtless, one of the objects of the Poet
ought to be to excite attention, and, if you please, with
our ancient, admiration, yet poor indeed must that poetry
be which excites admiration and nothing else. Perhaps
the author's notions concerning poetry might not be in ex-
act accordance with the opinions of those who affect to be,
or who are considered, the arbiiri elegantiarum, but he ne-
vertheless thiuks that the Poetry, however admirable,
however splendid, which neither instructs, reforms, nor
persuades, is good for little ; hence the non credenda, in
the passage above quoted, is not admissible as a general
truism. He thinks, indeed, that Poetry ought, if possible,
always to be made subservient to Truth — its handmaid ;
not, as is too frequently the case, — Truth made subservient
a
VI. PREFACE.
to Poetry, and, too often, her distorted slave. And he
feels assured that Poetry, as the handmaid of Truth,
may become, as it sometimes lias been, eminently beneficial
and useful to mankind.
The author desires it, however, to be distinctly under-
stood, that the higher order of poetry in the following work
has neither been his object nor his aim. The style and
versification of the splendid effort of Darwin, the Botanic
Garden, have not escaped his observation; but, notwith-
standing, that poem has had, and, no doubt, always will
have, many admirers, because it contains some striking
imagery combined with Truth and Science ; yet it ap-
pears, and the coldness of its general reception warrants
the conclusion, that so much elegant labour, so much
pomp of diction, have failed to render it popular; and a
work on such a subject ought to be popular to be exten-
sively useful. The style, versification, and diction of
Darwin, have been, therefore, in the present work, stu-
diously avoided. Whether the author have succeeded in
more simple measures, and in a more familiar style, is not,
of course, for him to answer ; but, it must be evident, that
the method of treating a scientific subject, which is here
adopted, promises, at least, more popularity.
While the author has endeavoured to be simple, he has,
he hopes, avoided vulgarity. Aware of the truth which
Horace has long ago told us, that,
Difficile est proprie comnmnia dicere, —
it is difficult to express common things well ; still the
difficulty has not deterred him from the attempt. He has,
contrary to the example of Darwin, introduced few scien-
tific terms into the poetry ; these have been consigned to
the Introduction and to the Notes, where they appear
PREFACE. Vll.
to the author most appropriate. For this course, one
reason, among others, may be assigned, namely, that our
scientific naturalists, as will be seen in the Introduction,
have not yet exactly agreed as to the arrangement and
terms which are most suitable to the science ; and, there-
fore, were the Linnean or any other systematic arrange-
ment and terms adopted in the text, as, very possibly, some
future naturalist may strike out or discover another method
more consonant with nature, which might become more
popular, the poem, thus written, would be rendered com-
paratively useless. By using the common names this is
not very likely to occur : for the author is not so sanguine
as to expect that the common names of birds will be ulti-
mately and entirely superseded by scientific ones; at least
by such scientific ones as are now in use : the latinity
and novelty of these, if nothing else, presenting to the
uninitiated a disinclination, nay, a repugnance, to their
introduction.
The clussical ear will, it is presumed, be always more
pleased with Picus martius, than with Great Black Backed
Woodpecker; with Tringa pugnax, than with Ruff and
Reeve; with Larus canus, than with Common Gull, or even
Sea-mew;* and Picus erythrocephalus, no very musical
expression, will be preferred by many to the Red-headed
Woodpecker ; yet it is to be feared that learning will never
succeed in rendering such terms popular. The best method
of making them so will be to anglicize them ; then, indeed,
the Luscinian Sylvia, or Sylviad, instead of Nightingale,
and Canorous Cuculid, for the Cuckoo, may occasionally find
* Yet who would wish in that beautiful song of Lord Byron's,
(Childe Harold, Cunio I.) to see sea-mew exchanged for Larus
canus? In truth, classical names may be dignified, but they
generally want the charm of simplicity.
«2
VIII. PREFACE.
a place in our poetry, if not in our prose. But this is. an
innovation which, to any great extent, the author would
not presume to introduce. See the Observations on the
Quinary Arrangement of Mr. Vigors, Introduction, page 43.
A few only of the terms proposed by this gentlemen has
been adopted, and appear in the poetry in an anglicized
dress j such are Raptor, Rasor, Scansor, Vulturid, &c. In
short, although the author's own taste and inclinations lean
to the use of scientific terms, (and he fears that some of his
readers will think he has introduced too many,) there can
be, he apprehends, no doubt that the general reader will
prefer the common and more usual names. It is true he
runs the risk of incurring the censure of those who are
more partial to names than to things ; and he may possibly
offend the pride of the professor, but, on the most mature
deliberation, he feels persuaded that the course which he
has pursued for an elementary work is the most useful
and most instructive: enough of science pervades, he
hopes and believes, the Introduction and the Notes.
These observations are made in order that the author's
object in regard to the poetical portion of his work might
not be misunderstood. If he have succeeded in rendering
a knowledge of ornithology more pleasing and facile by
the aid of Poetry, that object is accomplished.
To the originality of assembling the birds under the
auspices of the Eagle and the Vulture the author lays
no claim; he adopted it, believing that it offered an easy
means of displaying the knowledge which he was desirous
to convey. Candour, moreover, compels him to declare
that the perusal of a little poem in MS., written by a lady,
and entitled the Lanthorn Fly's Lecture, descriptive of many
of our insects, suggested, more immediately, the present per-
formance.
PREFACE. IX?
Of the Prose portion of the work it may be sufficient to
say, that a crowd of naturalists have, from time to time,
recorded a variety of useful and amusing facts concerning
Birds; — that to bring the chief of these facts before the
student, with the addition of many more from the author's
own resources, and olhers from intelligent and scientific
friends, and to combine them w\th familiar poetry, so as to
render the science altogether more attractive, and to ex-
hibit a useful epitome of it, have been the design of the pre-
sent undertaking, which, the author flatters himself, will
supply, at once, agreeable reminiscences to the Adult, and
elementary and useful instruction to Youth. Indeed, he
frankly avows, that he looks forward to its becoming an
every-day companion in our academies and our schools, as
well as at our firesides.
Of his own additions to the Natural History of Birds he
does not wish to say much ; they are numerous, and, he be-
lieves, not unimportant : an observer of nature for more
than forty years ought to add something to our knowledge
concerning her works. That he has been assiduous in the
composition and arrangement of the volume will be, it is
presumed, self-evident; in fact, no labour, trouble, nor re-
search, has been spared. But that it is, even now, with
all his assiduity, free from error, he is, nevertheless, neither
so weak nor so vain as, for a moment, to suppose.
The Notes contain notices of every genus and the most
important of the species described by Linnaeus ; and also
notices of the additional genera of Dr. Latham. The
Birds, indeed, described in this little work, are more in
number than all those described by Linnaeus ; so that, it is
hoped, nothing very material has been omitted concerning
this interesting portion of the animal kingdom.
It ougiit, perhaps, also to be mentioned that, although
X. PREFACE.
the author's residence has been chiefly in and around the
metropolis during the last ten years, many of which have
been passed at Lewisham, with innumerable rambles to
Sydenham, Forest Hill, &c. &c, yet, that the chief of his
knowledge of the Natural History of Birds has been
obtained by a long residence in Somersetshire, at Hunts-
pill, of which place he is a native ; and where, 1o his
shame be it spoken, in his earlier days, he was the most
inveterate bird's-nester in the county. Not an egg or nest
of any kind in hedge, bank, bush, the loftiest tree* or wall,
could escape him. He had, while yet a boy, one year, an
exhibition of nearly two hundred eggs, obtained from the
various tribes, the Hawk, the Cuckoo, and a numerous et
ctetera. He is now, however, thoroughly convinced of the
folly, not to say wickedness, of such predatory plunder ;
the birds which do us harm are, comparatively, so few,
that, the House-sparrow perhaps excepted, (and he fears
that he must except the house- sparrow of the country,)
benevolence would bid us leave them all to their enjoy-
ments ; — a moderate degree of care being sufficient to
prevent any of their serious depredations. It is hoped that
his inconsiderate example will be no inducement to any
one to follow the idle and heartless pursuit of bird's-nesting.
No one can more truly regret than the author now does the
pains to which his heedless and silly curiosity, or something
worse, subjected them.
Should, therefore, any fact relative to the birds of this
country be stated in the following pages, which may not
seem in accordance with what is stated in books, or even
with the experience of the accurate observer of nature —
the Natural Historian, it is hoped that it will not be forgotten,
that many facts may be observed in one place which might
not occur in another. Even the nidification of birds,
PREFACE. XI.
although in general pretty uniform, undergoes, occasionally
some modification in consequence of the ease or difficulty
with which certain materials can l>e obtained. We must
not, therefore, be in haste to condemn what we have not
ourselves witnessed. In the Natural History of Birds,
even of those with which we are most familiar, we are still
greatly deficient ; there can be no doubt that more ex-
tended observation will add very materially to our know-
ledge of this truly delightful department of nature.
The author takes Ihe present opportunity of returning
his sincere and best thanks to those kind and intelligent
Friends and Correspondents who have so promptly and
liberally communicated to him many facts concerning the
Natural History of Birds which were not previously known;
and also for their hints and suggestions for the improvement
of his work. Some of these gentlemen are specifically men-
tioned in the Introduction or the Notes ; but he deems it
incumbent upon him to state that he is indebted for
valuable information to Dr. Latham, to whose interesting
and voluminous work on Birds he is also under considera-
ble obligation ; to N. A.. Vigors, Esq. m.a. f.l.s. &c. the
learned Secretary of the Zoological Society, and the in-
genious expounder of the Quinary Arrangement ; to Dr.
Horsfield, the author of Zoological Researches ; to the
Poet Laureate ; to Richard Taylor, Esq. f.l.s. ; to the
Rev. W. L. Bowles ; the Rev. W. Phelps ; to J. G.
Children, Esq. f.l.s. &c. and Secretary to the Royal
Society; to W. Yarrel, Esq. f.l.s. whose collection of
English Birds, and their eggs, as well as many anatomical
preparations of Birds, evince, at once, his zeal and his ex-
tensive knowledge of this interesting science ; and to R.
Sweet, Esq. f.l.s. for whose valuable communication on
Xll. PREFACE.
the singing of some of the warbler tribe in the Introduction,
the author is also particularly indebted and obliged. Nor
must he omit the name of Mr. David Don, the ingenious
librarian of the Linnean Society, who has, on numerous
occasions, most kindly assisted the author in his ornitholo-
gical researches.
While the author regrets that so long a time has
elapsed since the first announcement of his work, the
delay has been, from the state of trade, unavoidable, —
yet the delay itself has been of infinite advantage to the
completion of the volume. The substance of all the
Lectures on Ornithology which the author gave during the
last summer, at Ihe City of London Institution, is incorpo-
rated in this work.
The student, in consulting the following pages, ought
most carefully to attend to what is stated in the Introduction.
The Index, as it includes most of the provincial names of
Birds, will^considerably assist those who are not acquainted
with the scientific terms. As the names of many Birds are
mentioned in the Poem which have no notes of reference
annexed, when information is wanted concerning them, re-
course should be had to the Index.
It may seem almost superfluous to add that, as the author
is desirous of rendering his work as interesting and com-
plete as possible, a notice of any errors, or of any striking
and recently observed facts concerning Birds, will be most
thankfully received, if addressed to the author, at the pub-
lishers', free ofexpence, and with an authenticated signature.
PREFACE. Xlll.
Convinced as the author is that a kuow ledge of Natural
History is best conveyed through the alluring medium of
Poetry ; if his present effort be approved, it is his intention
to proceed (should health and opportunity permit,) in a
similar way with the remainder of the Animal kingdom.
The whole will then be arranged in the following manner :
I. Mammalia, or the Quadrupeds, and other animals
which suckle their young ; characterized by a heart having
two ventricles and two auricles ; the blood being red and
warm ; viviparous.
II. Ornithologia, (the present Work,) or the Birds ;
the characters of which are the same as in the first class
except that Birds are oviparous, covered with feathers, and
furnished, for the most part, with wings, so as to be able to
raise themselves in the air.
III. Amphibia, which will include the Serpent, Crocodile,
Frog, Toad, fyc. ; in this class the heart has but one ventricle
and one auricle ; the blood being red but cold; inspiration and
expiration, in some measure, voluntary.
IV. Ichthyologia, or the Fishes ; the heart of this class
has the same structure, and the blood similar qualities with
those of the amphibia; but Fishes are distinguished by
branchice, or gills, and by having no such voluntary command
of the lungs.
V. Entomologia, or the Insects ; the heart has one ven-
tricle, but no auricle ; the blood is cold and white; this class
has also antennce ox feelers.
VI. Helminthologia, or the Worms ; the characters of
which are the same as in class V. ; this Class has, however,
no antennce, but is furnished with tentacula.
And thus become, it is hoped, useful and amusing
manuals of the science of Animal Natural History ; and
prove, besides, lhe author hopes and believes, that Poetry
can be rendered subservient to Nature and to Truth.
«3
XIV. PREFACE.
Of the Wood-Engravings, improved from the elegant
designs of a Lady, Mrs. Hamilton, and executed by the
author's friend, Mr. Henry Hughes, and which accompany
the work, it is scarcely necessary to speak, their excellence
being manifest. The author cannot, however, here avoid
calling the public attention to this-branch of the arts; and
he, at the same time, hopes that an Artist who combines
in his own person that of a Landscape- Draughtsman, a Wood-
Engraver, and a Painter, will not long remain without a
suitable portion of public encouragement and reward.
Mr. Hughes is already known by his work containing
Sixty Views in Wales, all of which, except one or two, were
drawn on the spot, and afterwards engraved on wood, by
the artist himself.
Lady well, Lewisham ; October, 1827.
DIRECTIONS TO THE BINDER.
The Plate of the British and European Birds, with the Land'
scape, must follow page 96 ; the Plate of the Foreign Birds
with the Landscape must follow page 298.
CONTENTS.
INTRODUCTION.
Page
Address to Mrs. Kay, containing Sketches of
the Country in and around Lewisham — Lee,
Blackheath — Greenwich-Park — Forest-Hill
— Sydenham — Penge-Wood — Beckenham —
Bromley — Hayes — Hayes-Common, andHoLwooo 1
The Plough Boy's Song 3
The Nest of the Wren — the Long-tailed Capon — the
Thrush — the Goldfinch — the Chaffinch — the Magpie
• — the House- Sparrow — the Swallow — the Martin —
the Wood-Pigeon — the Wood pecker — the Rook—'
the Crow — the Oriole — the Grosbeak — the Tailor-
bird — the Rufous Bee-Eater — the Esculent Swallow 17
The Arrangement of Linnaeus 27
Pennant 30
Latham 32
Vigors 39
Ou the Structure and Functions of Birds 45
Incubation of Birds 59
Songs of Birds 65
Song of the Nightingale 68
Nidification of Birds 79
Migration of Birds 82
Summer Birds of Passage 84
Winter Birds of Passage ib.
Notice of Wilson the American Ornithologist .... 90
Scientific Terms 95
XVI. CONTENTS.
PART THE FIRST.
Page
British and European Birds 97
The Woodlark's Invocation ... c 112
Address to the Nightingale 132
Cuckoo 137
Rook 148
% Freedom 170
The Redbreast's Song . . 239
Skylark's Song 249
Goldfinch's Song 251
Thrush's Song 255
Linnet's Song 261
Blackbird's Song 263
Hedge-Sparrow's Complaint . . 265
Bulfinch's Sonnet 268
Ring-Dove's Lament 270
Black-cap's Song 272
Nightingale's Song 274
A Glee 275
The Banquet 276
House-Sparrow's Speech 279
Conclusion of the First Part 296
Address to the Warblers 297
Spring , 298
CONTENTS. XVtl,
NOTES TO THE FIRST PART.
Note Page
1 (Falco) Eagle, Hawk, Buzzard, Kite, Falcon,
&c 100
2 (Alauda) Lark, Woodlark, Titlark, &c. .... 112
3 (Columba) Pigeon, Dove, &c 116
4 (Anas) Swan, Goose, Duck, &c 123
5 (Sylvia luscinia) Nightingale 132
6 (Cvculus) Cuckoo, the Common, the Honey -
Guidf, &c 137
7 (Phasianus) Pheasant, Cock and Hen, &c 144
8 (Corvus) Rook, Raven, Crow, Magpie, &c " 149
9 (Hirundo) Swallow, Martin, Swift, &c 157
10 (Scolopax) Woodcock, Snipe, Curlew, &c 160
11 (Picus) Woodpecker, the Green, the Golden,&c. 164
12 (Stumus) Starling, Water-Ouzel, &c . . 167
13 (Alcedo) King-Fisher 171
14 (Charadrius) Plover, Dotterel, &c 172
15 (Loxia) Grosbeak, Green- Linnet, Crossbill, &c 174
16 (Larus) Gull, Kittiwake, Tarrock, &c 178
17 (Tringa) Sand-Piper, Ruff and Reeve, Lap-
wing, Sec 182
18 (Rallus) Rail, the Land, the Water, Gallinule, 186
19 (Colymbus) Diver, Grebe, Guillemot, &c 187
20 (Emberiza) Bunting, Ortolan, Yellow-Ham-
mer, See 191
21 (Certhia) Creeper .< > 193
22 (Lanius) Shrike, Butcher-Bird,Wood-Chat, &c. 194
23 (Ardea) Stork, Crane, Heron, Bittern, &c. .. 196
24 (Upupa) Hoopoe, Grand- Promerops, &c 202
XV111. CONTENTS.
Note Page
[Coracias) Roller 204
[Sitta) Nuthatch ib.
[Otis) Bustard 205
Yunx) Wryneck 208
[Mergus) Merganser, Goosander, &c. 209
[Glareola) Pratincole 211
Hcematopus) Oyster-Catcher ib.
Alca) Auk, Eazor-bill, Puffin, &c 212
Procellaria) Petrel, the Stormy, the Fulmar . . 214
[Fulica) Coot, Gallinule, &c 216
Parus) Titmouse 218
[Tetrao) Partridge, Grouse, Quail, &c 221
Recurvirostra) Avoset 227
Meleagris) Turkey 228
[Numida) Guinea- Hen 230
Pavci) Peacock 231
[Strix) Owl 232
Sylvia) Warbler, Redbreast, Wren, Wagtail,
&c 241
Alauda arvensis) Skylark 250
[Fringilla) Finch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, &c. 252
[Turdus) Thrush, Missel, Fieldfare, &c 257
[Fringilla linota) Linnet 262
[Turdus merula) Blackbird 264
[Sylvia modularis) Hedge Sparrow 266
Loxia pyrrhula) Bulfinch 269
[Columba palumbus) Wood-Pigeon , 271
[Sylvia atricapilla) Black-cap 273
[Fringilla domestica) House-Sparrow 280
CONTENTS. XIX-
PART THE SECOND,
Page
Foreign Birds 299
The Po'e-Bird's Song 331
Blue-Bird's Song 333
Address to Ihe Blue-Bird 334
The Wood-Robin's Morning Song 351
Address to the Wood-Robin 352
Morking-Bird 372
The Canary-Bird's Song 400
Manakin's Song . . 404
Mocking- Bird's Song 405
Oriole's Song 407
Tanager's Song 409
A Storm 411
The Wood-Thrush's Evening Song 415
Mocking-Bird's Night Song 418
Detached Pieces.
The Valley of Nightingales 421
Hill of Freedom 425
Valedictory Lines , 434
Glossary 437
Index 441
XX. CONTENTS.
NOTES OF THE SECOND PART.
Note Page
1 (Vultur) Condur, Vulture, &c 306
2 (CaprimnJgus) Goatsucker 310
3 (Trochilus) Humming-Bird 316
4 (Ciimyris) Sun-Birds 318
5 (Paradisea) Birds of Paradise 320
6 (Phcenicopterus) Flamingo 322
7 (Si/hia sutoria) Tailor- Bird 323
8 (Rhynchops) Skimmer 324
9 (Bucco) Barbet ib.
10 (Tantalus) Ibis 325
11 (Crotophaga) Ani 327
12 (Merops) Bee- Eater 328
13 ( Buphaga) Beef- Eater 329
14 (Antkophagus) Honey-Eater ... ib.
15 (Sylvia sialis) Blue-Bird , 332
16 (Divmedea) Albatross, Man-of-war Bird, &c. 336
1 7 (Oriolus pecoris) Cowpen 337
18 (Penelope) Guan, Yacou, Marail 339
19 (Cancroma) Boat-bill 340
20 (Ampelis) Chatterer, Cotinga, Bell-Bird .. 341
21 (Plotus) Darter, Ahinga 342
22 (Sterna) Tern, Noddy 343
23 (Crax) Cura§oa, or Curassow , 344
24 (Ramphastos) Toucan, Toucanet 347
25 (Platalea) Spoon-bill 346
26 (Phaeton) Tropic-Bi rd 348
27 (Todus) Tody 349
28 (Pelecanus) Pelican, Cormorant, Shag, Gan-
net, Sec 353
CONTENTS. XXI.
Note Page
29 (Gracula) Grakle, Crow-Blackbird, &c 357
30 (Palamedea) Screamer 358
31 (Psophia) Trumpeter , 360
32 (Oriolus) Oriole 361
33 (Phytotoma) Plant-Cutter , 364
34 (Trogon) Curucui, English- Lady ib.
35 (Corrira) Courier .'. 365
36 {Sylvia) Warbler, the Superb, the Babbling, the
Palm, &c , ib.
37 (Momotus) Motmot 367
38 (Parra) Jacana 368
39 (Mycteria) Jabiru 369
40 (Muscicapa) Fly-Catcher, Cat-Bird, &c 370
41 (Turdus polyglottus) Mocking-Bird . . a 373
42 (Struthio) Ostrich, Emeu, Rhea, &c. .... ... 377
43 (Didus) Dodo 382
44 (Buceros) Horn-bill 383
45 (Callceus) Wattle-Bird 384
46 (Vaginalis) Sheath-bill ib.
47 ( Menura) Menur A 385
48 (Scythrops) Channel-bill 386
49 (Galbida) Jacamar ., ib.
50 (Colius) Coly, Mouse Bird ib.
51 (Scopus) Umbre 387
52 (Aptenodytes) Pinguin ib.
53 (Oriolus textor — Emberiza textrix) Weaver-Birds 389
54 (Musophaga) Plantain-Eater 390
55 (Cursorius) Courser , ib.
56 (Pteropus) Fin-foot ib.
57 (Polophilus) Coucal 391
58 (Cereopsis) Cereopsis , ib.
xxij. Contents.
Note Page
59 (Pogonius) Barbican . .... 392
60 (Erodia) Erody ib.
61 {Phoenicophaus) Malkoha 393
62 {Psittacus) Parrots » 394
63 (Fringilla canaria) Canary-Bird . . . . a 401
64 (Pipra) Manakin . 404
65 (Oriolus nidipendulus) the Hang nest Oriole . . 408
66 (Tanagra) Tanager 410
iTurdus melodus . the Wood-Thrush — the
\Turdus migratorius) Red-breasted Thrush. . 416
ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA,
Notwithstanding the author's vigilance, some nominal, and a
few other typographical, errors have escaped him; the reader
will be kind enough to correct them from the following notices.
In addition to the Ornithological publications mentioned in
various parts of this work, another ought to be noticed lately
begun under the superintendance of Sir Wm. Jardine, bait,
and P. J. Selby, esq. with the co-operation of many other
gentlemen eminent in the science. It is entitled Illustrations of
Ornithology, and is designed, in the first instance, to display the
newest groups and newest species, and afterwards al! the species
which have already been described. The Plates are to be, co-
loured correctly after nature, and are also to be accompanied
with scientific letter-press descriptions. It is in royal 4t0.
One number has already appeared.
Page 6. If any additional evidence were wanting to prove
that angling is one of the worst of sports, a painful instance has
been lately supplied to me. Walking on the banks of the canal
in Forest-Hill wood, I saw an angler who had just caught a
small pike about a foot long; but not being able to detach the
hook from the throat of the fish, he was obliged to pass his
finger under the gills, and to cut out the hook from the throat with
a knife; this being done, the fish still continued to breathe. I
urged the angler to kill the fish at once ; but no, the animal
was to remain in agony, because, while it remained alive,
putrefaction would not take place!
Page 14, line 10 from the bottom, for dila'ca read dilatata.
Page 22, lines 5, 15, and the last, for Taylor-bird, read Tailor-
bird ; in page 248, line 6 from the bottom, make the same cor-
rection; and again in page 323, lines 1 from the top, and 6 and
7 from the bottom, make the same corrections, as well as
XXIV. ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA.
wherever else in this work Taylor-bird may be found ; Tailor-
bird being the usual and accredited spelling. — 32, line 7, for
voluminious read voluminous. — 36, col. 2, line 8, for Gallinoula
read Gallinula. — 37, line 11 from the bottom, for ch rysaetos read
chrysa'etos.
lu pages 41 and 42, the Circular Diagrams explanatory of (he
Quinary Arrangement ought to have been placed in a circular
form instead of that in which they now stand ; but the page
is altogether too small to permit a proper display of this system.
It should have been mentioned in page 48, that there is
another disease of birds called also pip: it consists in a thick
white skin or film that grows under the tip of the tongue; and
is said to arise from want of water, or di inking that which is
impure, or by eating improper food. It is cured by simply
pulling off the film with the fingers and rubbing the tongue with
salt. Hawks are said to be peculiarly liable to this disease.
In page 49, it is stated that "the organ of smell is said, in
the Gannet, to be wanting." This is, -however, not correct;
there is probably no deficiency in the smell of that bird; but,
from the peculiar structure of its tongue, the taste is very pro-
bably incomplete.
Page 52, line 15 from the bottom, after also add to. — 56,
line penult., for appears, read appear. — 58, line 12, for Virginia'
nus read Virginiana.
Page 59. In addition to the paragraph concerning the change
of plumage in the female bird, it may be stated that a paper by
Mr. Yarrel was read before the Royal Society in May last, and
will appear in the next publication of the Philosophical Trans-
actions, in which it is clearly shewn, by numerous facts, that the
alteration in plumage does not arise from age, but from disease
of the sexual organs ; nay, that not only may the female be made to
produce feathers and other appearances like the male by an arti-
ficial abstraction of merely a portion of the oviduct, so that the con-
tinuity of the canal may be destroyed, but that the male, as in the
capon, becomes also greatly altered ira manners and plumage by
ALTERATION IN THE PLUMAGE OF BIRDS. XXV.
the abstraction of the organs of generation. The conclusion drawn
by Mr. Yarrel is that age is not necessary to this peculiar
appearance of the female; and that both male and female be-
come, as it were, a neuter gender, by the deprivation of the
sexual organs, and that both assume characters decidedly in-
termediate between the two sexes. The change, however, in
the colour of the feathers of birds is not produced by this na-
tural or artificial disease only : for the plumage of some birds
is considerably heightened as the sexual organs dilate in the
spuing ; in the decline of summer the plumage loses again its
brilliancy, returning to shades of grey and white for defence
during the winter ; at which time also the sexual organs become
contracted and the voice subsides.
Page 62, line 13, for tail read rail.
Pages 64 and 250. Alauda arvensis, or Sky-Lark. Notwith-
standing what is stated concerning the song of the female lark, a
bird-catcher in the neighbourhood of London assures me that the
female larks do not sing; that it is the constant practice of the
bird-catchers to kill them when caught. That the young males
if taken at once from the nest and bred up in confinement have
not so beautiful a note as those caught in nets in the autumn :
a pi oof here that nature is the best teacher.
Page 67, line 9, for similiarly read similarly. — 81, line 14 from
the bottom, for their moss read its moss.
Pages 90, 91, 92, and 93, for Andrew Wilson read Alex-
ander Wilson.
Page 96, line 3, for Axilla read Axillce. — 117, line 10 from die
bottom, for prevails read prevail.
Page 124. Of the Swan, (Cygnus Olor,) I find the following
notice in the Universal Magazine for 1749, vol. v. page 58, in an
account of Abbotsbury, Dorset. "■ The royalty of this town is in
the family of the Horners f who have a Sivannery here containing
from 7 to 8000 swans."
It should have been stated, in page 130, that, although in some
districts of the kingdom the Wild Duck is called a Mallard, the
XXVI. ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA.
term Mallard is applied, in the west of England, to the male of
the tame duck.
Page 132, line 9 from the bottom, for moonlight read
Moonlight.
Page 150. Concerning the Rook, I have been since favoured
with the perusal of the late Lord Erskine's Poem; it is en-
titled the Farmer's Vision, and was composed, his Lordship
informs us, in consequence of his having, at the instance of his
bailiff in Sussex, complained to a neighbour of his Rookery, the
only one in that part of the country ; but having been afterwards
convinced of the utility of Rooks, his Lordship countermanded
his complaint, and wrote the Farmer's Vision, which consists of
about 500 lines, with some very pertinent notes. In justice to
his Lordship it ought, however, to be stated, that he distinctly
asserts lie is not a poet ; that the production was not fit for pub-
lication, and that a few copies only were printed for friends who
asked for them, and that it was too long to make them in writing.
It is dated from Buchan-Hill, Sussex, December 25, 1818.
Without controverting his Lordship's position, that he ims not a
poet, there will be no difficulty in stating that there never was a
man so eminent as an orator as Lord Erskine, who might not
have been a poet had he chosen to direct his attention to the
pursuit of poetry ; — the soul of eloquence, and the soul of poetry ,
if not identical, are so nearly allied as scarcely to be distin-
guishable. Exquisite sensibility belongs to both.
His lordship, at the commencement of the poem, in allusion to
birds. and other animals, says,
" They whisper truths in reason's ear,
If human pride would stoop to hear."
He then proceeds to describe how a flock of rooks were shot
atrby his bailiff, some of whom were
" Fainting from many a cruel wound,
And dropping lifeless on the ground."
When a rook thus addressed his lordship :
" Before the lord of this domain,
Sure, justice should not plead in vain,
LORD ERSKINE'S " FARMER'S VISION." XXvii.
How can his vengeance thus be hurl'd
Against his favourite lower world ?
A sentence he must blush to see
Without a summons or a plea ;
E'en in his proudest, highest times,
He ne'er had cognizance of crimes,
And shall he now, with such blind fury,
In flat contempt ofjudge and jury,
Foul murder sanction in broad day,
Not on the King's but God's highway ?"
Touch'd with the sharp but just appeal,
Well turn'd at least to make me feel,
Instant this solemn oath I took —
No hand shall rise against a Rook"
I can afford no farther room for quotation from this humane
poem; but in a note, page 22, after having quoted some lines
from Cowper's Task, (three of which may be seen in page
283), his lordship observes " The whole subject of humanity to
animals is so beautifully and strikingly illustrated in this ad-
mirable poem (the Task), that no parents ought to be satisfied
until their children have that part of it by heart."
Whether this production of his lordship be published hereafter
in a separate form or not, it is to be hoped, at any rate, that
those who may be collectors of his lordship's writings will take
care that the Farmer's Vis'on is preserved amongst them."
Page 17J. The author saw a beautiful specimen of the
Alcedo ispida, or Common King-Fisher, on the banks of the
Ravensbourne, between Bromley and Beckenham, in Sept*
1827; it was actively on the wing, and darted out from beneath
the bridge over which passes the public road.
He is disposed to think, that he saw the Nightingale, too, in a
hedge near Lewisham, towards the latter end of August ; but the
shyness of this bird renders its identification, without its song,
in such a situation, difficult.
Page 175, line 17, after Grosbeak read Haw-Grosbeak.
XXV111. ADDENDA ET CORRIGENDA.
Page 178, line penult., fur fly read fry. — 184, line 10, for
Great Coot-Footed Tringa read Grey Coot-Footed Tringa; same
page, line 13, after Red Coot-Footed Tringa, read Johnson's Small
Cloven-footed Gull. — 186, line 9 from the bottom, for redgy read
sedgy. — 198, line 4 from the bottom, for Cranaries read Craneries.
— 206, line 16, after they can fly, place a comma. — 207, line 9,
for (Enicdemus read (Edicnemus. — 209, line 5, for countries read
counties. — 210, line 6 from the bottom, for that reail than, —
224, line 9 from the bottom, for Prarie read Prairie. — 227, line
7 from the bottom, for Americanus read Americana. — 247, line
15, for countries read counties.
Page 255. After Brambling read Bramble ; same page, after
Siskin read Barky-Bird. — 262, add (to precede the note)
Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Linnet.— 264, line 11 from the
bottom, for (45) read (45).— 274, line 6, for lilies read lilacs:
sweet smelling lilies do not blossom in April, in this country.
Page 280. The House-Sparrow is occasionally seen white ;
another variety black.
Page 285, line 6, for its read it's. — 503, line 10, fur embossomd
read embosomed. — 305, line 15, for Indicus read Indica. — 317,
line 2, after hour add a semicolon.
Page 319 The Manuel d'Ornithologie of M. Temminck first
appeared in 1815. The arrangement consists of fifteen orders
and eighty-eight gmera. In line 6 of this page from the bottom
for ornithologsis read ornithologists.
Page 528, line 6, for contists lead consists. — 557, line 3,
for Pi^e read Pic^e. — 358, line 7 from the bottom, for the feet
read time feet. — Same page, line 11, for resembles read resemble.
Page 377. The account of the colours of the mule and female
Ostrich has been obtained from the most authentic sources ;
yet the female ostrich, now in the museum of the Zoological
Society, and which was lately dissected there, has the wing and
tail feathers white. Are these birds subject to variation in this
respect ?
Page 381, line J, after came dele the comma. — line 15, for
ON THE SONG OF FEMALE BIRDS. XXIX.
helmets read helmet. — 390, line 11, for Plantan read Plantain.
— 399, line 8 from the bottom dele the article a.
In addition to what is stated by Mr. Sweet in page 73, con-
cerning the singing of birds, that gentleman has favoured me
with the following particulars : " When you called on me last
year, at Chelsea, I had several female birds which never at-
tempted to sing: but now I have two that sing frequently ; one
is a female Black-cap ; she sings a note peculiar to herself, and
not the least like the male or any other bird with which I am
acquainted; I kept her several years before she began to sing.
I have also a female Willow-wren that sings nearly as much as
the cock ; this bird was bred up from the nest, and did not sing
at all the first year ; her note is quite different from the male's,
but resembles it sufficiently to indicate that it belongs to the
same species. The females of the Larger Pettychaps, and the
Larger W hit e thro at , which I have had for several years, never
attempt to sing. The following are the migratory birds which
I now have. Wheatear, Whinchat, Stonechat, Redstart, Nightin-
gale, Larger, and Lesser Whitethroat , Black-cap, Greater Petty-
chaps, and Willow-wren ; I had also, till lately, the Wood-wren. —
R. Sweet, Chelsea, Oct. 26, 1827."
The Willow-wren, Mr. Sweet informs me, sings also at night
when there is a light in the room.
Page 49. That birds are rendered more buoyant by having
the cells in their bodies filled with air, as well as also the
bones, there is no reason whatever to doubt ; but in what
manner their increased buoyancy is produced does not seem
well ascertained. Whether by -condensation of atmos-
pheric air similar to that produced in a strongly inflated
bladder, by which its elasticity is considerably increased, or
whether by some other air specifically lighter than that of the
atmosphere? — The first appears the most probable reason.
TO MRS. RICHARD KAY,
THE FOLLOWING
INTRODUCTION
Is respectfully inscribed by her sincere and
affectionate Friend,
THE AUTHOR,
Since (his Introduction has been printed, Mr. Henry
Warren has published six Lithographic Views on the Ra-
vensbourne, anion" which is one of Ladywell, the retreat
described in the following pages. The coincidence is somewhat
remarkable, seeing that Mr. Warren and the author of this
work are total strangers to each other. As delineating some
favourite spots, 'the author feels peculiar gratification in recom-
mending Mr. Warren's Views to public attention. They con-
sist of, tJie Source of the Ravensbourne — Ccesur's Camp — Simpson's
Castle, Bromley — Scene in Lord FarnborovgK's Park — Lady well —
and the Mouth of the Ravensbourne. These Views may be seen at
Messrs. Dickinson and Co. L'ond-Street.
INTRODUCTION.
Beatus We quiprocul negotiis —
Libet jacere modo sub antiqua ilice,
Modo in tenaci gr amine ,•
Labuntur altis interim rivis aquae ,•
QCJEKUNTUR IN SILVIS AvES ;
Fontesque lymphis obstreperunt mananlibus
Somnos quod invitet (eves. — Horat,
Harmer's Cottage, Lady well ',
LEWISIIAM.
The Summer's fervid reign is past,
A'nd bland September come at last:
A grateful change — the most to me —
To all who can the city flee.
Light pleasure's sylphs, with tripping feet,
Your presence here will gladly greet :
Here Quiet — Contemplation dwell
Beside the fount of Lady well,
Which flows incessant through the year,
As virtue pure, as crystal clear.
INTRODUCTION.
Come to my cottage ! — now look out!
Fair prospect, Madam ! who can doubt?
The church at distance, 'midst the trees,
With verdant meadows round, must please.
There, too, the social rookery,
That ever hath been dear to me ; —
The bridge — beneath, the rippling stream —
The alder's umbrage, and the gleam
Of sunlight darting through the shade,
By lofty elms or poplars made,
With willows waving to the wind,
All aid to please, to soothe the mind ;
While Ducks, in sportive diving, play,
And Geese wide o'er the meadow stray ;
The Pigeons skim the air along,
The Cocks and Hens the barn-door throng;
As anxious mothers cluck aloud
The downy young around them crowd,
What time is heard the thresher s flail ;
The Peacock struts in plumy pride,
The wild Gallina* by his side,
E'er ready, with his powerful beak, *
Fierce vengeance on his foes to wreak; —
And lo ! the milk-maid with her pail! —
Here feeds the sheep, and there the cow, —
On yonder slope the moving ploug h,
While heard the plough-boy's cheering note,
On airy waves it seems to float.
* Numida Meleagris, Guinea Hen, or Pintado,
INTRODUCTION.
THE PLOUGH-BOY'S SONG,
in September.
The morning breaks o'er Shooter's hill ;-
The Redbreast twitters by the mill ; —
The Cocks, at answering distance, crow;-
In neighbouring mead the cattle low ;
Yo, hup — yo, ho !
To plough we go !
While artless Jane, of beauty pride,
Her light step dashing dew aside,
With notes of song wakes echo now,
As blithe she hastes to milk the cow ; —
Yo, hup — yo, ho!
To plough we go !
The sun his streams of golden light
Now pours o'er hills and vallies bright;—
The Thrush her song is warbling now ;
Afield we go to chearful plough ;
Yo, hup — yo, ho!
To plough we go !
Nature ! mistress of my song,
To thee love, beauty, truth belong ; —
To thee I homage pay ; and now
Afield we go, and — speed the plough;—
Yo, hup — yo, ho!
To plough we go !
4 INTRODUCTION.
These are the rural sights and sounds
With which the valley here abounds.
And here, in Spring, the Nightingale
Charms, with his song, the listening vale,
What time vibrations of delight
The Cuckoo's monotones excite,
While the wild warbler train attend,
And with his notes their music blend ;
To grove, to wood, to shady dell,
Echo responds in wavy swell ;
All Nature rapturous appears,
And Fancy vegetation hears.*
Nor will the churchyard sod refuse
Its sombrous strains by rustic muse ;
Where, too, sleeps Genius, wild and free,
Within the grave of Dermody. f
* Madame Cottin has a similar, but, I think, more happy
thought, — " On croiroit presque entendre le bruit da la vegetation."
— Elizabeth ou Les Exiles de Siberie.
t A poet of some promise, whose malignant planet marred
his best efforts. The fate of this young man reminds us of the
fate of Savage, who had, like Dermody, been consigned
to neglect in his earlier years: hence the unfortunate impres-
sions which both received could not, as it appears, be coun-
teracted in their effects by any subsequent attempts, either
of others or of themselves; a convincing proof of the power
of early circumstances in forming character; and a proof, also,
of the necessity of early attention to such surrounding media,
in order that the best character may be fashioned and brought
out. Dermody was a native of Ireland ; but died at Lewishaui,
or in the neighbourhood, in 1802, at the age of twenty-eight.
LEWISHAM — THE RAVENSBOURNE — ANGLING. 5
Oh visit not with brow severe
His failings, — o'er them drop a tear !
A little walk, yon steep ascend
And pleasure will your toil commend.
Behold, in undulating swell,
How rise the hills, how sinks the dell.
Now let your steps descending turn
Along the banks of Ravensbourne ;
And, though not sure to meet delight,
Her nymphs, perchance, will you requite.
Some Birds, even now, will here in song
Be heard the sylvan shades among ;
The Thrush, the Redbreast in the grove,
Still warble soft their notes of love ;
And Larks, high soaring in the air,
Proclaim their pleasure still is there ;
Of Chaffinch " chinks" the woods are proud,
And shrieks of Blackbirds echo loud;*
While Swallows, many, bounding, fleet,
Bathe in the stream both win°;s and feet.
What time along the marge you stray,
Behold the fishes' sportive play; —
Oh may no angler, in yon nook,
Disturb those tenants of the brook,
Nor wound them with insidious hook !
* The Blackbird, although rarely if ever heard in song in the
autumn, utters, nevertheless, upon being disturbed, a singular
and continued shrieking or note, which, although well known
to the natural historian, is not easily described.
b INTRODUCTION.
His, wanton sport,—- a sport unblest, —
A sport I ever must detest.*
Return— and should you, seeking Health, —
The maid most coy when woo'd by wealth,
Westward ascend — behold a Spring
That might, perchance, even heal a King.
But who its modest worth shall tell —
What poet sings of Ladywell ?
* Lord Byron has thus denounced the sport of angling:
"And angling, too, that solitary vice,
Whatever Isaac Walton sings or says :
The quaint, old cruel coxcomb in his gullet^
Should have a hook, and a small trout to pull it."
Dow Juan, Canto XIII.
His Lordship adds, in a note, w It would have taught him huma-
nity at least. This sentimental savage, whom it is a mode to
quote (among the novelists) to shew their sympathy for innocent
sports and old songs, teaches how to sew up frogs, and break
their legs by way of experiment, in addition to the art of ang-
ling, the cruellest, the coldest, and the stupidest of pretended
sports. They may talk of the beauties of Nature, hut the
angler merely thinks of his dish offish ; he has no leisure to take
his eyes off the stream, and a single bite is worth to him more
than all the scenery around." It must, however, be admitted,
notwithstanding Walton's bad taste in regard to angling, that
his book is an amusing one ; and has, very probably, induced
many persons to follow the sport, who would otherwise never
have thought of it. Surely, notwithstanding all that PValtoii
says, the sitting for hours by the margin of a brook or river, is
not a healthy occupation, whatever the angler may make, of it ;
surely man, intellectual man, can find something more praise-
worthy than such solitary inactivity to gratify his aberrant
inclinations!
LADYWELL — CHALYBEATE SPRING. 7
]^ on e — none ; — then now, O Fount ! to thee,
Let this first offering hallowed be.
While many seek the ocean's shore
And listen to his hollow roar ;
May I, with calm delight, still sing
Of thee, unostentatious spring !*
I love the woods, the hills, the fields ;
Will you attend me, Lady! there
To hear the Birds — to snuff the air —
To taste the pleasures Nature yields.
I love the country and its calm,
For many wounds a sovereign balm.f
I loathe the city and its noise, —
Its tumult, pageants, and its toys.
Mistake me not— I friendship prize, %
And gladly seek the good and wise ;
* It ought to be mentioned, that, although this spring is in
the little hamlet of Lady well, the name of Lady well is not
derived from it- Ladywell, the fountain so called, produces
pellucid and excellent water. , The spring here alluded to is a
powerful chalybeate, and totally unfit for common use. It is
similar in its properties to the waters of Tunbridge; and, were
it farther from the metropolis, would, long ere this, have ob-
tained celebrity. Those who may be desirous of knowing this
spring, will find it at a cottage inhabited by Mr. Russell.
t O rus, quando ego te aspiciam? quandoque licebit
Nunc veterum libris, nunc somno inertibus horis,
Ducere solicits jucunda oblivia vitae. — Horat.
% Ego vos hortari tantum possum, utamicitiam omnibus rebus
hnmanis anteponatis; nihil est enim tarn natura? aptum, tarn con-
veniens ad res secundas vel adversas. — Cicero de Amicitia.
8 INTRODUCTION.
But may I not such here possess —
May I not here find happiness ?
Come then, fair Lady ! with me stray;
To Shooter's-hill now haste away ;
Or, midst the shady bowers of Lee,*
I'll proudly wait your company.
Or, if you so prefer, the dark
The chesnut groves of Greenwich Park ;
Forgetting not — who can forget?
The balmy breezes of Black-heath,
* tf The spirit of improvement through the land
Strides like a giant."
The improvements which have lately been made on Black-
heath, at Lee, and the unostentatious village of Lewisham,
deserve a short note. Those who remember the gloomy gran-
deur of Lee, may now contemplate it under another aspect,
namely, that of rural elegance. There is an oak by the footway,
leading from Lee church to Lee-green, that deserves, together
with the surrounding scenery, to be immortalized by the pen, or
the pencil, or both. Blackheath has lately received an
important addition to the east, in a series of elegant villas,
evincing, at once, the taste and opulence of the owners. The
modern and long-neglected ruin of Sir Gregory Page Turner's
seat, has, at length, totally disappeared ; and, in its stead, have
arisen numerous mansions which wealth and competence have
chosen for their abode. Of Lewisham, I dare not trust my-
self to say much ; it is a quiet, unobtrusive village, in which I
have passed many happy days, and in which a considerable por-
tion of this work was written. The improvements, either com-
pleted or going on here, will render its neighbourhood still more
desirable as a residence. The walks and scenery surrounding
this place are sufficiently described in the text.
BLACK-HEATH FOREST-HILL — AUTUMN.
Where health will twine for you a wreath,
Where the Campanula* blooms yet ;
Where Chamomile sanescent grows,
Call'd by the learned Anthemis,f
Specifically nobilis, —
And Heath her beauteous blossom shows, —
There oft I rove. On Forest-Hill
I drink of pleasure's cup my fill ; —
There listen to, the shades among,
The Redbreast's soft, autumnal song ;
Or hear the Thrush, a farewell lay
Pour out, as sinks to rest the day ;
While from the stubble sudden spring
The Partridges, on sounding wing ; —
No, social Rasors ! ne'er will I
Send death amongst you as you fly£.
* Campanula patula. — See a subsequent note.
t Anthemis nobilis. or Common Chamomile with single
Sowers; the cultivated variety has double flowers. Whatever
may be the merits of the Linncean, and other scientific systems
of botany; it is, nevertheless, greatly to be feared, that, from
their apparent complexity and verbosity, it will be a long time
indeed before they will come (if ever) into general use, and
supersede the present trivial nomenclature.
X For some account of the misery produced by firing among
flocks of birds, see the notes to the House Sparrow' s Speech. For
an explanation of the term Rasor, see the prose portion of this
Introduction.
10 INTRODUCTION.
I love the steps of autumn time,
When cool, not cold, the morning's prime ; —
When noon has lost his scorching pride,
And pleasures throng the brooklet's side; —
When eve is bland — the genial breeze
Plays wantonly among the trees ;
Or, dimpling o'er the river's face,
Adds to its beauty novel grace.
Delight with me, too, often roves
In Sydenham's dark, shady groves ;
Yet o'er her hills, with, Lady ! you,
Pleas'd I shall be to dash the dew
From herb and flower ; and pleas'd to see
The blooming heath I ween you'll be.
Nor will that modest lilac maid,
Campanula*, with drooping head,
Deny her charms, the while appear
Such goodly prospects far and near.
The purple Digitalis! too,
Will here her homage pay to you.
* The Campanula patula, or Meadow Bell-flower, is ofre
of the most elegant of the Campanula genus, and only not more
admired because it is so very common on our heaths.
t Digitalis purpurea, or Fox- glove. This valuable and
beautiful indigenous plant, although growing plentifully in
hedges in various parts of the kingdom, is rare in the immediate
neighbourhood of London. The curiuus will, however, find it
on the Sydenham-hills, — hills which no one who delights in rural
scenery should omit to see ; yet how many of the inhabitants of
the metropolis have never visited them !
DULWICH — HITHER-GREEN— RUSHY-GREEN, 11
Hence, if it please you, down the vale,
Dulwich shall tell a pleasant tale
Of Pictures and of groves of shade,
By painters and by Nature made.*
If, "still aberrant, you will stray,
To Hither Green without delay ;
Let health's brisk breezes round you blow,
While you command the vale below.
Or wander to that Rushy-Green,
Where diving Dabchicksf oft are seen.
Now pass the Ravensbourne again,
And quit the haunts of busy men,
For scenes where dwells the woodland sprite,
And forest and canal unite;
The warblers here will charm your sense
With Nature's wildest eloquence.
Though rarely do such works of art,
Canals, the picturesque impart,
Yet here both Art and Nature meet,
To lay it, Lady ! at your feet.t
* The Dulwich Picture Gallery, the munificent gift of Sir
Franc'13 Bourgeois, affords an agreeable lounge for those who
have any taste for paintings. It is greatly to he regretted,
that a singular regulation precludes some of its usefulness j
this regulation consists in compelling every one, desirous of
viewing it, to obtain a ticket (gratis it is true,) in London, No
one applying without such a ticket at Dulwich is admitted.
t Colymbus minor, oiDidapper; a considerable number of
these birds may be always seen in a pond, or on its banks, at
Rushy-green.
% This Canal unites with the Thames, near Deptford. By a
multiplicity of locks, it reaches a considerable elevation
]2 INTRODUCTION,
But other wanderings you shall find,
Of various power to stir the mind.
Of Penge, the embowering wood explore, —
Of pleasure there an ample store;
Scenes which the artist, charm'd, shall trace,
And on his canvass lay with grace :
There pensive, tranquil thought might dwell ;
There, too, might hermit choose his cell ;
And there, the lords of the domain,
The warblers, hold triumphant reign.
Obedient now to Pleasure's wand,
Let Beckenham your steps command:
The region, if not classic, such
You scarcely can admire too much.
Behold its churchyard picturesque,
With gates that trench on the grotesque ;
Then pass through grove and sombre glade,
For poet's haunt in autumn made.
The whirring pheasant here may too,
At eve or morning startle you,
. As from the wood, with sudden spring,
She flies on heavy, labouring wing.
f
When at Forest-hill it winds between woods ; and thence,
passing on through Sydenham, it again winds through Penge-tcoocl
to Croydon. For several miles, while on theelevation, there are no
locks; hence, from its sinuous course, it adds considerably to
the very beautiful scenery through which it parses.
BECKENIIAM MR. EOBINSON. 13
Here Robinson,* from toils of state
Opinions' conflict, keen debate,
Retires to soothe, relax his mind,
Woo Nature — to us ever kind.
If now to Bromley you extend,
New scenes, new subjects will befriend;
Nor shall the Villa, taste of LoxG..f
Be absent from my rural song-.
Still farther would you, Lady, rove.
Delight attends in many a grove.
* The Right Honourable Frederick Robinson, now Lord
Goderich, who, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, in a luminous
and eloquent speech, on the opening of the Budget to Parlia-
ment, March 13, 1826, promulgated some of the most libera!
and important opinions that were ever uttered by any states-
man.
It is scarcely possible to estimate the effect of such senti-
ments on the well being and happiness of the human race, to
the furtherance of which they so eminently tend, when so ex-
tensively diffused, as they necessarily must be, in reports of our
parliamentary proceedings ; but we may be morally assured
that such sentiments will never be forgotten; and that the time
has indeed arrived when the minds of our enlightened states-
men are in accordance with the opinions of an enlightened
people; and that, among those, while the names of a Canning,
a Peel, and a Huskisson, will be prominent, the name of the
late Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Robinson, will never
be mentioned without respect and esteem.
t The Right Honourable Sir Charles Long, Bait. ; since
this was written, created Lord Farnborougii.
14 ; INTRODUCTION.
Proceed to Hayes, where Chatham* dwelt;
Some recollections may be felt, —
How, in the senate, many shook
Beneath his all-commanding look:
How here, the social hearth beside,
He sank the statesman and his pride ;
And, pillow'd on affection's breast,
He solace sought, and found the best:
For what is Splendour, what is Fame,
To Home and Happiness? — a name!
While here, let no pretence delay, «*
But listen to the woodland fay ;
Or with the mountain-nymph ascend,
Who will with glee your steps attend.
* William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, the first of that name,
and the incidents in whose life are inseparably woven with the
history of this country. Hayes was his favourite residence,
where he died; and where also his son William, mentioned
in a subsequent note, was born. This village affords a quiet
and umbrageous retreat. Among many fine trees here, some
Lombardy -poplars (Populus dilata), near the mansion, where
once presided the pennies of that respected nobleman, are pe-
culiarly interesting by their great height and beauty, they
being well clothed with ivy. Fashion has latterly fixed a stigma
upon this tree (the Lombardy poplar,) which it does not
deserve. It is now become, it is true, extremely common, but
it is nevertheless, very ornamental, and as little injurious by
its foliage as its shade; indeed, much less so than most other
trees. This residence of Lord Chatham is now occupied by
Mrs. Dehaney.
HAYES COMMOK. 15
Should taste now bid you botanize,
The upland wilds fail not to prize:*
Here Sphagjium-f lifts her humble head,
And Droseral will her dewdrops shed ;
While Heaths, of roseate hue, will smile,
And thus your wandering way beguile.
Or should your steps refuse the waste,
With Edens near the scene is grac'd,
And cots embower'd, while soaring high
Their smoke, slow curling, stains the sky;§
Where Peace, beside the hearth of home,
Spurns with disdain the lordly dome.
Or like you length and breadth of view
O'er scenery rich, of varied hue,
Ascending still, at Holwood Park,
Look round, and many objects mark ;
'Mongst which the queen of cities stands, |(
A cynosure to distant lands.
* The spot called Hayes Common deserves a more dignified
name: it is at once a wild and an upland, not to say mountain-
ous district; and the numerous villas around add an interest to
it of no ordinary kind.
t Sphagnum pal ustre, or Bog-moss, a curious and useful plant
for packing other plants. See Mr. Salisbury's account of it in
the Transactions of the Society of Arts.
f Drosera roiundifolia, or Sundew.
§ " Above whose peaceful umbrage, trailing high,
A little smoke went up, and stain'd the cloudless sky.' J
Bowles's Hope,
ij London.
j!6 INTRODUCTION.
Should still no fancy prompt return;,
Explore the source of Ravensbourne
At Keston ;— Holwood's manse around,
Where sylvan beauties wild abound,
Now wander, whither from the strife
Of faction— stir of public life,
Once oftretir'd that William Pitt,
Much more a statesman than a wit ;
He who, with Fox, shook senates proud ;
Whose voice once echoed long- and loud.
Oh, had he been less fond of war!
What fame exists without a scar ?*
Now, Lady ! having hither brought —
Beguifd you into rural thought,
I will not ask your audience long,
But list a moment to my song, —
A song of Birds — their hopes, their fears,
Their loves, their pleasures, and their tears ;
In which, I trust, some seeds of truth
Are sown, to serve both age and youth.
You, Lady! when that smiling boy,
Of promise bright — his parents' joy,
* The Right Honourable William Pitt, for many years
prime minister of this country, and son of the first Lord
Chatham, mentioned above. Holwood Park and House
are on a very elevated, yet well-wooded spot. The mansion
has been, I understand, rebuilt since the time Mr. Pitt inha-
bited it. It is altogether a very delightful situation, and does
credit to the taste of the late prime minister as a country icsi-
dence. There is a public footpath quite through the park.
The present occupier is John Ward, Esq.
NESTS OF BIRDS. 17
Shall upward grow, will prompt his mind
To all that's good and great — refin'd;
And when, perhaps, my voice is mute,
When silent hangs my minstrel lute,
Awaking only to the breeze
Some fitful strains, not such as these ;
When all that may remain of me,
You in my thought, my song shall see,
You will remind him, that 'twas I
Who struck these chords of minstrelsy.
Simple, in sooth, they are, and trite,
Yet will, I hope, the mind excite
To pleasures simple as my lay,
Yet pure as truth — as sunshine gay.
You will remind your favourite boy
I lov'd him — wish'd him every joy;
And, should he listen to my strain,
I, Lady! have not liv'd in vain.
Oh teach him, when you will know best,
To love, admire the warblers' nest ;*
* The structure of the nests of birds affords, perhaps, one
of the most agreeable lessons in Natural History.
Among the most curious nests of our English birds may be
named that of the Wren, the Long-tailed Titmouse, the Thrush,
the Goldfinch, the Chaffinch, the Magpie, and the House Sparrow;
to these may also be added the Swallow's, the Martin's, the Wood
Pigeons, and the Wood-Pecker's. Of the nests of Rooks, it may
be sufficient to observe, that they are often found to the num-
ber of six, or even more, in a cluster. Crows' nests are always
solitary; they are similar in structure to those of the rook.
18 INTRODUCTION.
Mark the design their nests among-, —
Observe the wonders of their song, —
Their habits, their intelligence, —
And say not, Man alone has sense,
But, See the steps of Providence!
The Wren's nest is globular, and very often made of green
moss, both within and without ; it has a small hole on the side
of it, just large enough to admit the bird. It is generally affixed
to some tree, and behind it, at a few feet from the ground, so
as not to be immediately in sight. The wren seems very partial
to trees having ivy growing about them, most probably as, by
its leaves, the nest is more effectually concealed. It does not
seem to prefer any particular tree : the nest will be found very
often attached to the elm or the ash; sometimes against an
ivied wall, sometimes in the thatch of a house, and sometimes
in a hay-rick. In such cases the materials of the nest will often
also be varied. See more relative to the Wren in the note
attached to the Redbreast's Song.
The Long- tailed Titmouse makes a nest similar in shape to the
wren's, but considerably larger in external appearance: it by
no means looks so neat as the wren's; its exterior is composed
of dead leaves, interspersed with white moss, &c. Interiorly
it is, however, much more curious than the wren's, being almost
full of small, soft, and generally white feathers. It is rarely, if
ever, appended, like the wren's, to trees; its usual site is in a
hedge, on some bush, either of the thorn or wild plum, a few
feet only from the ground.
The nest of the Thrush, is exteriorly composed of green or
other moss, and a few straws; interiorly it is plastered all over
with some paste, apparently composed of rotten wood, with
something to cement it; it is generally of a light buff colour.
When dry it is quite hard, so that the eggs, if moved, rattle in
the nest. The statement, in many of our books of natural his-
tory, that it is lined with clay, is, as far as my experience goes,
NESTS OF BIRDS. 19
Teach him a sympathy to feel
For nature, for the general weal.
Grave this a lesson on his heart;
May he the precept wide impart, —
founded in mistake. The Blackbird's nest, although it belongs
to the same genus, is a very different one, and has nothing re-
markable in it, except that it is plastered within with clay, over
which some fine straw or dry grass is laid. The usual situation
of a thrush's nest is behind some ivied tree ; sometimes, how-
ever, it is found in bushes, particularly of thorn; 1 have seen a
thrush's nest in a yew-tree. The blackbird seems to prefer the
thorn for its nest, particularly if it happens to be growing over
water; it prefers, too, that part of the bush which is least ac-
cessible.
The Goldfinch's nest is composed exteriorly of white moss,
interiorly of light coloured wool and hair; it is one of the neat*
est of our English bird's nests. The goldfinch, during its nidi-
fication, is a very domestic bird ; it appears to prefer a garden
near a dwelling-house to almost any other spot for its nest. It
builds either on young elms, to which it is particularly partial,
on an apple, a pear tree, or a cypress. If not disturbed, it will
build sometimes so low that you may look into the nest; and,
during incubation, you may pass within a few feet of it without
its evincing the least alarm.
The Chaffinch builds a neat nest, although not so neat as that
of the goldfinch; its habits are also in many respects similar; it
prefers gardens and apple-trees, but is not choice in the site for
a nest. It will build on fir-trees, against a wall on a grape-
vine, on apple and many other trees, but rarely, if ever, in
hedges.
The Magpie's nest is similar in its lower exterior to that of
the rook and the crow, but it is covered over with thorns, so
that access to the interior can only be had by two open spaces,
20 INTRODUCTION.
Be kind to all — to man, to beast,
Bird, Jish, worm, insect; thus a feast
Of happiness will he partake,
And happy other beings make.
Hot very regularly marked, one on each side of its covering.
This covering is an irregular kind of lattice-work, formed of
thorns, and is evidently designed as a defence from some birds
of prey ; it is no shelter from the weather. The magpie always
builds a solitary nest, either in a thorn-bush or on some lofty
elm, and sometimes on an apple-tree; it does not often build
very near dwelling-houses, but a remarkable exception to this
has lately occurred in Somersetshire, at Huntspill : a magpie
not only having built its nest on a tree a very short distance
from a dwelling-house, but it occupied the same nest two years
successively. We may be tolerably certain that this bird was
not disturbed during the first year, or it would not, most pro-
bably, have returned to the same nest a second time. I appre-
hend the magpie, as well as its neighbours, the rook and crow,
to be a very useful bird in the destruction of worms, of whieh it
partakes as food.
The House- Sparrow, as its name indicates, builds very often
beneath the eaves of the thatch, as well as of the tiles of dwell-
ing-houses. Its nest is composed of straw and feathers; it has
usually a hole for an entrance, similar to the wren's. The house-
sparrow is, however, no churl in the choice of a site for a nest.
I once saw a house-sparrow's nest in that of a deserted magpie's
nest. They will sometimes take possession of the martin's
nest; and some curious facts have been stated concerning the
battles of these two very different birds. In the neighbourhood
of London, and indeed in Hoxton-square in London, the house-
sparrow's nest will be seen on the Lombardy poplar; the ^nly
kind of nest which I ever saw on that tree, — it does not seem a
favourite of any of the tribe of birds. Wilson informs us that
NEST OF THE SWALLOW, HAWK, WOOD-PECKER. 21
Teach him, all violence is wrong —
A truth as useful as it's strong :
He must not rob the Sons of Song.
Nay, that the birds .should be as free,
As wisheth and expecteth He.
the Baltimore oriole builds also on it in the American towns.
Tbe house-sparrow builds also very often in the ivy attached to
the walls of dwelling-houses : many nests of this bird were to
be seen among the ivy covering the front of a house in
Montpellier-row on Blackheath, September 1825.
Swallows construct their nests externally of clay; they are
lined with straw and feathers. The favourite site of the swal-
low's nest is the interior and near the tops of chimneys; they,
however, occasionally build in other places. The Martin builds
its nest similarly to the swallow, but the entrance to it is more
confined: the usual place for martins' nests is under the eaves
of houses, particularly those whose walls are covered with
what is called roughcast, or in the corners of a stopped-up
window.
The Wood-Pigeon's nest is made with only a few sticks,
merely sufficient to retain the eggs ; an extraordinary nest for
such a bird, when the habits of the domestic pigeon are consi-
dered. They generally build on trees. I have seen a wood-
pigeon's nest on a yew-tree; it is more frequently, I believe,
found on the elm or the fir.
The Hawk's nest (Falco tinnunculus) or Kestril, is similar to
the wood-pigeon's : I have seen it on an apple-tree.
The Wood-Pecker's nest is made in the trunk of some tree, a
hole in which the bird scoops out with his bill; the entrance is
round, and just large enough to admit the bird.
Several of our English birds make their nests on the ground:
among these may be named the Skylark, the Partridge, the
Redbreast, &c. &c. ; and, of course, most of those having
palmate feet, as the Duck, Goose, Swan, &c.
22 INTRODUCTION.
There" 1 s no effect without a cause:
This one of Nature's wisest laws.
To be all which you may desire
Your child will certain things require :
Among the nests of foreign birds, that of the Taylor Bird
deserves especial mention: the bird itself is a diminutive one,
being little more than three inches long; it is an inhabitant of
India. The nest is sometimes constructed of two leaves, one of
them dead; the latter is fixed to the living one as it hangs upon
the tree, by sewing both together in the manner of a pouch or
purse : it is open at the top, and the cavity is filled with fine
down; and, being suspended from the branch, the birds are
secure from the depredations of snakes and monkeys, to which
they might otherwise fall a prey.
In Dr. Latham's collection is a specimen of the taylor bird's
nest, composed of a single large leaf, of a fibrous rough texture,
about six inches long independent of the stalk, five inches and
a half in breadth, and ending in a point. The sides of this leaf
are drawn together so as to meet within three-quarters of an
inch ; within is the nest, about four inches deep and two broad,
opening at the top; the bottom of the leaf is drawn upwards, to
assist in the support of it. This interior nest is composed of
white down, with here and there a feather and a small portion
of white down intermixed.
Another nest of this bird has also been described as composed
of several leaves, like those of some kind of hazel sewed toge-
ther ; the inner nest formed of dry bents, fibres, and hairs, sus-
pended from a tree. It is, therefore, probable that this bird,
as well as some others, varies the structure of its nest as occa-
sion and the materials may require. These singular works are
performed by the bird's using his bill instead of a needle, and
vegetable fibres for thread. We still want, however, more
information on this interesting subject. See the note on the
Taylor bird in Part II.
2
ESCULENT SWALLOW*S NEST, 23
Fit circumstances must surround
Him, or your wishes he'll confound.
Crabs on the cherry do not grow,
Nor does the pine produce the sloe ;
The Rufous Bee-eater, or Merops Rufus, constructs also a very
singular nest. This bird is a native of Buenos Ay res; the nest
is built generally on the naked great branch of a tree, some-
times on the windows of houses, a fence, or a projecting beam
of a high house or other building: it is composed of earth, in
the form of a baker's oven, and is often built in the short space
of two days, both birds being engaged in its construction j it is
six inches in diameter, and one thick ; a division is within, be-
ginning at the entrance, and carried circularly, so that the eggs
are deposited in the inner chamber, on a bed of grass. The
swallow and other birds often attempt to obtain possession of
this nest ; but are generally repulsed by the owners.
Many of the Orioles' nests are also deserving notice. The
black and yellow Oriole, (Oriolus persicus,) inhabiting South
America, has a pendent nest, shaped like an alembic; it is
affixed to the extreme branches of trees; sometimes, it is said,
so many as four hundred nests are found hanging on the same
tree. See the note on the Orioles in Part II.
The Philippine and Pensile Grosbeak make also very curious
nests. See the note on the Grosbeak, &c. in Part I.
In concluding this account of the nests of birds, of which
occasionally more will be found in the subsequent notes, I may
notice here the nest of the Hirundo esculenta, or Esculent Swal-
low, an inhabitant of China and the Islands of the Indian
Ocean. This nest consists of a gelatinous substance, in shape
resembling an apple cut down the middle. The nests are found
in great numbers together, and are by the luxurious Asiatics
made into broths, and otherwise cooked, and are esteemed
one of the greatest dainties of the table; they are also occa-
sionally used for glue.
24 INTRODUCTION.
All kindred things produce their kind ;
Thus is it with the human mind.
If you would wish him to be kind,
Impress kind conduct on his mind, —
Not by mere words, but let the deed
Of kindness done before him plead;
Chiefly the deed performed by you,
"Which, seeing done, he'll wish to do.
You will, no doubt, some learning give,
And teach him in the world to live ;
But what he'll want, as much as sense,
Is active, warm Benevolence,
This will produce more happiness
Than all besides he may possess :
This teach him, and his little heart
Will kind impressions soon impart.
Thus will there in his bosom spring
Affection for each living thing;
And thus will be his friends' delight,
That beauteous boy of promise bright!
Seductive, Lady! is the theme!
Instruction, now a rushing stream,
O'erflows its banks on either hand,
And widely fructifies the land.
A goodly harvest may we see,
When all shall wise and happy be!
The nests of some of the American swallows are also curious.
See the note on the Swallow in Part I.
INTRODUCTION. 25
Meantime, one word should be impressed.
In letters large, on every breast :
It is most potent, and will well
Perform what can't the prison cell ;
What vengeance always fails to do-
lt is, fair Lady ! seen in you,—
Kindness: repeat the word again —
Kindness, — and thus I end my strain.*
* " It is necessary also to observe, in regard to the Formation
of the Human Character, that the mind for ever shrinks from all
attempts to force it into any mode of discipline or action ; that,
while it may be led by gentleness and argument almost any
where, the least appearance of force or violence produces revolt
and repugnance. So true is this, that it has led to the trite ob-
servation, that it is more easy to lead man wrongly than to drive
him right. This disposition, in the ignorant and uninformed, has
been frequently called obstinacy; but it is, nevertheless, the re-
sult of a general law which we all obey. There is no other
effectual way of removing such obstinacy than by enlightening
the understanding, — imparting knowledge. And if this can be
done by shewing also that we have the interest, that is, the
happiness j of the individual at heart whom we are desirous of
persuading, we shall be more likely to succeed in the object at
which we aim." See my Lecture on the Nature and Operations of
the Human Mind. The minds of children appear to be operated
upon in a similar way to those of the adult, and, therefore, in their
education similar means must be adopted.
26 INTRODUCTION,
The Natural History of Birds, or, as it is now scien-
tifically termed, ornithology, needs little to recommend
it to those whose taste for simple pleasures is not vitiated.
The habits, manners, and modes of life of this interesting
portion of the animal kingdom, have attracted the attention
of numerous naturalists, who have, from time to time, re-
corded a variety of useful, instructive, and amusing facts
concerning it. Various artificial arrangements have also
been proposed, by which, it has been presumed, the science
of ornithology may be more readily and correctly acquired.
Among these, the arrangements of Linnaeus, of Pennant, of
Latham, and of Vigors, deserve, it appears to me, the
most attention ; although those of Brisson, the Baron
Cuvier, and of M. Temminck, are also entitled to respect.
Nor ought, perhaps, the name of John Ray, our own coun-
tryman, who flourished in the seventeenth century, as a dis-
tinguished naturalist, to be here omitted ; but we cannot
enter into a detail or examination of these last writers'
systems. As, however, that of Li NIMBUS has obtained much
celebrity, is constantly referred to by our naturalists ; and
seems, besides, 1o have contributed much to the foundation
on which many, if not all, of the subsequent arrangements
of the Natural History of Birds have been built, it may be
useful to place an Epitome of it before the reader, premising,
that no artificial arrangement which has hitherto been made
public, how ingenious soever it be, will correspond exactly
with that which is found in Nature; but, that some arrange-
ment is nevertheless useful to facilitate this pleasing study,
will, it is presumed, be universally admitted.
The following are the Ordeks, Genera, and the Number
of the Species, described by Linnaeus.
LINNEAN ARRANGEMENT.
27
ORDO I.
ACCIPITRES.
ORDER I.
Hawks.
These have hooked bills, the superior mandible near the base
being extended on each side beyond the inferior ; and, in some,
it is armed with teeth.
Generum
Nomina.
1 Yultur.
2 Falco.
English Number
Names, of Species.
Vulture, Condor,8
Ea»le, Falcon,
Kite,
32
C Ea»le, Fak
\ Hawk, K
(_ &c.
Generum
Nomina.
3 Stiix.
4 Lanius
-A
English Number
Names, of Species.
Owl - 12
Shrike, Butch-
er Bird, &c. 26
ORDO II.
ORDER II.
Pic^e. Pies.
These have a compressed bill resembling a knife.
* Pedibus ambulatoriis — with feet formed for walking.
rr, i ., i Humming-
Troclnlus.' Bird * ^
Creeper, 25
Hoopoe, 3
Beef-eater, 1
Nuthatch, 3
Oriole - 20
5
6 Certhia.
7 Upupa.
8 Buphaga.
9 Sitta.
10 Oriolus.
11 Coracias.
12 Gracula.
13 Corvus.
Roller
Grakle
C Raven, Rook,
-? Crow,Mag-
(^ pie, &c. 19
14Paradisea '{ B radi^ P - a " 3
■* Pedibus Scansoriis — with climbing feet.
16 Trogon.
19 Picus.
15 Ramphastos. Toucan - 8
$ Cnrucui,Eng-
( lish Lady, 3
17 Psittacus. Parrot - 47
18 Crotophaga.Ani - 2
* * * Pedibus gressoriis — with feet formed for leaping.
23 Buceros. Horn-bill, 4 I 25 Merops. Bee-eater,
24 Alcedo. King-fisher, 15 | 26 Todus. Tody
20 Yunx.
21 Cuculus.
22 Bucco.
Woodpecker,
21
Wryneek, 1
Cuckoo - 22
Barbet - 1
ORDO III. ORDER III.
Anseres. Geese. .
These have a smooth bill, broadest at the point, covered with
a smooth skin, and furnished with teeth; the tongue is fleshy,
and the toes are palmated or webbed.
23
INTRODUCTION.
* Rostro denticulato — ivith a toothed bill.
Generum
Nomina.
27 Anas.
28 Mergus.
English Number
Names, of Species.
$ Duck, Goose,
X Swan, &c. 45
Merganser, 6
Generum
Nomina.
29 Phaeton.
30 Plotits.
English Number
Nam es. of Sp ccies.
- Tropic Bird, 2
Darter - 1
* * Rostro edeniulo — with a toothless bill.
31 Rhynchops. Skimmer, 2
32 Diomedea. Albatross, 2
33 Alca. Auk - 5
34 Procellaria. Petrel - 6
C Pelican,Cor-
35 Pelecanus.< niorant,Gan-
C net, &c. 8
36 Lams.
37 Sterna.
38 Colymbus.
Gull - 11
Tern - 7
Diver,Grebe,
Guillemot,
&c. - 11
ORDO TV. ORDER IV,
Grall^e. Waders.
These have a somewhat cylindrical bill ; the tail is short, and
the thighs naked ; many of this tribe are distinguished by long
legs and long bills.
* Pedibus tetradacty lis— feet with four toes.
amiugo,
39 Phoenicop- ) _.,
terns 5
40 Platalea. Spoonbill,
41 Palamedea. Screamer,
42 Mjcteria. Jabiru
43 Tantalus. Ibis
44 Ardea.
45 Recnrvi-
rostra.
C Crane, He-
( ron, Stork,
t Bittern,&c.26
>Avoset . 1
C Curlew, Wood-
46 Scolopax. < cock,Snipe,
(_ &c. - 18
C Sandpiper,
< Lapwing,
t &c. . 23
f Coot, Galli-
\ nule, &c. 7
49 Parra. Jacana - 5
50 Rallus. Rail - 10
51 Psophia. Trumpeter, 1
47 Tringa,
48 Fulica.
52 Cancroma. Boatbill - 2
* * Pedibus cursoriis tridactylis — with feet formed for running, —
three toed.
53 Haemat- } $ OysterCatch-
opus. $ I er - 1
54 Otis. Bustard - 4 56 Struthio.
e~ nu a • S Plover,Dot-
5o Charadnus. < . , \
I terel, &c. 12
Ostrich - 3
ORDO V. ORDER V.
Galling. Gallinaceous Birds.
These have a convex bill ; the superior mandible is vaulted
over the inferior ; the nostrils are half covered with a convex
LINNEAN ARRANGEMENT.
29
cartilaginous membrane; the feet are divided, but connected
at the inmost joint.
Gen"rum
Nomina.
57 Didus. .
53 Pavo.
59 Meleagris.
60 Crax.
61 Numida.
English Number
Names, of Species
Dodo - 1
Peacock, 3
Turkey - 3
Curacoa, 5
Guinea Hen. 1
Generum
Nomina.
62 Phasianus.
English Number
Names, of Species.
I Pheasant,
Cock,Hen,
&c. - 6
I
C Partridge,
63 Tetrao. \ Grouse,QuaiI,
(_ &c. - 20
ORDO VI. ORDER VI.
Passeres. Sparrows.
These have a conical sha'rp pointed bill ; the nostrils are oval,
wide, and naked.
* Crassirostres — with thick bills.
65 Fringilla
Finch, Ca-
nary Bird,
C. &c - 39
** Curvirostres — with curved bills.
6i Loxia.
Grosbeak&c.48
66 Emberiza. J B "" tiD -' 0r -
£ tolan, die, 24
67 Caprimul-C ^ „«.c i „ a I ao et: a~ f SwalIow,Mar-
gas. I Goat Sucker, 2 68 Hirundo. J ^ g ^ ^
I 69 Pipra. Manakin, 13
* * * Emarginatirostres — with emurginaied bills.
70 Turdus. . <
'Thrush, Black-
bird, Field- .
fare, &c. 28
71 Ampelis.
72 Tanagra.
73 Mnscicapa
Chatterer,
Tanager,
Fly-catcher
7
24
,21
* *
* * Simplicirostr
es — with simple
bills.
74 Motacilla. „
" Warbler,
| Nightingale,
1 Redbreast,
* &c. - 49
75 Parus.
76 Alauda.
77 Sturnus.
78 Columba.
Titmouse,
Lark
Starling -
Pigeon -
14
11
5
40
The generic characters of Birds are taken from the
peculiarities in the bill, the nostrils, the tongue, the feet, the
feathers, the face, the figure of the body, 8cc.
The specific characters are very various ; they consist
in the colour of the particular feathers, or parts of feathers;
crests of feathers on the head disposed in different manners;
the colour of the cere or wax; the colour of the feet; the
30 INTRODUCTION'.
shape and length of the tail ; the number, situation, &e. of
the toes; the colour and figure of the bill, &,c.
The varieties of the same species are still farther dis-
tinguished by more minute and slighter shades of difference.
The limits to which I am restricted will not permit
me to name all the species which are arranged under each
genus of the preceding orders ; but an account of the most
striking species of each genus, as well as of those in the ad-
ditional genera of Dr. Latham, will be, nevertheless, found
in the subsequent Notes, so that it is hoped nothing of
importance in the Natural History of Birds has been
omitted.
It will now be necessary that we should advert to some
other arrangements.
Mr. Pennant classed Birds, first, into two grand divi-
sions — Land-Birds and Water-Birds. These he again
divided into nine orders, of which the Land-Birds formed
six, — namely, Rapacious ; Pies ; Gallinaceous ; Colum-
bine ; Passerine; Struthious. The Water-Birds three,
— namely, Clove-Footed or Waders; Pinnated Feet •;
and Web footed.
The number of genera in the Linnean arrangement is
seventy-eight ; of Mr. Pennant's, ninety-five ; of Dr.
Latham's, in the last edition of Lis work, 112*.
The system of Brisson is apparently, at least, more scien-
tific than any of the preceding ; the divisions are more nu-
merous, and, therefore, less liable to exceptions. His first
* General History of Birds, by John Latham, m.d. &c. &c,
iD ten volumes, 4to. with nearly two hundred plates. This intelli-
gent and venerable naturalist resides at Winchester : his work
has been for many years before the public; it has undergone,
from time to time, considerable improvement.
ARRANGEMENT OF LATHAM. 31
divisions are two, — namely, Cloven-footed and Web-
footed. The first of these he divides into seventeen orders,
and eighty-five genera ; the second into nine orders and
twenty-eight genera. This system does not, however, seem
to have obtained much attention ; yet the number of the
genera nearly coincides with that of Dr. Latham, who ap*
pears to have followed and improved upon Mr. Pennant's
arrangement. His divisions and orders are similar in name
and number to those of Mr. Pennant ; but he, nevertheless,
differs from him in many particulars ; his genera are also
more numerous. The whole number of birds enumerated
by Linnaeus specifically, is only 930, while those described
by Dr. Latham in his recently published work amount to
about 5000! And future discoveries must necessarily in-
crease them.
But it should be observed, that although Dr. Latham has
added to the numler of the genera; this addition arises in
part from his dividing some of the genera of Linn.eus into
two or more. Thus the genus Motacilla or Warbler, he
has divided into Motacilla or Wagtail, and Sylvia or
Warbler ; Tetrao or Partridge he has divided into three,
namely, Tinamus or Tinamou, Tetrao or Grouse, and
Perdix or Partridge; Struthio he has also divided into
four,— Struthio or African Ostrich, Casuarius or Casso-
wary, Didus or Dodo, and Rhea or American Ostrich ;
he has also divided the Snipe, Scolopax, from the Curlew,
which he calls Numenius ; he has, again, erected the Grebe,
Podiceps, the Gallinule, Gallinula, and the Guillemot,
Uria, into separate genera; he has also separated the
Phalarope, Phalaropus, from Tringa or Lapwing, &c.
Besides which, he has added other new genera, as will be
seen on reference to the following synopsis of his work.
In justice to Dr. Latham it ought to be stated, that there
32 INTRODUCTION.
lias been latterly evinced, among our ornithologists, a dispo-*
sition to follow his alterations, which seem more consonant
with the natural arrangement that it should be our
aim to discover and to exhibit. Whether the Quinary
system, hereafter to be noticed, will ultimately supersede all
other arrangements, remains yet to be seen. As, however,
the work of Dr. Latham is one of the most voiuminious and
valuable that has ever been published on ornithology, and as
every student who desires to be deeply imbued with a know-
ledge of the science ought to consult it, a list of all the
names of the genera, and of the number of the species de-
scribed under each genus in that work, is here presented to
the reader in one view.
A SYNOPSIS OF DR. LATHAMS LAST WORE
ON BIRDS.
The Latin names of the Genera, are supplied, in part,
from the Index Ornithologicus of Dr. Latham, and the
remainder from private information, kindly communicated
by Dr. L., from his MS. copy of a new edition of the
index not jet published.
AVIUM GENERA. GENERA OF BIRDS,
DIV. I. DIVISION I.
Aves Terrestres. Land Birds.
ORDO I.
Accipitres or Rapacious.
Bill incurvated, the upper mandible hooked, with an inden-
tation near the tip ; Nostrils, for the most part, open ; Feet
made for perching, strong, short ; Body, Head, and Neck,
muscular; Skin thick; Flesh impure; Food obtained by
rapine or preying on carrion ; Nest built on trees or elevated
ARRANGEMENT OE LATHAM.
33
places; Eggs generally four in number: Female larger:
monogamous.
Generum
Nomina.
1 Vultur.
2 Falco.
English
Names.
Number of
Species.
Generum
Nomina.
English
Names.
Number of
Species.
Vulture,
falcon
237
3 Strix. Owl - 83
4 Secretarius. Secretary, 1
ORDO II. ORDER II.
Pice. Pies.
Bill sharp edged, upper mandible convex : Feet made for
walking; sir rt, strong: Body somewhat tenacious; Flesh
impure : Food various : Nest on trees : the male feeds the fe-
male while sitting : monogamous.
* With legs made for walking.
Shrike, 122 "19 Paradi- ) $ Paradisea
5 I Bird,
5 Lanius.
11 Buphaga. Beef Eater, 2
13 Muso- } S Plaintain
phaga. 5 \ Eater, - 2
14 Calloeas. Wattle Bird, 1
15 Corvus. Crow,
16 Coraeias. Roller,
1? Oriolus. Oriole,
18 Gracula. Grakle.
71
26
61
39
sea.
Nuthatch,
30 Sitta.
32 Upupa. Hoopoe,
34 Anthopha- ) $ Honey
gus. * 5 I Eater.
35 Certhia. Creeper,
<*c w\ fi „ S Humming
36 iroclulus. < „. , s
( Bird,
With climbing feet.
20
22
13
70
102
95
239
18
2
1
4
10
21 Bucco. Barbet,
22 Pogonius. Barbican,
C Z3 Polophilus.Coucal,
24 Phoenico-
6 Psittacus. Parrot, -
7 Ramphas- ) ^
. r > 1 oucan,
tos. 5
8 Momotus. Motmot,
n (, ,, i Channel
9 Scythrops, J g.^
12Croto P ha-5 Ani ' _
ga. (
20 Trogon. Curucui,
* * * Feet made for leaping.
10 Buceros. Horn-bill, 27 j 31 Todns.
29 Aicedo. King's-fisher, 60 | 33 Merops.
29
6
17.
phaus.
25 Cucnlus.
26 Yunx,
C Z7 Picus.
28 Galbula.
Malkoha.
Cuckoo, - 8
Wryneck, i
Woodpecker, 91
Jacamar, 5
Tody, -
Bee-eater,
29
40
ORDO III. ORDER III.
Passeres. Passerine.
Bill conic-acuminated : Feet salient, slender, cloven :
Body tender : in those which are granivorous the flesh is pure,
in others, feeding on insects, impure : Food obtained from trees,
D 3
34
INTRODUCTION.
45 Phytoto- > p lant . cutterj 9
as seeds, or insects: Nest curiously constructed : the Taow
put into the mouth of the young by the parents : monogamous ;
many of these are songsters.
* With thick bills.
41 Loxia. Grosbeak, 121
42 Emberiza. Bunting, 82
44 Fringilla. Finch, - 150 ,
* * With curved bills, the upper mandible bent at the lip.
40 Colius. Coly, - 11
50 Pipra. Manakin, 43
52 Hirundo. Swallow, 66 ,
With bills, having the upper mandible emarginated at the top.
ma
33 Capiimul-)^ . t ._
** >Goat-sueker,40
gus. y
38 Turdu*.
39 Ampelis.
* * * *
37 Sturnus.
47 Alauda.
Thrush,
Cliatterei
234 43 Tanagra. Tanager, 61
28 46 Muscicapa. Fly-catcher,177
Simple-billed, bill strait, integral, attenuated.
Starling, 37
Lark, - 55
48 Motacilla. Wagtail, 25
49 Sylvia.
51 Parus.
Warbler, 298
Titmouse, 38
ORDO IV. ORDER IV.
Columba. Pigeon or Columbine.
Bill rather strait, swelling at the base; Feet formed for
walking-, short ; Nails simple ; Body plump ; Flesh savoury;
Food grass, fruits, and seeds, swallowed whole; Nest ill con-
structed, placed in trees, hollows of rocks, &c. ; Eggs two
in number ; the mother feeds the young with grain made soft in
the crop, and ejected into their mouths ; monogamous.
54 Columba. Pigeon, 136
ORDO V. ORDER V.
Galling. Gallinaceous.
Bill convex, the upper mandible arched over the lower,
having a convex cartilaginous membrane over the nostrils ;
Feet made for walking; Tots rough beneath; Body plump,
muscular ; Flesh savoury ; Food grain of all kinds, collected
from the ground and macerated in the crop; Nest made on
the bare ground without art ; Eggs numerous; the young as
ARRANGEMENT OF LATHAM. 35
soon as hatched, take of themselves the food pointed out by the
parents; polygamous.
* With four toes.
55 Pavo. Peacock, 7 j 61 Phasianus. Pheasant, 24
56 Mdeagris. Turkey, - 2 62 Tinamus. Tinamou, 15
57 Penelope. Guan, - 11 j 63 Tetrao. Grouse, - 27
58 Numida. Pintado, - 4 64 Perdix. Partridge, 91
59 Crax. Curafoa, - 8 65 Psophia. Trumpeter, 5
60 Menura. Menura, - 1 j
* * With three toes.
66 Otis. Bustard, 17
ORDO VI. ORDER VI.
Struthiones. Struthious.
Bill snhconic, strait, tip various ; Body shapeless, ponder-
ous, scarcely edible; Wings small, useless for flight, or none
visible ; Feet made for running, strong ; Toes various in num-
ber; Food grain and vegetables ; Nest on the ground ; mo-
nogamous.
* With four toes.
67 Didus. Dodo, - 3
* * With three toes placed forwards.
68 Rhea. Emeu, - 1 J 69 Casuarius. Cassowary, 3
* * * With two toes placed forwards.
70 Struthio. Black Ostrich, 1
DIV. II. DIVISION II.
Aves Aquatics. Water Birds.
ORDO VII. ORDER VII.
Grall^e. Waders.
With cloven feet.
Bill sub-cylindric ; Feet cloven; Thighs half naked;
Body compressed; Skin very tender; Tail short; Flesh
savoury ; Food in marshy places, fish, marine insects, mollusca,
&c; Nest chiefly on land, sometimes on trees ; mode of pair-
ing various.
36
INTRODUCTION.
f With four toes.
71 Platalea. Spoonbill, 5
72 Palamedea Screamer, 2
72* Cariania. Cariama, - 1
73 Mycteria. Jabira, - 6
74 Cancroma. Boat-bill, 1
75 Scopus. Umbre, - 1
76 Ardea. Heron, - 3
77 Erodia. Erody, - 3
78 Tantalus. Ibis, - 32
79 Numenius. Curlew, 15
80 Scolopax. Snipe, - 56
81 Tringa. Sand-piper, 76
85 Glareola. Pratincole, 7
86 Ralius. Rail, - 27
87 Parra. Jacana, - 11
88 Gallinoula. Gallinule, 41
89 Vaginalis. Sheath-bill, 1
90 Cereopsis. Cereopsis, 1
With three toes placed forwards.
82 Charadrius. Plover, - 44
83 Cursorius. Courser, - 4
84 Hcemator- > $ Oyster-
pus. S \ catcher,
ORDO VIII.
GrALLJK PlNNATIPEDES.
ORDER VIII.
Waders with Pinnated
Feet.
Bill, Body, and Food, as in the former ; Feet made for
wading, naked more or less above the knees ; Toes cloven, but
uinnated or webbed the whole of their length ; Nest large, ef
leaves, grass, or water plants, in moist grounds, and often close
to the wafer; monogamous.
91 Phalaro- > ™ ,
pus. \ P^'ope,
92 Pteropus. Fin-foot, -
93 Fulica. Coot,
94 Podiceps. Grebe,
5
15
ORDER IX.
ORDO IX.
Palmipedes. Web-footed.
Pedibus longioribus, With long legs.
Bill various ; Body rather depressed, conic; the Flesh of
the young savoury ; Legs very long, made for wading ; Thighs
naked the greater part of the length ; Toes furnishel half way
with a membrane; Food obtained from the water, as small
fish and insects; Nest placed on the ground ; monogamous.
95 Recurvi- ) . . t
> Avoset, - 4
rostra. $
96 Corrira. Courier, - 1
Pedibus brevioribuSf With short leg's.
, Bill smooth, covered with a skin enlarged at the base ;
Feet made for swimming ; Shins short, compressed ; the Toes
97 Phoenicop- > nJ
terns. 5 Hamin S '
ORDERS, GENERA, AND SPECIES. 37
united by a membrane; Body fat; Skin tenacious, covered
with excellent feathers; Flesh, for the most part, savoury;
Food water-plants, fishes, reptiles; Nest chiefly on the ground,
seldom on trees; the mother rarely broods the young ; for the
most part, polygamous.
93 Diome- ) * >i , A
^ > Albatross, 4
dea. 5
99 Alca. Auk, - 13
100 Uria. Guillemot, 6
101 Colymbus, Diver. - 9
<>i.» n 1 i Skimmer, 1
chops. )
103 Sterna. Tern, - 46
104 Larus. Gull, - 27
105 Piocellaria Petrel, - 30
106 Mergus. Merganser, .5
107 Anas. Duck, 145
108 Apten- ) „. . . a
f . > Pmgum, - la
odytes. 5
109 Pelecanus. Pelican, 39
110 Phaeton. Tropic Bird, 4
111 Plotus. Darter, - 5
It may be here useful to the student to observe, that in
the preceding arrangements, the Orders and Genera have
but one name for each, respectively • as, for example,
Accipitres or the Hawks, and Falco or the Falcon genus.
Naturalists have, however, found it extremely convenient,
in describing the Species of each genus, to give the generic
and the specific name together, in order to that correctness
of identification, without which our science would be vague.
Thus, to distinguish the Golden Eagle from others of the
same genus, but specifically different, it is called Falco
Chrysceetos, and so of all the rest of the tribe of Birds. This,
at first sight, might seem a cumbrous nomenclature, but, if
it be examined without prejudice, its utility will be, it is
presumed, apparent. Indeed, in our Common Nomenclature
of Birds, we have adopted, in part, a similar, yet by no
means so accurate, a method : thus we have the House
Sparrow and Hedge Sparrow, the Wcodlarh and Titlark,
the Water Rail and Land Rail, Src fyc. Some additional
observations relative to this subject will be found in the
Preface, which see.
Having adverted to several systematic arrangements of
38 INTRODUCTION
ornithology, it is quite necessary, in an elementary sketch
like the present, to notice one still more recently promul-
gated by Nicholas Aylward Vigors, Esq. m.a. and f.l.s.,
in a paper by him in the third part of the 14th volume of
the Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, entitled,
" Observations on the Natural Affinities that connect the Orders
and Families of Birds;" and also in several explanatory
papers since published in the Zoological Journal ; as well as
in his Lectures at the Zoological Society, of which he is,
at once, the efficient and learned Secretary.
In the first paper, Mr. Vigors, in allowing to our conti-
nental neighbours the chief merit of improving the science
of Zoology, observes, " that Great Britain has made ample
amends for the tardy adoption of the more philosophical views
of the science in the masterly use to which she applied them
when once adopted, and the rapid strides by which she at
once, as it were, outstripped all previous research. It has
been reserved for one of her sons (Mr. W. S. Mac Leay)*
to throw a new light upon the sphere of animated nature,
aud to bring to view a principle that pervades all her works,
as beautiful as it is comprehensive. * In the year 1819, the
enlightened author of Hora Entomologies (Mr. Mac Leay)
first called the attention of the lovers of the science to a
principle which he discovered in a minute group of insects,
and which, with a comprehensiveness of mind, and an accu-
racy of execution seldom united in an individual, he subse-
quently followed up through the whole range of animal life."
Mr. Vigors then refers "to the great revolution which
the publication of these principles has effected in Zoology.
The system which has been traced out with so much success,
by the author of Horce Entomologies, prevails in none more
conspicuously than in those of ornithology."
It appears that this new system depends upon what has
ARRANGEMENT OF VIGORS. 39
been called the Quinary arrangement of Nature. And if- ft
shall indeed be found, upon subsequent and more extensive
investigation, that this arrangement exists absolutely in na-
ture, the discovery of it will be of infinite importance in all
our Zoological researches.
In accordance with these principles, Mr. Vigors proposes
to ai range the Birds in groups of fives, thus:
Pedibus conslringentibus. C Raptor es or Birds of Fret.
Birds endowed with feet form < Insessores or Perching
ed for grasping. 1_ Birds.
r Rasores or Gallinaceous
Pedibus baud constrinzentibus. \ ,, ' , T . r
,,. , , , ... 5 . ■ j Grallatores or Wadi\g
Biros endowed \\\\\\ teel iuca-< „
, . r. • * \ Birds.
uable Oi grasping.* 3 >~ T1 r
F » u t s # Natatores or Web-footed
^ Birds.
To understand more easily this arrangement, two dia-
grams (from Mr. Vigors' paper) are subjoined ; one of the
above families, and another of one of the subdivisions into
which Mr. Tigors proposes to arrange Birds. The six
primary orders of Linnaeus are by Mr. Vigors converted
into five, by placing the Pice and Passeres together.
This has been done, as it appears, in accordance w ilh na-
ture ; but ?\Ir. Vigors quotes Cuvier as countenancing
Ihis arrangement. " Malgre tous mes efforts," says this
celebrated naturalist, " il m'a ete impossible de trouver,
ni a Texterieur, ni a 1'interieur aucun caractere propre a
separer des passereaux ceux des genres compris parmi les
Piece de Linnaeus qui ne sont pas grimpeurs."
It will not be convenient to enter into minute details of
this arrangement here ; those who desire more information
* Although this is the general character of this division, yet
there will be found in it many exceptions. Some of the Ra-
sores, as well as Grallatores, perch, and consequently
grasp.
40 INTRODUCTION.
concerning it will, of course, consult Mr. Mac Leay, and
the learned and luminous papers of Mr. Vigors before
mentioned. It may, however, be necessary to premise in
reference to the first diagram, that one of the families,
the Raptores, is still incomplete; this future inquiry may
probably fill up. It may also be mentioned here as a
singular coincidence, that Mrs. Barbauld, in a poem
written many years ago, expressly alludes to a quinary ar-
rangement of Birds in the following lines :
41 Who the various nations can declare
That plough with busy whig the peopled air ?
These cleave the crumbling bark for insect foad^Insessores.)
Those dip the crooked beak in kindred blood ; (Raptores.)
Some haunt the rushy moor, the lonely woods ;(Grullatores.)
Some bathe their silver plumage in the floods ; (Natatores.)
Some fly to man, his household gods implore, (Rasores.)
And gather round his hospitable door,
Wait tiie known call, and find protection there,
From all the lesser tyrants of the air."
By this arrangement, the first division of the whole family
of Birds, consisting of Insessores, Raptores, Rasores,
Grallatores, and Natatores, might be considered as
Classes, the division of each of which into five might constitute
Orders ; and the division of each of these again into five
might constitute the Genera. So that, if the Raptores should,
by subsequent discovery, be completed, the Classes, according
to this arrangement, will be five; the Orders twenty-five ;
and the Genera, one hundred and twenty-five.
It appears, however, thatMR. Vigors thinks, by his observa-
tions in his Lectures at the Zoological Society, the quinary
system is applicable to the more minute subdivisions of nature,
and that the genera and species, &c. will be found to correspond
in similar and continuous subdivision.
ARRANGEMENT OF VIGORS.
41
The Arrangement of Birds
Proposed by Nicholas Aylw.ard Vigors, Esq. a.m. f.l.s.
Mr, Vigors divides the Fcdconidce into five sub-families, thus:
Aquilina or the Eagle Tribe.
Accipitrhia or the Hawk Triee.
Falconina or the Falcon Tribe.
Buteonina or the Buzzard Tribe.
Milvina or the Kite Tribe.
The whole of the Imsessors as in the following diagram.
42 INTRODUCTION.
Arrangement of the Perchers by Mr. Vigors.
These he again subdivides into jives; among which we find,
as sub-families, Merulina or the Thrush Tribe; Oriolina or
the Oriole Trjbe; Sylviana or the Warbler Tribe;
Alaudina or the Lark Tribe, &c. &c.
The following is the arrangement of the Insessores, or
Perchers, according to Mr. Mac Leay's plan of exhibiting
a series of affinities.
NOMENCLATURE OF VIGORS. ' 43
Normal Group.
Rostri pedisque structurainagis i Den tiros ties.
\
perfects. ( Conirostres.
Aberrant Group. r c
Rostri pedisque structura minus \ 5, can ^ oies< '
perfecta. > Tenuirostres.
r (_ I issirostres.
Mr. Vigors then divides the Fissirostres, as will be
seen in the last diagram, as follows: — Meropidce ; Hirun-
dinidce ; Caprimulgidce ; Todidce ; Haley onidce.
And he adds, " the families which compose this tribe are
distinguished from those of all the others, except the
Tenuirostres, by their habit of feeding on the wing. From
the latter, or suctorial birds, which meet them at one of the
extremes of the tribe, and of which the typical families
feed also on the wing, they are distinguished by their
animal food, which they take by their bills or in the gape
of their mouths ; while the Tenuirostres live chiefly upon
vegetable j uices, which they extract with their tongue. The
Fissirostres, depending so much on the powers of their wings,
exhibit a proportional deficiency in the strength of their legs."
There will not be much difficulty in converting the
terms proposed by Mr. Vigors (whose scientific tact
has been, in this respect, peculiarly and very happily exem-
plified) into English ones ; a consideration to those who are
concerned in the introduction of a new nomenclature of the
first importance. Thus, of the five CLASSES, the Raptores
might be Rap'tors ; Insessores, Inses'sors ; Rasores,
Ra'sors ; Grallatores, Grall a' tors ; Natatores, Nat a'tors.
The Quinary subdivisions or orders composing the Raptors,
may be Fal'comds, Vui/turids, Stri'gids, ; the
Insessors, Den'ttrosts, Con'irosts, Fis'sirosts, Tenu'i-
rosts, and Scan'sors ; the Rasors, Colum'bids, Pha-
sian'ids, Cra'cids, Tetraon'ids, and Struthion'ids ; tire
Grallators, Charad'riads, Gru'ids, Ar'deids, Ral'lids,
44 INTRODUCTION.
and Scolopa'cids ; the Naiators, Lar'ids, Pelecak'ids,
Anat'ids, Al'cads, and Colym'bids, And, again, the genera
composing the Fissirosts may be Mer'opids, Hirun'dinids,
Caprimul'gids, To'dids, and Halcyon'ids, and so also of
all the other genera. The singular of any of the preceding
-will of course be formed by the simple omission of the s.
Thus, should this new nomenclature very generally pre-
vail, it might ultimately supersede all other arrangements,
and obviate, in some degree at least, the difficulties which
present themselves to a beginner in the study of this branch
of Natural History. We could proceed even farther in
the use of the preceding terms : the minor might become
an adjective to Ihe major: and Vulturid Raptor, Dentirost
Insessor, Phasianid Rasor, Scansor Insessor, or Cuculid
Scansor, fyc. may be aptly applied, and would convey at
once the generic and ordinal, or ordinal and classic con-
nection, mutatis mutandis.
It may be observed here as a curious fact, that by far the
greater number of the Pie and Sparrow tribe in this
country, and perhaps elsewhere, generally lay five eggs ;
the Rook, the Crow, the Hedge-sparrow, Goldfinch, Black-
bird, Thrush, fyc. fyc. Those who are advocates of the
Quinary arrangement will doubtless advance this in cor-
roboration of the system.
These then are the chief arrangements which offer as
most worthy of notice in the study of the Natural History
of Birds. It is greatly to be lamented that no one system
has yet appeared which, by its utility and simplicity, pro-
mises to supersede all others. It is however very probable
that the primary arrangements proposed by Mr. Vigors will
ultimately prevail; but ingenious as those arrangements
are, in an elementary work, like the present, it does not be-
come me to adopt them to the exclusion of others which
0> v THE STRUCTURE OF BIRDS. 45
have yet considerable hold of the public mind. I must
content myself with exhibiting, I hope, a faithful sketch
of the science as it actually exists, rather than of, what I
could wish it to be.
I take leave of this part of my subject by cautioning the
student not to attribute too much importance to any system
of ornithology ; against devoting too much attention to the
means instead of the end, which, of course, is the acquisition
of the knowledge of the forms, colours, habits, songs, and man-
ners, of Birds ; and lest, in so doing, he should incur the
censure of St. Pierre, " Nos ornithologistes, enchaines par
leur methcdes, ne songent qu" a grossir leur catalogue, et ne
conoissent, dans les oiseaux, que les pattes et le bee. Ce nest
point dans les nids qu* ils les observent, mais d, la chasse et
dans leur gibeciere*
From the limits to which I am confined, it will be quite
impossible to enter into a minute description of the anatomy
of Birds; but it may be observed generally, that their
different structures admirably correspond to the very differ-
ent functions for which they are adapted. The palmate
feet of the Water-birds enabling them to move on and in
that element with dexterity ; the wings of many of the land
Birds, particularly of the Eagle, the Pigeon, and Swallow,
enabling them to take swift and long flights with the
greatest ease; while again, those whose chief characteristic
is running, such as the Ostrich or struthious tribe, have their
legs and feet well adapted for such purposes, their wings
being comparatively of little use. While others again, such
as many of the Waders, and some of the Perchers, both fly
and run with considerable speed.
One of the chief characteristics of Birds is, of course, the
Etudes Oe la Nature, torn, iii., page 506, Hamburgh edit. 1797,
2
46 INTRODUCTION.
covering of Feathers. Of these there are three kinds, —
the Dou;n, most abundant in the aquatic tribes, particularly
the Duck, Goose, Eider Duck, fyc. ; — the small feathers,
which fall over each other like the tiles of a roof, and thus
conduct away the water; — and the quills; these last form
the wings and the tail, the largest of which, in the wings
are called primary, and are usually about eight or ten in
number; the smaller are termed secondary ; and the smallest,
by some naturalists, are called tertial. From the first kind,
the primaries, most of our writing pens are obtained ; and, it
may be mentioned, that these vary much in their shape and
size, so that those conversant with the quills of Birds, ge-
nerally know and esteem the third quill for a writing pen as
the best ; it being one of the longest and largest.
The feathers of birds are, in general, renewed annually ;
the process of renewal, termed moulting, takes place, it is
said, generally during the autumn and winter; and, by the
return of spring it is completed, and the plumage looks
fresh and beautiful. It is also in some birds considerably
altered in colour at certain seasons, particularly that in
which the operation of procreation fakes place ; so that,
without an acquaintance with the fact, the birds would not
at such times be at all recognized as the same seen at
another season; and, generally, it maybe stated that the
plumage of all birds, in European climates at least, is most
vivid, intense, and striking, in the spring, as if nature de-
signed that the season of love should be that in which health,
vigor, and beauty, may at once predominate.
Some of the annually migratory birds, such as the Night-
ingale t Mr. Sweet informs me, moult twice in the year,
namely, in spring and autumn : the reason for this would
seem to be, that as such birds take, most probably, long
flights, both at their eomiug and departure, their feathers
ON THE ANATOMY OF BIRDS. 47
are then in the best condition for such journics. But on
this subject, as well as on numerous others in Natural
History, we want a record of more observed facts relative
to Birds in their Natural State.
The moulting season, however, of Wild Ducks, Wild
Geese, Teals, Widgeons, and other water fowl, seems to be,
by an act of parliament relative to these Birds, (10 G. 2, c.
32,) from June 1 to October 1 ; and, certainly, it appears
more natural and agreeable to the bird that its feathers
should be shed when the weather is warm than at any other
period. The time in which this process takes place may be,
and frequently is, considerably altered by art and do-
mestication.
Birds are sometimes, during this natural process, very
much indisposed ; at least those in confinement are so.
The bird-catchers of London have a method of producing
an artificial moulting of Birds, by shutting them up in a
dark cage for a month, with little or no food, closely wrapt
up in woollen, allowing their dung to remain to increase
the heat. This process is called stopping. By it, 1 un-
derstand, many a suffering bird is destroyed ; but, it is said,
the song and plumage of those who survive are much im-
proved by the operation. Words are inadequate to desig-
nate the cruelty and folly of such practice.
As connected with the feathers of Birds, it may also be
appropriate to observe here, that thej have a gland, or rather
two glands, united by one excretory duct, on the rump,
about which grows a small tuft of feathers somewhat like a
painter's pencil. In these glands is secreted a mucous oil,
which can be pressed out by the bill of the bird. Whenever
therefore the feathers are discomposed, the bird, turning its
head back v\ aid, catches hold of the glands with its bill, and
forces out the oil, with which it anoints the feathers, and
48
INTRODUCTION.
replaces them in due order. Domestic birds are not fur-
nislied with so large a portion of this fluid as those which
live, in the open air. The feathers of the former are pervious
to every shower, while Swans, Geese, Ducks, and all those
which live upon the water, have their feathers dressed with
the oil from the first day of leaving the shell : where this oil
abounds, it usually renders the bird rank, and sometimes
very unpalatable as food.
Thomson, in his Spring, thus alludes to this oleous
unction :
" Hush'd in short suspense,
- The plumy people streak their wings with oil,
To throw the lucid moisture trickling off,
And wait the approaching sign to strike at once
Into the general choir."
These oleous glands become sometimes diseased and tu-
mefied; the complaint is commonly denominated the Pip.
Tt is generally remedied by a simple puncture, by which
the collected fluid may be discharged.
The Bones of birds vary in many particulars from those
of the mammalia. The chief difference, however, is,
that of the Sternum or breast-bone, which covers not
only what is called, in the mammalia, the thoracic viscera,
but also a considerable portion of the rest of the intestines.
This bone, in all the birds which fly, is distinguished by a
long ridge or keel, to which muscles may be and are at-
tached, to facilitate their flight ; that this keel is for such
purpose there can be no doubt, as in birds which do not fly,
the Ostrich for instance, the keel in the sternum is altogether
wanting. The cervical vertebrae are also much more nu-
merous in birds than in the mammalia, arising, of course,
from their greater length of neck. And the rings in the
ON THE SENSES OF BIRDS. 49
Trachea, which in man do not amount to twenty, in the
Ostrich lately dissected at the Zoological Society, it was
about four feet long, and the rings in it were more than two
hundred. The sternum in the Ostrich is not only without
the keel, but it is exceedingly small when compared to its
size in that of other Birds.
Although Birds have only two legs, yet the bones of their
wings, when examined anatomically, correspond in a grea
degree with the fore limbs of many of the mammalia. It is
chiefly in their use and covering that they differ from qua-
drupeds and man. But the bones of Birds differ in another
particular, namely, they are most of them hollow, and have
communication with the air cells in their bodies, by which
they are rendered more buoyant.
Birds have no external ears, a few of the Owl tribe ex-
cepted, although their organs of hearing are, beyond question,
acute, as their various notes and modulations of sound
sufficiently evince. It has, however, been supposed, that
they have no idea of harmony, as they never sing in concert;
they nevertheless imitate sounds with great facility ; so much
so, indeed, that Mr. Barrington (see below,) thinks all the
notes of song birds are imitations. It is chiefly, I appre-
hend, on this sense, and on that of sight, that birds depend
for their safety and preservation. The touch, taste, and smell,
being in the generality of the tribe of a secondary order.
The organ of smell is said in the Gannet to be wanting;
but, in most birds, there is no reason to think that the
organ is absent ; yet, notwithstanding it has been generally
supposed that this sense is active in the rapacious tribes,
particularly the Vulture, some late observations seem dis-
tinctly to show that, in the pursuit of his prey, the Vulture
is guided by his sight rather than by his smell. Still there
is reason to believe, that many of the rapacious tribe are
D
50 INTRODUCTION.
assisted in discovering their prey by the sense of smell. See
forwards an anecdote of the Eagle related by Mr. Brookes.
While the touch, taste, and smell, of Birds generally, are
certainly not of the first order, their sight is extremely
acute. The Hawk, and others of the Falcon genus, can, at
a considerable distance, discern an animal, a lark, or a
mouse, upon the ground, and pounce upon it with celerity
and certainty.
Anatomists have, it is said, observed in the eye of Birds a
particular expansion of the optic nerve, which renders the
impression of visible objects more vivid and distinct. To
protect the eye, and, perhaps, also to moderate its extreme
sensibility, this organ is furnished in many birds with what
is called a nictitating membrane, with which the bird can,
at will, cover the pupil of the eye while the eyelids remain
open ; and hence the Eagle, and some other birds, are
enabled to bear, by the assistance of this covering, the
strongest light of the sun.
Birds have neither epiglottis, diaphragm, urinary bladder,
nor scrotum.
The lungs, which are two red, oblong, spongy bodies,
attached in the thorax chiefly to the spinal column, are
not divided into lobes ; they are covered with a membrane,
or pleura, which communicates by many openings with
large vesicles or air bags, that are dispersed over the ab-
domen as well as the thorax. By these, birds can, at plea-
sure, render their bodies more buoyant, and thus ascend to
a considerable height, or skim along in the air with a celerity
that far outstrips the swiftest steed. The cavity of the
thorax of birds is much larger in proportion than that of
other animals, much of which is not filled with the lungs,
but with air. This, and the thin porous nature of their
bones, many of which are filled with air instead of marrow,
ON THE BLOOD — STOMACH. 51
and in several instances communicate directly with the
lungs, add, of course, to their facility of flight. Even the
bones of the Ostrich, although this bird cannot fly, are
hollow ; and he is also furnished with air vesicles similar
to other birds, which, notwithstanding he cannot leave the
earth, enable him, by the assistance of his powerful and
muscular legs, to run with astonishing swiftness. Mr.
Green informed us in his Lectures on the comparative ana-
tomy of Birds at the College of Surgeons, (April, 1827,) that
in young birds a medullary substance was often observable
in the bones, but that, as they grew up to maturity, it be-
came absorbed, and the bone empty.
It may be stated, too, that the blood of Birds is generally
of a brighter colour, and warmer, than that found in the
mammalia, and that it circulates with much more rapidity.
While the Horse has about forty pulsations in a minute,
man from seventy to eighty, in Birds they vary from one hun-
dred to one hundred and ten. From the extreme mobility
and activity of Birds, it would seem that they are more
highly oxygenated than other animals ; in addition to which
it may be mentioned, that Birds consume more food in pro-
portion to their size, in a given period, than any other race
of animals.
Perhaps, however, one of the most striking peculiarities
in the anatomical structure of Birds is the stomach. In those
whose food consists principally of grain and seeds, the
stomach is cartilaginous, and covered with very strong mus-
cles: in this state it is called a gizzard. This structure
is necessary, in order that, by its strong action, the food
should be comminuted ; but, besides this, birds with such
stomachs pick up and swallow, occasionally, small gravel
stones, which assist the process of comminution. In a state
of nature, the quantity of gravel taken in is regulated, no
52 INTRODUCTION.
doubt, by the sensation of the stomach ; but in domesticated
animals this faculty is sometimes deranged. Young Ducks
have been known to take so much gravel as to produce
death.
On the contrary to those Birds that are carnivorous or
piscivorous, a membranaceous stomach is given, which
more resembles that of carnivorous quadrupeds; the di-
gestion of such Birds being more accelerated by the gastric
juice than by the action of the stomach itself.
Those Birds belonging to the first class digest or retain
every substance taken in ; and those which eject or disgorge
innutricious matter unavoidably taken in, such as feathers,
fur, bones, &c. belong to the second class, conspicuous in the
Eagle and Owl tribes, and those also that feed on fish.
The innutricious matter, termed Castings, which is ejected
by Eagles, Owls, &c. descends most probably no farther
than the crop in which the nutritive from the innutritive
portion of the food is separated.
It ought also be mentioned, as a remarkable fact, that
the rapacious birds seldom or never drink. Eagles, Hawks,
and Owls, were kept by Colonel Montagu for years
without tasting water.
Besides the stomach, most Birds have a membranous
sac, capable of considerable distension ; it is usually called
a Crop, (by the scientific lngluvies,) into which the food
first descends after being swallowed. This bag is very con-
spicuous in the granivorous tribes immediately after
eating. Its chief use seems to be to soften the food before
it is admitted into the gizzard. In young fowls it becomes
sometimes preternaturally distended, while the Bird pines
for want of nourishment. This is produced by something in
the crop, such as straw, or other obstructing matter, which
prevents the descent of the food into the gizzard. In sucb
ON THE CROP OF BIRDS. 53
a case, a longitudinal incision may be made in the crop, its
contents removed, and, the incision being sewed up, the
fowl will, in general, do well.
Another curious fact relative to this subject was stated by
Mr. Brookes, when lecturing on Birds at the Zoological
Society, May 1827. He had an Eagle, which was at
liberty in his garden : happening to lay two dead rats,
which had been poisoned, under a pewter bason, to which
the Eagle could have access, but who nevertheless did not
see him place the rats under it, he was surprised to see,
some time afterwards, the crop of the Bird considerably
distended; and finding the rats abstracted from beneath the
bason, he concluded that the Eagle had devoured them.
Fearing the consequences, he lost no time in opening the
crop, took out the rats, and sewed up the incision: the
Eagle did well and is now alive. A proof this of the acute-
ness of smell in the Eagle, and also of the facility and safety
with which, even in grown Birds, the operation of opening
the crop may be performed.
The rapacious Birds, and some others not granivorous, have
also crops, but they vary considerably in form, and, of
course, in size. The crop of the Pigeon is peculiar, con-
sisting of two divisions; the secretion in which, at certain
times, is not less peculiar than its structure. It appears
that, as soon as the young Birds are hatched, a whitish-ash-
coloured fluid is there secreted, both in the male and fe-
male, in abundance, with which they feed for some time the
young before they feed them with grain ; so that, although
Pigeon's milk would be considered a solecism, yet this fluid
seems 1o be very much like milk in its properties. The
Pigeon, when at maturity, is, perhaps, the most purely gra-
nivorous of all the tribes of Birds. But many of the grani-
vorous Birds feed their young with insects and worms. In-
54 INTRODUCTION*
deed, there are very few Birds, generally esteemed grani-
vorous, that are wholly so. The common Cock and Hen,
although devouring much grain, devour also many worms
and flies ; and, unquestionably, if left to themselves, would
direct the attention of their young to sucli food. And
although the chicken of the common hen will pick up and
digest grain, yet, it may be stated, generally, that animal
food is most suitable to very young birds. The reason for
this is apparent : animal food most readily assimilates with
the fluids of their bodies with the least efforts of the digestive
powers. In this respect, therefore, birds do not differ very
essentially from the mammalia.
In connexion with this subject, it may be mentioned here,
that, in most birds, the canal between the crop and gizzard
enlarges considerably before it opens into the last-named re-
ceptable : this enlargement is named the Proveniriculus ;
its shape varies greatly in different birds ; but, in all, it con-
tains numerous glands, in which is secreted an acid liquor
that mixes with the food, and, doubtless, greatly assists the
process of digestion ; and is of course analogous to, if not
identically the same as, ihe gastric juice found in the stomach
of the mammalia.
The structure of the trachea of birds is also, particularly
in those of the songsters, peculiar ; there being a larynx both
at the top, or opening, into the mouth, and another at the
bottom, just before the trachea separates into two divisions,
to communicate with the right and left lung ; it is in the
lower larynx that the chief arrangement is found by which
those varieties and niceties in sound are produced, so
beautifully exemplified in the notes of our singing birds,
and for which it is so ingeniously and curiously
adapted, but which it is not necessary here to describe.
The trachea is also,, in some others of the tribe, pe-
THE LIVER, ABSORBENTS; HABITS. 55
culiar in another respect. See the account of the Demoiselle
Heron, note 23, Part I.
The liver is largest in those birds whose respiratory organs
are the least; hence Mr. Green, in his Lectures at the
College of Surgeons before alluded to, conjectures that the
office of that viscus, (not only in birds, but also in the mam-
malia,) besides its known one of secreting the bile, is to
effect some material change in the blood, and, thence, he
considers it as a subsidiary or ventral lung.
The absorbent vessels in birds arise from the villous coat
of the intestines in a similar way to those in the mammalia.
Here again, Mr. Green thinks, that they give out their
contents to the blood not only by means of the thoracic duct,
but also by many other communications which they have in
different parts of the body with the veins.*
There is no doubt, however, that the food as well as the
natural habits of birds may be greatly altered by domestica-
tion, as well as other causes ; when a corresponding change
in the structure of the stomach may be presumed, and has been
occasionally observed. Eagles have been supported wholly
on bread. Mr. Southey informs me, that some lads having
taken a young Owl in the neighbourhood of Keswick Lake,
they fed him with fish, which he liked well and throve
upon. Mr. Southey thinks this fact indicative of the same
sympathy or kindred likings as those of the cat ; — both it is
well known feed upon mice. The youths living beside the
lake, and being fond of fishing, they could take small perch
* This was mentioned by Mr. Green in his Lectures,
chiefly for the purpose of exciting attention to the conjecture ;
namely, that not only in birds, but also in man, the absorbents
poor their contents into the blood by many other communications
with it, besides that directly of the thoracic duct.
56 INTRODUCTION.
in any quantity, and thus it happened that the Owl, for con-
venience, was fed upon this diet.
Besides such changes in their food produced by domesti-
cation, other changes from the same cause may be occa-
sionally observed. Some of the song birds will sing at night
if placed in considerable light. This may be seen exempli-
fied in some of the bird-shops of the metropolis, where, fre-
quently, not only in the spring, but also in the month of
November, (I have heard them on the 20th of this last
month,) many of the song birds are as lively and harmonious
at nine o'clock at night as in any part of the day.
Birds, having no urinary bladder, as above stated, do
not eject the fluid secreted in the kidneys, in the same way
as the mammalia, they having no organ for such purpose.
The kidneys in birds are considerably elongated, and much
larger in proportion to their size than those in the mamma-
lia j this enlarged size has been supposed necessary in con-
sequence of there being little or no transpiration by the skin,
much of the fluids which pass off by this process in the
mammalia, passing off in birds, it is supposed, by means
of the kidneys; but the secretion from these glands is dis-
charged directly from them into the rectum, and thence
ejected with the fasces, over which it may be seen, a
whitish substance, that afterwards assumes a chalky appear-
ance. The Ostrich has, however, it is said, a sort of
urinary bladder.
The manner in which birds sleep may also be noticed.
The Pie and Sparrow tribe, denominated by Mr. Vigors
Insessores or Perchers, usually sleep standing on one leg
upon some tree, bush, or other elevation, with the head
turned behind, and the bill thrust under the feathers on the
back, or under the wing. Indeed, these appears to be the
general habits of the whole race of birds in regard to their
ON THE SLEEP OF BIRDS. 57
mode of resting and sleep : for the Duck and Goose, although
they do not perch, will frequently sleep standing on one leg
upon the ground, with their heads turned round, and the bills
under the wings. The common Cock and Hen, although
they invariably perch, if a perch can be obtained, do not,
when sleeping, rest usually on one leg, but they sink down
with their bodies upon the perch, having their legs com-
pressed under them. The common Field Lark sleeps upon
the ground with his legs also similiarly compressed. It is
probable also, that all the tribe of birds, even thePerchers,
occasionally sink down with their bodies resting on the
perch during their soundest sleep. And, what is very re-
markable in the structure of their feet and legs, the greater
the weight upon the muscles, the more firmly the claws
grasp whatever they lay hold of; hence the cause that
birds do not fall down in sleep although most of their senses
are dormant.
The motion of the branches of trees produced by the
wind increases, doubtless, the disposition for sleep in many
birds; this may be exemplified in the Common Fowl: for
placing its bill under the wing, even in broad daylight,
and swaying it to and fro in the hand for a very short time,
will produce sleep: a beautiful proof of the adaptation of
birds to the function.
Most of the tribe of birds sleep during the night ; but
there are many exceptions to this. Owls in particular are,
during the night, much more active than in the day ; their
sight, similar to that of cats, appears to serve them best in
the dark. Many of the Duck tribe are not only wakeful,
but feed during the night ; so also do the Goatsuckers.
The Nightingale, and a few other song birds, are also
wakeful while in song, during, at least, some portion of the
night ; and even the Cuckoo will be occasionally found a
58 INTRODUCTION.
nightly songster, although much more rarely so than the
Nightingale.
It should be noted, too, that in almost every species, the
male is peculiarly distinguished from the female, so that those,
conversant with the subject, readily know the one from the
other. The males of many of the tribe have more gaudy
and vivid colours on their plumage ; the male is also very
often larger than the female. This may be strikingly seen
in the CommonCock and Hen, the Turkey, and the Pheasant.
In the rapacious tribes, on the contrary, the female is
generally larger than the male. Wilson informs us that
the female of the Strix Virginianus, or Great Horned
Owl, is four inches longer than the male j and in some of
the Falcon genus the difference is more considerable than
this.
Sometimes, however, these distinguishing marks are by
no means so apparent. The Cock Blackbird is known
chiefly by his intensely yellow bill, and the superior black jet
of his plumage. The distinction between the Hen and Cock
Thrush is not very strongly marked ; and that of the Cock
and Hen Pintado, or Guinea Fowl, is so slight, that
nothing but close observation will ascertain it. This last
bird is a native of Africa, and although domesticated in
this country, it rarely, if ever, acquires the habits and dor
cility of the Domestic Fowl. The female, if left to herself,
invariably seeks some place for her nest distant and apart
from the rest of the poultry ; and, what is very remarkable,
she deposits her eggs on the bare ground. This bird
does not conform itself in its habits to climate like some
others ; hence, in England, it is a very bad protector of its
own offspring.
The pairing of birds is also a subject which deserves at-
tention in their Natural History. While some are mono-
6
ON THE PAIRING AND INCUBATION OF BIRDS. 59
gamous, and of course pair, others are polygamous, and
never, unless compelled, confine themselves to individual
association.
All the rapacious tribes belong to the monogamous class ;
the same maybe said of the Perchers ; the Pigeon tribe
are also generally monogamous ; so also appear to be all
the struthious class ; but the aquatic birds and leaders vary
in this respect ; some are monogamous; others polygamous.
The gallinaceous tribe are generally polygamous. Although
the puerile notion that birds pair on Valentine's day in this
country is not, of course, entitled to the slightest credit, yet
there is no question, however, that about that period, or
sooner or later in the spring, many birds cease their grega-
rious association, and meet only in pairs for the performance
of the important office of incubation and rearing their
young. Whether this association in pairs continue for
more than one season by the same birds does not appear to
be yet accurately ascertained. The Cuckoo is also said to
be a polygamist; but we do not yet know sufficient of the
habits of this bird.
There is one other fact relative to the change in the plu-
mage of birds which may be mentioned here, namely, that
sometimes the female assumes the feathers and appearance
of the male bird ; this has been noticed in the Common
Hen, the Pea-hen, and a few others ; and as this change
has been most commonly observed in old birds, it has been
attributed to age alone ; but some late observations tend
to prove that the change arises from some disease of the
geuital organs in female birds : for some young female
birds have also been observed with male feathers ; and
dissections in all prove the diseased state of those organs.
Although ihe Periods of the Incubation of Birds are
generally pretty regular, they are by no means exactly so,
60 INTRODUCTION.
considerable variations having been observed in them when
opportunities have been taken, or have occurred, for such
notice.
It appears that, when Turkies have sat on the eggs of
the Hen, the duration has been from seventeen to twenty-
seven days ; the same bird on its own eggs from twenty-
six to twenty-nine days. Hens sat on Ducks' eggs from
twenty- six to thirty-four days; on their own eggs from
nineteen to twenty-four days. Ducks have sat from
twenty-eight to thirty-two days. Geese from twenty-nine
to thirty-three days. Pigeons from seventeen to twenty
days. It is extremely probable that extended observation
will shew still greater irregularities in the various periods
of the Incubation of Birds, which seem to increase in du-
ration in proportion to the size of the bird : while the
Ostrich and Swan require six weeks, and the solitary Dodo,
it is said, seven, to complete the process, the Humming-bird
takes only about twelve days.
There can be little doubt that an equability of warmth is
one of the essentials in the due process of incubation.
Where the Hen frequently leaves her nest and the eggs ex-
posed, or where the nest itself is in an unsheltered situation,
the process is very often retarded, sometimes, indeed, ren-
dered wholly unproductive. Young mothers are generally
worse managers of their eggs and their young than those
who have had more experience ; in this not differing from
the human subject !
Although the number of eggs which both domestic and
wild birds lay before they are diposed to sit upon them,
provided they are not disturbed, is generally pretty regular,
yet that number may be considerably increased by removing
the eggs as they are laid, leaving one or more in the nest.
In domestic fowls this has been so well ascertained, that a
OK THE YOUKO Of BIRDS. fjl
Hen will lay one every day for many weeks provided one
only be left in the nest, although, if left to herself, she
usually sits upon about fifteen. And Ray* informs us,
on the authority of Dr. Lister, that a Swallow, whose
usual number is about five, having the eggs subtracted in a
similar way, laid nineteen successively and then gave over.
Young birds, when hatched, are of two kinds: one has
down upon the body, the eyes open, and will pick up its
food almost immediately on leaving the shell ; such are
the young of many or most of the aquatic tribes, and those
of the Hen, Pheasant, Partridge, &c. ; the mother by
quaking or clucking calling the young's attention to its
food : the nests of such birds are usually on the ground.
The other kinds (those for the most part whose nests are
built on some elevation) are completely naked and the
eyes closed ; these require to be fed by the parent bird for
two, or sometimes more, weeks. The eagerness with
which these all rear up their heads and open their mouths,
upon the least disturbance of the nest, is truly astonishing.
They however soon become covered with feathers ; from
one to two weeks are, in general, a sufficient time to render
them full fledged and able to fly. During this period they
are, of course, often covered by the parent bird. The first
kind are hived by the mother, for some time, very often during
the day, and, of course, during the night ; and afterwards, at
longer intervals, for two, three, and sometimes more weeks,
according to the more or less genial warmth of the season.
It may be mentioned too that many of the useful or
harmless tribe of birds have often two, sometimes more,
broods in a season ; and that their eggs are commonly more
or less numerous — the Hens, the Ducks, the Partridges, &c.
are peculiarly so ; while the eggs of the more rapacious
* Wisdom of God manifested in the works of Creation.
8vo. 1719, page 119.
62 INTRODUCTION.
tribes are generally few, and hence the increase of such
birds is considerably more restricted.
Dr. Prout found the specific gravity of new laid eggs to
Yary from 1080 to 1090 ; that eggs on being kept some time
became specifically lighter than water, owing to the substitu-
tion of air for a portion of the water which escapes ; that an
egg exposed for two years, to ordinary circumstances, lost
nearly two-thirds of its weight ; that an egg loses about one-
sixth of its weight during incubation; a quantity amounting
to eight times as much as it loses under ordinary circum-
stances. Although, in the size and colours of eggs of the
same species, there is a general conformity, yet differences
occasionally occur ; in some of the titmouse and tail tribe,
whose eggs are usually variegated with spots, they have
been seen perfectly white.
There is a very simple, yet I believe not very generally
, known, method of ascertaining the vitality of an egg. If, on
applying the tongue to the larger end of it, warmth be felt,
the egg may be presumed alive and good ; if cold, the con-
trary, dead and bad.*
It should be also observed, that although the eggs of birds
vary considerably in taste, and some are much more palatable
and agreeable than others, yet none of them appears to be
absolutely unwholesome as food.
In closing this short account of the incubation of birds,
a singular fact must be adverted to which was first brought
into public notice by Mr. Yarrel, a gentleman to whom
the public, as well as myself, are highly indebted for the
* On my boiling in water, for a few minutes, the egg of a Guinea
Hen, ( Namida Meleagris,) which had been kept for the long
period of six or seven years, the egg exploded with a report
similar to that of a loud pistol : occasioned, no doubt, by the ex-
pansion of gaseous matter, arising~from the decomposition of the
contents of the egg.
-*v
ON THE INCUBATION —PLIGHT OF BIRDS. 63
communication of many interesting particulars concerning
birds. Some of these will be found in his papers in the
second volume of the ZoologicalJournal, The fact to which
I allude is, that there is attached to the upper mandible of all
young birds about to be hatched a horny appendage, by
which they are enabled more effectually to make perfora-
tions in the shell, and contribute to their own liberation.
This sharp prominence, to use the words of Mr. Yarrel,
becomes opposed to the shell at various points, in a line
extending throughout its whole circumference, about one
third below the larger end of the egg; and a series of per-
forations more or less numerous are thus effected by the in-
creasing strength of the chick, weakening the shell in a
direction opposed to the muscular power of the bird: it is
thus ultimately enabled, by its own efforts, to break the walls
of its prison. In the common fowl, this horny appendage falls /
off in a day or two after the chick is hatched ; in the Pigeon
it sometimes remains on the beak ten or twelve days; this
arises, doubtless, from the young Pigeons being fed by the
parent bird for some time after their being hatched ; and
thus there is no occasion for the young using the beak for
picking up its food.
The rapidity of the flight of Birds constitutes one of their
peculiarities; some of the more swift have been known to
travel many hundred leagues in a few hours. The Pigeon,
it is well known, is a bird of very swift flight j many of the
Falcon tribe are also very swift in their aerial motions ,
some of them, it is said, will fly 150 miles in an hour. The
Swallows are also very swift on the wing.
Hence, from the rapidity and power of their flight, many
birds are occasionally seen in most regions of the globe ;
and, from the powers of flight and of swimming which
many aquatic birds possess, they are also enabled to visit
the various parts of the earth. These last, indeed, are en-
7
64 INTRODUCTION.
dowed with many peculiarities and functions, which those,
without palmate feet, never evince : the sea, to many of the
natatorial tribe, being their chief abode. Even the polar
regions of floating ice afford to many of them not only a re-
treat during tempestuous weather, but there they sleep, and
there too they arc said, occasionally, to hatch their young.
The Understanding of Birds is of considerable variety :
some are remarkably intelligent, while others are extremely
stupid ; the Water Birds, having palmate feet, seem to
be considerably beneath the Land Birds and Waders in
their intellectual powers. It appears to be also a singular
fact, that the volume of brain is greater among the Tnses-
sores, (Perchers) in proportion to the size of their bodies,
than in any other class, and their intelligence is, therefore,
stronger:* this fact will, doubtless, obtain the attention of
the Phrenologists.
The Males of the various tribes (the raptorial birds ex-
cepted) are those which sing the best and make the most
noise ; many of the females not singing at all or but very
indifferently. There are, however, many exceptions to
this: the hen Thrush, Turdus musica, sings in its natural
state, if not equal to the cock, yet very agreeably; the
hen Blackbird, on the contrary, never sings, or at most,
only mutters. I suspect too, that some of the female
Warblers will be found to sing in their natural state. The
female of the Pensile Warbler sings, although not equal
to the male. The female Redbreast, I believe, also sings ;
the female Skylark will be found, I suspect, also to sing ;
the female Bulfinch, Mr. Sweet informs me, (see his let-
ter forwards) sings finely in confinement. It would be pre-
mature to lay down any law upon this subject, but it will
be found, I presume, tolerably correct, that when the male
of any species of Bird sings the greater part of the year,
* Vigor's Linn. Transactions, vol. xiv. page 404.
ON THE MALE AND FEMALE OF BIRDS. 65
the female of the same species most probably also sings : ?
instanced in the Thrush, the Pensile Warbler, and, I
suspect, the Redbreast and the Sky-Lark. But here
also a record of more observed facts is wanted.
Mr. Barrixgton (see below) thinks, that the reason why
females do not sing is, because if they did, when sitting on
their eggs, they would be discovered ; this is by no means
a conclusive reason ; for I once discovered a Thrush's nest
by hearing the parent bird sing while sitting on the eggs.
Besides, as the cock aud hen of many species frequently
sit on the eggs in turn, the female's not singing could be
no security to the nest while the cock was sitting and sing-
ing there;
Of the Raptorial Tribe, too, from many of the females
being larger than the males, their noise will be found, most
probably, more loud and striking than their masculine
mates. But we want, on this curious subject, a record of
more observed facts relative to the habits and manners of
Birds in their Natural state. The habits and manners of
domesticated Birds should not be depended upon, as they
become, in many instances, greatly altered by confinement.
There is a paper in the Philosophical Transactions, Vol.
lxii. by the Hon. Daines Barrington relative to the Sing-
ing of Birds, that every lover of Natural History should
peruse; it is not capable of condensation so as to suit this
Introduction. That paper ought, nevertheless, to be read
with caution: for the Hon Gentleman seems to have gene-
ralized somewhat too extensively.
He says, for instance, that female Birds never sing; and
that the song of every Bird is an imitated note ; (i. e.) a
note which the Bird has before heard. He considers the
power of song in Birds as similar to that of language in
man, and argues, that as no language is innate, so neither
are the notes of Birds. I suspect, however, that although
66 INTRODUCTION,
in many instances, the notes of Birds are copied, are inula
tions, that some will be found nevertheless not so : but here
too a knowledge of more observed facts is wanted.
Mr. Barrington asserts, somewhat paradoxically, it
appears to me, that the inhabitants of London are better
judges of the songs of Birds than the inhabitants of the
country. There are bad observers doubtless to be found in
town as well as in the country ; but a good observer living
in the country must be necessarily, from the opportunities
which he possesses, a better judge than one of equal abi-
lity in town : for the knowledge acquired of Birds in con-
finement cannot be estimated so highly as that obtained of
them in their natural state: as it can never be, with any
certainty, more than a knowledge of domesticated Birds,
Again, Mr. Barrington, speaking of the song of the
Nightingale, says, " that, although it sings by day, the song
is then confounded with that of other birds." Now, so far
from this being the case, if there be any bird of song whose
notes are distinguishable from other Birds when many Birds
sing together, the Nightingale is that Bird : his full and so-
norous modulations being most readily distinguished from
the song of every other Bird.*
Birds, when in their natural state, sing only in
the spring, (I speak of course of the Birds of the
temperate regions of the globe; their habits in the
torrid zone are doubtless considerably different;) to this
there are, in this country, a few exceptions. The Red-
breast sings at almost every season of the year except in
severe frost. The Thrush too, sings during a much greater
portion of the year than the Blackbird. The Thrush in-
deed will be found to sing occasionally, in favourable situ-
* " II efface par l'eclat de son chant celui de tous les plu-
mages."— St. Pi lrre, see the note on the Nightingale, in Part I.
ON THE SONGS OF BIRDS. 67
ations and fine weather, at almost every season of the year.
The state of the atmosphere has unquestionably a great
effect on Birds : they rarely sing in very boisterous, very
wet, or very cold weather. Yet some of them will occa-
sionally sing even during wet weather ; many of the Thrush
tribe do so. Mr. Bowles, in his beautiful Sonnet to Time,
has the following simile :
"As some lone Bird at day's departing hour,
Sings in the sun-beam of the transient shower,
Forgetful, though its wings be wet the while."
The Lark, alauda arvensis, sings too, occasionally, while
it continues solitary, for many months of the year. As
most Birds sing only during fair weather, we are warranted
in the conclusion that their songs are the effect of pleasura-
ble sensations. The Missel bird is, however, said to sing
during a storm, hence it is sometimes called the Storm Cock',
but the term storm should, I suspect, be interpreted rain :
its singing in tempestuous storm is greatly to be. doubted.
The Wood Thrush, the Turdus Melodus of Wilson, a
native of North America, sings also in moist and gloomy
weather ; it is said, indeed, that the sadder the day the
sweeter its song ; our own singing Thrush is also frequently
heard in wet weather ; and, in the spring, many other Birds
during the transient shower, as Mr. Bowles has stated.
It may be observed too, that Birds, while gregarious,
in tbis country at least, rarely, if ever, sing in their natural
state, although we often hear them singing in numbers in the
Bird shops of the metropolis at the period when their fellow
Larks, for instance, are associated in flocks in our fields : a
proof how much their habits may be altered by domestica-
tion.
It being a fact, that Birds sing chiefly during the spring ;
it appears also that, in this season, they sing best during the
68 INTRODUCTION.
most active period of their mutual co-operation in the work
of procreation ; their songs are therefore neither unpoeti-
c.ally, nor perhaps untruly termed love songs. The Night-
l ngale is, it has been said, " silent till he has found a mate ;
his song at first is short and hesitating; he ventures not a
full loud swell, till he sees the female charged with the fruits
of his love. As soon as the female begins to hatch, she
ceases to sing, and soon after, the male becomes silent.'
Mr. Sweet informs me, that he has kept hen Nightingales
for two years in confinement, and that he never heard them
sing; the probability is, therefore, that they do not sing. We
want, however, more records concerning the natural history
of this Bird.
The Nightingale's song has been generally considered, at
least by the poets, as a melancholy one ; and, from the occa-
sional fulness of its notes and the slowness with which some
of them are uttered, and when heard, too, in the nighty
there is assuredly, solemnity, if not melancholy, about it.
Notwithstanding Virgil's
'* Qualis populed moerens Philomela sub umbra :"
and Milton's
i( Most musical, most melancholy."
Mr. Coleridge, in some beautiful verses, has endeavour-
ed to persuade us, that it is an
«< Idle thought !
In Nature there is nothing melancholy !"
I am sorry to differ from Mr. Coleridge, but T cannot
assent to the assertion that, " there is nothing in nature
melancholy !" would that it were a truth ! nor can I agree
to call the Nightingale's a merry note. Whatever may be
the feelings of the Nightingale, we have of course no accu-
rate means of knowing them, there is great probability
that, when he sings, they are pleasurable ; but it does not
ON THE NIGHTINGALE'S SONG. 69
follow that they should be, therefore, sprightly. If we
judge of the sounds emitted by birds from the effect whicb
such sounds have upon ourselves, and we do, I believe,
generally thus judge of them, I think there is certainly no
impropriety in calling the Nightingale's a pensive, if not a
melancholy strain.
" Lone Philomela tnn'd the silent grove,
With pensive pleasure listened wakeful love."
Savage.
Sir William Jones has also an elegant stanza concerning
the Nightingale, the opportunity of quoting which I cannot
resist ;
" Quand le Rossignol, par son chant
Si rempli de tendresse,
Pour saluer le doux printemps
Au point du jour s'empresse."
Odes d' Hafiz, iv.
While I am not disposed to echo the opinions of others
without examination, and should consider the authority of
both Virgil and Milton as nothing against fact, yet I
cannot think Mr. Coleridge in accordance with nature
when he writes, "The merry nightingale." The merry lark
would, I presume, be more readily admitted ; this bird's
song having, according to my apprehension, much hilarity
about it ; so thought Sir John Davies :
"Early, cheerful, mounting lark,
Light's gentle usher, morning's clerk,
In merry notes delighting."
Hymns to Astrea.
Having controverted Mr. Coleridge's opinion, injustice
to him it ought to be stated that he does not stand alone
in it. Chaucer has
"The Nightingale with so mery a note."
The Floure and the Leaf.
70 INTRODUCTION.
Mr. Elton, too, has
" Thou trilling, soft, yet sprightly Nightingale ;"
but, unfortunately, this gentleman labours under similar dis-
advantage with Mr. Coleridge, (see below,) he has, in the
same volume, " Poems, 1804/' the following lines, which I
quote rather for their beauty than to prove how inconsistent
some of our poets can occasionally be.
" Soft as the Nightingale's re-murmured moan,
When cradled on the branch in moonlight rest,
The mazy warblings heave her wakeful breast.''
Akenside calls the song of the Nightingale, simply,
" Melodious Philomela's wakeful strain."
Pleasures of Imagination, Book iii.
The late Mr. Fox, in a letter to Lord Grey, which has
been long since published, appears to have been of a similar
opinion with the preceding writers. A French writer in
Le Spectacle de la Nature, describing the Nightingale's
Song, has taken another view of it ; he says " Le Rossignol
va du serieux au badin ; d'un chant simple au gazouillement
le plus bizarre ; des tremblemens et des roulemens les plus
legers, a des soupirs languissans et lamentables qu'il
abandonne ensuite pour revenir a sa gaiete naturelle;"
which implies that its song is, by turns, both gay and
grave. After all, and admittting, in which there will be no
difficulty, that some of the Nightingale's notes are uttered
quickly, yet, from the long pauses between the different
strains of the song, and many of the notes being
" Of linked sweetness long drawn out,"
it still does appear to me most extraordinary that any one
should be disposed to call them merry, or even sprightly.
Yet, although I cannot admit that the Nightingale's notes
ON THE NIGHTINGALE'S SONG. 71
are merry, I cannot assent to the cause assigned by Thomson
for her sorrowing strains, namely, that they are produced by
the loss of her young ; that
" All abandoned to despair, she sings
Her sorrows through the night."
Thomson's picture of the Nightingale, thus singing, may
do very well in poetry, but it is quite irreconcilable with na-
ture and truth. See Mr. Sweet's letter forward; and also
the note on the Nightingale in the first part.
Having listened for a long time this morning, (May 10,
1826,) to the song of the Nightingale near Hornsey-wood
House, as mentioned below, I am more strongly con6rmed
in the opinion I have here expressed concerning it. At
the same time it should not be forgotten, that the long-
drawn notes of its day-song are neither so striking, nor,
perhaps, so lengthened, as those which are uttered by the
same bird at midnight. In accordance with this, thus
beautifully sings Milton :
" Now is the pleasant time,
The cool, the silent, save where silence yields
To the night ^warbling bird that, now awake,
Tunes sweetest his love-laboured song ; now reigns
Fnll-orb'd the moon, and with more pleasing light,
Shadowy sets off the face of things.''
Par. Lost, Book v.
Milton, we see, treats the Nightingale as a male, while
most of our poets have, following the ancients, I presume,
echoed without discrimination their practice of calling him
Philomela, and feminine, of course. It is, however, time
to approach and adopt the truth as it is found in nature :
but the temptation to make a lady sentimental is, it
must be admitted, often too great to be resisted ; and in
72 INTRODUCTION.
this respect I have myself offended. See the Nightingale's
Song.
I must just add, that Mr. Coleridge himself has not
always been of the opinion stated above: for in his volume
of poems, published in 1796, he has an Effusion to the
Nightingale, in which is the following line :
"Then warblest sad thy pity pleading strains."
In conclusion, let us hear what Lord Byron says :
"This rose to calm my brother's cares,
A message from the Bulbul* bears ;
It says to night he will prolong
For Selim's ear his sweetest song ;
And though his note is somewhat sad,
He'll try, for once, a strain more glad ;
With some faint hope his altered lay,
May sing these gloomy thoughts away."
Bride of Abydos. — Canto I.
His lordship, in a note, after alluding to the controversy
as to the opinions of the ancients on the subject, adds, " I
dare not venture a conjecture on the point, though a little
inclined to the ' errare mallem, &c.' if Mr. Fox was
mistaken."
See more concerning the Nightingale in the note on this
bird in Part I. and also the following letter from Mr/
Sweet, of Chelsea, a gentleman who has kept several of our
birds of passage the whole year through, and has had many
opportunities of observing some curious facts concerning
tliem.
Chelsea, Dec. 7*/i,l826.
Sir,
Several of my birds are now in song, though their
song is not so loud nor so fine as it is when the days begin to
* Bulbul : the Turkish name for the Nightingale.
ON THE SONGS OF THE WARBLERS. 73
lengthen. Those that sing at present are, two Nightingales,
one Redstart, and the larger White-throat : the Willow Wren
has also begun a little, but its notes are very low at present.
When they are all in full song I will write to you again, as you
will probably be surprised at some of their notes.
As I mentioned to you when here, I once had a female
Nightingale, which built a nest with me in a little work-basket
that was put in its cage on purpose. In three days it built a
very large and fine nest, which was constructed with dry leaves
and pieces of mat . (it was a one-year-old bird.) It laid three
eggs, on which it sat about two days, when it was almost famished
for want of food ; the male not being very well at the time, so
that he would not feed her. She then left the nest to feed,
and, when she returned, she threw out the eggs and broke them.
I have no doubt but she would have succeeded well another
season, but a gentleman wishing particularly to have her, I
parted with her. My Whitethroats have often built in the cage,
but have never laid ; I believe the reason is, they are too fat :
the male Whi'.ethroat works at the building as much as the fe-
male, which is not the case with the Nightingale, — the female
completes the whole herself.
The Nightingale, in confinement, only sings by night in
summer ; but my Redstart sings every night at the present time.
I once had a Redstart that was bred up by hand from the
nest, which learnt to sing the Copenhagen Waltz, which was
occasionally sung to it, and it would go through regularly with
the person that sung to it, only stopping occasionally to say
chipput. This is mentioned in my account of that species in the
work that I published on this tribe;* likewise of a Whitethroat
* " The British Warblers: an account of the genus Sylvia \
illustrated by six beautifully coloured figures, taken from living
specimens in the author's collection, with directions for their
treatment according to the author's method ; in which is ex-
plained how the interesting and fine singing birds belonging to
E
74 INTRODUCTION >
that would sing for hours against a Nightingale, the same bird
that is now in song at my house.
I always find the male birds of this tribe sing more and
louder when a female of the same species is in the cage witli
them; but the females seldom sing; I had a female Redstart
which sung a little; and female Bui finches sing as frequently
as the. males.
I am. Sir,
Yours, truly,
R. Sweet,
The fact that the songs of birds are prompted chiefly by
love is finely described by Thomson ; indeed, the lover of
siature, and particularly of ornithology, can scarcely read
that poet too often :
u Up springs the Lark,
Shrill voie'd and loud the messenger of morn;
Ere yet the shadows fly, he mounted sings
Amid the dawning clouds, and from their haunts
Calls up the tuneful nations. Every copse
Deep-tangled, tree irregular, and bush
Bending with dewy moisture, o'er the heads
Of the coy quiristers that lodge within,
Are prodigal of harmony. The Thrush,
The Wood'lark, o'er the kind contending throng
Superior heard, run through the sweetest length
Of notes; when listening Philomela deigns
To let them joy, and purposes in thought
Elate to make her night excel their day.
The Blackbird whistles from the thorny brake,
The mellow Buljinch answers from the grove;
Nor are the Linnets, o'er the flowering furze
this genus may be managed, and kept in as good health as any
common bird whatever; by Robert Sweet, f.l.s. author of
Hortus Suburbanus Londinensis, 8$c. Sfc," 8vo.
BIRDS OF LONDON. 75
Pour'd out profusely, silent. Join'd to these,
Innumerable songsters, in the freshening shade
Of new-sprung leaves, their modulations mix
Mellifluous, The Jay, the Rook, the Daw,
And each harsh pipe discordant heard alone,
Aid the full concert ; while the Stock Dove breathes
A melancholy murmur through the whole."
Spring.
The only fault I find with the preceding lines is, they
would seem to imply that the Nightingale sings only in
the night, a mistake which, with all the knowledge now
abroad, is very commonly made.
And here it may be observed, that although many of the
bird tribe seem to prefer the vicinity of the residence of
man for their domicile, yet they, for the most part, avoid
cities and large towns, for one, among other reasons,
because there is no food for them. There are, notwith-
standing, some remarkable exceptions to this. The
House Sparrow is to be seen, I believe, in every part of
London. There is a Rookery in the Tower, and another
was, till lately, in Carlton Palace gardens; but the trees
having been cut down to make room for the improvements
going on there, the Rooks have removed this spring, (1827,)
to some trees behind the houses in New Street, Spring
Gardens. There was also, for many years, a rookery on the
trees in the church yard of St. Dunstaii's in the East, a short
distance from the Tower; the Rooks for some years past
deserted that spot, owing, it is believed, to the fire that oc-
curred a few years ago at the old Custom House. But the
present spring, 1827, they have begun again to build on
those trees, which are not elm, but a species of plane. There
was also, formerly, a rookery on some large elm trees in the
College Garden behind the Ecclesiastical Court in Doctors' 1
e2
76 INTRODUCTION.
Commons, a curious anecdote concerning which has been
recorded.*
The Stork, and some other of the tribe of waders, are oc-
casionally also inhabitants of some of the continental towns.
Rooks appear to be peculiarly partial to building their
nests in the vicinity of the residence of man. Of the nume-
rous rookeries of which I have any recollection, most of
thera were a short distance from dwelling houses. At the
present time, (March, 1827,) there is a rookery on some
trees, neither very lofty nor very elegant, in the garden of
the Royal Naval Asylum, at Greenwich ; and although
many very fine and lofty elms are in the park near, which
one might naturally suppose the rooks would prefer, yet,
such is the fact, there is not even one Rook's nest in
Greenwich Park. Possibly the company of so large a
number of boys, and the noise which they make, determine
these birds in the choice of such a place for their procreating
domicile.
There is also a remarkable fact related by Mr. French,
on the authority of Dr. Spurgin, in the second volume of
the Zoological Journal, which merits attention, in regard to
the Rook.
A gentleman occupied a farm in Essex, where he had
not long resided before numerous Rooks built their nest on
the trees surrounding his premises ; the rookery was much
prized : the farmer, however, being induced to hire a larger
farm about three quarters of a mile distant, he left the farm
and the rookery ; but, to his surprise and pleasure, the
whole rookery deserted their former habitation and came to
the new one of their old master, where they continue to
flourish. It ought to be added, that this gentleman was
* See Hone's Every Day Book, vol. I. page 494.
BIRDS OF LONDON'. 77
strongly attached to all animals whatsoever, and of course
used them kindly.
The Swallow, Swift, and Martin, seem to have almost
deserted London, although they are occasionally, though
not very plentifully, to be seen in the suburbs. Two reasons
may be assigned for this relative to the Swallow: flies are
not there so plentiful as in the open country ; and most of
the chimneys have conical or other contracted tops to them,
which, if they do not preclude, are certainly no temptation
to their building in such places; the top of a chimney
being, as is well known, its favourite site for its nest. The
Martin is also scarce in London. But, during the summer
of 1825, I observed a Martin's nest against a blind window
in Goswell Street Road, on the construction of which the
Martins were extremely busy in the early part of the
month of August. I have since seen many Martins,
(August, 1826,) busily engaged in skimming over a pool in
the Fields, to the south of Islington : most of these
were, I conjecture, young birds, as they were brown,
not black ; but they had the ivhite on the rump, which
is characteristic of the species. A few days afterwards
I observed several Martins' nests in a blind window on
Islington green. And, Sept. 20, of the same year, I eaw
from the window of my present residence, in Dalby Terrace,
City Road, many similar birds actively on the wing.
The Redbreast has been, I am told, occasionally seen in
the neighbourhood of Fleet-market and Ludgate-hill. I
saw it myself before the window of my present residence,
Dalby Terrace, in November, 1825; and in November,
1826, the Wren, (Sylvia Troglodytes,) was seen on the
shrubs in the garden before the house at Dalby Terrace; it
was very lively and active, and uttered its peculiar chit,
chit.
78
INTRODUCTION.
The Starling builds on the tower at Canonbury, in Is-
lington ; sec the note on this bird in Part I ; and the
Baltimore Oride is, according; to Wilson, found very often
on the trees in some of the American cities; but the Mocking-
hird, that used to be very common in the American subur-
ban regions, is, it is said, now becoming more rare, particu-
larly in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia.
The Thrush, (Turdns Musicus,) was also often heard in
the gardens behind York Place, during the spring of 1826.
1 beard it myself in delightful song early in March, 1826,
among the trees near the canal, on the north side of the
Regent's Park.
Some of the Migratory birds approach much nearer to
London than is, I believe, generally imagined. The Cuckoo
and Wood-pigeon are heard occasionally in Kensington
Gardens. The Nightingale approaches also much nearer
to London than has been commonly supposed. I heard it
in melodious song at seven o'clock in the morning, in the
wood near Hornsey-wood House, May 10, 1826, which is, I
believe, the nearest approach to St. PauVs it has been
for some time known to make. It is also often heard at
Hackney and Mile-end. I have also heard it regularly for
some years past in a garden near the turnpike gate on the
road leading from London to Greenwich, a short distance
from the third mile stone from London-bridge. This charm-
ing bird may be also heard, during the season, in Greenwich
Park, particularly in the gardens adjoining Montagu-house;
but never, 1 believe, on its lofty trees. The Nightingale
prefers copses and bushes to trees; the Cuckoo, on the
contrary, prefers trees, and of these the elm, from which it
most probably obtains its food. The Nightingale is also
common at Lee and Lewisham, Forest-hill, Sydenham, and
Penge-wood ; in all these places, except Hackney and Mile-
0*T THE NIDIFICATION OF BIE.DS. '/9
end, I have myself often heard it, and in the day-time.
Those who are partial to the singing of birds generally, will
find the morning, from four to nine o'clock, the most fa-
vourable time for hearing them.
Although it is, perhaps, true, that the birds of warm
climates do not equal those of the temperate ones in the
sweetness and richness of their notes, yet it is a mistake to
suppose that there are not many birds of exquisite song
abounding in the torrid zone. The Mocking-bird is one of
these, and perhaps one of the greatest wonders amongst the
birds of the western world: but more of this charming bird
hereafter.
From the abundance of many of the piece tribe, such as
Parrots, and some others of harsh note, it is probable that
their sounds in the tropical woods often overpower and
confound the more soft and sweet modulations of the
warbler tribes ; and hence the opinion has obtained credit
that the tropical regions are deficient in birds of song.
The Plumage of the birds of the torrid zone is admitted
by every one to be much more splendid than that of the
birds of temperate latitudes ; and, it also appears that, as we
proceed to still colder regions, the colours of birds become
less beautiful and striking, white being there one of the
most predominant characteristics.
Of the Nidification of Birds, little more needs to be
said; (see the Poetical portion of this Introduction;) it is,
notwithstanding, worthy of remark, that scarcely two
birds, even of the same genus, if of a different species,
build their nests alike, nor in exactly similar situations ;
they all seem to have their peculiar predilections in the
choice of a site for the important process of incubation.
Some prefer lofty trees, and those too, of particular kinds ;
some hedges ; some shrubs ; some dry brakes ; some on the
80 INTRODUCTION,
water, and in reeds; some on the roofs, olhers under the
eaves of houses ; some lofty turrets or rocks ; some banks ;
some holes in the earth, in trees, or in walls ; and some, as
the Swallow, the inside of the tops of chimneys. The Rook
most decidedly in this country prefers the elm; yet it
occasionally builds on the pine and the chesnut. The
Goldfinch is partial to a young elm, not a lofty tree; lox
is a favourite site, when to be obtained, for the Hedge-
sparrow ; this choice arises most probably from the nest
being, in box, most effectually concealed : this bird laying
early in the spring, before the hedges are clothed with
leaves. Afterwards, as its name imports, hedges are its
usual place of domicile, and particularly those of the white-
thorn ; it also prefers dry and closely matted brakes in the
early spring, for the same reason no doubt that it prefers
the box. The House-sparrow in and near London occa-
sionally chooses the Lombardy poplar ; but in no other
part of this country, that I am aware of. I am disposed to
believe that this is a recently adopted habit of this bird,
from this poplar being now very plentiful in the suburbs of
London.
Many birds of warm climates build pendulous nests,
which are attached to the extreme branches of trees, and
where only they are secure from their enemies, the snakes
and monkeys. Seeing that the eggs of many birds are often
sought after and destroyed by vermin in this country,
snakes, most probably, and the weasel tribe, it is rather
remarkable that pendulous nests are not common here.
Those who are conversant with the subject, know that a
bird's nest with nothing but broken egg-shells in it will be
very often found.
The Penduline Titmouse, Parus pendulinus, has a pen-
dulous nest, as its name imports, and it is, besides, an
ON THE NIDIFICATION OF BIR.DS. 81
European bird, but its nest has never been, I believe, seen
in this country.
The structure of the nests of birds must ever be a subject
of interest and admiration ; the skill displayed in many of
them is truly wonderful, and indicates a considerable degree
of foresight and intelligence.
Waterton, in his Wanderings, mentions the nest of some
large Humming bird, similar in texture to tanned leather,
with a rim in the inside of it, designed evidently to prevent
the eggs, two in number, from rolling out, which they as-
suredly would do but for such precaution ; the nest being
attached to the slender branch of a tree, and moving about
with every motion of the wind.
Our favourite, Thomson, supplies us with many interest-
ing traits on this subject:
"Some to the holly -hedge
Nestling repair, and to the thicket some ;
Some to the rude protection of the thorn
Commit their feeble offspring : the cleft tree
Offers its kind concealment to a few,
Their food its insects, and their moss their nests.
Others apart far in the grassy dale,
Or roughening waste, their humble texture weave.
But most in woodland solitudes delight,
In unfrequented glooms, or shaggy banks,
Steep and divided by a babbling brook,
Whose murmurs soothe them all the live long day,
When by kind duty fix'd. Among the roots
Of hazel pendent o'er the plaintive stream,
They frame the first foundation of their domes :
Dry sprigs of trees in artful fabric laid,
And bound with clay together.
The Swallow sweeps
The slimy pool to build his hanging house,
e3
82 INTRODUCTION.
Intent ; and often, from the careless back
Of herds and flocks a thousand tugging bills
Pluck hair and wool."
Spring.
Tiie Migration of Birds is also a subject of considerable
interest in their natural history.
u . The birds of air
Now pleas'd return ; they perch on every spray,
And swell their little throats, and warble wild
Their vernal minstrelsy."
Mason's English Garden, Book iv.
It was formerly supposed that many birds, which, it is
now known, unquestionably migrate, retired to some secure
retreat, and remained dormant during the winter ; so certain
was this supposed to be, that, in some districts of the king*
doni, seven of the migratory birds obtained the name of the
seven sleepers. I am not exactly aware of all the names
of these sleeping birds, but I remember very well that the
Cuckoo was called in Somersetshire, when I was a boy, and
I dare say is so still by the uninformed peasantry there, one
of the seven sleepers. However, more accurate observation
has, in great measure, dispelled these fancies: for they ap-
pear to be no more than fancies. There is, notwithstanding,
a disposition in some persons still to credit the opinion that
swallows, or at least some of them, do actually remain
dormant during the winter in this country, As I am not
aware that any well attested facts of a late date have been
observed and made public concerning this very doubtful
subject, and, as almost every thing which we know con-
cerning this bird tends to the contrary opinion, namely, that
it invariably migrates, or, if it remain here, it most probably
dies, I am not disposed to countenance an opinion so con-
ON THE MIGRATION OF EIRDS. 83
trary to other numerous and well-attested facts, and many
of which are indeed open to the verification of almost all
who take an active interest in the subject.
A very little reflection will serve to show us the real
reasons for the migration of birds, which is not confined to
this country, but appears to pervade, more or iess, every
region of the globe in which birds can exist. But it may
be observed, that birds which are stationary in one country,
are often migratory in another ; or at least that a portion of
the tribe migrates. It may be observed, too, that some-
birds are now migratory in this country that were formerly
not so ; a proof that they do not find it so agreeable to
them as heretofore it used to be.
The causes, then, for the migration of birds may be, and
most probably are, the following: namely, defect of food at
certain seasons of the year; the want of a secure asylum
during incubation and nutrition ; or the cold of winter being
either destructive or unpleasant to the bird. We can also
conceive it possible that excessive heat might occasionally
induce birds to migrate, although it is probable that this
cause is much less operative than excessive cold.
The Swallow leaves this country about Michaelmas, most
probably for two of the above reasons: the climate becomes
too cold for it 5 and flies, its only food, are not found in
sufficient abundance for its support.
Away! away ! thou summer bird !
For autumn's moaning voice is heard,
In cadence wild, and deepening swell,
Of winter's stern approach to tell.
Lit. Gazette,
Many other birds leave also this country about the same
period. While, on the contrary, many birds from the
north, — from Scotland, Sweden, Norway, and Lapland,
84 INTRODUCTION.
how pour down upon the south of England ; as the climate
in the north becomes not only too cold for them, but it does
not, most probably, supply them with a sufficient quantity
of food. Hence the very common, and generally true ob«
servation, that the early arrival of wild geese, wild ducks,
and other migratory birds, from the north, in the winter,
portends that a severe season is approaching; the early
appearance of these birds being, most likely, caused by
severe frost having already set in at their usual summer
residence.
The chief migratory summer birds found in England,
and which, most probably, come from the warmer regions
of Europe or Asia, or the yet more warm ones of Africa,
are, the Cuckoo, the Nightingale, all the Swallow tribe, the
Wry-neck, the Wheatear, the Black-cap, the Fly -catcher,
the Willow-wren, the White-throat, the Goat-sucker, and the
Land-rail. The Auk, the Guillemot, and Puffin, also visit
the maritime cliffs of Great Britain in the summer.
The chief migratory birds which visit England during
the winter, and which come most probably from the north
of Scotland, or from the still colder regions of Lapland,
Norw r ay, and other parts of Northern Europe, are, the
the Hooded or Royston Croiv, the Woodcock, (believed also
to come sometimes from North America, but this is ques-
tionable,) the Fieldfare, the Ring-ouzel, the Redwing, the
Snipe, the Jack Snipe, the Curlew, the Plover, Sandpiper,
&c. Of the Duck tribe, such as Wild Ducks, Wild Geese,
Widgeon, Teal, Swans, &c. ; some occasionally breed in
England, the Tadorna or Sheldrake very commonly, but by
far the greater part retire to remote places and inaccessible
rocks, to Scotland or to some still more distant region, to
perform the important functions of incubation and rearing
their young, in retirement and security. Some of these
OX THE GREGARIOUSNESS OF BIRDS. 85
abound in the fenny and marshy districts of the kingdom du-
ring the winter months, where food suitable to them may
be commonly and readily obtained. Of the Duck tribe,
too, many are migratory almost daily during the winter
season: that is, tbey remain in the marshes for some hours,
and then proceed to the sea shore, where food is in abun-
dance. Some of these migrations are determined by the pe-
riods of the tides.
Besides the preceding regularly migrating birds, there are
many others that occasionally appear in this country, or
which change their residence from one part of the country
to another. The Golden Oriole is sometimes seen here as a
summer visitant ; rarely, if ever, found here in the winter.
The Grosbeah, Crossbill, and Waxen Chatterer, appear at
uncertain intervals. Some of our Wild Pigeons either
migrate or change their residence; so do Quails; Starlings
most probably migrate in part, although not all.
Another peculiarity of many of the bird tribe is that of
assembling in large numbers in the winter, and as regularly
separating again at the approach of summer. Among our birds
of song, the Goldfinch, fringilla carduelis • and Lark, alauda
arvensis, may be mentioned as belonging to this class, they
being found together, the Larks particularly, in large numbers
in the winter season ; but in the summer these birds are only
associated in pairs. The same may be said of the Pur, Tringa
cinclus, a well-known sea-bird, seen hovering at the mouths
of salt water rivers in immense flocks in the winter and
spring. The House Sparrow is not one of the least interest-
ing of birds, notwithstanding its occasional destructiveness
in cornfields. It is almost always more or less gregarious,
but it is found associated in larger numbers in winter than
in summer. In favourable situation, and in mild weather,
this bird breeds occasionally even in the winter season ; at
$6 INTRODUCTION.
least such is my experience of this bird in Somersetshire.
The Fieldfare being a migratory bird, is rarely seen solitary
in this country,— usually in flocks.
Few birds are gregarious at all seasons of the year.
The Rook is, however, peculiarly so ; and, what is very re-
markable, this bird only roosts at the rookery for a few
months during the time of building its nest, incubation, and
rearing its young : in the winter season the whole commu-
nity retire sometimes ten, or even more, miles from their
nests, to roost on the trees' in some sequestered spot or
wood. They, nevertheless, occasionally visit the rookery
throughout the winter, although not, I believe, diurnally.
Notwithstanding many birds are gregarious only during
the winter season, some, as we have seen, (the Rook and
House Sparrow,) are gregarious also during incubation.
Others are gregarious, chiefly, if not only, at this period.
The Heron, ardea major, is one of those ; and the Oriole,
oriolus persicus, is peculiarly gregarious during the time of
nidification and rearing its young.
The gregariousness of the Duck tribe does not seem to
extend, under ordinary circumstances, to more than one
brood, — most commonly from ten to fifteen ; at least, this
appears to be the fact during their flight. They are doubtless
found together in greater numbers on our decoy pools and
other lakes. The gregariousness of the Partridge extends, I
believe, rarely beyond a brood ; Quails, on the contrary,
assemble together in large numbers in the winter.
It is a curious fact in the migration of birds, that some
migrate in quest of a particular crop. Thus, in Cuba,
the Rice-bird, Emberiza Oryzivora, is found in great
numbers during the season of that crop ; but no sooner is
the rice gathered than it removes to Carolina, and meets
the same harvest in that country, where it remains till the
APPEARANCE OF MIGRATORY BIRDS. 87
rice season is past. It has also been observed of this, and
several other species of birds, that the male and female
separate during the time of migration. Of the Rice bird it
is said that it is only the female which emigrates to Caro-
lina. Ih Sweden a species of Duck, it is said, is found, the
males of which constantly leave the country at the time of
incubation, and do not return till the pairing season.
Attempts have been made to ascertain the exact time of
the appearance and retreat of the various migratory birds;
but, from a variety of circumstances, this will be found
difficult, if not impossible : some birds appearing in certain
places much sooner than in others ; and some never appear-
ing in many places, in certain seasons, at all. Thus it is said
that the Nightingale is not to be found in England, farther
from Dover, in any direction, than the distance of 150
miles. Perhaps, however, 200 miles might be nearer the
truth. Huntspill, in Somersetshire, is considerably more
than 150 miles from Dover; it is often heard there ; I have
also heard it on the banks of the Wye, between Chepstow
and Monmouth. Notwithstanding the Nightingale is by no
means an uncommon bird in Somersetshire, I remember
very well that some years ago, while I resided at Huntspill,
one or two summers passed without my hearing it at all ;
hence, I conclude it was not in the neighbourhood in those
years.
Our migratory summer birds, such as the Cuckoo, Night-
ingale, Swallow, &c. do, however, generally make their ap-
pearance some time in April, according to the season, but
usually towards the latter end of the month. The winter
birds are more irregular still in their appearance. October
and November are the usual months in which they arrive ;
the Ring- ouzel, it is said, soon after Michaelmas; the
Royston, or Hooded Crow, in October; Snipes, in Novem-
88 INTRODUCTION.
ber, &c. &c. By a table in the first part of the xvth vo-
lume of the Transactions of the Linnean Society , prepared by
Messrs. Sheppard and Whitear, exhibiting the Times of
Migration of Summer Birds of Passage, at Harleston,
Norfolk, Offion in Suffolk, and Wrabness in Essex', the
Swift is rarely seen til! May ; the Turtle Dove not before the
12th of the same month : the Blackcap as early as the first
of April, sometimes as late as the 22d of the same month ;
the Swallow on the 7th or 8th of April, sometimes as late
as the 30th of the same month ; the Yellow-wren sometimes
as early as the 27th of March ; the Nightingale the 14th of
April, more commonly after the 20th of the same month;
the Cuckoo on the 10th of April, more commonly after the
20th of the same month.
There is room for believing that some migratory birds
return, again and again, to the same spot which they have
visited in former years ; of the Swallow, indeed, this occur-
rence is said to have been particularly observed.
The Natural History of Birds is extremely interesting;
it is impossible in this short introduction to do it justice.
If I shall by this work, altogether, excite a more general
attention towards this department of nature's works, I
shall be amply gratified for the labour and assiduity which
I have bestowed upon it.
Nor is the study of the history of Domesticated Birds
to be neglected ; it being, when unaccompanied with
cruelty, a source of much gratification. Mason thus ele-
gantly describes several of the tribe which minister to
our pleasures or our wants :
" The feather'd fleet
Led by two mantling Swans, at every creek
Now touch'd, and now unraoor'd : now on full sail
With pennons spread and oary feet they plied
DOMESTICATED BIRDS. 89
Their vagrant voyage; and now as if becalm'd
'Tween shore and shore at anchor seem'd to sleep.
Around those shores the fowl that fear the stream
At random rove : hither hot Guinea sends
Her gadding troop ; here, 'midst his speckled dames,
The pigmy chanticleer of Bantam winds
His clarion ; while supreme in glittering state
The Peacock spreads his rainbow train with eyes
Of sapphire bright, irradiate each with gold ;
Meantime from every spray the Ring-doves coo,
The Linnets warble, captive none, but lur'd
By food to haunt the umbrage : all the glade
Is life, is music, liberty, and love."
English Garden, Book iv.
In consulting the Notes it is necessary the reader should
know that, in order to avoid repetition and to save room,
in describing the species of each genus, the specific name
only is given. Thus, under Falco, the Eagle, Hawk, &c.
instead of Falco Chrysaetos, will be found, The Chrysaetos,
instead of Falco Ossifragus, The Ossifragus, and so on ;
so that the student will only have to add the generic term
Falco to the specific one Chrysaetosy and thus of every
other genus respectively, to obtain the scientific names of
every species throughout the work. As far also as they
can be ascertained, the various provincial names of the
different species of birds, are added ; of the first utility in
the study of ornithology. For the supply of this desidera-
tum, besides his own resources, the author is greatly
indebted to the Ornithological Dictionary of Colonel
Montagu,* a work which, for its accuracy, will be ever
* Those who desire to obtain Biographical Particulars of this
distinguished naturalist, who was a native of Wiltshire, but died
at Knowles, near Kingsbridge, in Devonshire, in 1815, will find
90 INTRODUCTION.
held in deserved estimation. A few names are also added
from Wilson's American Ornithology, a work of singular
merit, to which he owes the tribute of his thanks. To Dr.
Latham's work he is also, on this account, under some
obligation.
Of Andrew Wilson, as tie has long since paid the debt
of nature, and who has been little heard of in this country,
the following particulars may be here acceptable. He was
born of poor parents, at Paisley, in Scotland, in 1766; his
education was, of course, scanty, but considerably better
than falls to the lot of persons of his condition in England.
He was apprenticed to a weaver, his brother-in-law, the
pursuit of whose trade he followed for many years; he
subsequently shouldered his pack and became an itinerant
pedlar. Becoming disgusted with trade, he wrote some
papers for the Bee, a periodical work edited by Dr.
Anderson j he wrote also a libel, for which he was pro-
secuted, and, for a short time, imprisoned, and sentenced
besides to burn, with his own hands, the obnoxious work
at the public high-cross at Paisley !
In 1792, he published, anonymously, a characteristic
Poem, entitled " Watty and Meg" which was attributed
to Burns. Disliking Scotland, in 1794, he went to
America ; there, encountering various fate, he became a
teacher in a school ; and, subsequently, formed an ac-
quaintance with the venerable naturalist, William Bartram,
by whom he was excited to devote his attention to the
them in the third volume of Britton's Beauties or Wilt-
shire, lately published ; a volume replete with antiquarian and
biographical information; not the least interesting portion of
which consists of an anto-biographical memoir of Mr. Britton
himself, one of the most industrious of our literary bees.
ANDREW WILSON. 91
Natural History of Birds, the drawing of which he also as-
siduously cultivated. Before he left Scotland, he had pub-
lished a volume of poems, of, it is said, indifferent merit ;
a poem called the " Foresters," he published in America.
Besides the art of drawing, he acquired also that of
etching. He became afterwards, at a liberal salary, as-
sistant editor of an American edition of Rees's Cyclopaedia,
the articles of which, on Natural History, it is presumed,
were improved under his superintendance.
His work on Birds, the title of which is, American Orni-
thology, or Natural History of the Birds of the United States,
illustrated with plates, engraved and coloured from original
drawings taken from nature, by Alexander Wilson, in
nine volumes, folio, was published at Philadelphia by sub'
scription. It was several years completing ; the last vo-
lume appeared soon after his death, in 1814. A supplemen-
tary volume, containing some further observations on birds,
and biographical particulars of the author, has been since
published by Mr. Geo. Ord. This work has obtained for
Wilson an imperishable name ; it is little known in this
country, but every lover of Natural History ought to be ac-
quainted with it. Wilson's whole study appears to have
been nature ; he derived little knowledge from books ; but
he traversed the United States in various directions for in-
formation concerning his favourite pursuit.
He died at Philadelphia, in 1813, aged 47, and left his
ornithological work as a monument of his industry, his ta-
lent, and research. His descriptions of birds, although ex-
tremely accurate, are, nevertheless, highly poetical and
picturesque ; and the amiable spirit of humanity towards
the objects of his attention, which breathes throughout his
work, will never fail to excite for him a feeling of respect
and esteem.
92
INTRODUCTION.
Besides furnishing the whole of the letter-press for his
work, and the drawings for the plates, the plates themselves
were almost wholly coloured by him, or under his imme-
diate superintendance. A work of more accuracy in Natu*
ral History does not, perhaps, exist. America has reason
to be proud of having been the foster-mother to Alexander
Wilson. The number of birds described by him is 278.
He was scrupulously just, social, affectionate, benevo-
lent, and temperate ; but of the genus irritabile, extremely
pertinacious of his own opinion, and did not like to be told
of his mistakes, — a weakness, for weakness it most cer-
tainly was, greatly to be deplored. His death deprived the
world, most probably, of another work which he con-
templated, namely, one on American Quadrupeds. He had
a poetical mind, as the extracts from his work in the sub-
sequent notes will shew, — but he wanted taste, to give that
polish to his lines which most who read them will perceive
they occasionally require. His description of the Bald
Eagle in Note 1, Parti, is, however, a masterpiece; it
may be pronounced nearly a faultless picture.
It is said that upon some occasion the lale President of
the United States, Jefferson, treated Wilson with con-
tempt. This it is extremely painful to hear; but it too
often unfortunately happens that the worth of the living is
unknown ; we stand in need of death to set the seal to our
pretensions and our merit. Surely Jefferson could never
neglect the truly meritorious and worthy, if he believed
him to be so !
In concluding this notice of Andrew Wilson, and his
American Ornithology, it would be unpardonable here to
omit the notice of a work, in some respects similar, on our
British Birds, now in course of publication by Mr. Selby ;
a work, the plates of which are on elephant folio, and co-
SELBY's BRITISH BIRDS. 93
loured correctly after nature, by or under the direction of the
author himself. As far as I have had an opportunity of
examining the engravings, they appear far superior to any
thing that has yet been published in this country concerning
British Birds. It bids fair not only to equal, if not to ex-
ceed, in many particulars, Andrew Wilson's work, but
also to supply a desideratum in our ornithological history,
which every lover of birds must of necessity highly esteem.
My poetical division of the birds, although not scientific,
will not be, I flatter myself, without its uses. From the
great loco-motive powers of many birds, they belong to
almost all regions of the earth; yet, in a general view, the
Eagle may be said to be the king of the birds of the tem-
perate, as the Vulture, Condur, is of the torrid zones.
The Condur prefers putrid to fresh meat; hence the use
of such birds in warm climates. As the organ of smell is,
in the Vulturid race of birds, strongly developed, Mr.
Vigors thinks that this tribe bears, among birds of prey,
the same analogical relation to the canine race among the
mammalia, as the Falconids exhibit to the Feline tribes.*
Pliny has concisely stated the difference in this respect
between these two genera of birds. Aquil;e clarius cernunt ;
Vultures sagacius ordorantur. The disposition of the
Vulture tribe for dead animals was well known to the
ancients :
Exanima obsccenus consumit corpora viiltiir.
Silius Italicus
Although I have poetically two divisions of birds, from a
desire to maintain, as much as was consistent with the na-
ture of my work, a scientific arrangement in the Notes, I
have to regret that the description of every bird could not,,
* Zoological Journal, vol. 2, page 371.
94 INTRODUCTION.
without great inconvenience, be confined to its peculiar
region, notwithstanding 1 , for the most part, it is so. When,
therefore, the description of any bird cannot be readily
found in the notes of one part, it should be sought for in the
other. The Index will be, however, the most certain guide.
In an Epitome of Ornithology, the mention of the very-
extensive and useful collection of preserved specimens of
birds now open to the inspection of the public at the
British Museum ought not to be omitted. The lover of
Natural History will find, in the well arranged cases of
that National Repository, much to interest and engage his
attention. There he may contemplate specimens of the
more rare and curious of the feathered race. The Fla-
mingo, the Bird of Paradise, the Toucan, innumerable
Eagles, the Columha Coronota, the Bustard, and a numerous
et ccetera, either new or rare in this department of science.
There may he pass days in the contemplation of Birds
alone, which will afford him no ordinary gratification.
The Ornithological Museum of the Linnean Society
ought also to be mentioned; the extensive collection of
the Birds of New Holland, in particular, is more es-
pecially deserving notice. This museum is not, of course,
open to the public; but, by a suitable introduction, it may
be readily inspected.
Nor ought the museum of the East India Company, in
Leadenhall Street, to be forgotten. Here will be found
many of the birds of the east, and, particularly, a curious
collection made by Dr. Horsfield, of the Birds of Java:
access to this can only be had through the medium of a
Director, or by an introduction to the Librarian, Dr.
WlLKINS.
Nor must the growing collection of the Zoological
Society in these notices be passed over; a society which,
SCIENTIFIC TERMS. 95
under the auspices of many of the nobility and gentry, is
already, although of very recent formation, in vigorous
activity, and to which the learned Secretary, Mr. Vigors,
is lending liis powerful assistance ; and the Marquis of
Lansdowne, as President, his countenance and support.
Nor, lastly, should the collection of Living Birds at
Exeter Change be omitted. Among which is a large fe-
male African Ostrich; various Vultures ; the Demoiselle
Heron ; Pelicans ; several Emeus, which were bred in
his Majesty's establishment in Windsor Park ; and other
liviug ornithological curiosities.
It is scarcely necessary to add, that the Latin word,
Genera, is used throughout this work for the plural of genus,
the same as it is in that language. Notwithstanding my
endeavours to the contrary, some terms have almost imper-
ceptibly glided into the work which may require explanation
to the uninitiated reader; I have therefore added a Glossary
of such words, and have also given the meaning of the terms
adopted by Mr. Vigors, and mentioned above in explana-
tion of the Quinary arrangement.
In stud)ing scientific works on ornithology, it will be
useful to know the terms which are applied to the different
parts of the bodies of birds; they are as follow :
The Head, Caput, consists of the Bill, Rostrum; the
ostrils, Nares ; the Cere or Wax, Cera; the Tongue,
Lingua ; the Face, Capistrum ; the Forehead, Frons ; the
Crown, Vertex; the Hindhead, Occiput ; the Crest, Crista;
the Eyes, Oculi ; the Eyebrows, Supercilia; the Ca-
runcules, Caruncidce ; the Lore, Lorum ; the Orbits, Or-
litm ; the Cheeks, Gence ; the Temples, tempora ; the Ears,
Aures ; the Beard, Barba.
Of the Neck, Collum; the Nape, Nucha; the hind
part of the Neck, Occiput; Chin, Gula ; Throat, Jugulum.
1
96
INTRODUCTION
Of the Body, Corpus; Back, Dorsum ; Rump, Uropu-
ffium; Interscapular, Inter scapulium ; Shoulders, Humeri;
Breast, Pectus; Axilliaries, Axilla; Hypochondres, Hy-
pochondria; Belly , Abdomen ; Vent , Crissum.
Of the Wings, Alee; Wing-coverts, Tectrices ; Bastard-
wing, Alula spuria; Scapulars, Scapulares ; Wing-spot,
Speculum.
Of the Tail, Cauda; Tail Feathers, Rectrices ; Tail-co-
iverts, Tectrices Cauda.
Of the Legs, Crura; Thighs, Femora; Bracelets, Ar-
millce ; Shins, Crura; Toes, Digiti ; — 1, for walking, Am-
bulator ii ; 2, Salient or leaping, Grcssorii ; 3, Climbing,
Scansorii; 4, Prehensile, Prehensilis ; Tridactyle, Tridac-
tyli, having three toes, cursory ; Didactyle, Didactyli, having
two toes, the Ostrich only.
Of the Foot, Pes ; Palmated, Natatorius ; Semipalmated,
Semipalmatus ; Lobated, Lobatus ; Pinnated, Pinnatns;
Claws, Ungues ; Spines or Spurs, Calcaria.
Horns, Cornua ; Wattles, Carunculce ; Pouch, Saccns
Jugularis ; Crop, Ingluvies.
1 take leave of the Introductory portion of my work in
the following words of Drummond :
" Sweet Birds ! that sing away the early hours,
Of winters past, or coming void of care,
Well pleased with delights which present are,
Fair seasons, budding sprays, sweet smelling flowers ;
To rocks, to springs, to rills, from leavy bowers,
Ye your Creator's goodness do declare."
ORNITHOLOGIA.
PART THE FIRST.
BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS
"The spring
Is the earth enamelling,
And the Birds, on every tree,
Greet this morn with melody."
Browne's Shepherd's Pipe.
ORNITHOLOGIA.
PART THE FIRST.
BRITISH AND EUROPEAN EIRDS.
My Theme is of Birds — of those Princes of Air,
Who oft warble for man, and oft lighten his care : —
Of those who rapaciously pounce on their prey —
The Raptors, who wing, too, with swiftness their way; —
Of Insessors, 'mongst whom dwell the Children
of Song —
The tribe to whom perching will ever belong; —
Of the Rasors distinguish'd by scratching the ground,
And nigh to the dwellings of man much abound ; —
Of Grallators who wade in pursuit of their food.
On the shores of the sea, or in rills of the wood ; —
Of Natators who swim, — near the waters reside; —
Whom to meet chose the Eagle, in fulness of pride : —
All, to pleasure obedient, bade care haste away,
And, 'midst Melody's Sons, pass'd a rapturous day.
f2
100 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Resolved that amusement was good for the state?
The Aquiline Monarch^ 1 ) in council sedate,
(') Order, Accipitres, (Linn.) Eagle, Hawk, Kite,
Buzzard, Falcon, &c.
The term Eagle is applied to various birds which are ar-
ranged by Linnaeus under the genus denominated by him
Falco, of which he described only thirty-two species ; such,
however, has been the assiduity of subsequent research, that
above two hundred and thirty species are described in Di\
Latham's last work.
The following may be considered as the chief of this rapacious
tribe, the distinguishing characteristics of which are, a hooked
bill, the base covered with a cere, the head covered with close
set feathers, the tongue bifid. They are bold, and fly with
great speed when high in the air, but slowly in the lower re-
gions ; their sense of sight is exquisite ; their legs and feet are
scaly j the middle and outer toes connected ; they are not gre-
garious. They feed sometimes on putrid carcasses, but, more
commonly, attacking living animals, destroy and devour them.
They build their nests, (those of the Eagles, and some others of
the tribe, arc called eyries,) for the most part, in the clefts of
impending rocks ; some of the Hawks on trees. They are
scattered over the various parts of the globe: upwards of
twenty species are found in the interior or on the coasts of this
country. In many of the tribe the female is larger than the
male. Several of the genus are migratory. Indeed,, from their
power and rapidity of flight, they are enabled to visit most of
the regions of the globe. From the great changes in the colour
of the feathers of several of the genus during their progress to
maturity, considerable confusion exists among ornithologists in
the names of several of the species ; nor am I able to rectify the
numerous discordances which have thence arisen.
4
THE GOLDEN EAGLE. 101
Proclamation sent forth over hill, over dale,
Over land, over sea, over mountain and vale : — •
The Chrysa'etos* or Golden Eagle, has the cere yellow; body
variegated with brown and rusty ; tail black, waved at the base
with cinereous, and beneath white ; legs yellowish rusty, fea-
thered down to the toes. It is generally about three feet long,
and weighs about twelve pounds; a female was once found
which measured in length three feet and a half, and eight feet
across with the wings extended. It lives very long, occasionally,
it is said, more than a century ; endures great abstinence, some-
times for more than twenty days. Breeds in Scotland, Ireland,
and sometimes on Snowdon hills in Wales ; scarce in England ;
found also in the Alps, Germany, Russia, India, and North
America. Feeds on sheep, and also on geese and other
poultry. Eggs three or four, greyish white; but it rarely
hatches more than two.
This bird in its habits is said to be untameable, it not be-
coming fond even of those who feed it. It does not arrive at
maturity till its fourth year; during the period of its growth it
puts on various appearances; the Fulvus, see forward, is said
by some authors to be the young of this species ; yet this ad-
mits of considerable question.
Two instances have occurred in Scotland of its having flown
away with infants to its nest; in both cases the theft was dis-
covered, so that the children were not materially injured. A
finely wrought up story on the Eagle's taking away " Hannah
* It has already been mentioned in the Introduction that,
in order to avoid repetition, and to save room, in describing
the species under each genus, the generic term is uniformly
omitted. Thus, the Chrysa'etos is to be understood as Falco
Chrysa'etos ; the Ossifragus as Falco Ossifragus, and so of the other
genera* It may be useful to mention this again here, in order
to obviate the possibility of mistake.
102 BRITISH A"ND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
That his people, the Birds, on a day named should
meet,
And that He would himself there be proud them to
greet.
Lamond's Bairn," is related in Blackwood's Magazine, for October,
1826, in a Review of Selby's ornithology.
The following lines, the production of Percival, an Ame-
rican poet, are the commencement ofan Address to the Eagle,
which appears in the American Souvenir, a Christmas Present, or
New Year's Offering, for 1827, published at New York. This
poem is one of those racy originals which at once delight and
surprise us : it is a fine specimen of the talent and genius of our
kindred of the west :
" Bird of the broad and sweeping wing s
Thy home is high in heaven,
Where wide the storms their banners fling,
And the tempests clouds are driven,
Thy throne is on the mountain top,
Thy fields the boundless air ;
And hoary peaks that proudly prop
The skies, thy dwellings are."
The Ossijragus, Sea-Eagle or Osprey, inhabits Europe and
North America; and is found occasionally in various parts of
Great Britain and Ireland. It is as large as the Golden Eagle.
The whole body is dark brown, intermixed with rust colour ;
cere and legs yellow; tail feathers white on the inner side.
Builds in inaccessible rocks or on lofty trees. Its food princi-
pally fish ; but it feeds also on other animals. Two Eagles of
this species were taken from a nest in Ireland and kept
together for more than two years; in the third year one of
them killed the other and devoured it, most probably from not
being supplied with sufficient food ; for they lived together
before in perfect harmony. — Montagu. Although this bird will
* THE BALD EAGLE — RING-TAILED EaGLE. 103
And lest that some Raptors, as Kestril or Kite —
All those with sharp claws and in death that delight,
attack the salmon, and even the seal, it is said that it cannot
dive after it. Pliny thus describes the manner of this bird'*
taking its tinny prey: "Superest Haliasetos, clarissima oculorum
acie, librans ex alto sese, visoque in mari pisce, praeceps in
euro mens, et discussis pectore aquis rapiens." See Note 2,
Part ii. for a poetical imitation of this description by. Mr.
Gisborne ; see also below, article Haliceetos.
The Leucoccphalus, or Bald Eagle, has a brown body ; head
and tail white ; cere and legs yellow ; three feet three inches
loug; feeds on hogs, lambs, and fish ; nest large, on trees ; eggs
two ; inhabits the woods of Europe and America. Wilson
thinks this the same as the Ossif vagus, in a different stage of
colour. The following picture from the masterly hand of that
author will convey some idea of a habit of this bird :
" High o'er the watery uproar silent seen
Sailing sedate in majesty serene,
Now 'midst the pillar'd spray sublimely lost,
And now emerging, down the rapids toss'd,
Glides the Bald Eagle, gazing, calm and slow,
O'er all the horrors of the scene below :
Intent alone to sate himself with blood,
From the torn victims of the raging flood."
Wilson's American Ornithology.
The Fulvus, Ring-tailed Eagle, or Black Eagle, inhabit?
Great Britain, Europe, Asia, and America ; length two feet
and a half, Wilson says nearly three feet. This bird is trained
by the Tartars to hunt hares, antelopes, and foxes. The tail
has a white band, whence, of course, its name. The quill fea-
thers are used to mount arrows. There is a variety with a
white tail, the tip of which is brown.
It is a very destructive bird ; rare in the south of this king-
104 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Should come, by ferocity prompted alone,
It was, by an Edict imperial, made known,
dom, but has been met with in Derbyshire. One was shot at
Wark worth, measuring in extent of wing eleven feet and a
quarter, which is considerably more than that of the Golden
Eagle ; and hence it cannot be the young of that bird. See the
first article.
The Cyaneas, or Hen-HaRrier, is, the mule about seventeen
inches long; plumage blue grey, beneath, white: the female,
described by naturalists under the name of the Pygargiis, or
Ring-tail, is twenty inches long; plumage above, dusky ; be-
neath, palish. Found in this country, and other parts of Eu-
rope ; also in Asia. Wilson describes a Ring-tail nearly three
feet long, which is found in the northern parts of America.
The Serpentarius, Serpent Vulture, Secretary Vulture,
Secretary, or Snake Eater, has a black body, the hind head
crested, tail feathers white at the tips, the \egs very long ; three
feet high ; feeds on small animals. Inhabits the interior of
Africa and the Philippine Islands.
This is arranged as a distinct genus by Dr. Latham, and by
him called Secretary. Mr. Vigors seems to consider it as
the first of bis families of Raptores, under the term Gypogeranus,
one being still wanting.
The Harpyia, Crested Eagle, Crowned Vulture, or Oronookoo
Eagle, is rather larger than a turkey ; bill black ; the head
crested, with long feathers, which it erects in the shape of a
coronet; upper parts of the body mostly black, beneath white ;
hind part of the neck fulvous. Inhabits Mexico, Brazil, and
other parts of South America: it is said that it can cleave a
man's skull at one stroke !
The Gullicus, or French Eagle, inhabits France, is two
feet long, has the body grey brown ; builds on the ground, and
lays three grey eggs.
The Barbatus ,ov Bearded EAGLE,xonsists of three varieties;
THE KITE — THE OSPREY. 105
That all must appear without malice prepense :
Who offended in this would the monarch incense ;
one of which inhabits the Alps, the other two, Persia. It has a
brown back, and a black stripe above and beneath the eyes ;
tufts of black hair cover the nostrils, others are on the lower man-
dible; and similar hairs form a beard. The whole of the body
covered with yellow down. Four feet long ; builds in rocks,
and preys on quadrupeds ; will attack men when asleep ; flies
in flocks.
According to this account; the Bearded Eagle must be one
of the largest of the tribe.
The Milvus, Kite, Glead, or Puttock, inhabits Europe, Asia,
and Africa, and is well known in various parts of Great Britain;
about two feet long ; the cere is yeilow ; the body is ferrugi-
nous ; head whitish ; tail forked. Four varieties. Feeds on
oifal and poultry; fortels storms by its clamour ; flies placidly.
Eggs three, whitish with yellowish spots ; migrates into Europe
the beginning of April. Three other varieties.
The Austriacus, or Austrian Kite, inhabits the woods of
Austria ; legs yellow ; body above chesnut, beneath brick-dust
colour, spotted with brown ; tail forked. Size of the Kite ;
feeds on birds and bats.
The Haliceetos, Osprey, Bald Buzzard, Fishing Hawk,
Fish Hawk, or Fishing Eagle, inhabits the marshes of Europe,
America, and Siberia, and builds among reeds, sometimes on
ruins, sometimes on trees ; nest large, often three or four feet
in breadth, and from four to rive feet high, composed externally
of sticks; (this account of the nest is from Wilson.) It is
about two feet long ; feeds on fishes, which it catches by diving.
Body brown above, white beneath ; head white ; cere and feet
blue. Four varieties. The habits of this bird are, I presume,
similar to the Ossifragus or Sea-Eagle mentioned above, and
Pliny's description of its taking its prey will, most pro-
bably, apply to both ; but it is greatly to be lamented that so
f2
106
BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Even Ravens, he said, must their croaking avoid ;
Nor with screams of the Peacock would he be an-
noyed.
much confusion is found among naturalists in regard to names.
I am sorry that it is not in my power to remove these discre-
pancies.
A remarkable trait, mentioned by Wilson, in the character
of this bird deserves notice : the Grakles, or Crow Blackbirds,
are permitted by the Fish-hawk to build their nests among the
interstices of thesticks with which his own nest is constructed.
Several pairs of Grakles taking up their abode there, like humble
vassals around the castle of their chief; laying, hatching their
young, and living together in mutual harmony. Wilson found
four of such nest clustered around one nest of the Fishing
Hawk.
" The sailing Osprey high is seen to soar,
With broad unmoving wing; and circling slow
Marks each loose straggler in the deep below ;
Sweeps down like lightning! plunges with a roar!
And bears his struggling victim to the shore."
Wilson's Amer. Ornith.
The Buteo, Buzzard, or Pultock, inhabits Great Britain and
Europe at large; body brown, belly pale with brown spots ;
legs yellow : it varies in its colours; length twenty inches;
feeds on birds, insects, and small animals.
The JEruginosus, or Moor-Buzzard, inhabits England, and
Europe generally ; body grey ; the crown, arm-pits, and legs,
yellow; twenty-one inches long; builds in marshes; lives on
fish, aquatic birds, rabbits, and mice; varies in colour.
My friend, the elegant and accomplished poet and scholar,
the Rev. W. L. Bowles, vicar of Bremhill, Wilts, has a Buzzard
demesticated so far that it rarely quits the neighbourhood of the
house and gardens: it is, of course, occasionally fed; it has
THE MANSFENNY THE HAWK. 107
Could I dare, Inspiration! to quaff from thy
spring,
Of the Birds and their Songs I might worthily sing.
been known to swallow thirteen mice at one meal; some of* the
mice were, however, young ones ; after which it became, for
several days, extremely stupid and indisposed for motion.*
The Antillarum, or Mansfenny, inhabits the West India
islands; it is about eighteen inches long; body brown, belly
white, the crown black; legs and claws large and strong. —
The Orientalis, or Oriental Hawk, inhabits Japan ; the head
and body above dusky brown, beneath rusty brown; tail
spotted with white ; seventeen inches long.
The Tinnunculus, Hawk, Kestril, Kestril Falcon, KastriL
CastriLi Coystrel, Stewgall, Sionegall, Stannel, Wind-hover, or
Hover-Hawk, the most commonly known in this country, of all
the tribe of Hawks. The male is thirteen inches long, bill lead
colour, cere yellow ; irida dusky and large ; the throat whitish ;
the back, scapular*, and wing coverts are a fine red brown,
* The term Hawk is a very indefinite one; it has been oc-
casionally applied to the Buzzard ; thus Dryuen sings :
" Some haggard Hmvk who had her eyry nigh,
Well pounc'd to fasten, and well wing'd to fly :
One they might trust their common wrongs to wreak:
The Musquet and the Coystrel were too weak,
Too fierce the Falcon ; but, above the rest,
The noble Buzzard ever pleas'd me best ;
Of small renown 'tis true ; for, not to lye,
We call him but a Hawk by courtesy."
Hind and Panther.
The musquet, or musket, here mentioned, is the male of the
Sparrow Hmvk.
t See Drayton's Owl, Dryden's Hind and Panther,
Part III, and the preceding note*
108
BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
On thy Presence, bright Essence ! my hope will pre-
sume —
That thy smile of approval my song may illume ; —
spotted and barred with black; beneath, light ferruginous,
barred with black ; tail cinereous grey, with a black bar near
the end ; legs yellow. The female is considerably larger than
the male ; the head and tail the same colour as the back, which
is not so bright a red-brown as the male ; beneath, lighter than
the male, but the black spots not so distinct; eggs from four
to six, not so large as a pigeon's; colour reddish brown, with
dark blotches ; nest on trees, and sometimes in a deserted mag-
pie's or crow's nest. Inhabits England, Europe, and Siberia.
Feeds principally on mice, sometimes on cockchafers, occasi-
onally on birds ; seen hovering in the air and quite stationary
for some time, then pouncing suddenly down on its prey.
This bird is a very useful one. In a paper read before the
Linnean Society containing some valuable observations on the
Birds of Norfolk a?id Suffolk by the Rev. R. Sheppaud and the
Rev. W. Whitear, May 3, 1825, it is stated, that a hawk of
this kind was observed to dart upon a weasel and immediately
to mount aloft with it in its talons; but had not proceeded far
before both fell from a considerable height to the ground; the
weasel ran off, but the Kestril, upon examination, was found to
have been killed by a bite in its throat. This bird is said to
migrate to the north early in the spring ; there are several varie-
ties ; it was formerly trained to catch game.
The Pulumbarius, or Goshawk, inhabits England, Eutope,
and North America. Legs yellow, body brown, tail feathers
with pale bands; length twenty-two inches ; devours poultry,
and was formerly much used in falconry. — The Nisits, Spar-
row-hawk, or Spar-Hawk, inhabits England, Europe,
Africa, and Madeira. The legs are yellow, body above yellow-
ish brown, beneath, white waved with grey, tail with blackish
bands. Male twelve inches, the female fifteen inches long.
THE SPARROW-HAWK— THE FALCON. 109
That, to Nature, to Truth, and to Science, devote,
My Harp may respond with a musical note ; —
Two other varieties : one spotted with white, the other entirely
white. It is very bold, and preys on poultry, pigeons, part-
ridges, &c. Sometimes tamed and flies about gardens ; it has
been also taught to catch larks. The male of this species was
formerly called a musket.
The Gyrfulco, or Brown Gerfalcon, inhabits Europe, and
preys on cranes and pigeons. The Lannarius i or Lanner, is the
size of the Buzzard ; three varieties. Inhabits England, Eu-
rope, and Tartary. Buildsin low trees; migrates: much es-
teemed in falconry. The Vespertinus, or Ingrian Falcon, in-
habits Ingria, Russia, and Siberia; size of a pigeon; builds on
trees, or takes possession of a magpie's nest; preys on quails ;
flies abroad chiefly in the evening or at night. The Subbuteo
or Hobby, inhabits England, Europe, and Siberia ; back brown,
belly palish, with oblong brown spots ; twelve inches long;
two varieties ; preys on larks. The (Esolon, or Merlin, in-
habits Europe ; body above bluish ash, with rusty spots and
stripes ; beneath, yellowish white with oblong spots ; length
twelve inches. Migrates southerly on the approach of winter ;
often seen in England. Three other varieties found in the
West Indies, or New York. The Pumilius, or Tiny Falcon,
has the body brown-ash, beneath whitish, with blackish bars.
Said to be the smallest of the genus, being hardly six inches
long ; inhabits Cayenne ; but the Cerulescens, a native of Java,
described by Dr. Horsfield, and a specimen of which is in
the East India House Museum, is, 1 believe, still smaller.
The Communis, Common Falcon, Yearly Falcon, Aged Falcon,
or Falcon Gentle, of which there are above ten varieties, inha-
bits Europe and North America, some of its varieties, China,
Hudson's Bay, and India. The general colour of the plumage
is brown, the feathers edged with rusty ; body beneath white,
irregularly marked with brown ; the tail with darker transverse
110 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
That Science affianc'd with Nature, fair bride,
With Thee and with Truth o'er my Song may pre-
side :
bands j bill bluish ash ; legs green or yellow; length eighteen
inches ; feeds on various animals. The above is the usual co>
lours of the bird at three years old ; but it puts on different ap-
pearances from year to year till it arrives at that age. One
variety is entirely white, with scarcely visible yellow spots:
another brownish black; another spotted with black and red.
The male is considerably smaller than the female, and hence
he has been called a Tircelet, Tercell, or Tassel ; he is also said to
be much less courageous than the female, and hence she was
the bird usually employed in Hawking , a sport which was for-
merly so much in repute; but which has, deservedly, given way
to other and more praiseworthy occupation, I trust never to be
revived : we may hope too that the intelligence which is abroad
will ultimately banish from among men the puerile pursuits of
hunting and shooting animals for sport, than which what can be,
to an intellectual being, more derogatory or degrading ? Hawk-
ing, hunting, shooting, and fishing for sport are all the remains
of the prejudices and customs of barbarous ages : it is time that
a high and diffused intelligence should lift up its voice and
discountenance so great a departure from the dignity of intel-
lectual man.
Some of the Falcon tribe have been used in Asia for hunting
Hares, Deer, fyc. Mr. Southey alludes to this sport in Thalaba:
"The deer bounds over ihe plain :
The lagging dogs behind
Follow from afar !
But lo ! the Falcon o'er head
Hovers with hostile wings
And buffets him with blinding strokes."
Thalaba, vol. ii. page 129.
The Ptregrinus, Peregrine Falcon, or Duck Hawk, is found
THE FALCON". 1] 1
■
But soft — some warbler's echoing lay
On Zephyr's waves seems borne away;—
And now, o'er woodland, grove, and dell,
Still louder the melodious swell !
on some of our rocky shores, and builds commonly in the most
inaccessible cliffs; it was formerly much used in falconry, and,
being a bold and powerful bird, was in great esteem; it was,
however, chiefly used in the taking of Ducks, and other water-
fowl, — whence one of its names.
In concluding this long note on an important genus of birds
it may just be added, that by the 9th of Hen. VII, " taking the
eggs of any Fawcons, Goshawks, Laners, or Swannes, out of
the neste," rendered the offender liable " to be imprisoned for a
year and a day, and a fine at the king's will:" and that the Duke
of St. A 1 ban's is still hereditary grand Falconer of England:
but the office is not exercised. There are also several statutes
relating to hawks and their eggs, which it may be sufficient
merely to mention : they are, it is presumed, all become a
dead letter.
It may also be observed that, in former times, and in many
countries, the custom of carrying a falcon about was esteemed
a mark of a man of rank : many persons of distinction were
painted with a hawk on the hand. Aristotle, Pliny, and many
other ancient writers, speak of the method of catching birds by
means of hawks ; but, it is said, that falconry was practised
with far more spirit and universality among the ancient Britons
than in any other nation; tliat it commenced as early as the
fifth century, and was cultivated as late as the fifteenth, when
the introduction of the nee of gunpowder most probably super-
seded the use of birds, as means of obtaining game.
112
THE WOOD-LARK'S INVOCATION,
Alauda arborea. (Linn.)
Goddess of the realm of Song !
Round whose throne the Warblers throng",
From thy bright, cerulean sphere
Deign our humble notes to hear !
Love demands our earliest lay ; —
Love, the monarch of our may ;—
Icpseans let us sing
While we welcome laughing spring.
May, with feet bedropp'd with dew„
On yon hill-top is in view ; —
May, whose arch look, winning wiles,
Youth on tip-toe oft beguiles.
Goddess of the soul of Song !
Thou to whom delights belong,
Deign to prompt the Warblers' Lay ;
Deign to deck the coming day.( 2 )
( 2 ) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Lark, the Wood, the Tit,
the Rock, the Meadow, &c.
The Genus Alauda, (Linn.) or Lark, comprehends more
than fifty species distinguished by a sharp, pointed, slender, bill,
nostrils covered partly with feathers and bristles: tongue cloven
at the end : toes divided to their origin : claw of the back toe
very long, a little crooked : their motion running not hopping.
The following are the chief:
The Arvensis. or Sky-lark, for an account of which see the
Sky-lark's Song.
THE LARK. 113
Lo ! the Place!— by a river whose stream runs
along
In a warble as soft as the Nightingale's song ;
In whose deeps of clear crystal the maculate trout
Is seen swiftly darting or sporting about ; —
The Arborea, or Wood-lark, is less than the sky-lark : the
plumage is more pale and inclined to rufous, yet varied like
that bird : the head is surrounded with a white ring or fillet ;
legs flesh colour. Found in this country, throughout Europe,
and, it is said, in Siberia and Kamtschatka. Nest on the ground
in tufts of grass, like the sky-lark : eggs four or five, dusky
brown blotched with dusky, with smaller reddish spots. It
sings as it flies : but it also perches on trees, when it likewise
sings : its note has been compared to the blackbird's and the
nightingale's : it is however a sweet and varied song. It some-
times soars to a great height in the air, flying in circles, and
continues so to do for a long time. It is not gregarious like the
arvensis, being rarely seen in greater number than six or seven
together.
The Pratensis, or Tit-lark, inhabits Europe in low grounds,
and well known in this country : it is five and a half inches long:
has a fine note, and sings sitting on trees or on the ground.
The bill is black: body above dusky brown, beneath, white:
breast ochre yellow with oblong black spots : legs yellowish:
nest on the ground.
The Magna, Meadow-lark, or Old Field-lark, of Wilson,
is ten inches and a half long, extent sixteen and a half: throat,
belly, breast, a rich yellow ; inside lining and edge of the wing
the same colour ; back beautifully variegated with black,
bright bay, and pale ochre; legs and feet pale flesh-colour and
very large. Nest, in or beneath a thick tuft of grass, com-
posed of dry grass and fine bent, and wound all round leaving
114 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Here the hill's gentle slope to the river descends,
Which, in sinuous course, through a wilderness
wends; —
There, amid lofty rocks, hung with ivy and yew,
Doth echo, the wood-nymph her pleasure pursue ;
And the comb, and the glen, and the shadowy vale,
Invite the fond lover to tell his soft tale.
The woods and thick copses, as mansions of rest,
Many warblers oft choose for their home and their
nest;
an arched entrance level with the ground. Feeds on insects
and grass seeds ; flesh good, little inferior to the quail. Inha-
bits North America from Canada to New Orleans.— Though
this well known species cannot boast of the powers of song
which distinguish the sky-lark of Europe, yet in richness of
plumage as well as in sweetness of voice, as far as its few notes
extend, it is eminently supeiior. It differs however from the
tribe in wanting the long straight hind claw. Wilson.
The Obscura, Rock-lark, Dusky-Lark, or Sea-Lark, inha-
bits rocky places in England, and most probably other parts of
Europe; it is about seven inches long; solitary and sings little;
note like the chirp of a grasshopper. — The Minor, Field-lark,
Lesser Field-lark, Short-heeled Field-lark, or Meadow-lark, visits
this country in the spring ; sometimes mistaken for the Tit-
lark. The Nemorosa vel cristata, Crested-lark, or Lesser-
Crested-lark, is said to inhabit Europe, and like the Bulfineh,
to learn with ease to repeat tunes played or sung to it. Orni-
thologists are not however, agreed about the identity or even
existence of this bird. The Trivialis, Pipit-lark, or Pippit,
has the upper parts of the body a rusty olivaceous-brown
streaked with dusky, beneath, ferruginous. The Rubra, Red-
lark, or Lark from Pennsylvania, is rather larger than the Sky-
lark, and a rare species in this country.
THE PIGEONc
115
A place where content in a cottage might dwell; —
A place that a hermit might choose for his cell ; —
Where, afar from all strife and all tumult and pride,
The nymph Tranquil Pleasure delights to reside ; —
Where, in meadow or grove or the woodlands among,
The Birds may be heard in melodious song.
The Time, when the Spring, in his splendid array,
Commanded cold Winter to hasten away;-—
When the woods and the groves, decked in garments
of green,
With laughing delight and with pleasure were seen.
The cowslip with fragrance the meadow perfum'd,
And the primrose the dark bank with yellow illum'd ;
The cuckoo flower peep'd from the pasture's soft bed,
And the yellow ranunculus* lifted her head.
The violet drooping seemed ready to die;
To part with such sweetness, ah ! who will not sigh ?
The Thrush's, the Blackbird's, and Nightin-
gale's, song
Were heard now and then the dark copses among;
Whilst a crowd of soft melodists, hid in the grove,
Seem'd anxious their musical powers to prove:
In a hedge sang theBLACK-CAP, what time in the yew,
The Wood-pigeon cried "Two, two, Taffy, take two."
Other Pigeoks ( 3 ) e'er active, and oft on the wing,
Proclaim'd, by their cooing, the presence of spring.
( 3 ). Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Pigeon, Dove, &c.
The genus Columba, (Linn.) to which the Common Pi-
geon, or Columba Domestica belongs, is a very extensive one,
* Ranunculus acris — Buttercup or Golugup.
116 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS. ,
The Winter, Birds all were quite ready for flight,
But most of them tarried to see the gay sight.
consisting of more than one hundred and thirty species, the
characteristics of which are, a straight bill, descending towards
the tip ; nostrils oblong, half covered with a soft, tumid mem-
brane. The cooing of this tribe of birds is well known, and by
which it appears to be peculiarly distinguished from every other
genus. The young are also fed with grain made soft in the crop
and ejected into their mouths from the beaks of the parent
birds. On this account, as well as some other peculiarities,
they are arranged by Dr. Latham as a separate order, consist-
ing of one genus only ; Mr. Vigors has arranged it among the
Rasors. The following are the chief:
The Domestica, Domestic or Common Pigeon, is too well
known to need description. It inhabits and is domesticated in
almost every part of Europe and Asia. The varieties are very
numerous: the Rough-footed, the Tumbler, the Horseman, the
Carrier, and the Fan-tail, are among the chief. It is about four-
teen inches long, and exceedingly variable in its colours ; lays
from nine to eleven times a year; eggs two, white; time of in-
cubation from fifteen to eighteen days ; feeds on grain ; flesh, it
is scarcely necessary to say, generally esteemed. See the con-
clusion of this note ; and also the articles Stock-dove and
Rock-dove.
Pigeon-Houses are of various kinds. Where the numbers
kept are not large they are usually of wood of a triangular
shape, and fixed against a wall out of the reach of vermin and
other annoyance; but where a large number is kept,
"Some tower rotund
Shall to the pigeons and their callow young
Safe roost afford,"
Mason's English Garden , book iv.
The (Enqs, Stock-pigeon, or Stock-dove, is bluish, neck glossy
THE STOCK DOVE. 117
The morning walk'd forth in fair beauty's bright
dress ;
The sun rose delighted all things to caress ;
green; double band on the wings, and tip of the tail blackish,
throat and breast claret colour; claws black; fourteen inches
long; inhabits old turrets and rocky banks of Europe and Si-
beria; found also in this country ; breeds sometimes in old rab-
bit burrows, sometimes on trees ; migrates southerly in winter ;
some however remain in England the whole of the year.
This has been supposed by some naturalists to be the pigeon
whence all our domestic pigeons are derived. The Rev. Mr.
Jenyks, however, in his Ornithology of Cambridgeshire, lately
published in the Transactions of the Cambridge Philosophical
Society, says, as far as he has observed, that " the Stock-dove
never coos, but utters only a hollow rumbling note during the
breeding season, which may be heard at a considerable distance.
Montague," he continues, "has evidently confounded this
species with the Rock-dove, (Columbu livia Temm.) which is
supposed to be the origin of our dove-house pigeons, and is
found in a wild state upon some of the steep shores and cliffs of
Great Britain, but is not a native of Cambridgeshire." He
adds, •' the Stock-dove and Ring-dove are indiscriminately called
wood-pigeons by the country people."
From this we gather what great uncertainty and confusion
still prevails on one of the commonest subjects of ornithology ;
and the necessity there is for a more correct record of facts
concerning it. I may just add, I never heard of any Wood*-
pigeons in Somersetshire that do not coo. With great deference
to the Rev. Mr. Jenyns, I suspect that many persons would be
disposed to call the " hollow tumbling notes" of this bird, coo-
ing, which I believe I heard in Forest-hill wood, in May 1827.
The Poets generally concur with the commonly received opi-
nion, that the Stock-dove coos ; and although, as we have seen in
the Introduction, their statements are not to be implicitly relied
118 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
What time became ting'd with his radiance the sky,
The Eagle majestic was soaring on high ;
on, yet, where so much concurrent testimony is extant, the sub-
ject most certainly deserves further inquiry ; and in this respect
Mr. Jenyns merits the thanks of the Natural Historian for the
facts which he has recorded concerning this bird ; and it is to be
hoped that we shall, ere long, become better acquainted with
the columba livia, or Rock-dove, to which the reverend gen-
tleman has alluded.
I heard a Stock-dove sing or say,
His homely tale this very day ;
His voice was buried among trees,
Yet to be come at by the breeze :
He did not cease ; but cooed and cooed ;
And somewhat pensively he wooed;
He sang of love with quiet blending,
Slow to begin and never ending;
Of serious faith, and inward glee,
That was the song — the song for me.
Wordsworth.
The Stock-dove, recluse with her mate,
Conceals her fond bliss in the grove,
And, murmuring, seems to repeat,
That May is the mother of love.
Cunningham.
For an account of the Ring-dove or Wood-pigeon, see the
Ring-dove's Lament.
The Livia, Rock-dove, Wild- dove, White-rumped Pigeon, or
Rockier, has been considered, by some ornithologists, as a sepa-
rate species, by Dr. Latham as a variety only of the Stock-dove.
Mr. Selby, in his Illustrations of British Ornithology, considers
it as a distinct species, in this agreeing with the Rev. Mr.
Jenyns as noticed in the last article. The Rock-dove is said, in
THE TURTLE DOVE. 119
Around him flew Falcons, the while in the air
Birds many and noisy his presence declare.
form and size, to be very nearly like the Stock-dove, but the
Rock-dove is rather more slender; the predominant shades of
each are much the same, the principal variations consisting in
the colour of the rump, which, in the Stock-dove, is invariably
bluish grey, but in the Rock-dove generally ichite, hence one of
its names. The habits of these two species are however more
strongly marked; while the Stock-dove inhabits woods and the
interior of the country, the Rock-dove is always met with in
rocky places and those principally on the sea coast. It is found
on various cliffs on our own shores, particularly on Caldy island
in South Wales, and in the Orkneys, breeding in the innermost
recesses of caves of very large dimensions, beyond the situation
chosen by auks, gulls, &c. It is also very numerous on the
rocky islands of the Mediterranean, abundant in North Africa
and on the island of Teneriffe. In short it appears that this
species, and not the Stock-dove, is the genuine original of our
Domestic Pigeons. Eggs two, white; breeds in a wild state
only two or three times a year.
The Turtur, Dove, Turtle Dove, Common Turtle, or Culver *
inhabits Europe, China, and India ; it arrives in this country in
the spring and leaves it in September; the back is grey, breast
flesh colour; on each side of the neck a spot of black, feathers
tipt with white; tail feathers tipt with white; length twelve
inches. Two other varieties. Migrates in flocks; breeds in
thick woods ; very shy and retired ; a pest to fields of peas.
It is found in this country chiefly in Kent ; more rarely in the
west or north; I never saw it in a wild state in Somersetshire.
Its nest is said to be composed of sticks ; eggs two, white.
The supposed faithfulness of this bird to its male is very ques-
* u Like as the Culver on the bared bough
Sits mourning for the absence of her mate."
Spencer, Sonnet Ixxxviii.
1
120 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
On a rock high, commanding, the monarch, at length,
Perch'd with grace while displaying his wings of broad
strength.
tionable, although the poets have been so profuse in their appeals
to it. One of the latest poems relative to the Dove, is written
and set to music by Mr. Bowles ; it is a song of which the fol-
lowing is the first stanza ;
" Go beautiful and gentle Dove
And greet the morning ray,
For lo ! the sun shines bright above,
And the rain is pass'd away."
The Carolinensis, Carolina Pigeon, or Turtle-dove, of the
United States, is twelve inches long; upper part of the neck
and wings slaty bine ; back, scapulars, and lesser wing coverts,
ashy brown; tertials spotted with black; primaries edged with
white ; beneath whitish ; eggs two, deposited in a nest rudely
constructed in an evergreen, a vine, an apple tree, or on the
ground ; male and female unite in feeding the young. Its coo-
ing sounds very melancholy, but is nevertheless not so, in reali-
ty, being the notes of its amorous affection ; feeds on a variety of
seeds and berries ; flesh good. This bird winters in the South-
ern, and is frequent in the Northern States of America, during
the summer.
The Passerina, Ground Pigeon, or Mountain Dove, has a
purplish body, wings and tail dusky. Three other varieties ;
six and a quarter inches long ; inhabits the warm parts of
America; feeds on seeds; frequents rocky and mountainous
places.
" Musical
The love-lorn cooing of. the mountain dove
That woos to pleasing thoughtfulness the soul."
Grainger's Sugar-cane.
The Migratoria, or Passenger Pigeon, inhabits North
America; body above cinereous, beneath vinaceons ; breast
GREAT CROWNED INDIAN PIGEON. 121
All Nature was pleas'd: even the clouds o'er the earth
In airy light shadows seemed dancing with mirth ;
rufous; wing coverts spotted with black; sides of the neck
purple ; from fifteen to sixteen inches long; flies in large flocks ;
troublesome to rice and corn fields. They are seen over the
back woods of America, flying in columns often miles long,
where they are caught in a similar way that Bird-catchers around
London catch smallbirds, with nets, and some pigeons tied to
sticks as fluttering decoys. They are also obtained in other ways.
Their nests are on trees; but they hatch only one bird at a time,
which, while yet young, becomes very fat. This bird affords,
by its abundance, considerable support not only to the Indians
but to the whites; and also to birds of prey, and even pigs, who
pick up the young pigeons that fall from the nests to the ground.
The Coronata, or Great Crowned Indian Pigeon, is
bluish, above cinereous; shoulders ferruginous; crest erect?
compressed, five inches long; size of a turkey; brought occasi-
onally alive to this country. Although so gigantic a pigeon, it
has the cooing and all the other characteristics of the tribe. In-
habits New Guinea; it is, of course, a fine and valuable bird.
The Bantamensis has a loud cooing note, for which, in its na~
tive island, Java, it is much admired; a great price is sometimes
paid for this bird. Horsfield.
Of all the pigeon tribe the Carrier and Horseman are the most
extraordinary. These, by training, may be taken to a great dis=
tance from their home, and yet they will, on being let loose, im-
mediately fly to their accustomed habitation.
" Led by what chart, transports the timid dove —
The wreaths of conquest, or the vows of love?
Say, through the clouds what compass points her flight?
Monarchs have gaz'd and nations bless'd the sight.
Pile rocks on rocks, bid woods and mountains rise,
Eclipse her native shades, her native skies; —
'Tis vain ! through Ether's pathless wilds she goes,
And lights at last where all her cares repose.
122 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Or disparting like rocks, or as turrets high, strong,
They gracefully mov'd fields of ether along ;
Sweet bird, thy truth shall Harlem's walls attest,
And unborn ages consecrate thy nest."
Rogers's Pleasures of Memory.
During the siege of Harlem when that city was reduced to
the last extremity, and on the point of opening its gates to a
base and barbarous enemy, a design was formed to relieve it;
the intelligence was conveyed to the citizens by a letter which
was tied under the wing of a Pigeon. Pliny also informs us,
that the same messenger was employed at the siege of Mutina.
The habits and manners of the domestic pigeon are interest-
ing. The mode in which they feed their young, by placing their
bills in the young ones' mouths and ejecting the food from the
crop by a sort of pumping, is peculiar to this tribe. Their crop
and its secretion are also peculiar. See the Introduction.
Although domesticated pigeons breed very often in the year,
the Rock-dove very rarely breeds more than twice or thrice;
the increased fecundity of the tame pigeon, arising, it is said,
merely from domestication ; but we do not yet know enough
either of the Stock-dove or Rock-dove in their wild state to describe
their habits with precision. The Sport of shooting- at pigeons
from a given distance is. a very common one in the neigh-
bourhood of London; it is extremely to be regretted that intel*
lectual man either cannot or will not find a more rational method
of employing his time. Robert Bloomfield in his Remains,
has touched upon this subject with his usual naive* 1 6 — the reader
who feels like myself on this subject, will be pleased to consult
the Birds and Insects' Post Office in that Poet's posthumous
volumes. — Drayton well expresses a habit of this tribe :
Ci And turning round and round with cutty-coo."
Noah's Ark.
Some laws are in existence for the protection of pigeons as
property ; they are rarely, if ever, it is presumed, acted upon.
THE SWAN. 123
While many a cloudling unfolded in light
His lining- of gold or of silvery white.
Oh, how shall description with pencil or pen
Pourtray all the Birds now in grove or in glen!
H«re the trees' bending branches the Perchers pos-
sess;
There the Waders and Swimmers the waters caress;
While the Scratchers of Earth sought a worm;
with a bound
The Snatchers flew swiftly aloft and around.*
The Lord of the boundless bright realm of the Air,
With his broad sweeping wing, the proud Eagle, was
there,f
His cere and his feet ting'd with yellowish gold ;
At once he appear'd both rnajectic and bold :
With an eye, beak, and talons, that fierceness express,
Yet both plumage and air what is noble confess, —
A mien most imposing— a monarch supreme.
The Swan,( 4 ) too, sailed stately adown the clear stream;
(*) Order, Anseres, (Linn.) Swan, Goose, Eider-Duck,
Duck, Teal, Widgeon, Garganey, &c.
The Genus Anas, of Linnaeus, to which the Swan, Anas Cyg-
nus, belongs, is a very large and important tribe of birds, con-
* See the arrangement of Mr. Vigors, as described in the
Introduction.
t The thought in this couplet is derived from Percival, an
American Poet. See note (1), article Halitv'eton,
G %
124 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
His plumes of fair white and arch'd neck to display,
While the Cygnets beside him appear'd in ash-grey.
sisting of more than on hundred and forty species ; it includes
not only the Swan, Goose, and Duck, but many other birds,
such as the Teal, Widgeon, Eider-Duck, &c. The charac-
teristics of the genus are, a broad bill, a broad tongue, and
palmate or webbed feet. It is a very prolific tribe; some of the
species are found in almost every region of the globe.
The Swan is found both in a tame and wild state. The
Tame Swan or Mute Swan, Cygnus (olor), is next to the bus-
tard, the largest of our British birds, being upwards of five feet
in length, much, however, of which consisting of a very long
neck ; it is distinguished by its hissing; its plumage till the se-
cond year is of an ash colour, after which it becomes perfectly
white. The young are called cygnets. Eggs six or eight ; time
of incubation six weeks.
The swan lives sometimes, it is said, a century, or even more;
it is a powerful animal, and will sometimes attack and bear
young persons. The flesh is said to be wholesome ; but, at pre-
sent, the cygnet only is eaten. The tame swan is frequently seen
on the Thames, and, as an ornament, on many of the waters of
our noblemen and others in different parts of the country.
Several may be seen on the Serpentine in Hyde Park. It feeds
on various food ; it is generally reputed a great destroyer of the
young fry of fish ; it is also said to be extremely useful in clear-
ing pieces of water from weeds ; it will also eat bread and other
farina oea.
The hen begins to lay in February, producing an egg every
other day. Male and female labour in the formation of the
nest, which consists of water plants, long grass, and sticks, ge-
nerally in some retired part or inlet of the bank of the water
on which they are kept. Swan's eggs are white and much lar-
ger than those of a goose.— It is extremely dangerous to be
approached during incubation. This bird is sometimes called
THE WILD SWAN. 125
There were Fieldfares in troops ; of the Missel-
Thrush few ;
These their songs on the elm now and then would
renew,
the mute swan, from its uttering no sound except its hissing. It
is a stately and ornamental bird : thus Thomson:
*■ The stately sailing swan
Gives out his snowy plumage to the gale,
And, arching proud his neck, with oary feet
Bears onward fierce and guards his osier isle
Protective of his young."
Spring.
Swans and their eggs are protected by several statutes : whe-
ther they are now acted upon I am not aware.
Swan's Down, as well as the down from most of this tribe of
birds is, it is well known, white, soft, and delicate j its use for
beds is sufficiently appreciated by the luxurious. See forwards,
article Eider-Duck.
The Cygnus (ferus), Wild Swan, Whistling Swan, Elk, or
Hooper, is inferior in size to the preceding ; length four feet
ten inches, and weighs from fifteen to twenty-five pounds. The
beak is black towards the point, yellow for some distance from
the base ; plumage a pure white. Eggs four. It has a very loud
call, greatly resembling that of a cuckoo ; utters a melancholy
sound when one of the flock happens to be destroyed ; hence,
said by the poets to sing in dying. It visits the lakes of Scot-
land every winter, but comes more southward only in severe
weather. Found in all the northern regions of the globe.
The Nigricollis, or Black-necked Swan, is found on the
Falkland Islands; the Alrata, or Black Swan, at Botany Bay.
Of this last the bill is of a rich scarlet ; the whole plumage
(except the primaries and secondaries, which are white,) is of
the most intense black. It is larger than the White Swan, of
126 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
The warbling cock Blackbird, with deep yellow bill,
Was pleas'd his loud notes in rich cadence to trill ;
which it has all the graceful action. The ancients supposed
the Black Swan an imaginary or extremely rare bird. See the
second part.
Of the Goose tribe, the following may be named :
The Cygnoides^ Chinese Goose, Museovy Goose, or Swan
Goose, inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa ; it is about three feet
long : three varieties 5 one from Guinea, distinguished by its
erect gait and screaming, is now plentiful in this country, and
said to unite well with the common goose.
The Gambensis, or Sparwinged Goose, inhabits Africa ;
size of the common goose. — The Indica, or Barrel-headed
Goose, is a native of India ; flesh good. — The Melanotus, or
Black-headed Goose, a native of Coromandel, is two feet
nine inches long. — The Grandis or Great Goose of Siberia,
is the size of the Cygnus ; body dusky, beneath white ; bill
black, legs scarlet. Weighs from twenty to thirty pounds.
Found in Siberia and Kamtschatka; where they are taken in
great numbers ; flesh, it is presumed, good. The Hyperborea
or Snow Goose, of Europe and North America, is thirty-two
inches long; general colour white, except the ten first quils,
which are black with white shafts; the young are blue till one
year old. The most numerous and the most stupid of the goose
tribe. Flies in vast flocks. — Abounds in Hudson's Bay. The
Leucoptera, or Bustard Goose of the Falkland Islands, is
from thirty-two to forty inches long ; flesh good.
The Tadorna, Shieldrake, Sheldrake, (or rather perhaps)
Schelt-drake, Burrow, or Barra-IXuck, Bar gander, St.
George's Duck, Pirennet, or Sly Goose, has the body variegated
with white, black, and light brown, or russet; flesh rancid; eggs
many, good ; lays in rabbits' burrows near the sea-shore, whence
probably one of its names ; size of a common duck; inhabits
Europe and Asia. Seen at the mouths of our salt-water rivers
THE BEAN GOOSE — EIDER-DUCK. 127
Where the waters forth gushing, in murmurs down
fell,
The Thrush a sweet music pour'd out in the dell.
in the summer season with its young, many in number, swim-
ming after it; on the least alarm, both young and old dive with
singular dexterity, and remain under the water for a considerable
time.
The Segetum, Bean Goose, or Small Grey Goose, is of an ash-
colour; from two and a half to three feet long; a native of
Hudson's Bay and the Hebrides; in autumn, comes to England
in flocks, and is destructive to corn. The Erythropus, Berna-
cle, Clakis, or Canada Goose, is found in Europe, sometimes in
America, and in the winter on our sea coasts. Length two feet
or more ; the upper parts of the body black, so also is the tail ;
front white. Breeds in Greenland, Lapland, &c. — The Berni-
cla, Brent Goose, Brand Goose, Rat, or Road Goose, or Clatter
Goose, is brown, the head, neck, and breast, black ; collar white;
a native of North America, Asia, and Europe ; migrates south-
erly in autumn ; flies in wedge-shaped flocks, with perpetual
cackling; flesh, when tamed, good.
The Molissima, Edder, Eider-Duck, Eider Goose, Cuthbert
Duck, or Colk, is found in the northern parts of Europe, Asia,
and America ; length twenty-two inches ; bill cylindrical, cere
divided behind and wrinkled. The male is white above, but
black beneath and behind; the female greenish; the eggs some-
what less than those of a goose, are five, greenish, in a nest
strewed with its own down taken chiefly from the breast; time
of incubation a month ; flesh and eggs good. Rarely if ever
seen in the south of England; it breeds in Scotland, particularly
on the Western Isles ; and on Farn Islands, on the coast of
Northumberland; it has also been seen in Norfolk.
The Eider-Duck is a long lived bird ; it has been observed
to occupy the same nest for twenty years successively; the
down is the lightest and warmest known ; that termed live down.
128 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
While all breathless and silent crept softly delight
To listen with day to the Songster of Night :
and found in the nest, is most valued; that which is plucked from
*he dead bird is little esteemed. — Eidei' Down is imported
chiefly from Iceland and other northern countries. It is col-
lected from the nests of the birds ; if the nest be deprived of
its down, the female takes a fresh quantity from her breast ; but
if the nest be a second time deprived of its down, she cannot
supply it, the male then takes from his breast the necessary
lining. As incubation proceeds, the lining of down increases
from day to day, and at last becomes so considerable in quan-
tity, as to envelope and entirely conceal the eggs from view.
The young, as soon as hatched, are conducted to the water, to
which, sometimes from the situation of the nest, they are car-
ried in the bill of the parent bird. The food of the eider-duck
is muscles and other bivalve shell-fish. This bird is with diffi-
culty reared in confinement. Selby, in Zoological Journal,
vol. 2, page 458.
Of the Clypeata, or Shoveler, there are many varieties
found in Europe, Asia, and America ; it is about twenty-one
inches long. — The Clungulu, or Golden-eye, is varied with
black and white, head tumid violet; length about nineteen
inches ; inhabits as the last ; found on the sea coasts of this
country in the winter. — The Ferina, Pochard, Dunbird, Poker,
or Red-headed Widgeon, is found as the last ; length nearly that
of the golden-eye : eolours varied, black, white, and grey ;
flesh good ; frequent in the London market in the winter.
The Crecca, Teal or Common Teal, inhabits Europe and Asia,
and is well known in the marshy districts of this country ; it
breeds in Norfolk and most probably in other places of Great
Britain ; length fourteen inches ; three varieties. Flesh good.
The Penelope, Widgeon, Whewer, or Whim, is found in most
parts of Europe, breeds in the Northern regions, and visits
England in the autumn ; length twenty inches; it weighs about
THE WILD GOOSE THE TAME GOOSE, 129
In a thick, hazel copse he was warbling apart
Such notes as have never been equall'd by art.
twenty-four ounces ; several varieties ; flesh esteemed excellent °,
as well known as the teal, in the marshy regions of England.
The Querquedula, Garganey, or Summer Teal, is a beautiful
bird, a little larger than the common teal, being seventeen
inches long ; found in this country in the winter ; rarely seen
after April, at which time it is taken, it is said, in the decoys of
Somersetshire ; found also throughout the north of Europe and
Asia, as well as the Caspiau sea, and some parts of the East
Indies.
The Anser, or Goose, consists of two varieties: the Ftrus,
Grey Lag, Fen, or Wild Goose, is two feet nine inches long;
*he bill is large and elevated, of a flesh colour, tinged with yel-
low; head and neck ash-colour; breast and belly whitish,
clouded with grey or ash-colour; back grey ; legsflesh-colour„
They reside in the fens the whole year, breed there, and hatch
about eight or nine young ; often taken and easily tamed. To-
wards winter they collect in great flocks. They are migratory
on the continent, and also in some parts of England. They
generally, when in flocks, fly in the form of a triangle. They
have not the superiority of the wild-duck, tasting frequently of
fisli ; the flesh is not, therefore, equal to the tame goose when
properly fed.
The Mansuetus, or Tame Goose, is the preceding in a state of
domestication, from which it varies in colour, but often more or
less verging to grey; it is found frequently white, especially
the males. The goose in general breeds only once a year •
but if well-kept, will often produce two broods in a season. It
is said to be very long-lived ; some have attained the age of
100 years. The goose sits on her eggs from twenty-seven to
thirty days, and will cover from eleven to fifteen eggs. It
scarcely needs to be observed, that the feathers of geese make
excellent beds, for which they are plucked twice or more
G 3
1 3D BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRJ59.
i
That bird for whom many a harp hath been strung; —
Whose warble enraptures the old and the young ; —
{sometimes jive times) in a year. See the House Sparrow's
Speech. Geese eat grass as well as many other vegetables, fish
and worms. In the domestic state, one gander is sufficient for
five geese. Besides the well known noise of geese called
cackling, the gander is peculiarly distinguished by his hissing.
The Moschata or Muscovy Duck, is larger than the wild
duck ; length two feet two inches ; bill red ; body varied with
black, brown, white, and green-gold ; in a completely wild
state, the whole plumage is black, glossed with violet or green;
in our menageries, the plumage is sometimes white : domesti-
cated in almost every country. Found in a wild state about
the lake Baikal, in Asia, and in Brazil. When at large, it
builds on the old stumps of trees, and perches during the heat
of the day on the branches of those which are well clothed.
Naturally very wild, yet when tamed, associates sometimes
with the common duck, the produce a mongrel breed. Eggs
rounder than the common duck; in young birds, inclined to green;
they lay more eggs and sit oftener than the common duck, hence,
and from its hardiness, the breed deserves encouragement.
Flesh good. They exhale, a musky odour from the gland on the
rump, whence the name is supposed to be derived rather than
from the region of Muscovy — but this seems to me a forced
construction for the etymology of its name.
The Boschas, Wild Duck, called also sometimes Mallard,
is found on lakes, in marshes, and at the mouths of salt water
rivers in different countries ; and in Lincolnshire and Somerset-
shire, where great numbers are taken in traps, called Decoys ;
in the west of England, Coy-Pools. It breeds constantly in
the marshes of Norfolk and Suffolk, and most probably in
many other districts of this country. The Tame Duck is the
wild duck domesticated. There are several varieties; it is ge»
nerally of an ash-colour; the middle tail feathers of the male
THE COMMON— THE CANVASS-BACK DUCK. 131
With feeling's soft touch wakes the poet's sweet lyre,
And the pensive, the tender, doth often inspire.
recurvate, the head and neck of whom, in most of the coloured
tribe, are shaded with green ; the bill is straight ; collar white.
Its colour varies by domestication. Feeds on a great variety
of very different food, worms, snails, &c. The duck will cover
from eleven to fifteen eggs; time of incubation thirty days.
It scarcely needs to be observed, that the flesh of both the wild
and the tame duck is good ; the last, however, depending upon
the mode in which it is fed. In the domestic state, one drake
is sufficient for five ducks.
" In the pond
The finely chequer'd duck before her train
Rows garrulous."
Thomson's Spring.
Decoy Pools were more frequent in the lowland districts of
Somersetshire formerly than they are at present. In the parish
ofMear,near Glastonbury, there were once several; at present,
(1825,) not one. There is, however, one at Sharpham Park,
the birth-place of Fielding; and another in Sedgemoor, near
Walton.- For this information I am indebted to my friend, the
Rev. W. Phelps of Wells, a gentleman whose proficiency
in another department of Natural History, Botany, is well
known.
The Valisineria, or Canvass-Back Duck of Wilson, is two
feet long, and weighs, when in good condition, three pounds or
more; it approaches nearest to the Pochard of this country,
bat differs in size and Ihe general whiteness of its plumage :
the head is mostly of a glossy chesnut ; back, scapulars, and
tertials, white, with waving lines as if pencilled; beneath
White, slightly pencilled; primaries and secondaries pale slate;
flesh excellent. Arrives in the United States, from the north ;
in October : much sought after as food.
132
TO THE NIGHTINGALE.
Motacilla Luscinia, CLinn.) — Sylvia Luscinia, (Latham.)
Thou matchless, yet modest, harmonious Bird !
Who hath not with rapture thy singing oft heard?
Who hath not oft snatch'd, whattime midnight is still,
A moment to listen by copse or by rill ? —
A moment, in May-time, when zephyr, not storm,
Gives the shadows of moon-light fantastical form ?
Not content thou to charm us with song through the
night,
Through the day, too, thy notes oft resound with de-
light.
O say, are they sad — dost thou grieve while thy song,
'Midst the glade, wakens echo and warbles along?
Or doth pleasure — doth mirth prompt thy wonderful lay,
Or doth love — pensive love- — its soft feeling display ?
Whatever the cause, be e'er hallowed thy note,
That at midnight or moonlight distends thy sweet
throat.( s )
( s ) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Nightingale.
The Nightingale, Motacilla Luscinia, (Linn.) the Philomel
or Philomela of the poets, Sylvia Luscinia, (Latlium,) is about
six inches long; its colours are very plain, the head and back
being of a pale tawny, dashed with olive; the throat, breast,
and upper part of the belly, of a light ash colour ; the lower part
of the belly almost white; wings and tail tawny -red. Female
the Nightingale. 133
The Cuckoo was heard for the first time in song;
His voice was at once clear, resounding, and strong.
rather less than the male ; the plumage of both nearly alike. In
consequence of its unostentatious colours, its shyness, and
its frequenting thickets and woods, it is rarely seen, and there-
fore little known. Builds a nest in low bushes or quick set
hedges, well covered with foliage; and, it is said, sometimes on
the ground ; it is externally composed of dry leaves, mixed with
grass and fibres lined with hair or down ; eggs, four or five, olive
green. It is common to Europe, Asia, and Africa. It does not
appear that it has ever been found in America, although several
birds in that continent are called by its name. Three varie-
ties; one with the body entirely white; one of more than ordi-
nary size. It is said, that there are two sub-varieties of this
species; one, which sings only in the night; and another, which
sings more frequently during the day. This is, I think, ex-
tremely questionable ; for, if sameness of note be any proof, as I
conceive it is, the same nightingale sings both by night and by
day. Those naturalists have, therefore, made a great mistake,
who state, that this bird sings only in the evening, and during
the night; it may be beard in tranquil and remote woods, and
even verynear London, at Lee, Greenwich-park, Hornsey-
wood, &c. during the day; but its song is, or seems, most har-
monious in the night. It may be then heard, too, a considerable
distance, — a mile, or even perhaps more.
The curious, in regard to the nightingale, will not be
displeased with St. Pierre's account of it. " Dans nos climats
leRossignol place son nid a couvert dans un buisson, en choisis-
sant de preference les lieux ou il y a des echos, et en observant
de l'exposer au soleil du matin. Ces precautions prises, il se
place aux environs, contre le tronc dun arbre, et la confondu
avec la Couleur de son 6corce, et sans mouvement, il devient
invisible. Mais bient&t il anime de son divin ramage l'asyle
obscur qu'il s'est choisi, et il efface par l'£clat de son chant, celui
134 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Strange Scansor is he : for, like Him of the West,*
He never constructs for himself any nest;
de tons les plumages."* On this I beg leave to observe, that,
whatever may be the fact in France, relative to the nightin-
gale's preference for places where there is an echo, it is by no
means so in this country. I suspect, that there is more poetry
than truth in the statement.
The nightingale is the most celebrated of all the feathered
race for its song. The poets have, in all ages, and most Euro-
pean countries, made it the theme of their verses. It visits this
country towards the latter end of April, and takes its departure
in August, as it is said; but I suspect not so soon. We still
want a knowledge of more facts to make us completely
acquainted with the natural history of this bird. Montagu,
who appears to have been a very accurate observer, says that, if
by accident the female is killed, the male resumes his song
again, and will continue to sing very late in the summer, or till
he finds another mate. It is rarely found in Scotland, the west
of Devonshire, or Cornwall ; and, I conclude, not in Ireland.
Its usual habitation in this country is within the segment of
a circle, Dover being the centre, whose radii do not exceed in
length two hundred miles, and not one hundred and fifty, as has
been frequently stated. Its time of singing, in its natural state,
is only from its arrival till about Midsummer; but it will, it is
said, when domesticated, sing nine months in the year. Its food,
in a domesticated state, may be spiders, wood-lice, ants' eggs,
flies, and worms; it is chiefly, however, I understand, German
paste, a composition well known in the bird-shops of the metro-
polis. It requires to be kept in a warm place in winter, or it
will die. It is said that the nightingale is common in the bird-
shops, not only at Venice, but even at Moscow, and that it there
* Emberiza pecoris, or Cow-bunting : see Part II.
t Etudes de la Nature, torn. iii. p. 309, Hamburgh edit. 1797.
6
THE NIGHTINGALE. 135
All foundlings his offspring— no moment of care
Devotes male or female their children to rear.
sings as finely as in its native woods ; but this is questionable. It
is occasionally to be seen in cages in London, where it sings
during many months of the year ; but it is not, I believe, ever
known to breed in confinement here. See Mr. Sweet's letter
in the Introduction.
Although this bird in its natural state sings only for about two
months in the year, yet Cowper, the celebrated poet, once
heard it sing on New Year's Day, and has recorded the fact in
some beautiful lines; and which fact, but from such an autho-
rity, I should be very much disposed to question. It is proba-
ble, however, that the nightingale, which Cowper heard, was
domesticated. An opinion has been occasionally entertained,
that this bird usually sleeps on, or with its breast against a thorn;
under the impression, I suppose, that, in such a painful situa-
tion, it would necessarily remain awake. The thought seems
puerile; and is not, of course, entitled to the least credit; yet
Young, Thompson, and Sir Philip Sidney, have alluded to
the supposed fact; Lord Byron treats it as a fable:
" The Nightingale, that sings with the deep thorn,
Which fable places in her breast of wail,
Is lighter far of heart and voice than those
Whose headlong passions form their proper woes/'
Don Juan, Canto VI.
" Griefs sharpest thorn hard pressing on my breast,
I strive with wakeful melody to cheer
The sullen gloom, sweet Philomel! like thee,
And call the stars to listen."
Young's Night Thoughts, Night I.
" The lowly Nightingale,
A thorn her pillow, trills her doleful tale."
Thompson's Hymn to May.
136) BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Of habits unsocial — affection devoid,
His nurse's own children are by him destroy'd.
The reader will have the goodness to remember, that the poet
here quoted is not Thomson, the author of the Seasons, but
William Thompson, author of Sickness, a Poem, Hymn to May,
and some Garden Inscriptions, which well deserve the attention
of the lovers of poetry.
"The Nightingale, as soon as April bringeth
Unto her rested sense a perfect waking,
Which late bare earth, proud of new clothing, springeth,
Sings out her woes, a thorn her song-book making."
Sir Philip Sidney.
In this passage it is evident, that Sidney supposed the night-
ingale a dormant winter bird, — one of the seven- sleepers. Not-
withstanding its limited range of residence in this country, it is
said to be found on the continent as far north as Sweden. Its
wiuter residence is supposed to be Asia; of course, the warmer
parts. The sonnets and other addresses to the Nightingale are,
in our own language, innumerable ; some have been already al-
luded to in the Introduction ; one by Milton, beginning
"O Nightingale! that on yon bloomy spray
Warblest at eve when all the woods are still:"
has been much admired. Another by Mrs. Charlotte
Smith, the first line of which is
u Sweet poet of the wood, — a long adieu!"
has been also frequently quoted in the miscellanies. An evening
address to the Nightingale, by Shaw, has also had an extensive
circulation. They all, with very few exceptions, make the
song and sentiments of this bird melaucholy, sorrowful, or at
least pensive. For other observations on this charming bird,
see the Introduction.
TO THE CUCKOO.
Cuculus Canorus. (Linn.)
Thou monotonous Bird I whom we ne'er wish away,—*
Who hears thee not pleas'd at the threshold of May?
Thy advent reminds us of all that is sweet,
Which Nature benignant, now lays at our feet ; —
Sweet flowers — Sweet meadows — Sweet birds, and
their loves ;
Sweet sunshiny mornings, and sweet shady groves; —
Sweet smiles of the maiden — Sweet looks of the youth,
And sweet asseverations, too, prompted by truth ;
Sweet promise of plenty throughout the rich dale ;
And sweet the Bees' humming in meadow and vale ;
Of the Summer's approach — of the presence of Spring,
For ever, sweet Cuckoo ! continue to sing.
Oh who then, dear Bird ! could e'er wish thee away ?
Who hears thee not pleas'd at the threshold of May ?( 6 )
( 6 ) Order, Vjcm, (Linn.) Cuckoo the Common, the Honey
Guide, the Sacred, &c.
The genus Cuculus, (Linn.) or Cuckoo, comprehends more
than eighty species scattered over the globe, the characteristics
of which are, a bill somewhat arched, tongue short, tail with ten
feathers, toes, two backwards, two forwards; they belong, of
course, to the scansorial tribe. The following are most deserv-
ing notice.
The Canorus, Cuckoo, Common Cuckoo or Gookoo, is four-
teen inches long; body above, an ash, or rather a lead colour;
beneath, whitish, transversely streaked with black-brown. Two
138 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
The House-Sparrows, Chaffinches, noisy be-
came ; —
But their notes, void of melody, always the same.
other varieties, one with body varied with reddish, the other
grey, covered with a few white dots. Inhabits Europe, Asia,
and Africa; said to feed on insects, and the larva of moths;
migrates. Is heard towards the end of April, and generally
ceases to sing about the beginning of July. I heard it at Lew-
isham, in Kent, in the year 1824, on the 13th of that month ; it
has been heard in Norfolk as late as the last day of it. It would
seem, from these facts, that it is heard later in the south-eastern
portion of this island, than any where else. Flesh good. The
cuckoo is a bird with considerable powers of flight ; the body is
slender, wings and tail long; the plumage, although unostenta-
tious, is yet handsome.
Mr.YARREL, to whom we are indebted for an account of some
curious facts relative to birds, and whose paper on the evolution
of the chick from the egg is alluded to in the Introduction, in-
forms me, that he has dissected many cuckoos ; that the stomach
is similar in structure to the woodpecker's; and, therefore, fitted
for the digestion of animal food only ; that the contents of the
stomach invariably indicate the presence of such food, namely,
the larvce of some insects. I cannot learn from any quarter that
the cuckoo has been kept alive in this country (like the nightin-
gale) throughout the year. Our ignorance of its genuine food, or
the cold of the climate, or both, possibly, have prevented such
preservation.
Another fact relative to this bird, for which I am indebted to
Mr. Yarrel, is, that its testes are not larger than those of the.
house-sparrow; and hence, Mr. Yarrel seems disposed to
infer, that the sexual organs in the cuckoo are in a very low
state of excitement. May not this account for the strange ano*
maly of this bird's laying its eggs in other birds' nests?
The cuckoo neither makes a nest, nor hatches her own eggsj
THE CUCKOO. 139
Sea-Eagles and Buzzards, and Ospreys, were
there —
Those who give of their nests to the Grakles a
share.*
nor, as far as is known, does she nourish her offspring. The
eggs are generally deposited in the nest of the Hedge- Sparrow,
and are hatched, and the young provided for by this little bird.
The cuckoo is not known to lay more than one egg in any one
nest. The eggs are reddish-white, thickly spotted with black-
ish-brown, and smaller than those of a blackbird; they vary,
however, occasionally, both in size and colour.
The cuckoo does not invariably lay her egg in the hedge-
sparrow's nest, although I have never seen it in any other: it
has been found in that of the Reed-Bunting, XheLinneVs, and the
Wagtail's ; and, from the circumstance of Red-backed-Skrikes
being seen busily engaged in feeding a young cuckoo, it is
conjectured by Messrs. Sheppard and Whitear, that the
cuckoo occasionally lays her egg in that bird's nest.
It has been stated in a popular work, that, from the egg of
the cuckoo being small for a bird of its size, the hedge-sparrow
has no suspicion of the intrusion. But the eggs of the hedge-
sparrow are, nevertheless, much smaller than those of the cuckoo,
and are light-blue without a spot ; it is quite improbable, there"
fore, that so different an egg would not be discovered. Besides,
it seems very likely that the cuckoo would be seen by the hedge-
sparrow in her nest. The deception is altogether incredible.
We have no means of ascertaining the reasons for the hedge-
sparrow's permitting the egg of the cuckoo to remain in her nest,
no more than we have for the fact that the Fishivg-Hawk per-
mits the Grakle to build its nest in the suburbs of its own cita-
del. We must, at present, be contented with stating the facts
It was formerly suspected, that the hedge-sparrow herself
* See Note (*), article Haliaelos*
140 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS*
The Hover-Hawk came, too, though loth to renounce
His strong inclination on pigeons to pounce;
threw out her own eggs from the nest, or destroyed her own
young, to make room for her guest, the cuckoo, under the im-
pression, it is presumed, that it was an office of honour to be thus
employed in fostering our canorous summer visitant, but more
accurate observation appears to have dispelled these suspicions.
Dr. Jenner, (Philosophical Transactions for 1788,) found that,
soon after the young cuckoo is hatched by the hedge-sparrow,
the egg<, or the young ones, whichsoever should happen to be in
the nest, are turned out of it by the young cuckoo, and by it
alone. It would seem, that the operation of expulsion is not
less singular than the deposition of the egg itself in the hedge»
sparrow's nest; it is effectuated by the young cuckoo, in a curi-
ous manner, with its broad hollow back, which, it has been con-
jectured, is thus formed to enable it to perform this extraordi-
nary action. It is now also pretty well ascertained, that, when
a cuckoo is hatched in the hedge-sparrow's nest, there is no room
for any other occupant.
As far as I have been able to ascertain the fact, the difference
between the size and plumage of the male and female cuckoo
is very trifling ; the male is a little larger.
The song of the cuckoo is supposed to be the note of the male
alone; the female's note is said to be very different, much less
known, and has some resemblance to the cry of the dabchick.
The female, it is also said, is generally attended by two or three
males in every country, from the earliest period of their arrival.
This is, however, I think, too broad a statement, although it has
been asserted by naturalists, that the males are always consi-
derably more numerous than the females. Dr. Jenner (Phi-
losophical Transactions for 1824,) says, that "the cuckoo is inva-
riably a polygamist, and never pairs in this country." The truth
seems to be, notwithstanding all that has been observed and
published concerning this bird, that its Natural History is still
THE CUCKOO. 141
On his librating wing he was oft seen apart,
And appear'd on his prey ever ready to dart.
involved in considerable obscurity. See the Hedge-Sparrow's
Complaint.
The Song itself is too well known to require description,
being similar to its name cuckoo ; although, I think, it ap-
proaches rather nearer to the name given to it in Somersetshire,
Gookoo. It is almost always clear and distinct for some time
after its arrival; but, towards the close of the season, there is
considerable hesitation in the utterance of the notes ; thus,
instead of cuckoo being repeatedly and distinctly uttered, crick,
cuck, is often repeated in an indistinct tone, before the koo
which follows.
The cuckoo usually sings during the day} but, on May 1st,
J822, the Nightingale and Cuckoo were heard to sing at Shefford,
in Bedfordshire, the whole night through, by Mr. Inskip, of
Shefford, as he believed, in competition ; Robert Bloomfield,
then resident also at Shefford, was likewise a witness of this
extraordinary fact, an allusion to which will be found in the
"Remains" of that poet lately published, as well as several
other curious particulars concerning birds, under the head of
the Bird and Insects' Post-Office, which every lover of Natural
History should peruse. See also the Examiner for May 26,
1822, where it is also stated, that the cuckoo was heard several
times during the same season as late as ten or eleven o'clock at
night. It is scarcely necessary to add, that these are, in this
country, rare occurrences. I heard the cuckoo in Greenwich-
Park, May 22, 1826, at nearly nine o'clock at night, one hour
after sun-set.
The assertion of Montagu, whose accuracy may in general be
relied on, that the cuckoo almost invariably leaves us the fi rst
day of July, is very incorrect. It is seen much later than that,
very often in August, although it does not sing in that month.
I once had an opportunity of seeing, in Somersetshire, a
142 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
There were Ringtails and Lanners, and Gos-
hawks, a few ;
And the Falcons, like aides-de-camp, round about
flew;
hedge-sparrow feed a young cuckoo for about three weeks. It
was taken from a hedge-sparrow's nest in a hedge in my father's
garden, a few yards only from the dwelling-house, soon after it
was hatched, and immediately placed in a large blackbird's
cage, the door of which was left open, the cage being placed a
short distance from the hedge whence the bird was taken. The
hedge-sparrow went regularly into the cage with food to the
cuckoo, till it became able to fly ; the door was then closed, and
she fed it through the bars of the cage, but in about three weeks
deserted it. We afterwards supplied it with bread and milk,
and earthworms, which last, on being placed in its mouth, it
devoured most greedily; but it seemed unwilling, or unable, to
pick up either worms or the bread-and-milk. When it attempted
to pick up its food, which it sometimes did, the head and neck
were first drawn back slowly, and then darted forward in a way
that seemed formidable ; but, nevertheless, was very inefficient
as a process for obtaining food. This bird arrived at a consi-
derable size, but it was generally very sluggish and inactive. It
was found dead in its cage one morning some time in August, it
was conjectured chiefly from cold; but, probably, also, from a
deficiency, or total want of its natural food. It was, when first
taken, and for some time afterwards, both in appearance and in
its motions, a disgusting animal; as it grew up, however, its
appearance improved.
And here I cannot avoid hinting my suspicions, that the
cuckoo, even when at maturity, might be fed sometimes by
other birds; certain it is, that it is very often accompanied hi
its flight by one or more small birds, for what purpose I could
never ascertain. See the Note on the Wryneck. As, how-
ever, the cuckoo is a scansorial bird, it is very possible that it
THE CUCKOO. 143
The Kite, too, slow moving, was seen midst the host.
Many Fulmars and Razou-Bills came from the
coast.
may obtain its food unseen by climbing about on the branches of
trees where it is generally heard to sing ; it does not often alight
on the ground ; the elm is one of its favourites.
The cuckoo is, it is said, found in Java, and some other of the
Asiatic isles, but it is never heard to sing there. There is, in the
Museum of the East India Company, a specimen marked Cuculus
Canorus, a native of Java; bnt I have great doubt, from the
smallness of its size and difference in colours, compared with
our cuckoo, whether it be the same species.
Till lately, it was not known that any other bird laid its eggs
in the nest of other birds, besides the cuckoo ; it is now, however,
well ascertained, that an American bird, called in America
Cowpen or Cow-bunting, (see the Notes of the Second Part,)^
lays its eggs in other birds' nests, and takes no care whatever of
its offspring.
Upon the whole, the Natural History of this bird is most extra-
ordinary ; and I have, therefore, been somewhat minute concern-
ing it. Its notes, although monotonous, are mingled with some
of our most agreeable associations, with the vivifying Spring,
with May, and the season of flowers.
The poems containing allusions to the cuckoo are innumera-
ble; Logan has given us a beautiful little Ode to the Cuckoo,
with which the reader will be much pleased. I cannot find
room for it here; the following is the first stanza of it:
" Hail, beauteous stranger of the grove,
Thou messenger of spring!
Now Heaven repairs thy rural seat,
And woods thy welcome sing."
The Indicator, or Honey Guide Cuckoo, is a rusty grey,
and is fond of honey ; it inhabits the interior of Africa ; its notes
144 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Some Pheasants( 7 ) were there, too, in robes of bright
dye;
The Rooks, e'er gregarious, came soaring on high :
resemble chern, chern, by which it is said to conduct the inhabi-
tants to the nests of the wild bees; hence, it is highly esteemed
by the Hottentots, who deem it criminal to injure or de-
stroy it.
The Honoratus, or the Sacred Cuckoo, having a blackish
body spotted with white, inhabits Malabar; feeds on reptiles
injurious to vegetation, and hence preserved with great care,
and venerated by the natives.
The Vetula, or Long-billed rain Cuckoo, inhabits Ja-
maica, is easily tamed, and sings before rain ; it U fifteen inches
long, body brownish, bill long, flies short, feeds on insects,
worms, and small serpents.
The Orient alls, a native of Java, has a note conveyed by the
letters Toohoo; or, as Dr. Horsfield has it, Tuhu.
The Flatus is also a native of Java, and perhaps the most
musical of the tribe; it has three different strains. It is consi-
dered, however, by the natives of that island, as a bird of bad
omen. — Horsfield.
( 7 ) Order, Gallina, (Linn.) Pheasant, the Common, the
Courier, the Golden, Cock and Hen, &c.
The Genus Phasianus of Linnaeus, or Pheasant, consists of
twenty-four species scattered over the globe ; it includes, not
only the Pheasant, properly so called, but also the Cock and Hen,
those well-known domestic birds. This tribe is distinguished
by a short, strong bill ; cheeks covered with a smooth, naked
skin ; legs generally with spurs. The following are the chief:
The Colchicus, Pheasant, or Common Pheasant, comprises
the following varieties -.—Common Pheasant, rufous, head blue ;—
the Ringed Pheasant, collar white;— the Variegated Pheasant,
THE PHEASANT. 145
Those whom soon will science instruct us to know,
By their white-yellow beaks from the black of the
Crow. —
white varied with rufous; — the White Pheasant, white, with
small black spots on the neck ; — the Pied Pheasant, rufous, varied
with brown j — the Turkey Pheasant. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and
Africa ; from two to three feet long ; domesticated every where ;
in breeding time, above the ears on each side, is a golden fea-
thered tuft like a horn. From its being a bird of heavy flight,
it has never been able to visit America. It is said, however, to
be reared in St. Domingo, where it was taken by the Spaniards.
Of all birds, except the peacock, the pheasant has the most
beautiful and variegated plumage. The varieties are produced
either by climate or domestication. In its wild state, it feeds
upon all kinds of grain and herbage, and, doubtless, worms. The
nest is rude, and on the ground, in some secret place ; eggs from
twelve to twenty ; when they are carried away, the female conti-
nues to lay like the common hen. The young must be supplied
with ant's eggs, their only proper food. From its size, and the
delicacy of its flesh, the pheasant is, of course, a valuable bird ;
although plentiful in some districts of this country, it is not so
common in the north, and is rarely seen in Scotland ; nor is it
found often on marshy land, even in the west, although plenti-
fully there on hilly regions, where shelter and food can be ob-
tained. Pope has finely, yet painfully, described the Pheasant
in his Windsor Forest:
"See! from the brake the whirring pheasant springs,
And mounts exulting on triumphant wings;
Short is his joy, he feels the fiery wound,
Flutters in blood, and panting, beats the ground.
Ah ! what avail his glossy varying dyes,
His purple crest and scarlet-circled eyes,
The vivid green his shining plumes unfold,
His painted wings, and breast that flames with gold !"
H
146 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Those whom Man, for his Sport, is oft pleas'd to
destroy,
Amidst vinous libations and boisterous joy. —
This, of course, applies to the cock pheasant ; the colours of the
hen are neither so intense nor brilliant.
The Gallus, or Common Cock and Hen, are too well known
to need description. Fifteen varieties have been named, as
follow: the Wild Cock, the Common Cock, the Crested Cock,
the Darking Cock, the Frizzled Cock, the Persian Cock, the
Dwarf Cock, the Bantam Cock, the Rough-legged Cock, the Turk-
ish Cock, the Paduan Cock, the Negro Cock, the Crowned Hen, the
Horned Cock, and the Silk Cock.
The cock and hen came originally from Asia. The common
hen is, perhaps, the most prolific of birds ; if well fed, excepting
about two months in the moulting season, she frequently lays an
egg a day. When in a wild state, she begins to sit upon her eggs,
after laying fifteen or sixteen; and, it is only from the circum-
stance of taking away the eggs, that she produces a greater
number when domesticated.
In Egypt, the eggs of the hen are hatched in stoves peculiarly
adapted to the purpose ; but it does not appear, from all the
experiments hitherto made in this country, including those by
the aid of steam, that any method of rearing chicken which
has been devised, is so good as that of suffering the hen herself
to hatch and rear her own offspring. The reader, who should be
desirous of obtaining more information relative to the rearing
and management of domestic poultry, may consult my Family
Cyclopaedia articles, Hen, Duck, Goose, Turkey, &c. It
seems probable, however, that the hatching of chicken by steam
in towns, where room is wanted for the roving of the natural
hen, and, of course, with difficulty obtained, might be made
useful and profitable, chiefly by an equable application of heat
as a succedaneum for the brooding of the natural mother.
The cock is, naturally, a very pugnacious animal; the young
THE COCK THE COURIER PHEASANT. 147
Yes, hath He, of high intellect, oft, in his pride,
With the blood of the Rook his hands wantonly dyed.
cock chicken begin to fight long before they are half grown.
The full grown cock will often attack animals much larger than
himself; the cock turkey is, in general, no match for him. I
once had a cock so extremely violent and fierce, that young
persons could not venture near him ; he has even frequently
attacked grown people.
The cock has been a subject of considerable interest with the
poets; and, in consequence, he has been very commonly called
by them " Chanticleer."
" Within this homestead liv'd without a peer
For crowing loud, the noble Chanticleer. " — Dryden.
Milton has also finely described this bird.
"While the cock with lively din
Scatters the rear of darkness thin;
And to the stack, or the barn door,
Stoutly stmts his dames before." — L'Allegro.
Of the game of cock-fighting, I can only say, that it is a bar-
barous sport, and ill becomes an intelligent being; the same
may be said of cocksquailing, a sport, I am afraid, not yet wholly
unknown in the west. See my Observations on the Dialects of the
West of England, &c.
The Mexicanus, or Courier Pheasant, is tawny-white;
tail long, shining green; inhabits New Spain; eighteen inches
long •, slow in flight, but runs fast. The Cristalus, or Crested
Pheasant, is brown above, beneath reddish- white, head
crested ; twenty-two inches long; feeds on serpents, worms, and
insects; inhabits New Spain. The Superbus, or Golden Chi-
nese Pheasant, is rufous, varied with green and blue ; with-
out spurs; inhabits China. The Argus, or Argus Pheasant,
is pale yellow, spotted with black ; face red; size of a turkey;
inhabits Chinese Tartary.
h 2
148
TO THE ROOK.
Corvus Frugilegus. (Linn.)
Thou social, thou noisy, intelligent Bird !
How oft I, delighted, thy cawing have heard !
When infancy prompted my lisp, thy loud voice
I heard soon as morning arose to rejoice ;
And my youth, long beside thy high dwelling, was
taught
That happiness was not in towns to be sought ;
And since hath experience proclaim'd the same
truth,
Which, alas ! I had heard, but obey'd not in youth.
How oft have I seen thee, with labouring breast,
Long branches and twigs bear to fashion thy nest,
While the wind drove thee far from thy dwelling
away,
Till, wheeling around, thou regained'st the spray ; —
Then, plucking the hairs from the back of the ox ;
Or, seeking of wool many soft and warm locks.
How oft have I seen, heard thee provender bring, —
Feed thy mate, or thy young, and away on the
wing.*
* The noise made by the female rook, during her incubation,
at the approach of the male with food, and when receiving it
from him, and that made also by the young rooks, at the
approach of the parent bird, is so singular, and so well known
by those acquainted with it, that hearing it alone is sufficient to
indicate what process is about to take place.
'»
THE ROOK. 149
How often at morn from my window Pd look
To see thee, to hear thee, affectionate Rook !( 8 )
( 8 ) Order, Picje, (Linn.) Rook, Raven, Crow, Magpie,
Jack-Daw, Jay, &c.
The Genus Corvus of Linnaus to which the Rook belongs, is
a numerous tribe, many of them well known in this country.
Above seventy species are scattered over the globe, the greater
part of which are found in almost every climate. The bill is
convex, sharp-edged, having a small tooth-like process near the
point. They are proline, social, and clamorous ; building ge-
nerally in trees; eggs five or six; their food is mixed, some
animal, some vegetable. The following are the chief:
The Frugilegus, or Rook, is black, with a bill yellowish
white, by which it may be readily distinguished from the Crow,
the size and colours of both birds being nearly the same. Inha-
bits Europe and Western Siberia, and well known in this country ;
builds in large communities called Rookeries, generally on the elm,
which it prefers, but sometimes on other trees. Flies abroad,
morning and evening, at certain periods of the year, in great
flocks; is very noisy. Found in this country the whole year round,
but said to be in France and Silesia migratory. It is a bird of
considerable intelligence ; it is, besides, extremely useful by
feeding on large quantities of worms and the larvae of destructive
insects, following the plough for such purposes. It also feeds
on corn, and will, if not prevented, pick out, after they are
dibbled, both peas and beans, from the holes, with a precision
truly astonishing; a very moderate degree of care is, however,
sufficient to prevent this evil, which is greatly overbalanced by
the positive good which it effects in the destruction of insects.
Eggs five, bluish green, with irregular blackish spots and streaks.
Flesh, when young, good. A further account of the habits of
this bird will be found in the Introduction. See also a poem
150 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Sweet sounds ! that of home, and of parents, and
THEE,
Will ever be thought of with rapture by me.
entitled the Rookery, in my Somerset Dialect. This bird, and
the Crow particularly, distinguished by their cawing.
Mr. Coleridge, in a poem addressed to Mr. C. Lamb, and
published in the second volume of the Annual Anthology, edited
at Bristol by Mr. Southey, in ) 800, alludes to the creaking of
the wings of this bird when it flies:
" The Rook — when all was still,
Flew creaking o'er thy head."
I think that I have occasionally observed this noise of the
Rook. In a note to the poem, Bartram is. quoted as having
noticed the same fact in the Savannah Crane : as far as I re-
member in regard to the Rook, the noise occurs, principally,
when the bird is heavily laden with materials for its nest, or
contending against the wind.
The late Lord Erskine wrote a Poem on the Rook, which
was printed and privately circulated some years since. I have
never seen it; I presume it deserves publicity.
Somervile thus sings of the Rook :
11 When feather'd troops, their 6ocial leagues dissolv'd,
Select their mates, and on the leafless elm,
The noisy Rook builds high her wicker nest."
Chase, Book iv;
The Corax, or Raven, is black, or bluish black ; but there %
are several varieties; some with a few scattered white feathers,
some entirely white, and others variegated with black and
white ; inhabits Europe, North America, New Spain, and is
well known in this country. Two feet two inches long ;. makes
THE RAVEN. 151
Thou social, thou noisy, intelligent Bird !
How oft I, delighted, thy cawing have heard !*
a hoarse croaking noise ; may be taught to speak ; thievish, as
indeed are many of the genus ; builds in high trees, or on rocks ;
eggs bluish green, spotted with brown ; feeds on carrion, fishes,
&c.j long lived ; smell said to be exquisite. The Greenlanders,
it is said, eat the flesh, make the skin into garments, and the
split feathers into fishing lines.
The croaking of the Raven is extremely disagreeable ; in the
silence and solitude of remote woods it is peculiarly appalling.
It was formerly considered extremely ominous. The poets
have, of course, seized upon this : Drayton says
" The greedy Raven that for death doth call f
Owl.
And quotes Pliny for his authority. And Shakespeare,
lc The Raven himself is hoarse
That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan
Under my battlements."
Macbeth, Act i. Scene 5.
* " I hired 'em at tha cottage door,
When mornin, in tha spreng,
Wak'd vooath in youth an beauty too,
An birds beginn'd ta zeng.
I hired 'em in tha winter-time,
When, roustin vur awa,
Tha visited tha Rookery,
A whiverin by da."
See a poem called the Rookery, in my Observations on the
Dialects of the West of England, &c. &c.
152 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
How oft hath affection — Begone thou wild dream!
Proceed we to pencil the rest of our theme.
Logan has
'* The Raven croaks the dirge of death."
A modern poet has also taken advantage of the superstition.
" All nations have their omens drear,
Their legends wild of woe and fear.
To Cambria look — the peasant see,
Bethink him of Glendowerdy,
And shun " the Spirit's Blasted Tree."
Scott's Marmion.
In the notes to the sixth Canto of which is a poem by the Rev.
George Warrington, entitled the Spirit's Blasted Tree, that
contains the following lines :
tf Three ravens gave the note of death
As through mid air they winged their way ;
Then o'er his head, in rapid flight,
They croak, — they scent their destined prey.
Ill omened bird ! as legends say,
Who hast the wondrous power to know,
While health fills high the throbbing veins,
The fated hour when blood must flow."
Sir Walter Sgott has thus alluded to the Raven in the
Lady of the Lake.
" Seems he not Malice, like a ghost
That hovers o'er a slanghter'd host ?
Or Raven on the blasted oak,
That, watching while the deer is broke,
His morsel claims with sullen croak?"
Whatever might have been the opinions concerning this bird
CROW — HOODED-CROW — JACK-DAW. 153
The Jay and the Magpie both chatter'd aloud;
The Wren Golden-crested, apart from the
crowd,
in former times, the liberal intelligence of the present age can
only regard them with a smile— the poor Raven, harsh as its
notes are, may now croak in peace,— without fear and without
any accompanying malediction. See a curious poem entitled
the Raven, in the Anthology, vol. ii. page 240, written, it is pre-
sumed, by South ey.
The Corone, Crow, Common Crow, Carrion Crow, or Gor
Crow, inhabits Europe, Siberia, North America, New Guinea,
New Holland, Madeira, and this country : it is entirely black;
two other varieties ; one variegated with white, the other en-
tirely white ; eighteen inches long ; feeds on carrion or small
weak animals, fruit, and grain; builds in lofty trees; nest al-
ways solitary; eggs bluish green, with black streaks and spots;
usually five in number; rarely at any time of the year gre-
garious.
The Comix, Hooded-Crow, Royston-Croic, Dun-Crow, Scare-
Crow, or Buting-Crow, is dark ash colour, head, throat, wings,
and tail, black; twenty-two inches long; eggs bluish green,
with blackish brown spots; feeds on almost every thing; in-
habits Europe, Asia, and this country; migrates. See the
Introduction.
The Monedula, Jack-Daw, Daw, or Chough, inhabits Europe,
and West Siberia, one variety Persia; well known in England.
There aie numerous varieties, the principal in this country is
black; but some of the varieties are brown, others white;
others with the wings white, and a white collar round the neck ;
thirteen inches long ; builds in old turrets or lofty rocks, some-
times in rabbit holes ; egg3 pale, less, and not so much spotted
as those of the Hooded-crow ; very gregarious and easily tamed ;
thievish ; feeds on insects, grains, and seeds ; utters a harsh,
shrill cry, or squeak.
H3
154 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
With the Redbreast, in converse, delighted was seen,
On abroad branching oak or some tall evergreen.
Shakespeare has mentioned this bird nnder the name of chough,
in his description of Dover Cliffs, King Lear, Act Hi. Scene 6.
" The crows and choughs that wing the midway air
Scarce seem so gross as beetles." -
And Cowper has written a pleasing poem called the Jack-
Daw ; it begins thus :
*' There is a bird who by his coat,
And by the hoarseness of his note,
Might be supposed a crow :
A great frequenter of the church,
Where bishop-like he finds a perch,
And dormitory too/'
The note, however, of the Jack-daw, is much more shrill than
the Crow's, and can scarcely be mistaken for it,— indeed,
never, by an accurate observer.
The Glandarius, or Jay, inhabits the woods of Europe and
Siberia, and is well known in this country. The wing coverts
are blue, with transverse black and blue lines ; body pale rusty
purple, mixed with grey j two varieties. Thirteen inches long;
very docile, easily tamed, and may be taught to speak ; eggs
six, dull olive, spotted with brown, size of a pigeon's. Collects
nuts and other fruits, and hides what it cannot eat ; feeds also
on corn, small birds, and eggs.
" Proud of cerulean stains
From heaven's unsullied arch purloin'd, the Jay
Screams hoarse."
Gisborne's Walks in a Forest, — Spring.
The Cristatus, or Blue Jay, is an elegant bird, peculiar to
North America ; length eleven inches ; liead with a crest of
light blue or purple feathers, which can be elevated or de-
BLUE JAY— NUT-CRACKER — MAGPIE. 155
The Woodlark his song warbled loud on the wing;
And the Titlark was eager to shew he could sing ;
pressed at the will of the bird ; back and upper part of the
neck a fine light purple, in which the blue predominates ; a
collar of black proceeds in a graceful curve to the breast, where
it forms a crescent ; chin, cheeks, throat, and belly white, the
three former tinged with blue ; greater wing coverts a rich
bine; the predominant colours of the whole plumage blue;
beneath dirty white, faintly tinged with purple. A noisy
chattering bird ; notes very various ; nest large ; eggs five,
dull olive, spotted with brown; feeds on a variety of different
food, both animal and vegetable; attacks and destroys small
birds, eating their eggs, &c. ; may be taught to speak. It is
gregarious in September and October. Found in the temperate
regions of North America and in Newfoundland.
The Caryocatactes, or Nut-cracker, inhabits Europe and
Siberia; body brown, dotted with white, wings and tail black ;
thirteen inches long; lives chiefly in pine forests; collects and
feeds on insects, berries, and nuts. Rarely found in England ;
frequently in Germany and other parts of Europe.
Of the Pica, Magpie, Mag, Madge, Pie, or Hagister, there
are four varieties : — variegated black and white, — variegated
sooty black and white, — body longitudinally streaked with
black and white,— and totally white. It is eighteen inches
long, a considerable portion of which is tail. Inhabits Europe
and North America ; well known in this country ; feeds on
worms, &c. ; builds in trees or thorn bushes ; covers over its
nest with thorns, leaving commonly two entrances ; eggs five,
greenish, with dusky spots. May be easily tamed, and taught
to imitate the human voice ; when tamed, thievish, and hides
almost every thing which it carries away ; will carry away
many things for which it cannot have any possible use. Its
notes are a kind of chattering. For a further account of this
bird's nest, see the Introduction.
6
156 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
While other birds joined in a jig or a reel,
The Goatsucker humm'd with his loud spinning
wheel.*
Gisborne thus describes this bird :
" From bough to bough the restless magpie roves,
And chatters as he flies."
Walks in a Forest. — Spring.
The magpie is not, I believe, generally considered a very
pugnacious bird ; upon some occasions, however, it will exert
its energies : my friend, the Poet Laureate, informs me,
that since his residence in Cumberland, he saw in that part of
the country three magpies give battle to a Hawk, (the Falco
Tinnunculus, I presume,) and beat him.
The Graculus, Red Legged Crow, Cornish-daw, Cornwall'
kee, Killigrew, or Cornish Chough, inhabits the Alps, Norway,
England, Egypt, and Persia ; it is violet-blackish ; bill and
legs red; sixteen inches long; it is restless, clamorous, vora-
cious, thievish, and gregarious ; builds on rocks ; feeds on
juniper berries, and insects. It is pleased with glitter, and is,
it is said, apt to catch up bits of lighted sticks, by which mis-
chief is sometimes produced ; eggs four or five, spotted with
yellow.
The whole of this genus of birds have been commonly con-
sidered as mischievous and destructive ; and, too often, writers
on natural history have echoed the vulgar opinion. But they
are, I think, beyond question, a very useful tribe, the mischiefs
which they do being very much outweighed by the good which
they produce in the destruction of worms, slugs, &c. so inju-
rious to the fruits of the earth.
* See the description of the Goat-suckers in Part II.
THE COMMON SWALLOW. 157
The Bulfinch, the Redwing, and Owls too
were there;
And some Swallows, ( 9 ) that live almost ever in air;
( 9 ) Order, Passeres, {Linn.) Swallow, Martin, Swift.
The genus Hirundo, (of Linn.) to which the Common
Swallow belongs, consists of more than sixty species, dis-
persed over the four quarters of the globe, a few of which
forming the tribe of Swifts, have the four toes all placed for-
wards; the rest three before, and one behind. Of all the fea-
thered tribe the swallow is most upon the wing, flight appear-
ing its natural and almost necessary attitude ; in this state,
it feeds and bathes itself, and, sometimes, procreates and nou-
rishes its young. The following are the chief:
The Rustica, Swallow, Chimney, or Common Swallow,
has the front and chin chesnut, the tail feathers, except the two
middle ones, with a white spot ; a variety with the body entirely
white; six inches long. Builds in chimneys; sometimes beneath
the roofs of out-houses, &c. ; lays from four to six white eggs,
speckled with red. Arrives in this country in April, leaves it
in general at the end of September; seen sometimes late in Oc-
tober. When it flies low, is said to presage a storm, in conse-
quence of its food, flies, not ascending high in the atmosphere
at such times.
The notes of ,the swallow are aptly designated by the term
" twittering ;" they can hardly be called a song, although con-
sisting of several sounds by no means disagreeable.
Gray has immortalized this bird by one expressive line, in
his Elegy written in a Country Church Yard;
** " The swalloiv, twittering from the straw-built shed :"
and Drayton, its mode of feeding, in another;
" The swift-w ing'd sicallow feeding as it flies."
Noah's Ark.
See more concerning this bird and its nest in the Introduction.
158 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Yet at their first advent, on warm fanning- breeze,
They repose a long time on the summits of trees :
The Esculenta, or Esculent Swallow, inhabits China and
the Islands of the Indian Ocean; it is only two inches and a
quarter long; blackish; beneath white; all the tail feathers
with a white spot; builds in caverns of rocks ; nest made of a
gelatinous substance, said to be obtained from marine plants,
but, most probably, a secretion from some gland in the bird
itself; it is eaten by the Asiatics as a luxury. Its chief ingre-
dient is doubtless gelatine. See the Introduction.
The Urbica, Martin, House-Martin, Martlet, Martinet, is
bluish black, beneath white, tail feathers without spots; a va-
riety with quill and tail feathers tipt with white; five and a half
inches long ; builds under the eaves of houses ; the outside of
its nest like the common swallow, of clay; eggs white; inhabits
Europe and North America ; migrates like the swallow. See
the Introduction.
The Apus, Swift, Black- Martin, Skir- Devil, or Skeer-Devil,*
is blackish, chin white ; eight inches long ; feet so small that it
rises from the ground, and walks with difficulty; is mostly on
the wing, and rests by clinging to some wall ; makes a harsh
disagreeable screaming ; builds chiefly in towers and other
lofty edifices. Arrives later than the common swallow. Re-
tires from England early in autumn.
The Rufa inhabits Cayenne, is five and a half inches long ;
affixes its nest, which is sometimes a foot and a half long, to
beams. The Purpurea, or Purple Swallow, is entirely violet,
female brown ; inhabits Carolina and Virginia, where it is es-
teemed for its use as a warning to poultry of the approach of
birds of prey, which it becomes by attacking them furiously.
The Cayennensis, or White Collared Swift, is blackish
* For the meaning of the term skir, see my Observations on
the Somerset Dialect, article To Skeer.
SAND MARTIN CHIMNEY SWALLOW. 159
There silent they sit, scarce one twittering note,
Is heard to distend the sweet fissirosts' throat.
But the Martins, in fear of a cold April day,
Deferred their approach till the season of May;
While the Swifts, whose loud shrieks make the
welkin oft ring,
Chose a day still more distant to welcome the spring.
violet; five and a quarter inches long ; nest long, conic, chiefly
of the down of dog's bane, curiously woven together with a di-
vision in the middle. Inhabits Cayenne.
The Riparia, Sand Martin, Shore-bird, or Bank Martin,
is the smallest of the British Swallows, being in length only four
inches and three quarters ; the upper parts of its plumage are a
mouse-coloured brown; beneath white, except across the breast,
which is brown. Frequents rivei s, and makes its nestin the banks,
but is most commonly found in sand-pits, where it easily makes
its nest in horizontal holes two or three feet deep. May be seen,
during the summer, in the sand-banks at the lime-kilns near the
foot of Blackheath-hill. It sometimes builds in old walls ; and,
occasionally, it is said, in hollow trees. Eggs five, white.
Habits in other respects similar to the House Martin. Found
in most parts of Europe, and also in America, where it is Called
Ground Martin.
The Pelasgica, called by Wilson, Chimney Swallow, is
found in the United States of America, but it is there, as the
swallow of this country, a migratory bird, arriving in Pennsyl-
vania late in April or early in May : it builds in chimneys, but,
in the woods, in hollow trees ; nest formed of very small twigs,
fastened together with a strong adhesive glue or gum, secreted
by two glands, one on each side of the hind head, and mixes
with the saliva; eggs four, white; young fed during the night.
This bird is four and a half inches long, and twelve in extent ;
colour a deep sooty brown ; it is supposed to winter in Honduras.
160 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS,
There were Woodcocks, ( l0 ) and Snipes, both
Grallators of fame ;
Now distinguished, ah me! in our annals as Game;
( I0 ) Order, Grall^e, (Linn.) Woodcock, Snipe, Curlew,
Godwit, Green-Shank, &c.
The genus Scolopax, (Linn.) to which the Woodcock,
Scolopax Rusticola, belongs, consists of fifty-six or more species,
of which fifteen are common to this country. The chief cha-
racteristics of this genus are the bill, more than an inch and
half long, slender, straight, weak. Nostrils linear, lodged in a
furrow j tongue slender, pointed; toes divided to their origin,
or slightly connected ; back toe small. The chief of these are
the following :
The Rusticola, or Woodcock, is fifteen inches long ; bill
three inches, straight and reddish at the base ; forehead cinere-
ous, the rest of the upper part of the body a mixture of ferrugi-
nous black and grey disposed in bars ; beneath yellowish white,
with dusky streaks. Flesh and intestines good. Five or six va-
rieties, with white or pale straw-coloured body, spotted or other-
wise diversified. In the summer they retreat in France to the
loftier mountains, and from England towards the mountainous
regions of Norway and Sweden; some, it is said, to America;
but a few remain in this country the whole year, and, of course,
breed here. They are found as far south as Smyrna, Aleppo,
and Barbary, and as far East as Japan. They are also found in
Canada and Cape Breton.
This bird is dressed for being eaten without having its intes-
tines taken out.
What ground there may be for the saying I do not know, but
Philips, in his Cyder,has the following lines on the woodcock:
" The woodcock's early visit and abode
Of long continuance in our temperate clime
Foretell a liberal harvest:"
COMMON SNIPE— GREAT SNIPE. 161
There were Curlews, by long bills and wading well
known ;
And the Crow, who to feasting on carrion is prone.
Unless it be that as its long continuance here is indicative of a
severe winter, and as long frost renders, most probably, the
earth more fruitful.
The Gallinago, or Common Snipe, Snipe, or Snite, has a
straight bill three inches, body nearly twelve inches long ; the
general appearance of the body a variegated brown ; beneath
whitish. It migrates partly, and partly breeds in England
during the summer. Eggs four or five, olivaceous, spotted with
rufous-brown. Flesh excellent, and dressed in the same manner
as the woodcock, without taking out the intestines. Found in
almost every part of the world.
" The snipe flies screaming from the marshy verge,
And towers in airy circles o'er the wood,
Still heard at intervals; and oft returns
And stoops as bent to alight ; then wheels aloft
With sudden fear, and screams and stoops again,
Her favourite glade reluctant to forsake."
Gisborne, Walks in a Forest, — Winter.
Although the respectable authority of Gisborne leaves us
no reason to doubt the accuracy of the above description, yet
the motions of the snipe, when disturbed, in the marshy districts
of Somersetshire, are not in exact accordance with it ; the
snipe there is usually found in ditches or drains, and, when dis-
turbed, it rises screaming, and generally moves in a rectilinear
or slightly curved direction, so a3 to be readily shot at on the
wing : I have not observed in it a disposition to return to the
spot whence it arose. Snipes are not often seen before they
rise : their motions are of the most active kind.
The Major, or Gheat Snipe, weighs about eight ounces,
and is sixteen inches long ; bill four inches; and similar to that
162 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS*
There were, too, some God wits, Greenshanks,
and Tomtits,
The last, though small birds, are accounted great wits.
of the woodcock; upper parts of the body similar to the com-
mon snipe. This bird is rarely met with in England. Flesh
good.
The Gallinula, Jack Snipe, Gid, or Jud Cock, is eight
inches and a half long; bill about two inches; body variegated.
Inhabits this country, Europe, Asia, and America; migrates,
none remaining in this country during the breeding season.
The Limosu, Jadreka Snipe, Lesser Godwit, or Stone Plover
is about seventeen inches long; bill four inches. Rarely seen in
England. Found in Iceland, and the northern parts of Europe.
The Totanus, Spotted-Snipe, or Spotted Redshank, is about
the size of the greenshank ; head pale ash-colour, with oblong
streaks of black; back dusky, varied with triangular spots;
wing coverts similarly spotted; beneath white. Found, though
rarely^ jn England.
The GZgocephala, Godwit, Common Godwit, Grey Godwit,
Yarwhelp, Yarwip, or Sea Woodcock, weighs from seven to twelve
ounces ; length about fifteen inches ; bill long, from three inches
and a quarter to upwards of four inches. Head, neck, and
upper parts a rusty brown ; but there is considerable variety
both in the plumage and the size of this species. Migrates
from one part of the island to another: by some naturalists said
to leave England in the Spring and to return in September ;
but Colonel Montagu informs us that it continues here the
whole year, migrating from one part of the country to another.
These birds are often taken in Lincolnshire, and fattened for
the London market.
The Cantabrigiensis or Cambridge Godwit is larger than
the common Red Shank; it has been shot near Cambridge, but
is a very scarce bird. The Canescens or Cinereous Godwit is
WHIMBREL— GREEN-SHANK CURLEW. 163
The Whimbrel, grallator with bill arch'd and long,
Was also seen lifting his head 'midst the throng.
about the size of the Green Shank ; it has been killed in
Lincolnshire.
The Phaeopus, Whimbrel, Curlew-knot, Curlew- Jack , Half'
Curlew, Stone-Curlew, has an arched bill about three inches
long ; the body is brownish ; length eighteen inches. This bird
has all the manners of the Curlew. Migrates, arriving in this
country in August, and continuing through the winter. Inha=
bits Europe and America.
The Glottis, Green-Shank, Green-Legged Horseman, or
Greater Plover, has the bill about two inches and a half long ; legs
greenish and very long; inhabits Europe, Africa, and America.
Length fourteen inches. Migrates ; seen in small flocks on our
coasts in winter, and in fens and marshes contiguous to the sea.
Breeds in Sweden, Russia, and Siberia. It has also been seen
in Africa and America.
The Arquala, Common Curlew, Curlew or Wheap, varies
much in size, weighing from twenty to upwards of thirty ounces;
length of the largest about twenty-five inches. The bill is from
six to seven inches long, dusky black; wings blackish, with
snowy spots ; body above, and breast, with dusky brown spots ;
chin, rump, and beneath, white; legs long, bluish ; feeds on
worms and marsh insects, and frequents also the sea-shore.
Inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa, and common in winter on
the sea-coasts of this country ; in summer they retire to the
mountains, where they pair and breed ; they make no nest, but
deposit their eggs amongst heath, rushes, or long grass ; gene-
rally four in number, pale olive, spotted with brown ; flesh by
some thought good, but often rank and fishy. Another variety,
diversified with rufous and black, found in North America.
The common notes of this bird are hoe, hoe, hoe ; it utters also
corlew occasionally, whence its name. Whether Miss Williams
be justified in calling the sounds which this bird utters a
164 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
The Woodpecker (") pleas'd left his " hollow
beech tree ; M
In the crowd he appear'd, join'd by rapture and glee.
u melancholy wail," which she does in a Sonnet that has many
admirers, may be questioned :
" Soothed by the murmurs of the sea-beat shore,
His dun-grey plumage floating to the gale,
The Curlew blends his melancholy wail
With those hoarse sounds the rushing waters pour."
This lady, following our Dictionaries and Poets, accents
Cur'lew on the first syllable ; it is however pronounced very
often, I believe almost always, in the west of England with the
accent on the last, Cjirleto' : I have in the text, much against
my inclination, followed the printed custom.
The Pigmea or Pigmy Curlew is about the size of a Lark;
weighs scarcely two ounces ; it is a very rare bird ; one is said
to have been killed in Holland, another in Kent.
The Curlew has been arranged as a distinct genus by Dr.
Latham, under the term Numenius, with fifteen species.
(") Order Yicje, (Linn.) Woodpecker, the Great
Black, the Green, the Golden-winged, the Ivory -
BILLED, &C.
The Genus Picus or Woodpecker, (Linn.) comprises above
ninety species, five of which are common to this country. The
tribe are distinguished by a straight angular bill, wedged at the
tip ; nostrils covered with reflected bristles ; tongue much
longer than the bill, round, worm-shaped, bony, missile, dag-
gered, beset at the point with bristles, bent back ; tail feathers
ten, stiff, sharp-pointed ; feet scansile. The following are the
chief of this very curious genus, which are principally inhabi-
tants of America.
THE GREAT BLACK — THE GREEN WOODPECKER. 165
Hast thou e'er, when alone, amidst woodlands remote,
In the forest far distant from dwellings of men, —
In the grove's gloomy umbrage, — the mountain's
deep glen, —
When solemnity, solitude, silence, excite
A feeling of awe that no pen may indite,
Been startled by some bird's appalling loud note ?
The Martins, or Great Black Woodpecker is black ex-
cept the crown of the head, which is vermilion; size of a jack-
daw ; length seventeen inches; builds a large and deep nest in
some tree, which it excavates f<*r the purpose ; eggs two or
three, white. This bird is very scarce in England ; it is said
however to have been met with in Devonshire. It is found in
other parts of Europe generally, and also in Chili. It chiefly
resides among poplar trees, feeding on bees and ants. In winter
this bird disappears. In the female the hind head only is red.
These birds strike with such force against the trees which they
excavate, that the noise is heard as far as a wood-cutter's
hatchet. The hole which they make in the tree is generally
round, and of course sufficiently large to admit their bodies.
It appears that their reasons for thus scooping out trees are
two ; the first for the purpose of obtaining ants and insects
which secrete themselves in the soft or rotten wood, and after-
wards for a nest.
The Viridis, Green Woodpecker, IVoodspite, Rain-bird or
Rain-fowl, High-hoe, Hew-hole, Awl-bird, Yapping-ale, Yaffle or
Yaffier, Woodwall or Poppinjay, is thirteen inches long ; the ge-
neral colour of this bird is green; the crown is crimson; the
rump is yellow, beneath a very pale yellowish green ; the bill is
two, the tongue six, inches long. Another variety with the up-
per part of the head and spots beneath the ears deep red. The
first variety is found in Europe and our own country ; the se-
166 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
That note is the Woodpecker's, — there may'stthou see
The harsh screaming scansor on many a tree.
cond, Mexico. Eggs five or six, greenish, spotted with black,
which it lays in a hole scooped out in a decaying tree; the elm,
the asp, or the ash, is' usually chosen, rarely if ever the oak for
such a purpose. A modern poet, Mr. Moore, has immorta-
lized this bird in a beautiful song called the Woodpecker ; it is
well known, but the first stanza it may be bete permitted me
to quote :
"I knew by the smoke that so gracefully curl'd
Above the green elms that a cottage was near;
And I said, if there's peace to be found in the world,
A heart that was humble might hope for it here.
Every leaf was at rest, and I heard not a sound,
But the Woodpecker tapping the hollow beech tree."
The note of this bird is sufficiently described in the text.
The Principalis, White-billed Woodpecker, or Ivory-
billed Woodpecker, (supposed to be the largest of the tribe,) is
black, crest scarlet, bill prodigiously strong, elegantly fluted,
and as white as ivory ; cap in the female not coloured ; twenty
inches long. Feeds on the worms found in rotten trees; sto-
mach an oblong pouch, not muscular like the gizzards of grani-
vorous birds. Inhabits America from New Jersey to Brazil;
habits like the last species. This bird from the great quantity
of chips which it makes is called, by the Spaniards, the Carpen-
ter's bird.
The Erythrocephalus or Red-headed Woodpecker has the
head wholly red, wings and tail black, belly white ; female
head brown ; nine and a half inches long ; habits like the last.
Found in North America; in the winter, grows tame, and en-
ters houses like the red-breast ; migrates ; feeds on acorns,
fruits, and Indian corn.
DOWNY WOODPECKER STARLING. 167
There came, too, the Stare ( i2 ), made immortal by
Sterne,
In a lesson which young and which old ought to learn :
The Auratus, Golden-winged Woodpecker or Flicker,
inhabits almost all North America, and is very variegated in
its plumage; eleven inches long; migrates; often found in
Pennsylvania the whole winter ; feeds on worms, insects, and
occasionally on hemes and grass.
The Pubescens, or Downy Woodpecker has the back longi-
tudinally downy ; outer tail feathers white, with four black
spots ; hind head in the male red ; size of a sparrow; inhabits
North America in vast flocks ; is bold, and very injurious to
orchards, making one hole close to another in a horizontal
line, till it has completed a circle of holes all round the
tree.
The following may be also mentioned as found in this coun-
try; but, as their habits are very similar to the Green Wood-
pecker, they require no particular notice. The Villosus or
Hairy Woodpecker is nearly nine inches long; above black,
beneath white ; found in the north of England, common in
America. The Major or Greater Spotted Woodpecker
is nine inches long ; the predominating colours of this bird are
black and white; eggs five, white. Mr. Sweet informs me
that he had one of this species domesticated, and that it de-
stroyed and ate small birds. The Minor or Lesser Spotted
Woodpecker is only five inches and a half long; eggs five,
white. This bird is called in Gloucestershire Hickwull and
Crank-bird.
( 12 ) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Starling, Water Ouzel,&c.
The genus Sturnus, (Linn.) to which the Stare, Sturnus
Vulgaris, belongs, comprehends nearly forty species, scattered
over the globe, two only common to our own country.
168 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
ye who have power, — who presume that your
will
Is the measure that every weak being must fill,
The characters of the tribe are a subulate, angular, depres-
sed, bluntish bill j upper mandible entire, somewhat open at
the edges; nostrils surrounded with a prominent rim; tongue
notched, pointed. The following are the chief.
The Vulgaris, Stare, Starling, Shepster, Chepster, or Chep-
Starling, has the bill yellow, body black with white dots; the
colours however vary ; sometimes they are a beautiful green
and purple, and sometimes white, and, it is said, occasionally
black ; nine inches long. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and Ame-
rica, and common to our own country. Exceedingly gre-
garious, associating during the winter months in well-arranged
battalions, and sometimes with other birds not of their own
tribe. The males are very pugnacious, often fighting during
the pairing season for the females with much rancour, the
females themselves being the while passive spectators. Their
docility and the beauty of their plumage have rendered them
great favourites. Their natural notes are a shrill whistle and
a chattering; but they may be taught to imitate the human
voice, and sing song-tunes. Sterne has immortalized this bird
in his SentimentalJourney : — "The bird flew to the place where
1 was attempting his deliverance, and, thrusting his head through
the trellis, pressed his head against it, as if impatient. — I fear,
poor creature, said I, 1 cannot set thee at liberty. — ' No,' said
the starling, .' I can't get out, — I can't get out.' Disguise thy-
self as thou wilt, still, Slavery, said I, — still thou art a bitter
draught!"— Page 101, Edit. Lond. 1804.
They feed on insects and worms ; but their flesh is so bitter as
to be scarcely eatable. They build in ruinous edifices or the cliff
of a rock, and sometimes in a hollow tree, and sometimes in the
deserted nest of another bird. Eggs four or five, of a pale
THE STARLING — THE WATER OUZEL. 169
Behold the naive picture, in tints strong and true,
And think not that birds were made only for you ;
For you only to sing, for you only to die ;
think not that thus could e'er act the Most High !
Yes, Slavery! hath Nature, in wisdom, decreed
That who drinks of thy cup finds it bitter indeed ;
All uncorrupt tastes will thy chalice refuse ;
And it dash from her lips will indignant the Muse.
green or bluish cast. This species is seen in this country
throughout the year; but it is suspected that some of the tribe
migrate during the summer months ; I have never seen their
nests in Somersetshire. It appears, however, that a great num-
ber of these birds have, for several years past, built their nests
in the apertures under the lead on the top of Canonbury-tower at
Islington.*
The Cinclus, Water-Ouzel, Crake, Wattr-Crake, Water
Crow or Piety is above black, breast and chin white, belly
ferruginous ; seven aud a quarter inches long ; solitary ; breeds
in the holes of banks ; inhabits Europe and Northern Persia,
and found also in this country. Although the feet of this bird
are not formed for diving, it is yet a most singular circumstance
that it pursues its prey under water, living chiefly on small fish
and aquatic insects. It sings prettily in the spring.
The Capensis or Cape Starling is blackish, beneath and
sides of the head white ; size of the vulgaris; inhabits the Cape
of Good Hope. The Ludovicianus or Louisine Starling is
above brownish grey, beneath yellow; in size and habits simi-
lar to the common starling. Inhabits, in vast flocks, the inte-
rior regions of North America.
* See Nelson's History of Islington, 2d edit. p. 237.
I
170
TO FREEDOM.
But approach! thou delight of the children of men !
Not less than of birds, both of grove and of glen,
Fair Freedom ! approach ! not, as often of yore,
In the dark robes of terror, and hands stain'd with
gore;
O come, in thy gentleness silvery bright,
And diffuse o'er the world thy benevolent light ;
Take the Virtues, — the maidens of Peace, by the
hand;
Let persuasion, not force, be thy word of command;
Bring with thee affectionate Feeling and Love,
So that those who contemn be constraint to approve ;
Let Knowledge thy constant attendant e'er be,
And man, become wise, will then only be free.
The Birds, too, shall hail thee, — around thee shall
throng, —
In one loud bursting shout of symphonious song.
Water-Ouzels, too, came, and the oft-calling
Quail,
Pugnacious, — Teals many, but not a Land-Rail ;
While the Widgeons and Pochards, and rich
Golden-Eye,
'Midst the Bean-Geese and Brent-Geese were
seen oft to fly.
Came the Eider-Duck also from isles of the west,
Where she dwells most secure in her soft downy nest.
THE KING-FISHER. 171
She to commerce, to luxury, ministers food ;
And to Sloth lends her couches, nor wholesome nor
good:
Oh, when shall conviction, the truth flash on Wealth,
That no road yclept Royal can lead unto Health;
That Labour can only such happiness yield,
And such, too, which chiefly abounds in the field ?
The active King-fishers ( i3 ) on willows were seen,
In colours most splendid, of purple and green.
( I3 ) Order, Vicm, {Linn.) King-fisher, the Common, the
Splendid, the Purple, &c.
The genus Alcedo, (Linn.) to which the Common King-
fisher, Alcedo ispida belongs, consists of about sixty species, all,
except the first named, inhabiting the warmer regions of the
globe. The characteristics of the tribe are a triangular thick,
straight, long-pointed bill ; tongue fleshy, very short, flat point-
ed; feet, inmost, gressorial. It chiefly frequents rivers, and
lives on fishes, which it calches with curious dexterity; swallows
its prey whole, but brings up the undigested parts; though
short winged, it flies with great swiftness; its predominant co-
lour is blue of different shades. The following are the chief:
The Ispida, Common King-fisher or Martin-fisher, the
Halcyon of the poets, is in length seven inches, weight one
ounce and a half; bill black tinged with orange, two inches
long. The head and body beautifully tinged with green and
blue, interspersed with yellow and orange ; the throat buff co-
lour, beneath a dull orange. Found in this country most fre-
quently about clear running streams, in the banks of which it
generally takes possession of a rat's hole to deposit its eggs,
which are white, seven in number, and transparent. Found
also in the marshy districts of Somersetshire, and throughout
12
172 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
The Plover ( ,4 ), the Golden, his whistle loud blew;
And the DoTTERELand Sanderling pass'cl in review.
Europe, Asia, and Africa. Drayton has well characterized
this bird :
" Long leav'd willow, on whose bending spray
The py'd King's fisher, having got his prey,
Sate with the small breath of the waters shaken,
Till he devour'd the fish that he had taken."
Man in the Moon.
The Halcyon was feigned by the poets to breed in the sea, and
that there was always a calm during her incubation ; hence the
term halcyon has been used poetically to imply placidity, quiet:
" As firm as the rock, and as calm as the flood,
Where the peace loving halcyon deposits her brood."
Cooper.
This bird is rarely, if ever, found near the habitations of man;
it prefers remote and solitary places for its abode.
The Formosa or Splendid King-fisher is the most beauti-
ful of the genus, with tail short, body yellowish green ; shoul-
ders, throat, and rump, yellow; wings and crown blue; bill
yellowish horn-colour ; head with a bright yellow stripe on each
side; smaller wing coverts edged with yellow; legs reddish
brown ; a native of South America.
The Purpurea, or Purple King-fisher ;— the Alcyon, or
Belted King-fisher, of which there are four varieties;— the
Chlorocephala, or Green-headed King-fisher ;— and the
Cristata, or Crested King-fisher, of which there are two
varieties, are all that we can notice.
( I4 ) Order, Grall^e, {Linn.) Plover, Dotterel,
Sanderling, &c.
The genus Charadrius, {Linn.) or Plover, comprehends
above forty species, chiefly inhabitants of Europe and America, of
which some are gregarious, some solitary. They have a roundish
THE RINGED, THE GOLDEN PLOVER. 173
There were Burrow-Ducks swimming and diving
along j
The Skylarks aloft loud were chanting their song;
obtuse straight bill ; nostrils linear ; feet three toed, all placed
forwards, formed for running. The following are the chief:
The Hialicula, Ringed-Plover, Ska-Lark, or Dulwilly,
weighs about two ounces ; length between seven and eight
inches; the bill, upper half orange, lower black ; the breast is
black, front blackish with a white band; crown brown; legs
yellow. It makes no nest, but lays four eggs in a small cavity
in the sand, just above high- water mark. Found plentifully in
most parts of the world ; frequents our shores in summer, and
retires to more sheltered places in the winter, at which time it
is gregarious; but does not leave the country, as has been com-
monly supposed. A variety found in Spain of a grey colour ;
auother in America of an ash-grey.
The Morinellus, or Dotterel, weighs about four or five
ounces ; is in length nearly ten inches ; the breast is ferrugi-
nous ; band over the eyes and line on the breast white ; legs
black ; another variety with considerable variation in its co-
lours. Inhabits Europe ; migrates to the north in summer to
breed. Is seen on our downs, heaths, and moors, from April to
June, and again in September and October. It is a stupid
bird, and easily shot.
The Pluvialis, Golden-Plover, Green- Plover, Grey -Plover,
Whist ling -Plover, weighs between seven and eight ounces;
length ten inches and a half; bill one inch. Body blackish,
spotted with yellowish green ; beneath white; legs black. In-
habits almost every where in England during the winter on
heaths and moors, and is a common object of sport ; it also fre-
quents the sea coasts. Retires to the mountains and unculti-
vated districts to breed ; eggs four, size of a lapwing's, colour
dirty white, blotched with purple. A variety in St, Domingo
174 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
While the Goldfinches, chirping and flitting about,
Were delighted in picking the thistle seed out.
The Purs from the sea rose like clouds in the air;
Green Linnets( ,s ), Pine-Grosbeaks, and Cross-
bills were there,
having the body varied with yellowish, beneath white. Flesh
good.
" With shrilly pipe, from headland or from cape,
Emerge the line of plovers o'er the sands
Fast sweeping."
A Blackwood's Mag. March 1822.
The Himatopus, Long-legged Plover, or Long-legs, is said
to be the longest legged bird in proportion to its bulk hitherto
known ; length from the point of the bill to the end of the tail
thirteen inches, from that to the end of the toes five inches
more ; bill two inches and a half long j legs four inches and a
half long, red ; outer and middle toes connected by a membrane
at the base. A rare bird in this country, but said to be plen-
tiful in the East and West Indies, Egypt, and on the shores of
the Caspian Sea. This bird is wholly white, except the wings
and back as far as the rump, which are black. The foreign spe-
cimens have the crown and all the hind part of the head black.
The Calidris, Sanderling, Curwillet, or Tow-willy, has the
bill and legs black, rump greyish, body beneath white without
spots ; another variety cinereous varied with brown. Inhabits
the sandy shores of Europe and America. It is found in flocks,
together with the Purre, on our own shores j but whether it
breeds in this country is not decidedly known.
( I5 ) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Grosbeak, Green-Lin-
net, Crossbill, Bulfinch, &c.
The genus Loxia, (Linn.) Grosbeak, or Crossbill, compre-
hends more than one hundred and twenty species, of which the
Green-Linnet, or Loxia Chloris, is one; it is distinguished by
THE GROSBEAK THE CROSSBILL. 175
The Hedge-Sp arrow softly his song in the dell
Trill'd ; the Petty-chaps louder his note was heard
swell ;
a strong bill, both mandibles being convex, thick, and move-
able ; nostrils small, round ; tongue truncate. The chief species
are as follow :
The Chloris, Green-Grosbeak, Green-Linnet, or Greenfinch,
is rather larger than the house-sparrow ; head and back yel-
lowish green, edges of the feathers greyish ; the rump and
breast more yellow. The plumage of the female much less
vivid, inclining to brown. Inhabits England, Europe gene-
rally, and Kamtschatka; gregarious in winter; builds a neat
nest, generally in some bush ; eggs five or six, whitish with
blood-coloured spots. Feeds chiefly on grain and seeds* Song
trifling, but in confinement it becomes tame and docile, and will
catch the note of other birds.
The Coccothraustes, Grosbeak, Hawfinch, or Cherryfinch t is
of a chesnut ash-colour ; wings with a white line ; about six
inches long; varies in its plumage. Inhabits Europe; it visits
England in the autumn, and continues here till April. Feeds
on hawthorn-berries, breaking the stones of that fruit with ease
to obtain the kernel. It sometimes sings here in warm winter
days. It breeds in France; eggs bluish green spotted with
brown.
The Enucleator, Pine- Grosbeak, or Greatest-Bulfinch, is
larger than the last ; head, neck, breast, and rump, crimson ;
the back and lesser coverts of the wings black, edged with
reddish, beneath ash colour. Female brown tinged with
green. Found in the northern parts of the kingdom in the
pine forests, on the seeds of which it feeds, where also it is
supposed it breeds. Found also in North America, Hudson's
Bay, Siberia, and northern Europe. Eggs four, white.
The Curvirostra, Crossbill, or Sheld-apple, is the most re-
markable of the tribe, six inches and a half long. Both man-
176 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
The Hawfinch, excited by gales of the spring,
His gratulant notes was heard also to sing.
dibles of the bill are booked and turned different ways, so that
they do not meet at the point. The plumage of the male va-
ries from a beautiful red to orange colour on the head, neck,
breast, back, and rump ; wing coverts rufous brown. Females
generally a dull olive green on the parts where the mate is red.
It does not breed in this country, but is often found in our fir
plantations from June to the end of the year. They inhabit
permanently Germany, Switzerland, the Alps, and Pyrenees;
often migratory in those countries. They build on the tops of
pine trees ; eggs whitish, with red spots. Feeds on the seeds of
the pine, apples, &c. Notwithstanding Buffon considered the
formation of the bill of this bird as an " erreur de la nature/' sub-
sequent observation has demonstrated that it is peculiarly suit-
ed to the food on which it feeds, namely, the cones of the pine.
In truth the more the structure and habits of birds are exa-
mined, the more they will be found exactly "fitted to their state
and place.''
The Cardinalis, or Cardinal-Grosbeak, is crested, red.
Inhabits North America; nearly eight inches long ; sings very
finely in spring and summer; feeds on grain and Indian corn,
which it hoards up.
The Sulphurata, or Brimstone-Grosbeak, is olive brown ;
throat and belly pale yellow. Inhabits in flocks the Cape of
Good Hope ; five inches and three quarters long; builds a pen-
dulous nest.
The Philippina f or Philippine-Grosbeak, is brown, be-
neath yellowish white. Another variety with tail and quill
feathers greenish brown, edged with yellow. The female red-
dish below. The first inhabits the Philippine islands, the se-
cond Abyssinia ; five and a half inches long; constructs a curious
nest with the long fibres of plants or dried grass, and suspends
it by a cord nearly half an ell long from the end of a slender
GROSBEAK, THE ABYSSINIAN — THE PENSILE. 177
While the Lapwing, repeating his noisy Pee-wit,
Flew around in a flutter, perchance of deceit.
branch of some tree, that it may be inaccessible to snakes and
other hostile animals; ihe interior, it is said, consists Of three
divisions; the first is occupied by the male, the second by the
female, the third by the young. In the first apartment, where
the male keeps watch while the female is hatching, a little clay
is placed on one side, and on the top of this a glowworm, which
affords its inhabitants light in the night-time! The nest of the
second variety is spiral, with an opening on one side, which is
always turned from the rainy quarter. This account of the
nest of this bird is, I confess, a little bordering on the impro-
bable^ I have no means of ascertaining its correctness. Lord
Valencia saw hundreds of the nests of this bird on a tamarind
tree in the East Indies; they were like a long cylinder, swelling
out in a globose form in the middle, and fastened to the extreme
branches of the tree.
The Abyssinica, or Abyssinian-Grosbeak, is yellowish ; the
crown, temples, throat, and breast black ; inhabits Abyssinia ;
size of the hawfinch; nest pyramidal, pendent, with an opening
on one side., and divided in the middle by a partition.
The Pensilis, or Pensile-Grosbeak, is green; head and
throat yellow ; belly grey ; size of a house sparrow j inhabits
Madagascar; nest pensile, shaped like a bag, with an opening
beneath, on one side of which is the true nest ; does not choose
a new situation every year, but fastens a new nest to the end of
the last, often having a chain of five nests in succession ; builds
in large societies ; brings three at each hatching.
The Socia, or Sociable-Grosbeak, is rufous-brown, beneath
yellowish; inhabits the Cape of Good Hope; five and a half
inches long; lives together in vast tribes from eight hundred to
a thousand, at times, under one common roof, containing their
several nests, which are built on a large species of the mimosa.
For an account of the Pyrrhula, Bulfinch, see Note (^ 8 ).
i 3
178 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
In fair robes, finely ting'd with ash-grey, o'er the
trees,
Flew the Gulls ( x6 ) from the sea on a light zephyr
breeze.
( l6 ) Order, Anseres, (Linn.) Gull, Kittiwake,
Tarrock, &c.
The genus Larus, (Linn.) or Gull, consists of nearly thirty
species ; they are spread almost universally over the globe, ac-
commodating themselves to the winters of the arctic regions,
and to the heat of the torrid zone. They have a straight bill,
a little hooked at the tip ; a light body supported by large
wings; from the feathery buoyancy of which they, it is said,
never dive ; toes before webbed, back toe small : the following
are the chief:
The Canus, Gull, Common-Gull, Sea-Gull, fVhite-Web-
footed-Gull, Sea-Mall, Sea- Mew, or Sea-Maw,* is seventeen
inches long, and weighs fifteen ounces; the head, neck, tail,
and under parts of the body white; back, scapulars, and wing
coverts ash-colour ; bill yellow. Inhabits Europe and Ameri-
ca. The preceding is the description of the bird maturely fea-
thered ; but the first year it is more or less mottled all over with
brown and white; it varies again in the second year ; and it is
probable that it does not arrive at maturity till the third or
fourth year. It is seen in winter at a considerable distance
from the coast, and will follow the plough for the larva: of the
cockchafer, Scarabceus Melolontha. It is, however, decidedly a
sea-bird, and feeds on fish and marine worms ; breeds on the
ledges of rocks, close to the sea-shore; eggs two or three, dull
olive, blotched with dusky, size of a small hen's egg.
A beautiful song of Lord Bvron's in the first canto of
* "The greedy Sea-Maw fishing for the fly.''
Drayton's Man in the Moon.
THE COMMON GULL — THE HERRING-GULL. 179
The Fuscus was there) long the fisherman's guide ;
And he, the Great Black-back'd, of Steep Holmes
the pride.
Childe Harold will immortalize this bird as the Sea- Mew ; the
following is the first stanza of it l
" Adieu, adieu ! my native shore
Fades o'er the waters blue;
The night winds sigh, the breakers roar,
And shrieks the wild sea-mew.
Yon sua that sets upon the sea,
We follow in his flight ;
Farewell awhile to him and thee,
My native land ! — good night !"
The Marinus, Great Black-backed Gull, Great Black
and White Gull, or Cobb, weighs between four and five pounds;
breadth five feet nine inches; colour white; back and wing
coverts dusky black. Inhabits Europe and America. Breeds
on the Steep-Holmes in the Bristol Channel ; eggs blackish
grey, with dark purple spots. Feeds on fishes and young birds.
It used some years since to be, and probably now is, a common
excursion in the summer season among the fishermen resident
near the mouth of the Parret, to row in their flat-bottomed
boats to the Steep-Holmes, in quest of gulls' eggs: it was ge-
nerally considered a source of pleasure rather than of profit.
The adventure is a hazardous one, and can only be safely ac-
complished in calm weather.
The Fuscus, or Herring-Gull, is white; back brown;
twenty-three inches long; inhabits Europe, North America,
and Asia ; found plentifully on the shores of this country ;
feeds on fish, particularly herrings, to the shoals of which
fishermen are directed by these birds hovering over and follow-
ing them. Eggs three, whitish, spotted with black. In the
two first years the young of this and the Less Black-backed Gull
are so much alike, that they cannot be ascertained till the ma-
180 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
The Laughing came, too, from his home, Scoulton
Mere ;
And that Arctic marauder who hunts without fear:
tured feathers appear on the back. See Part II. for a poetical
description of the gull's and other birds' pursuit of the herring.
The Ridibundus, Laughing-Gull, Black-headed Gull, Brown-
headed Gull, Puit, Pewit-Gull, Black-Cap, Sea-Crow, Mire-Crow,
or Crocker, is whitish ; head and throat black ; length fifteen
inches; makes a laughing noise ; inhabits Europe and America,
and found also in this country. It breeds at Scoulton Mere, in
Norfolk, where the eggs have been collected in great numbers.
The young birds leave the nest as soon as they are hatched
and take to the water, as do indeed most of the young of the
aquatic tribes. It is a very useful bird, following the plough
for worms as regularly as the rook. Its plumage varies: in
winter the head and other parts of the body, which are black in
summer, become white.
The Argentatus, or Less Black-backed Gull, is greatly
inferior in size to the Great Black-backed Gull, but rather
larger than the Herring-Gull. Found frequently, and breeds,
in this country. The eggs and young similar to those of the
herring-gull.
The Parasiticus, Arctic-Gull, Teaser, or Dung-Hunter, has
the body above black ; beneath, temples, and front, white. In-
habits Europe, Asia, and America ; common also in the He-
brides and the Orkneys, where they breed among the heath ; it
has been seen also in Yorkshire. Eggs two, ash-coloured
spotted with black, size of a hen's. It is twenty-one inches
long. Pursues smaller gulls till they have discharged what
they have lately eaten, which it dexterously catches and de-
vours before it reaches the water.
The Rissa,or Kittiwake, is, the first and second year, called
Tarrock, not arriving at maturity till the third year, when it
isalout fourteen or fifteen inches long; weighs about half a
THE TARROCK — THE BLACK-TOED GULL. 181
The Kittiwake, Skua the huge> the Black-toed,
Over hill, over dale, all triumphantly rode ; —
While the CoMMon, well known as the minstrel's Sea-
mew,
Of whom Byron sings in his feeling " Adieu,"
Soar'd aloft with wild screaming, and waving in light
His downy plum'd pinions of delicate white.
There were, too, some Warblers of soft plaintive
note :
The Red-start — the Wheat-ear, and he with
White-Throat ;
pound ; back whitish-hoary ; quill feathers white ; head, neck,
belly, and tail snowy ; wings hoary. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and
America; found also, and breeds, in this country, but rarely in
the southern parts of the island.
Besides these, many other species are sometimes found in
this country; the Crepidutus, or Black-toed Gull; — the Atri-
cilla } or Laughing-Gull of Montagu, called also Baltner's
Great Ash-coloured Sea-mew; — the Catarractes, Skua
Gull, or Brown Gall, weighs three pounds, and is two feet
long ; — and the Ncevius, or Wag el-Gull. The Winter-Gull,
Winter-mew, or Coddy Moddy, is said to be nothing more than
the common gull in the second year's plumage.
The eggs of gulls are collected and eaten in some parts of
Great Britain, as well as in other countries. The flesh of most
of the tribe i3 generally considered too rank for food. The
feathers would, it is presumed, make good beds; it seems singu-
lar that they have not been collected for such purpose : per-
haps, however, they may be too oily.
" Buoyantly on high,
The Sea Gulls ride weaving a sportive dance,
And turning to the sun their snowy plumes."
A Blackwood's Mag. 1822.
182 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Of the Wagtails— the Water — the Yellow — the
Grey;
The first at the stream often sipp'd and away.
Sand-Pipers ( ,7 ) were many — amongst them were
seen,
The Grey, Black, Common, Spotted, Red, Pur-
ple, and Green.
( i7 ) Order, Grall^, (Liwn.) Sand-Piper, Ruff and ReevEj
Lapwing, Turnstone, Phalarope, Knot, Pur, &c.
The genus Tring a, (Linn.) or Sand-Piper, consists of above
seventy species ; their distinguishing characters are a straight
slender bill, and exceeding one inch and a half in length ;
nostrils small ; tongue slender; toes divided, or very slightly
connected. They are found in Europe and America \ a few in
Asia ; a great many common to this country ; the following are
the chief :
The Pugnax, or Ruff and Reeve, have the bill and legs
rufous; three lateral tail feathers without spots; face with flesh-
colour granulations. They are so variable in colour that two
are seldom alike, but the long feathers of the neck resembling
a ruff, sufficiently characterize the species. It is about a foot
long; the Ruffs^ov males, fight with great obstinacy for the fe-
male, or Reeves, whence their specific name Pugnax, The
Reeve is less than the male ; the upper parts are brown ; beneath
white. Eggs four, white, with rusty spots deposited in a tuft of
grass. The ruff and the flesh-colour granulations of the face are
only seen in the summer; both disappear in the autumn. In
the young of the first year, which are called Stags, they are
wanting. Inhabits Europe and this country; but here only in
the fens of Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, East Riding of York-
shire, the. Isle of Ely, and the marshes of Norfolk ; they arrive
in these districts early in spring, where they breed, and depart
THE RUFF — LAPWING— GAMBET. 183
With the Muscovy, Wild Ducks, the Reeve, and
the Ruff,
Mix'd the Sea-Pies, the Gambet, and many a
Chough;
the latter end of September. They are caught by nets: when
fattened, they are dressed with their intestine?, and their whole
contents, like the woodcock.
The Vanellus, Lapwing, Pewit, Bastard-Plover, or Green-
Plover, is about half a pound weight; length twelve inches; has
a pendent crest; breast black; back and coverts of the wings
brown green, glossed with purple and blue. Inhabits the
marshes and moist heaths of Europe. It is distinguished by the
monotonous sounds of pee-weet, which it continually utters, and
with which it flies around or near persons, so as to be sometimes,
in moors, extremely annoyiug ; this it does, it has been conjec-
tured, to divert attention from its nest or its young. Feeds
chiefly on earthworms, which it artfully obtains by beating the
ground about their holes. Gregarious, except during the
bleeding season; and is said to migrate. Eggs four, olivaceous,
blotched with black ; it lays on the bare ground. The eggs are
placed in a quadrangular manner, touching each other at the
smaller ends: this position of the eggs is said to be common to
the Sand-piper, Plover, and Snipe tribes. Flesh good; the eggs
are considered a delicacy, and frequently brought to London for
sale.
The Gambetta, or Gambet, is the size of a green-shank ; head,
back, and breast cinereous, spotted with dull yellow ; wing
coverts cinereous, edged with yellow; beneath white; rarely'
seen in England ; inhabits Europe and America.
A lapwing of Java, mentioned by Dr. Horsfield under the
terms of Vanellus tricolor, has the notes similar to *' Terek"
It should, perhaps, also be mentioned here, that the Lapwing
has been arranged as a separate genus by many authors under
the term Vanellus.
6
184 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Although of this island both visitors rare,
The Grey and Red Phalarope also were there.
The Interpres, Turnstone, or Sea-Dotterel, is about the size
of a thrush ; inhabits the sea-coasts of Europe and America, and
found in this country in the winter, but, it is said, does not breed
here. It is nine inches long; feeds on worms, turning over
stones to look for them, hence its name. Eggs four, olive,
spotted with black. Three other varieties : one found in Scot-
land and North America; two in Cayenne.
The Lobata, Guey-Phalarope, or Great Coot-footed Tringa,
inhabits Europe, Asia, America, and rarely England ; rather
larger than the Purre ; one other variety. In stormy wea-
ther gregarious on lakes. The Hyperborea, or Red Phala-
rope, Cock Coot-footed Tringa, or Red Cool-footed Tringa, is the
size of the preceding; inhabits the North of Europe; said to
breed in Hudson's Bay; rarely seen in England. The Phala-
ropes are arranged by Dr. Latham as a distinct genus.
The Sand-Pipers which are found in England are, among
others, the following: the Cinerea, or Ash-coloured Sand-
Pjper, in length about ten inches; seen in large flocks on the
coasts of South Wales ; they migrate, it is said, in April. By
some authors esteemed the same bird as the Knot, see below.
The Lincolniensis, or Black Sand-Piper, is the size of a thrush.
The Fusca, or Brown Sand-Piper, is the size of a Jack-Snipe.
The Grenovicensis, or Greenwich Sand-piper, is the size of
the Redshank. The Squaiarola, Grey-Plover, or Grey Sand-
Piper, is rather larger than the Golden Plover. The Pusilla, or
Little Sand-Piper. The Nigricans, Purple Sand Piper,
Sea Sand- Piper, or Selniger Sand-Piper. The Islandica, Red
Sand-Piper, or Aberdeen Sand-Piper. The Macularia, Spotted
Sand-Piper, or Spotted Tringa, The Glareola, or Wood Sand-
Piper, size of a Jack Snipe.
The Ochropus, or Green Sand-Piper, is an elegant species,
ten inches long; solitary, and smells of musk; inhabits Europe
SANDPIPER— KNOT — SANDERLING. 185
The Sand-Pipers Green, and of strong musky smell,
Those elegant waders, flew over the dell.
and America; arrives in this country in September, and con-
tinues till April.
The Hypoleucos, Common Sand- Pi per, or Summer-Snipe,
has the body cinereous, with black stripes, beneath white ; in-
habits Europe and America, and common to this country, which
it visits in the spring, frequenting our lakes and rivers, on the
borders of which it makes its nest. Seven and a half inches
long; eggs four or five, dirty yellow, with pale spots. Wags
the tail, and, when disturbed, makes a piping noise.
The Canutus, or Knot, has the body above cinereous, beneath
white; inhabits England, Europe generally, and also America ;
nine inches long; eggs flesh colour, with crowded orange spots;
flesh delicious.
The Cinclus, Sanderling, Purre, Pur, Stint, Red-necked
Sand-piper, Ox-bird, Ox-eye, Least-snipe, or Wagtail, has the
bill and legs black ; body and rump grey and brown ; a second
variety with brown legs ; the breast and belly white in both ;
inhabits England, Europe generally, and America ; nearly
eight inches long; flesh eatable. Frequents the mouths of our
saltwater rivers in immense flocks during the winter and spring,
and is generally seen in the greatest numbers at or about high
water, particularly during the spring tides. They are rarely
seen in the summer, retiring to some distant place to breed.
Their numbers and compactness of association may be judged
of by the fact that a fisherman whom I knew fired at a large
body of them when on a bank surrounded with the tide, and
killed one hundred and twenty, and nine plovers which were
amongst them, at one shot, besides wounding, perhaps, half as
many more which he could not obtain. The shots in the gun
were large too, and, consequently, not very numerous, so that
one 3hot must have killed several birds ! See the Note, — House-
Sparrow's Speech,
186 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
While the wild running Water Rail ( lS ) just from
the fen,
Was seen 'midst the sedgy green pools of the glen.
( Ib ) Order, GiialLjE, (Linn.) Rail, Water-Rail, Land-
Rail, Spotted-Gallinule, &c.
The genus Rallus, (Linn.) or Rail, consists of about thirty
species, of which the Water-Rail, Rallus Aquaticus, is one.
The characters of this tribe are a slender bill ; nostrils small ;
tongue rough at the end ; body much compressed ; tail very
short ; feet four-toed, cleft. The following are most important :
The Aquaticus, Water-Rail, Brook-Ouzel, Bilcock, Velvet-
Runner, Runner, Grey-Skit, or Skiddy-Cock, is twelve inches
long ; upper part of the body olive brown ; black in the middle,
the lower cinereous ; wings grey, spotted with brown ; tail
feathers short, black; legs dusky red. Inhabits the watery
places in Europe and Asia ; found also in this couutry ; lays in
willow beds or among aquatic plants; eggs five or six, pale
yellowish, marked all over with dusky brown spots. Montagu
once found a nest with six eggs of spotless white ; rather larger
than those of a black- bird. Flies heavily, runs and swims with
celerity ; flesh good ; feeds on worms, slugs, and insects.
The Crex, Land-Rail, Crake-Gallinule, Land-Hen, Rail,
Daker-Hen, Com-Crake, Crek, Cracker, Bean- Crake, or Corn-
Drake, has the feathers of the body reddish brown, the belly
whitish yellow; wings reddish rusty; bill and legs brown ash;
inhabits redgy places of Europe and Asia ; arrives in this
country the latter end of April, and departing in October.
Nine and a half inches long ; runs swiftly along the grass ; flies
slowly; feeds on insects and seeds; grows very fat; flesh ex-
cellent; its note harsh, resembling the words crek, crek; lays
on the dry grass from twelve to sixteen eggs, of a dirty white
colour, with a few yellow spots. Two other varieties found in
the East and West Indies. It is found most plentiful in the
northern parts of this kingdom, and in Ireland.
GALLINULE — DIVER — GUILLEMOT. 187
The Divers ( is> ) were many and various in hue ;
Of the Northern, the Imber, Black-throated
a few ;
The Porzana, Spotted Gallinule, or Spotted Water-Hen, is
an elegant species, about nine inches long ; it migrates like the
preceding ; frequents the sides of small streams •, flesh good.
Inhabits also Europe and North America.
( I9 ) Order, Anseres, (Linn.) Diver, Grebe, Guillemot,
Didapper, &c.
The genus Colvmbus, (Linn.) or Diver, consists of about
thirty species, including the Grebes and Guillemots. The
characteristics of this tribe are a toothless bill ; they walk on
land with great difficulty, but swim and dive with great dexte-
rity. The Guillemots with a slender bill chiefly inhabit the sea ;
feet three-toed, palmate; the flesh is tough, and, as well as the
eggs, nauseous. The Divers frequent the northern lakes, have
a strong bill ; feet four-toed, palmate ; are monogamous ; fly
with difficulty ; and in breeding time prefer fresh water. The
Grebes are tailless, with a strong bill ; feet four-toed, pinnate ;
frequently found about the waters of southern Europe. They
are separated from the Divers by Dr. Latham, and by him
arranged as a distinct genus, so also are the Guillemots. The
following are a few of the species.
The Grylle, Black-Guillemot, Greenland-Dove, Sea-Turtle,
or Scraber, has a black body ; the wing coverts and secondary
quills tipped with white; legs red ; bill black ; from thirteen to
fourteen inches long. Inhabits Europe and America; frequent
in Scotland and the Hebrides; rarely seen in the south of our
island. Several varieties. Egg one, dirty white, blotched with
rust colour; it is deposited under ground, or in a hole in some
rock.
The Troile, Foolish-Guillemot, Sea-Hen, Scout, Kiddaw,
Murre, Luvy, Willoch, or Tinkershire, has a black body, breast
185 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
By tribes Hyperborean their pelts often sought,
Into robes warm and flexile are frequently wrought.
and belly snowy. Two other varieties. Inhabits Europe and
America ; found also on our high rocky coasts, sometimes in
great abundance. Seventeen inches long. Egg one, greenish
blotched with marbled dusky ; two, however, are rarely alike.
They do not appear to have much use of their wings, and may
therefore sometimes be taken by the hand when perched on
rocks. They leave the southern parts of the kingdom the lat-
ter end of August.
The Minor, Lesser-Guillemot, Winter-Guillemot, or
Morrot, is less than the preceding, being about sixteen inches
long; above black, beneath white. Found frequently in the
northern parts of this island. — See the conclusion of this Note.
The Glacialis, Northern-Diver, Greatest Speckled-Diver, or
Loon, is the largest of the genus, sometimes weighing fifteen or
sixteen pounds ; in length nearly three feet and a half. The
back, scapulars and wing coverts are black, marked with white
spots in a most elegant manner ; beneath white ; bill black, four
inches and a half long ; head and neck a deep velvety black.
Inhabits Iceland and Greenland ; sometimes, though rarely, met
with in this country.
The Immer, Imber-Diver, Imber-Goose, Ember-Goose,
Immer, Great- Doucker, or Cobble, is less than the preceding ;
length about two feet. Inhabits the Arctic Ocean j found also
occasionally in this country, particularly in the north ; it is also
found in the north of Europe; and said to be found also on the
lake of Constance, in Switzerland, where it is called Finder.
Its distinguishing colour is brown above, spotted with black
and white ; beneath white. Feeds on fish, after which it dives.
Builds its nest on the water, amongst flags and reeds.
The Arcticus, Black-throated Diver, Northern- Doucker,
or Speckled- Loon, is two feet long; rarely found in England, but
not uncommon in the north of Europe and North America. In
DIVER — GREBE. 189
Many Grebes, too, were there; some well known
unto fame :
The Crested, the Dusky and Eared we may name.
some countries the skin is used for various sorts of clothing and
other purposes, being warm and exceedingly tough; these qua-
lities being common to the skins of all the genus.
The Cristatus, Crested-Grebe, Greater-crested and horned
Ducker, Grey or Ash-coloured Loon, Greater-Loon, Arsefoot,
Tippet-Grebe, Cargoose, or Gaunt, is about two feet long, and
weighs between two and three pounds; crest dusky; above
dusky brown, beneath white. Varies in its plumage. This bird
is indigenous to England, breeding in the meres of Shropshire,
Cheshire, and Lincolnshire; its nest large, made of aquatic
plants, not attached to any thing, but floats amongst the reeds
and flags penetrated by the water. Eggs four, white, size of a
pigeon's. Feeds on fish, after which it dives admirably. Rarely
seen on land; it is found also in various parts of northern
Europe. — See the conclusion of this Note.
The Septentrionalis, or Red-throated Diver, inhabits the
lakes of Europe; makes a clamorous noise; two feet five
inches long.
The Obscurus, Dusky-Grebe, or Black-and-white Dobchick,
is larger than the Little Grebe ; length eleven inches. Inhabits
the fens in Lincolnshire, where it breeds, and makes a nest in
the same manner as the Crested Grebe; found in the winter in
our inlets on the coast, particularly in Devonshire.
The Auritus, Eared-Grebe, or Eared- Dobchick, is larger
than the preceding, being in length twelve inches. Inhabits
the fens of Lincolnshire, where it breeds; eggs four or five,
white, in a floating nest. Found also in the north of Europe,
Iceland, and Siberia.
The Cristatus, called by some authors Colymbus minor, by
others Colymbus fiutialilis, Little Grebe, Didapper, Dive-
dopper, Dipper, Dobchick, Dobchick, Small Doucker, Loon, Arse-
190 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Where the ocean is heard in tumultuous roar,
The Guillemots came from some bold, rocky shore.
foot, weighs between six and seven ounces; length ten inches.
The general colour of this bird is a rusty black ; it varies how-
ever occasionally in its plumage. It is the least and most plen-
tiful species of the genus, being common in most lakes, slow-
rivers, small streams, and even fish-ponds of this country. It
seldom takes wing, but dives on the least alarm, remaining un-
der water, with its bill only above for respiration, for a long
time. Nest similar to other grebes, but usually fastened to
the reeds. In the spring the males emit a shrill chattering
noise. This bird is found in most parts of the old continent,
and also in some parts of America. See the Introduction.
4)ra\ton has well described this bird :
" And in a creek where waters least did stir,
Set from the rest the nimble Divedopper,
That comes and goes so quickly and so oft,
As seems at once both under and aloft/'
Man in the Moon.
In concluding ihis note, I cannot avoid noticing the singular
confusion which prevails among naturalists in regard to the
nomenclature of this genus of birds. I have not been enabled
to clear up the difficulties which beset me. I find two diffe-
rent species named Colymbus cristatus and Colymbus minor;
these errors I have copied, nor can I explain them satisfac-
torily : a proof, if any proof were wanting, that a master mind
in the science of ornithology is still a desideratum, and a
convincing proof also of the propriety of the course which I
have adopted in this poem in not admitting scientific terms into
the text. Whether the quinary arrangement mentioned in the
Introduction may ultimately dissipate these clouds in the scien-
tific ornithological horizon, is a question still remaining to be
decided.
SNOW-BUNTING — ORTOLAN. 191
Snow-Buntings (*°) and Bantam-Cocks made a
display ;
The Wood-chats and Ortolans perched on a spray.
( 20 ) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Bunting, Ortolan,
Yellow-Hammer, &c.
The genus Emberiza, (Linn.) or Bunting, consists of above
eighty species, of which the Snow-Bunting, Emberiza nivalis,
and the Ortolan, Emberiza hortulana, are two. This tribe of
birds is scattered over the four quarters of the globe, but chiefly
found in Europe and America; several species are inhabitants
of this country. They are distinguished by a conic bill, the
mandibles receding from each other from the base downwards;
the lower sides narrowed in, the upper with a hard knob. The
following are the chief.
The Nivalis, Snow-Bunting, Pied- Mountain- Finch, Pied
Chaffinch, Snow-bird, Snow-flake, has the quill feathers white, the
primaries black on the outer edge; tail feathers black, the late-
ral ones white. Three other varieties ; in all the colours vary
with age, sex, climate, most of them being nearly white in win-
ter, but the back and middle coverts black ; larger than the
chaffinch. They inhabit, during summer in vast flocks, the
north of Europe, Asia, and America; in winter migrate to a
wanner climate; they appear in Scotland in large flocks during
the winter; rarely seen in the south of England. Builds in
holes of rocks, it is said, occasionally in Scotland; eggs five,
reddish white spotted with brown.
The Hortulana, or Ortolan, has the quill feathers brown,
the three first whitish at the edges ; tail feathers brown, the two
lateral ones black on the outer side ; three or four other varie-
ties. Inhabits Europe; rarely seen in this country; six and a
quarter inches long ; feeds chiefly on panic grass ; grows very
fat, and then esteemed a delicacy; iays twice a year four or five
grey eggs, in a low hedge or on the ground.
192 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
The Citrinel, Reed-Sparrow, brown Bunting-
Lark,
'Midst the wild warbling throng you might also remark.
The Citrinella, Yellow-Hammer, Yellow- Bunting, or Willy
Winky, has the bill black; tail feathers blackish; crown, cheeks,
and body beneath yellow, above greenish black. Inhabits
Europe and this country; in winter gregarious. Builds some-
times on the ground, sometimes in low bushes; nest very deep ;
eggs whitish purple, with irregular spots and streaks, sometimes
nearly white. Its notes scarcely amount to a song. — See
forwards.
The Miliaria, Common-Bunting, Bunting, Bunting-lark, or
Ebb, is brown, spotted beneath with black ; rather larger than
the preceding. Inhabits most parts of Europe and this
country; builds in grass; eggs four, dirty white, spotted
[and veined with reddish brown or ash colour. Gregarious in
the winter.
The Schcenichus, Reed-Bunting, Reed-Sparrow, or Water-
Sparrow, is six inches long ; it has the head black, body grey
and black. Two other varieties ; one brown, cinereous beneath ;
the other white, with dusky wings. Inhabits Europe, this
country, and Southern Siberia; the second variety, the Cape ;
the third Astracan. Builds its nest on the ground near water,
sometimes in a bush, and sometimes in grass, reeds, or even in
furze. Eggs four or five, bluish-white or purple brown, with
spots and veins resembling those of the chaffinch. The nest of
this bird is never fastened or suspended, nor does it sing in the
night, as some authors have related. — Montagu.
The Oryzivora, Rjce-Bunting, or Rice-bird, is black, crown
reddish; tail feathers daggered. Another variety olive brown,
beneath yellowish ; six inches and three quarters long. Inhabits
Cuba, and migrates to Carolina as the rice crops advance, com-
mitting great ravages, whence its name ; it afterwards proceeds
BUNTING— CREEPER. 193
The Creeper ( 2i ) of modest demeanour was there ;
Yet he seem'd for the throng very little to care.
to New York to feed on the young Indian corn ; sings well. See
the Introduction.
Several other Buntings are found in this country ; I can
merely name them. The Cirlus, or Cirl-Bunting ; — the
Chlorocephala, or Green-headed Bunting ; — the Montana,
Mountain-Bunting, Lesser- Mountain-Finch, or Brambling ;■—
and the Mustelina, Tawny-Bunting, Great-Pied- Mountain-
Finch, Sea-Lark, or Brambling. This last is rarely met with in
England. — For an account of another curious bird of this tribe,
the Cow Bunting, or Cowpen f see Part II.
( 21 ) Order, Pic^e, (Linn.) Creeper, the Common,
the Mocking.
The genus Certhia, (Linn.) or Creeper, consists of about
one hundred species, dispersed through most of the countries of
the globe; they feed chiefly on insects, in search of which they
creep up and down trees ; they breed in hollow trees, and lay
numerous eggs ; bill arched, slender, somewhat triangular,
pointed ; feet formed for walking ; claws hooked and long. The
two following are the chief.
The Familiaris, Common Creeper, Tree-Creeper, or Tree-
Climber, the only species of the genns found in England, is five
inches long, has the back, rump, and scapulars, inclining to
tawny, beneath white ; quill feathers brown; it runs with won-
derful facility above or under the branches of trees. Another
variety, differing only in being larger. Eggs from six to eight,
white, minutely speckled with bright rust colour. During in-
cubation the female is fed by the male.
The Sannis, or Mocking Creeper, inhabits New Zealand ;
seven and a quarter inches long ; imitates the voice and notes of
other birds with surprising accuracy, whence its name.
K
194 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
The Butcher-bird ( a2 ) bold, like his kinsman the
Shrike,
With his bill was quite ready a death-blow to strike :
(22) Order, Accipitres, (Linn.) Shrike, the Great,
the Red-backed, the Tyrant, the Butcher-bird, Wood-
chat, &c.
The genus Lanius, (Linn.) or Shrike, consists of more
than one hundred and twenty species, scattered over the globe ;
three, the Excubitor or Great Shrike, the Collurio or Lesser
Butcher-bird, and the Rutilus or Wood-chat, found in this
country. The bill is straight at the base, the end hooked with
a tooth on each mandible near the end ; tongue jagged at the
end ; toes, the outer one connected to the middle one as far as
the first joint. The birds of this genus are noisy and quarrel-
some; prey on smaller birds, tearing them in pieces, and
sticking the fragments on thorns. The following are the chief.
The Excubitor, Great-Shrike, Cinereous- Shrike, Great Cine-
reous-Shrike, Greater Butcher-bird, Mattages, Wierangle, Murder-
ing-bird, Shreek or Shrike, Night-jar, Mountain- Magpie, or
French-Pie, consists of three varieties ; one has the tail wedged ;
white at the sides ; back hoary ; wings black, with a white
body ; another has a white body ; legs yellowish ; the third has
the smaller wing coverts and shoulders reddish. In all the bill
is black, crown and neck hoary; body beneath white, with
pale brown arched lines ; tail white at the tip, except the two
middle feathers; cheeks white, with a black transverse line from
the base of the bill ; legs black ; length ten inches. Found oc-
casionally in England, and said to breed on some of our moun-
tains, coming in May, and departing in September ; it has been
however seen in this country in November. It is trained in
Russia for catching small birds. It does not tear its prey like
the hawk, but fixes it to a thorn for the purpose of pulling it to
THE SHRIKE — THE WOOD-CHAT. 195
Fierce and dauntless the tribe, by their cruelty known ;
The Tyrant infests not our temperate zone.
pieces. It is said to imitate the notes of some other birds by
way of decoying them to their destruction.
Of the Collurio, Red-backed Shrike, or Lesser Butcher-bird,
there are several varieties. The first has the tail somewhat
wedged, back grey, four middle feathers uniform; bill lead co-
lour. Common to England, which it visits in May, departing
in September; eggs five or six, bluish white, with cinereous
brown spots, or white with dusky spots. Feeds chiefly on in-
sects, which it transfixes on a thorn, tearing off the body. This
variety is called in this country the Butcher-bird ; it is said to be
a local species ; it has been found in North Wiltshire, Glouces-
tershire, and Somersetshire, particularly about Bristol. It is
found in Russia and France; and is common in Italy. It is
seven inches long.
Another variety has the body grey, beneath reddish brown ;
inhabits Europe. Two other varieties inhabit Senegal. To these
may be added another variety.
The Rutilus, Wood-chat, or Another sort of Butcher-bird, has
been by some naturalists described as a distinct species. It is
about the size of the Red-backed Shrike; the body above va-
riegated white and black, beneath reddish white. Common to
this country.
It is either to this or the Great Shrike that Draston, I
presume, alludes in the following line:
" The sharp-nebb'd Hecco stabbing at his brain ;"
Owl.
but this I have not been enabled, notwithstanding all my inqui-
ries, accurately to determine. We sometimes wonder at the
obscurity of the Classics, but here is a line, written scarcely
two hundred years ago, that, is not, it appears, now intelligible.
Drayton again speaks of the Hecco in his Polyolbion, Song xiii.
K 2
196 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
The Stork ( a3 ) too, in plumage resplendent and white,
With black mingled tastefully, soar'd in the light ;
thus, "The laughing Hecco." What bird he means by the
Tydy, in the preceding line,
" The Tydy for her notes as delicate as they,"
I do not know ; nor do I know to what bird he alludes, in ano-
ther line of the same song, under the term Yellow-pate.
The Tyrannus, or Tyrant-Shrike, has the body cinereous,
beneath white, crown black, with a longitudinal tawny streak ;
eight inches long; builds in hollow trees; fierce, audacious;
fixes on the back of eagles and hawks, and makes a continual
chattering till they are compelled to retire. Three other varie-
ties.- Inhabits America.
( 23 ) Order, Gralljb, (Linn.) Stork, Crane, Demoiselle,
Heron, Bittern, Adjutant, Egret, &c.
The genus Ardea, (Linn.) or Crane, consists of more than
one hundred species, of which the Ciconia, or Stork, is one of
the chief. This tribe is distinguished by a long, straight, and
pointed bill, sub-compressed with a furrow from the nostril
towards the tip; nostrils linear; tongue pointed; feet four-toed,
cleft. Every quarter of the globe furnishes some of the species.
The following are the chief.
The Ciconia, Stork, or White-Stork, inhabits Europe, Asia,
and America, yet never, it is said, within the tropics. It is
three feet three inches long ; bill red ; the plumage is wholly
white, except some of the scapulars, the greater coverts, and
quill feathers, which are black. It is rarely met with in Eng-
land ; vast numbers resort to Holland, there to breed, and de-
part in autumn to winter in Egypt and Barbary ; it is common
also in France and Spain. In most countries the inhabitants
hold them in veneration, most probably from their destroying
THE STORK— THE CRANE. 197
Distinguished and highly, in annals of fame,
The sacred Grallator from Belgium last came;
reptiles, on which they feed; boxes are sometimes provided for
them on the tops of houses ; eggs from two to four, yellowish
white, the size of those of a goose. Collins in his Ode to Liberty
thus alludes to the Stork:
" Or dwell in willow'd meeds more near
With those to whom thy Stork is dear."
In a note to the poem we are informed that among the Dutch
are severe penalties for killing this bird ; and that they are kept
tame in almost all their towns, particularly at the Hague, of the
arms of which they make a part.
The Grus, Crane, or Common-Crane, weighs nearly ten
pounds, and is in length rive feet ; the predominant plumage of
this bird is ash colour. It is common in many parts of Europe
and in Asia, migrating with the season. It was formerly com-
mon in the fenny districts of this country, but is now more rare.
Makes a singular noise in its flight, which is said to be owing to
the formation of its windpipe. Eggs two, bluish ; feeds on
reptiles and green corn. The young is good food.
The Virgo, Demoiselle-Heron, Numidian-Crane, or Dancing-
Crane, is in length three feet three inches ; the bill is
two inches and a half long, straight, greenish at the base,
changing to yellow with a red tip ; the crown is ash colour ; the
rest of the head, greater part of the neck behind, and all for-
wards to the breast, black ; feathers of the latter very long, some
at least nine inches, hanging loose over the adjacent parts ; the
lower part of the neck behind, back, wings, tail, and all beneath,
bluish ash ; behind each eye springs a large tuft of long white
feathers, which decline forwards, and hang in an elegant and
graceful manner ; legs long and black. Both sexes much alike.
Inhabits Africa, the warmer parts of Asia, and the shores of the
19$ . BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Of her cities the boast — known to Gallia and Spain —
To Afric's north clime, and the Nile's fertile plain ;
Mediterranean ; feeds on fish. This bird bears confinement
and breeds in some menageries ; its manners are gentle, and it
sometimes puts itself in elegant attitudes ; at others strange
and uncouth, especially such as imitate dancing. At Florence
a bird of this species was taught to dance to a tune when
played or sung to it. It is called in some parts of the East
Kurki or Querky ; it is common in India, where it is seen in
vast flocks on the banks of the Ganges, in company with the
crane ; it is there called Curcuma and Currakeel. The trachea
of this bird is of singular construction, not going, as in most
birds, directly to the lungs, but first enters a cavity or groove
in the keel of the breast bone for about three inches, when it
returns, after making a bend forwards, and then passes into the
chest.
The Major, Heron, Common-Heron, Hern, Crested-Heron,
Heronshaw, Hernshaw, Hernsew, or Crane, is about three feet three
inches long ; forehead and crown of the head white ; hind part of
the head feathers glossy black, very long, forming a loose pen-
dent crest ; neck whitish, scapulars grey and white, wing coverts
bluish grey ; bastard wings, greater quill feathers, and sides of
the body, from the breast to below the thighs, black ; beneath
white ; tail bluish ash colour ; legs very long. The female
wants the black and white feathers on the head, instead of
which that part is bluish grey, not much elongated into a crest.
Found in most parts of the known world, and common in the
fenny and marshy districts of England, where it builds fre-
quently in large numbers together on trees, such associations
being called Heronries or Cranaries. The nests are large and
flat, made with sticks, lined with wool and other soft materials ;
eggs four or five greenish blue, size of those of a duck. Feeds
on fishes and reptiles. This bird has been observed repeat-
THE HERON — NIGHT-HERON. 199
Nay, o'er earth wings its flight, everywhere is caress'd,
Finds protection alike for itself and its nest.
edly to swallow the same eel, which has repeatedly crept
through it. It is thus described by Drayton as awaiting for
its prey :
"The long neck'd hern there 'waiting by the brim."
Man in the Moon.
And its flight thus :
" To inland marsh the hern
With undulating wing scarce visible
Far up the azure concave journies on."
A Blackwood's Mag. May 1 822.
Craneries are not very common in this country ; they are
however occasionally to be seen. At the present time (1825)
there is, and for many years past has been, a Cranery- at
Brockley woods, near Bristol. I am indebted for this informa-
tion to my friend the Rev. W. Phelps, of Wells. There are
also Heronries, according to Dr. Latham, at the following
places : — Penshurst, Kent ; Hutton, in Yorkshire ; Gohay Park,
near Penrith ; and Cressi Hall, near Spalding. There is
also now one at Donnington-in-Holland, in Lincolnshire. —
Whitworth.
The Heron was formerly in this country a bird of game,
heron-hawking being a favourite diversion with our ancestors ;
laws were also enacted for the preservation of this bird, and the
person who destroyed its eggs was liable to a penalty of twenty
shillings. .
The Gardeni, Gardenian, or Spotted- Heron, the size of a
rook, is also found occasionally in this country; it also inhabits
South Carolina and Cayenne. The Minuta, Little-Bittern,
Boonk or Long-neck, is a beautiful bird, scarcely larger than a
fieldfare in the body; it is rarely found in this country, more
frequently on the European continent.
The Nycticorax, Night-Heron, Night-Raven, Lesser ash-
200 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
The Bittern came booming from marshes among;
The Heron, notorious for legs that are long,
From his trees' social city beside the moist fen,
Flew with wide flapping wing, to and fro, o'er the glen.
coloured Heron or Qua-bird, is about two feet long; it is rare in
England ; more common in Russia and America. It is minutely
described by Wilson. The crown is crested, which, and the
hind head, is dark-blue, glossed with green ; three very narrow,
white, aud tapering feathers, proceed from the hind head, about
nine inches long; these the bird erects when alarmed ; back and
scapulars deep blue, glossed with green ; beneath white. It is
migratory in Pennsylvania ; called in America Qua-bird, from
its note Qua.
The Stellaris } Bittern, Bittour, Bumpy-coss, Butter-Bump or
Miredrum, is rather less than the common heron ; its plumage is,
in general, of a dull pale yellow, elegantly variegated with
spots and bars of black ; the great coverts and quill feathers are
ferruginous, regularly barred with black ; legs pale green. In-
habits the temperate parts of Europe, Asia, and both Americas.
In this country it is found chiefly a few miles from the sea-
coast, in sedgy moors, where it breeds among reeds, laying four
or five eggs of a greenish ash-colour. It feeds on fishes and
reptiles. About sun-set rises in the air to a vast height in a
spiral direction, making a prodigious noise :
" Swift as the bittern soars on spiral wing."
Southey's Curse of Kehama,
It also makes a peculiarly deep and hollow sound in the spring
during the breeding season, which is called by naturalists
booming: see below. It migrates from one part of the country
to another; but it is in this kingdom scarce, and esteemed a
rarity at the tables of the great. If brought down by the gun
with only a broken wing, it displays great courage, and cannot
with safety be secured till deprived of life. "A bittern was
THE EGRET — THE ADJUTANT. 201
The Crane, in his unostentatious ash-grey,
And with pinions of power that he chose to display,.
Arose at two bounds with an eel in his mouth;
The little white Egret, too, came from the south.
shot and eaten at Keswick by a young Cantab a few years ago ;
for which shooting," says Mr. Southey, " I vituperate him in
spirit whenever I think of it."
The Egretta, Great-Egret, or Great-White- Heron, is three
feet three inches long ; the whole plumage white. It is found in
both North and South America; builds sometimes on trees; eggs
three or four, pale blue; feeds on frogs, lizards, &c. ; if taken
young, easily domesticated.
The Garzetta, or Little-Egret, is the size of a fowl ; the
whole plumage white; found in all the warmer parts of the
globe; once plentiful in this country, although now extremely
scarce.
The Gigantea, Gigantic-Crane, Adjutant, Hurgill, drgill,
Argala, Large-Throat, or Bone-taker, is the largest of the tribe,
expanding fourteen feet ten inches ; the bill is of a vast size, yel-
lowish-white or horn colour, and opens very far up into the head;
the head and neck naked ; front yellow; on the lower part of
the neck, and before, is a large conical pouch ; the upper part
of the back and shoulders furnished with white feathers ; back
and wing coverts deep bluish ash; beneath white. Inhabits the
East Indies and Africa; feeds on various reptiles; a very useful
bird, and hence much respected. The feathers of the vent used
by the ladies as ornaments for the head in a similar way as those
of the ostrich.
A Crane is described in Chandler's Travels in Asia Minor,
as having a white body with black pinions; it is like a heron,
but much larger ; it builds frequently on domes, and other build-
ings. They often make a great clatter with their long beaks,
which is sometimes repeated by others all over the town. This
noise is sometimes continued through the whole of the night,
K o
202 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
The Demoiselle Heron, by dancing well known,
With a bending trachea beneath the breast bone,
In attitudes elegant seem'd to delight,
While displaying his feathers long, pendent and white.
The Hoopoe ( 24 ),withtuft, look'd a gallant dragoon;—
Seem'd ready as soldier to range in platoon ;
The Turks call this bird friend and brother; of course, it is much
respected ; a variety, most probably, of the stork. Mr. Southey
has described these birds, and the Bittern's Booming, in the
following lines :
"The cranes upon the mosque
Kept their night clatter still ;
When through the gate the early traveller past.
And when at evening o'er the swampy plain
The Bittern's Boom came far,
Distinct in darkness seen—
Above the low horizon's lingering light
Rose the near ruins of Old Babylon."
Thalaba, vol. i. page 224.
(**). Order, Pic^e, (Linn.) Hoopoe, the Common, the
Crested, the Grand Promerops, &c.
The genus Upupa, (Linn.) Hoopoe, or Hoop, consists of
ten or more species scattered over the warmer climates of the
globe. They have an arched, long, slender, convex, a little
compressed, and somewhat obtuse, bill ; nostrils small, at the
base of the bill ; tongue obtuse, entire, triangular, very short ;
feet formed for walking. The following are the chief:
The Epops, or Common-Hoopoe, is often seen in this coun-
try ; it is a beautiful bird, in length twelve inches, and distin-
guished by its enormous tuft of feathers, which rises perpendi-
cularly from the crown of the head, and which it can erect
or depress at pleasure. The crest feathers are brown, tipt with
black ; the back, scapulars, and wings, are crossed with broad
bars of white and black ; breast and belly white. Found all over
6
THE HOOPOE — THE GRAND PROMEROPS. 203
And, proud of his plumage and proud of his air,
He mingled with birds at once splendid and rare.
the ancient continent, from Lapland and Sweden, to the
Orcades, the Canaries, and at the Cape of Good Hope. In
Europe they are birds of passage, and are seen among those vast
crowds of birds which twice a-year pass the island of Malta.
Their food is insects; their flesh smells strongly of musk ; they
build in holes of rotten trees, or in old walls, occasionally in this
country ; eggs from two to seven.
The Paradisea, or Crested Hoopoe, is about the size of a
thrush, and weighs from two to four ounces ; length nineteen
inches ; two of the tail feathers very long ; inhabits India. So
large a crest, added to a creature of so diminutive a size, renders
this bird one of the most fantastical of the feathered tribe.
The crest consists of two rows of feathers equidistant; the
whole of these feathers are red, and terminate with a black spot ;
the upper part of the body is grey, with a tinge of brown,
varied with transverse waves of dirty white; the wings and
tail are black, undulated with bars of white. Some varieties of
this bird in Europe; a distinct species in Madagascar and the
Cape. When tamed, shews great attachment to its master ;
when fully domesticated, eats either bread or raw fiesh. A va-
riety in Egypt excellent food.
The Superba, or Grand-Promerops, is one of the most rich,
splendid, and singular in plumage of the whole tribe of birds.
It is the size of a pigeon in body, but measures nearly four feet
in length. Hind part of the head and upper part of the belly
glossy green ; the rest of the upper parts black, changing to
violet; inhabits New Guinea. There is a beautiful coloured
engraving of this bird in Dr. Latham's work: it is not easily
described.
The Mexieana, or Mexican Promerops, is the size of a
song thrush ; inhabits Mexico. The Papuensis, or New Guinea
Brown Promerops, is twenty-two inches long ; inhabits New
Guinea,
204 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Timid Rollers ("), in robes ting'd with red and
with blue,
To clamour devoted, came also a few.
The Nuthatch ( a6 ) was whistling while climbing the
trees,
Intent more on pleasing himself than to please.
( 2S ) Order, Pice, (Linn.) Roller, the Garrulous.
The genus Coracias, (Linn.) or Roller, consists of nearly
thirty species scattered over the globe: the characteristics are,
a sharp^edged bill, bent at the point, base without feathers ;
tongue cartilaginous, bifid; legs short j feet formed for walking.
The most deserving notice is
The Garrula, Garrulous, or Common Roller, occasionally
found in England, but more commonly on various parts of the
European continent, particularly in Germany, Sicily, and
Malta, where it is sold in the markets and poulterers' shops. It
is the size of a jay ; length twelve inches and half; its general
plumage is blue ; back red ; quill feathers black, primary quill
feathers beneath blue ; middle tail feathers dirty green, the rest
blue. It is remarkably clamorous, gregarious, migratory and
timid ; builds in trees, particularly the beech ; feeds on insects,
frogs, nuts, and corn. Eggs pale green, with numerous dusky
spots. Inhabits Africa and Syria, as well as Europe. The
rest of the species do not very essentially differ.
(2 6 ) Order, Pic^e, (Linn.) Nuthatch.
The genus Sitta, (Linn.) or Nuthatch, consists of more
than twenty species; distinguished by a subulate, roundish,
straight, entire bill, the upper mandible a little longer, com-
pressed and angular at the tip ; tongue jagged, short, the tip
horny ; nostrils small, covered with bristles ; feet gressorial ;
hind-toe long. They are chiefly natives of America and the
THE NUTHATCH— THE BUSTARD. 205
The Bustard, ( a7 )huge Rasor, with gular pouch long,
With legs formed for running and beak that is strong,
West Indies, a few of the Cape, and one of Europe ; tin's last is
denominated —
The Europaa, Nuthatch, Nutjobber, or fVoodcracker, is
about the size of a sparrow; in length nearly six inches; it is
cinereous, beneath reddish ; tail feathers black ; the four lateral
ones beneath tipt with white j bill three quarters of an inch
long ; another variety less in size. It is common in some dis-
tricts of this country, remaining all the year; it is said, not
seen in Cornwall nor very far north. It creeps up and down
the trunks of trees, and builds in their hollows. If (he entrance
of the hole be too large, it artfully fills it up with clay till it
admits only its own body. Eggs six or seven, white, spotted
with rust colour, and are exactly like those of the great titmouse.
The nest is used as a magazine for winter provisions, and a re=
treat during the night. Their usual food is nuts, the shells of
which they break with their bills ; in defect of such food they
eat insects and their larvce. The notes of this bird are various;
in the spring it has a loud shrill whistle ; in the autumn a double
reiterated cry ; it is also said to sing in the night.
There is a beautiful poem called the Filbert, written, I be-
lieve, by South ey, and printed in the first volume of the
Annual Anthology, 1799, in which allusion is made to this bird :
" Enough of dangers and of enemies
Hath nature's wisdom for the worm ordained;
Him may the Nuthatch, piercing with strong bill ?
Unwittingly destroy, or to his hoard
The squirrel bear, at leisure to be crack'd."
( 27 ) Order, Galling, (Lath.) Bustard, the Great, the
Little, the Thick-kneed.
The genus Otis, (Linn,) or Bustard, consists of seventeen
species, natives of Europe, Asia, and Africa. The characteris-
206 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Whose presence this Island regards now as rare,
Came, also, to visit the Lord of the Air.
tics of the tribe are, bill strong, a little incurvated ; toes three
before, none behind ; legs long, and naked above the knees.
The following, found in this country, are all that it is necessary
to describe.
The Tarda, or Great-Bustard, is said to be the largest of
the British birds, sometimes weighing as much as thirty pounds ;
fouud in some parts of this country, and inhabits also the open
plains of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Its colour is wave-spotted
with black, and rufous ; beneath white ; length four feet ; fe-
male not so large, weighing about twelve pounds ; she has also
different shades of colour. The male has a long pouch, be-
ginning under the tongue, and reaching to the breast, capable
of holding several quarts of water, supposed to be for supplying
the hen whilst sitting on the young, before they can fly with that
fluid. It feeds on grains and herbs; is solitary, shy, and timid ;
flies heavily, but runs swiftly; is quick of sight and hearing;
lays two pale olive-brown eggs, with darker spots, in a hole
scraped in the ground. In autumn they are gregarious, when
they leave the open downs for more sheltered situations. The
eggs are eagerly sought after, for the purpose of hatching under
hens: they have been reared thus in Wiltshire, As they are
very valuable birds, and eagerly sought after, they are become
scarce ; they are still said to exist on some of the Wiltshire
downs, but, from the latest information which I can collect,
this may be doubted. From a paper lately read before the
Linnean Society by Messrs. Sheppard and Whitear, it ap-
pears, however, that they now breed in the open parts of
Suffolk and Norfolk. Mr. Hardy, of Norwich, has domesticated
this bird, whether with advantage to its more productive powers
we are not informed.
Tet rax, Little-Bustard, or Field- Bustard, is about the
size of a pheasant, being in length seventeen inches ; the back
THE THICK-KNEED BUSTARD — GAME. 207
Of Game* he the monarch, whom often, of yore,
The hunter pursu'd over mountain and moor,
scapulars and wings are ferruginous, mottled with brown, and
crossed with black lines; great quills black, white at the base;
secondaries white; beneath white. Rarely found in thin
country; more common on the European continent, particularly
France, where it is a delicacy. Eggs said to be green, and
four or five in number.
The CEnicdemus, Thick-kneed-Bustard, Stone-Curlew, or
Norfolk-P lover, is arranged by Linnaeus under the genus Chara-
drius, or Plover ; in compliance with later ornithologists, it is
placed under this head. The general appearance of this bird is
greyish ; two first quill feathers black, white in the middle.
Inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa. Migrates to this country,
being found here the latter end of April; frequents open hilly
situations, corn-fields, heaths, warrens. Lays two eggs, of a
light brown colour, blotched with dusky, on the bare ground.
Feeds on insects, worms, and reptiles. They leave this country
in October. The male makes a piercing shrill cry.
* The following are now the chief of the birds in this country
by law denominated Game : Partridges, Pheasants, Woodcocks,
Snipes, Quails, Landrails, Heath-fowl, commonly called Black-
game ; Grous, called Red-game and Moor-game. But there are
laws also, now become a kind of dead-letter, for the protection
of the eggs of Cranes, Bil tours, Herons, Bustards, Shovelards,
Mallards, Teals, or other Wildfowl. There is also a particular
law for the protection of the eggs of Pheasants, Partridges, and
Swans. Bustards are also forbidden to be killed between the
first of March and the first of September; Partridges, Pheasants,
and Heath-fowl, are also similarly protected ; and destroying
Wild Ducks, Teal, Widgeons, or other Water-fowl, in any fen,
lake, broad-water, or other resort for wild-fowl, during the
moulting season, namely, between the first of June and the
first of October, subjects the offender to a penalty of 5s.
208 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS,
Degrading employment such toils of the chase ;
May wisdom supply a more glorious race!
The Wrynecks^ 8 ) contorting, the Cuckoo pursued;
And, as long as they chose, a few Turtle-Doves
coo'd.
There were formerly great flocks of bustards in this country,
upon the wastes and in woods, where they were hunted by
greyhounds, and easily taken. They have been latterly recom-
mended to be bred as domestic fowls, and, to those who desire
novelty, the bustard seems to be peculiarly an object for pro-
pagation ; the flesh is delicious ; and it is supposed that good
feeding and domestication might stimulate them to lay more
eggs.
( 8S ) Order, PiCiE, (Linn.) Wryneck.
1 The genus Yunx, (Linn.) or Wryneck, consists of one spe-
cies only, as follows :
The Torquilla, Wryneck, Long-tongue, Emmet -Hunter, or
Cuckoo's Maiden, is a beautiful bird about seven inches long;
it has a smooth-pointed, a little incurved, weak bill ; feet
climbers; colour grey, varied with brown and blackish; belly
reddish white, with blackish spots ; tail feathers waved, with
black spots, streaks, and bars ; the whole plumage a mixture of
grey, black, and tawny. It arrives in this country sometimes
as early as the middle of March. Its chief food is ants and
their eggs, which it takes with the tongue. The name Wryneck
has been given to it from the awkward contortions of its head
and neck ; it also erects the feathers of the head in a terrific
manner. It makes a noise very much like the smaller species of
hawks. It quits this country about September, at which time
it grows very fat, and is then esteemed a delicacy : it has
sometimes been called an ortolan, from its resemblance to that:
delicate bird.
"The Welsh,'' says Mr. Gisborne, "consider the Wryneck
THE MERGANSER — GOOSANDER. 209
Mergansers ( as> ) came many, with fish in their
throat,
By gluttony prompted their bodies to bloat.
as the forerunner or servant of the cuckoo ; the Swedes regard
it in the same light ; in the midland countries of England the
common people call it the Cuckoo's Maiden." Is this one of the
birds to which I have alluded as sometimes seen accompanying
the cuckoo ? See the note on the cuckoo.
" In sober brown
Drest, but with nature's tenderest pencil touch'd,
The wryneck her monotonous complaint
Continues ; harbinger of her who doom'd
Never the sympathetic joy to know
That warms the mother cowering o'er her young,
A stranger robs, and to that stranger's love
Her egg commits unnatural."
Gisborne's Walks in a Forest.
(* 9 ) Order, Anseres, (Linn.) Merganser, Goosander,
Smew, Dun Diver, &c.
The genus Mergus, (Linn.) or Merganser, consists of six or
more species, five of which are common to this country, the rest
to Europe and America. They have a toothed, slender, cylin-
drical bill, hooked at the point ; nostrils small oval ; feet four-
toed, three before palmate; hind toe furnished with a fin.
Most of the species are of a middle size, between that of a
goose and a duck. They swallow with voracity fishes that are
too large to enter entire into the stomach, and hence, while one
end is digesting, the other often remains in the throat. They
are said to be the most destructive of all birds which plunder
the waters; their flesh is very indifferent food. The following
are the chief :
The Merganser, or Goosander, is white, subcrested ; head,
210 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS..
There were Cormorants stretching; their necks as
they flew;
And the White Nun of beauty, nam'd vulgarly Smew.
The Dun-Diver, too, from a far northern lake,
With the Goosander came of the glee to partake.
neck, and upper part of the breast and wings glossy black ; tail
cinereous. Feeds on fish ; flesh rancid. Found in our rivers
and lakes in severe winters, but retires to more northern lati-
tudes to breed. It is said to be found in the Hebrides in
summer, and to continue in the Orkneys the whole year. It is
found also on the European continent, in Asia, Greenland, and
some parts of America.
The" Minutus, Minute-Merganser, Minute-Smew, Weesel
Coot, Red-headed Smew, or Lough- Diver, is about the size of a
teal ; colour brown ash, beneath white. Not often met with
in the south of England, and then only in severe winters.
The Senator, Red-Breasted Merganser, Red-breasted
Goosander, Lesser-toothed Diver, or Serula, has a pendent crest,
breast varied with reddish; length twenty inches; seen occa-
sionally in the south of England ; more frequently in the
north; said to breed in Holland; found also iu Russia and
Siberia.
The Castor, Dun-Diver, or Sparkling-Fowl, is twenty-five
inches long; found in the north of England ; and in Germany,
and in the lakes in the more northern parts of the world.
The Albellus, Smew, or White-Nun, has the body white; back
and temples black ; wings variegated ; rather larger that a
teal; found occasionally in this country; but mostly inhabits
the northern lakes. This is the most beautiful of the whole
tribe.
The Imperialis, or Imperial Goosander, is varied with
black, brown, and grey; size of a goose ; inhabits Sardinia.
THE PRATINCOLE — THE OYSTER-CATCHER. 211
The grey-brown Austrian Pratincole ( 30 ) strutted
along;
The shrew'd Oyster-catcher ( 3i ) made one of the
throng ;
( 30 ) Order, Grall^e, (Lath.) Pratincole, the Austrian,
the Senegal, the Spotted.
The genus Glareola, (Lath.) or Pratincole, consists of
seveirspecies ; they have a strong, stout, straight bill, hooked
at the tip ; nostrils at the base of the bill linear, oblique ; gape
of the mouth large; feet four-toed ; toes long, slender, connected
at the base by a membrane ; tail forked. The following are the
chief: the Austriaca, or Austrian Pratincole, is above grey-
brown, collar black ; chin and throat white ; breast and belly
reddish grey ; about nine inches long. Four other varieties ;
three inhabit the heaths of Europe, near the banks of rivers ;
two found on the coast of Coromandel. Feeds on worms and
aquatic insects ; is very noisy and clamorous. The Senegalensis,
or Senegal Pratincole, is entirely brown; nine and a half
inches long ; found in Senegal and Siberia. The Ncevia, or
Spotted Pratincole, is brown spotted with white; size of
the Austriaca ; inhabits Germany.
( 3I ) Order, Grall^e, (Linn.) Oyster-Catcher.
The genus PLematopus, (Linn.) or Oyster-Catcher, con-
sists of four species, of which the Ostralgeus, Sea-Pie, Oyster-
Catcher, Pied Oyster-Catcher, Pienet, or Olive, is the
chief. It has a compressed bill, the tip an equal wedge ;
nostril linear ; tongue a third part of the length of the bill ;
feet formed for running; toes three, no back toe ; body some-
times totally black : frequently head, neck, and body, above
black, beneath white ; inhabits almost every shore; common on
the sea coasts of this country ; about sixteen inches long; feeds
on marine worms and insects, but chiefly on oysters and limpets,
which it obtains from the shells with great dexterity. It makes
212 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS,
The Auk ( 31 ) for stupidity ever renown'd ;
And Puffins, and Terns, too, in numbers abound.
no west, but deposits its eggs, which are, generally, olivaceous
brown, on the bare ground, above high-water mark. It is easily
tamed when young, and has been known to attend ducks and
other poultry to feed and shelter.
(3 2 ) Order, Anseres, (Linn.) Auk, Razor-Bill, Puffin,
Penguin, &c.
The genus Alca, (Linn.) Auk, consists of more than ten spe-
cies; the following are its characteristics ; bill toothless, short;
lower mandible gibbous near the base ; nostrils linear; tongue
almost as long as the bill ; toes three, forward, webbed, none
behind. Its colour is nearly uniform, above black, beneath
white ; body shaped like a duck's. It is chiefly an inhabitant
of the arctic seas ; very stupid ; builds in rabbit holes and
fissures of rocks; lays one egg. The following deserve notice.
The Pica, or Black-billed Auk, is the shape and size of the
Razor-bill, and found on our coasts in the winter season.
The Torda, Razor-bill, Auk, Common-Auk, or Murre,
weighs about twenty-seven ounces; is, in length, eighteen
inches. Bill two inches long, from the corner of the mouth,
much compressed sideways, three quarters of an inch deep at
the largest part, much arched and hooked at the upper end of
the mandible; all the upper parts of the bird are a dusky black,
beneath white. This bird is not seen in this country in the
winter, but repairs to our rocky coasts in the spring, where it
lays one very large egg, size or a turkey's, of a dirty white co-
lour, blotched with brown and dusky, on the projecting shelves
of the highest rocks, where the birds may be seen by hundreds
in a row, and where they may be taken up and replaced ; such
appears to be their great stupidity. Feeds on small fish, par-
ticularly sprats. The eggs of this bird, and of the foolish
guillemot, are an article of trade in several of the Scottish
THE PUFFIN — THE AUK.
213
The. Wild-Geese, in triangle-troops, from the fen,
With wing slow and steady, flew over the glen.
isles ; they are used for refining sugar. They are also eaten by
the natives ; they are obtained by suspending a person to a rope
from the tops of the cliffs.
The Arctica, Puffin, Coulternel, Imnda Bnuger, Mullet, Bot-
tle-nose, Pope, Marrot, or Sea-Parrot, of which there are two va-
rieties, is, in length, about t w elve inches ; it inhabits the northern
seas of Europe, Asia, and America, in vast flocks; body black,
cheeks, breasts, and belly, white; bill red; legs red. Feeds
on fish and sea-weed ; flesh, except when very young, rank.
Appears on our rocky coasts in April; egg one, which it lays
in the crevice of a rock or in rabbit burrows; also burrows oc-
casionally like rabbits, in order to lay its egg. The young are
sometimes caught with ferrets ; they are preserved pickled.
They are found on Dover cliffs, where it is, indiscriminately
with the Razor-bill, called fVillock; off the coast of Anglesea,
&c. They leave onr coasts together with the Razor-bill and
Guillemot in September.
The winter haunts of these birds have been heretofore merely
conjectured. The late voyagers to the arctic regions, however,
inform us that they are found in great numbers on the open
waters of the polar seas ; that they there feed on insects ; and
where also they furnished the. navigators with an agreeable
repast.
The Impennis, Great-Auk, or Penguin, inhabits Europe and
America; is three feet long; timid; cannot fly, but dives admi-
rably ; feeds on fishes ; head, neck, back, and wings, glossy
black; wings short, as though mere rudiments; legs black.
Found only in the most northern parts of the kingdom; said
to breed on St. Kilda. Egg one, white; six inches long;
sometimes irregularly marked or blotched with ferruginous, and
black at the larger end. ,
The Alle, Little-Auk, or Greenland- Dove, is rather larger
than a blackbird ; its plumage is generally black above, beneath
214 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
The Petrels, ( 33 ) those storm-birds which sailors
affright,
Their oil spouted out with apparent delight.
white. Seen occasionally in this country; but common in
Greenland, where it breeds; eggs two, bluish white, size of a
pigeon's.
( 33 )ORDER,ANSERES,(Li«K.)PETRELtheGlANT, the STORMY,
the Broad-billed, the Fulmar, the Shearwater, &c.
The genus Procellaria, (Linn.) or Petrel, consists of
about thirty species ; three, the Pelagica, or Stormy-Petrel,
the Puffinus, or Shearwater, and the Glacialis, or Fulmar,
are found in this country. The characteristics of the tribe are,
a strait bill bent at the end ; nostrils in one tube ; legs naked a
little above the knee. Toes three, forward, webbed; a spur
behind instead of a back toe. They live chiefly at sea, and
have the faculty of spouting from their bills, to a considerable
distance, a large quantity of pure oil. They feed on the fat of
dead whales and other fishes.
The Giguntea, Giant-Petrel, or Mother Cary's Goose, is the
largest of the Petrel genus, being in length forty inches, and ex-
pands seven feet ; body above pale brown, mottled with dusky
white, beneath white. Found at the Isle of Desolation, and other
places in high southern latitudes ; most active in storms or at the
approach of them. It visits also, occasionally, the northern
hemisphere. Feeds on flesh and fish, Flesh said to be good.
The Pelagica, Stormy-Petrel, Storm-finch, Little Petrel,
Witch, or Mother-Cary's-Ghicken ; in some provinces called, I
believe, Sea-swullow, and, in its general appearance, size, and
flight, is not unlike a swallow. It is above black, beneath
sooty brown, or dusky ; rump white : another variety having the
wing coverts spotted with green ; inhabits most seas ; they are
excellent divers, and are said to breed in some of our northern
islands. They are seen in vast numbeis all over the atlantic
ocean, and will follow a ship for many days ; except at breeding
THE SHEARWATER THE PETREL 215
The Sparrow-Hawk, also, seem'd pleas'd to be there;
His garden to-day did not ask for his care.
time, seldom seen near the shore ; braves the utmost fury of tiie
storm, skimming along with great velocity among the waves •
if seen hovering round the sterns of vessels, a presage of foul
weather. Seen occasionally on the various coasts of this
country, and sometimes far inland. One was lately taken at
Yarmouth, Norfolk; when killed, oil issued from the nostrils.
" Here ran the stormy-petrels on the waves
As though they were the shadows of themselves. —
They plough'd not, sow'd not, gather'd not in barns,
Yet harvests inexhaustible they reap'd
In the prolific furrows of the main ;
Or from its sunless caverns brought to light
Treasures for which contending kings might war:
From the rough shell they pick'd the luscious food,
And left a prince's ransom in the pearl."
Montgomery's Pelican Island.
The Puffinus, Shearwater, Shearwater- Petrel, Mantes- Puffin,
or Lyre, is black above, beneath white ; length fifteen inches:
another variety, above cinereous, beneath white ; inhabits
southern and antarctic seas ; found also in the Hebrides,
Orkney Isles, and the Calf of Man, where they breed ; egg one,
white, laid in a rabbit burrow or other hole. The young are
taken in August, salted and barrelled, and, when boiled, eaten
with potatoes. The young of these, and some other of the spe-
cies, are fed by the oil discharged from their stomachs. Mi-
grates from the Scottish isles in autumn.
The Vittuta, or Broad-billed Petrel, is bluish ash, be-
neath white ; inhabits the antarctic seas; twelve inches long;
flies in numerous flocks. The Urinatrix is blackish-brown ; be-
neath white; dives dexterously; inhabits round New Zealand
in numerous flocks ; eight and a half inches long.
The Glacialis, Fulmar-Petrel, or Fulmar, is whitish, back
> BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
There were Moor- Hens ( 3+ ) and Didappers, many
a Coot.
The Willow-wren touch'd, with much taste, too, his
lute.
hoary; another variety with blackish wings; size of a gull.
Rarely seen on onr southern coasts, but frequent in some of the
islands of the north of Scotland; breeds at St. Kilda, and sup-
plies the inhabitants with a large quantity of oil, which is used
for culinary as well as medical purposes; egg one, large, white-
Feeds on the most oily fishes. It is also found in New Zealand,
and affords food, feathers for beds, oil for lamps, and a medicine
in almost every disease incident to the New Zealanders; it is
found also in various other parts of the world.
( 34 ) Order, Grall^e, (Linn.) Coot the Common, the
Greater, the Moor; Gallinule, the Purple, the
Crowing, &c.
The genus Fulica, (Linn.) or Coot, consists of forty or more
species, including several of the birds termed Gallinules.
Among which the Chloropus, or Moor-Hen, will be found.
This tribe of birds frequent waters ; feed on worms, insects,
and small fishes ; the body is compressed, bill thick, and bent in
towards the top, the upper mandible reaching far up the fore-
head ; wings and tail short. The Galmnules have the feet
cleft, the wings short and concave. The Coots have the toes
surrounded by a scolloped membrane ; the mandibles equal ;
nostrils oval, narrow, and short. The Gallinules, therefore, are
to be distinguished by cleft feet; the Coots by pinnate feet. Dr.
Latham has separated these into distinct genera; — seethe
Introduction. The following are the chief:
Tiie Chloropus, Common-Gallinule, Moor-Hen, Common
Water Hen, More-Hen, Marsh-Hen, Cuddy, or Moor-Coot, has a
blackish body, or sooty mixed with olive, beneath ash-colour ;
bill reddish towards the base; sides red. Inhabits Europe and
MOOB^HEN — COOT. 217
Some dark, sooty Gallinules, known by cleft feet,
Were there, too, the Aquiline Monarch to greet.
America, and also this country. Fourteen inches long. Flies
with difficulty, but runs and swims well; builds near the water
side, on low trees or shrubs ; strikes with its bill like a hen ;
eggs dirty whitish, spotted with rust-colour, from six to ten in
number, which it lays twice or thrice a year. Time of incuba-
tion three weeks ; the young take to the water immediately on
being hatched. Abounds in the fenny districts of England ;
flesh delicious.
Of the Atra, Coot, Common-Coot, or Bald-Coot, there are
five varieties ; one with a blackish body ; another black with
white wings ; another entirely black; another brown, but the
chin, belly, and primary quill feathers white ; head spotted
with white, the upper mandible red ; another white, with a few
spots on the head and wings. This species inhabits Europe,
Asia, and America ; length fifteen inches, and is frequent in
this country in many of our lakes, rivers, and large ponds,
forming a floating nest among the flags. Eggs six, or more,
dirty white, sprinkled with minute rusty spots. The young,
when hatched, very deformed ; runs along the water ; swims
and dives dexterously ; feeds on insects, fishes, and seeds; in
winter often repairs to the sea. They are occasionally sold in
our markets ; flavour rather fishy. It breeds in Norfolk in
considerable numbers, where large gulls attack and devour
them. The Coot is soon reconciled to confinement, and be-
comes domestic.
This bird, if deprived of water in which to pass the night,
will roost, as other land birds, upon any elevated situation: it
will ascend a tree with the activity of the wren. Linn. Transact-
vol. xiv. page 558.
"The Coot her jet-wing loved to lave,
Rock'd on the bosom of the sleepless wave/'
Rogers's Pleasures of Memory.
L
218 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Long-tailed Capons ( 3s ) came also, whose singu-
lar nest,
With its skill and its comfort hath many impress'd.
The Aterrima, or Greater-Coot, with a blackish body, in-
habits, like the last, our own country, and other parts of Eu-
rope, but is by no means so common a bird. It differs from the
preceding chiefly in size and the deepness of its black colour.
The Purpurea, or Crowing-Gallinule, is purple ; inhabits
the marshes of New Spain, and crows like a cock.
The Porphyrio, Purple-Gallinule, or Sultana, inhabits
most of the temperate and warm places of the globe; seventeen
inches long ; head and neck glossy violet and violet blue ; body,
for the most part, of a dull glossy green ; eggs three or four ;
time of incubation from three to four weeks; associating with
other fowls, and, like them, scratching the ground. It isdocile,
and easily tamed, and is altogether a curious bird; it stands on
one leg, and lifts its food to its mouth with the other; feeds on
fishes, roots, fruits, and seeds.
( 3S ) Order, Passeres,(Lm».) Titmouse, the Long-tailed,
the Great, the BLUE,or Tomtit, the Marsh, the Bearded,
the Amorous, the Crested, &c.
The genus Parus, [Linn.) or Titmouse, comprehends nearly
forty species, of which the Caudatns, or Long-tailed Capon,
is one. They have a straight, strong, sharp-pointed bill ; nostrils
round, covered with reflected bristles, tongue truncated ; toes
divided to their origin, back toe long and. strong. It is a very
fertile tribe, laying sometimes from ten to twenty eggs; feeds
on seed, fruit, insects, and a few on flesh. They are restless,
bold, and cruel to birds less than themselves, and will attack
such as are three times their own size. The following are the
chief:
The Caudalus, Long-tailed Titmouse, Long-tailed Capon T
Huck-muck, Bottle-Tom, Barn-barrel, Barrel-Tit, Long-tail Mag,
LONG-TAILED — GREAT TITMOUSE — TOMTIT. 219
Even the elegant Oriole,* in vesture of gold,
(Go thou who art sceptic such birds' nests behold !)
Came to grace, by his presence, the redolent spring,
And to proffer respect to the Aquiline King.
Long-tail Pie, Mum-ruffin, or Pudding- Poke, is the smallest of
the tribe j the tail longer than the body; crown white; greater
wing coverts black, lesser brown, edged with rosy ; length
rather more than five inches. For a description of its nest see
the Notes to the Introduction. The nest is, however, occasionally
varied in size, form, and the position of its entrance. In a
drawing of one, a fac-simile of it, lately obtained for me by a
friend from the neighbourhood of Dover, it is much neater ex-
ternally than this nest usually appears : it looks like a truncated
cylinder, the top being arched over, on one side of which is the
hole. Eggs small, seventeen or more, white spotted with rusty;
sometimes a pure white without any spots. Feeds on insects
and their larvae. Inhabits Europe and this country.
The Major, Great-Titmouse, Ox-eye, Great-black-headed
Tomtit, Black-cap, has the head black, cheeks white ; back and
wings olive green ; rump blue grey ; belly greenish yellow ;
length five inches and three quarters ; frequents gardens, but
builds in woods ; eggs ten, or more, colour of those of the pre*
ceding. Said to be injurious to gardens and orchards by pick-
ing off the tender buds from trees ; but this may be questioned.
Inhabits Europe, Asia, Africa, and this country. Another
variety with the bill forked, and crossed as in the loxia cur-
virostra, thence named the Cross-bill Titmouse. Builds in the
hole of a wall or a tree.
The Cceruleus, Tomtit, Blue-Titmouse, Nun, or Uickmall,ha&
the back yellowish-green, tail blue; body, beneath, white-
yellow ; four and a half inches long ; frequents gardens like the
* For an account of the Golden- Oriole, see Part II.; for the
Orioles' nests, see page 23.
L2
220 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN EIRDS.
Many Titmice were there too — the Bearded — the
Great;
One whose penduline nest is commodious and neat.
last ; said to be a very mischievous bird ; breeds in holes of
walls, and lays six or more eggs, similar in colours to the pre-
ceding. Inhabits every part of Europe, and well known in this
country. It is a great enemy to the annual snn-flower seed,
destroying it almost always, if not prevented long before it is
ripe. In food this bird appears, however, to be omnivorous,
eating even flesh. Except in its attacks on the sun-flower seed,
(Helianthus unnuus,) I am not aware of any of its mischievous
depredations ; although in some places the churchwardens still
pay, I believe, for tomtits' heads as well as those of sparrows.
The Pulustris, Marsh-Titmouse, Black-cap, or Little black-
heuded Tomtit, has the head black ; back cinereous ; temples
white. Three other varieties ; all found in this country, ex-
cept one, a native of Louisiana. It is rather larger than the
tomtit.
The Pendulinus, or Penduline-Titmouse, frequents moist
and marshy places, and builds a nest in the shape of a large
purse, with an opening on one side, and attached to the end of
some branch of a tree hanging over water ; eggs white ; four
and a half inches long ; inhabits Europe, as far as Siberia.
The Biarmicus, Bearded-Titmouse, or Least-Butcher-Bird,
is a very elegant species ; six and a quarter inches long ; the head
is bearded ; body rufous ; tail longer than the body ; suspends
its nest between three reeds ; inhabits Europe in marshy places,
and found in our own countiy.
The Amatorius, or Amorous-Titmouse, is blackish blue, five
and half inches long; remarkable for the great affection which
each sex shows for each other ; inhabits Northern Asia.
Beside these, the following inhabitants of this country may
also be mentioned : the Cristatus, or Crested-Titmouse;
and the Afer, or Colemouse.
THE COMMON PARTRIDGE. 2'21
The Partridges ( 36 ), also, well pleas'd came to
court,
Secure, as they hoped, both from Sportsmen and
Sport.
(36) Order, Galling, (Linn.) Partridge, Grouse, Quail,
Ptarmigan, Tinamou, &c.
The genus Tetrao, (Linn.) under which the Partridge,
Grouse, &c. are arranged, consists of more than one hundred
and thirty species, scattered over various parts of the world ;
several of them are inhabitants of this country. The general
character of the tribe is having, near the eye, a spot which is
either naked or papil'ous, or, rarely, covered with feathers. It
has also been thus subdivided : — Grouse having the spot over
the eye naked; legs downy; feet in some four, in some three,
teed. — Partridge and Quail, orbits granulated, legs naked;
the Partridges in the male armed with a spur at the legs ; the
Quails destitute of a spur. — The Tinamou, orbits with a few
feathers, legs naked, four toed, unarmed. Dr. Latham has
described^/teew species of the Tinamou (Tinamus), ninety-one
of the Partridge (Perdix), ami twenty-seven of the Grouse
(Tetrao). The following are the chief species of this numerous
tribe.
The Perdixj Partridge, or Common- Partridge, has under
the eyes a naked, scarlet spot; general colour of the plumage
cinereous brown and black mixed ; breast brown, tail ferrugi-
nous, legs white. Several varieties, — greyish white — entirely
white — collar white — body brown— chin and upper part of the
throat tawny. Inhabits Europe and Asia, and well known in
this country. Length thirteen inches ; frequents corn fields
and pastures ; feeds on corn, seeds, and insects ; lays from four-
teen to twenty or more* yellowish, or greenish grey, eggs,
rather smaller than a pigeon's; nest on the ground, in the dry
* I once saw a Partridge's nest with twenty-one egg3 in it.
222 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
In variety many, — of white and of red ; —
By Eld often quoted, by Fame often said,
That the young run away with the shells on their head.
margins of corn-fields, and other quiet and grassy places, and little
care evinced in its construction. Time of incubation three
weeks. Flesh generally esteemed.
The running away with the shell upon the head, as mentioned in
the text, is sometimes, I believe, in regard to the hatching of
Partridges, and others of the Rasor tribe, a literal fact: hence,
when a person undertakes any thing before being properly pre-
pared for or instructed concerning it, has arisen the common
expression, He runs away with the shell vpon his head.
The Rufus, Red-Partridge, Greek- Partridge, Red-legged
Partridge, Guernsey- Partridge, French- Partridge, or Barbary-
Pariridge, is rather larger than the common Partridge, bill and
legs blood red; chin white, surrounded by a black band spot-
ted with white. Inhabits Southern Europe and the Greek
Islands. Several varieties ; one found sometimes on the coast
of Norfolk and Suffolk. Perches occasionally on trees, and
breeds in confinement, which the common Partridge is never
known to do.
The Lagopus, Ptarmigan, White-Game, or White-Partridge,
is cinereous, quill feathers white, tail feathers black tipt with
white, middle ones white ; toes downy ; length fourteen or
fifteen inches. Inhabits the alpine parts of Europe and Siberia,
and common in the Highlands of Scotland. Eggs pale rufous,
with red brown spots. It is said to be a stupid bird, and bur-
rows under the snow. A variety of this species was found by
Captain Parry in the high laiitudes of North America.
The Perching-Partridge inhabits India; it is noted for
perching on trees ; plumage above pale brown, beneath pale
brownish grey.
The Urvgallus, Wood-Grouse, Cock-of -the- Wood, Great-Grouse,
Cock-of -the- Mountain, Caper-Calze, Auer-Calze, Horseof-the-
Woods, or Caper Cally ; is nearly as large as a Turkey, being two
WOOD GROUSE — BLACK GROUSE. 223
There came Ptarmigans, too, from the regions of
snow ; —
The Cock-of-the-Wood was e'er ready to crow; —
feet eight or nine inches long ; the male, which is considerably
larger than the female, sometimes weighs fifteen pounds, more
frequently seven or eight. The two sexes differ greatly in
colour as well as in size. The head, neck, and back of the
male is elegantly marked with slender lines of grey and black
running transversely ; the upper part of the breast is a shining
green, the rest of the breast and belly black, mixed with some
white feathers; tail black, with a few white spots. The female
is red on the throat ; head, neck, and back, marked with bars
of red and black ; belly orange ; tail ferruginous, barred with
black ; length twenty-six inches. Eggs from eight to sixteen,
white spotted with yellow, larger than those of the domestic
hen. Inhabits the mountainous and woody parts of Europe
and Northern Asia, rarely found in this country. These birds,
it is said, never pair, but the cock calls the females together by
a peculiar cry which he makes perched upon a tree:
" And from the pine's high top brought down
The Giant Grouse, while boastful he display'd
liis breast of varying green s and crow'd and clapp'd
His glossy wings."
Gisborne's Walks in a Forest — Spring;
This bird differs from most of the ether species of the genus in
his predilection for woods, and in perching on trees. Feeds
on the tops of the pine and birch, and also on juniper berries.
Flesh, of course, good.
The Tetrix, Black-Grouse, Black-Game, Black-Cock, Heath-
Cock, Heath-Fowl, or Heath-Poult, is violet black, tail forked ;
several varieties; weighs sometimes four pounds; length twenty-
three inches. Female less than the male; her general colour
ferruginous, barred and mottled with black, beneath paler.
Eggs six or seven, dirty white, blotched with rust colour, size
224 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
The voice of the Heath-Cock was heard loud and shrill;
Many groups of Red-Grouse, too, rose over the hill.
of those of a pheasant. Inhabits the mountainous and woody
districts of England and Europe at large.
According to Pennant this bird is remarkable for his
exultation during the spring, when he calls the hen to his haunts
with a loud and shrill voice, and is so inattentive to his safety as
to be easily shot.
"High on exulting wing the Heath-Cock rose,
And blew his shrill blast o'er perennial snows.'''
Rogers's Pleasures of Memory.
The Scoticus, Red-Grouse, Red-Game, Moor-Cock, or Gor~
Cock, is sixteen inches long, transversely streaked with rufous
and blackish; six outer tail feathers on each side blackish.
Colours of the female not so dark as the male* Eggs
from eight to fourteen, like those of the Black-Grouse, but
smaller. Inhabits extensive uncultivated wastes covered with
heath in Wales, Yorkshire, and the Highlands of Scotland.
Found in flocks of thirty or forty in the winter season.
" Sounds strauge and fearful there to hear,
'Mongst desert hills where, leagues around,
Dwelt but the Gor-cock and the deer."
Sir Walter Scott's Bridal ofTriermain, Canto Hi.
The Cupido, Pinnated-Grouse, Heath- Hen, Prarie-Hen,
Mountain-Cock, or Barren-Hen. The last name given to it in
consequence of its being found on the wild tracts of America
called barrens. This bird is the size of a pheasant ; length
nineteen inches; weighs three pounds and a half; plumage
reddish brown, transversely barred with black and white
waved lines; feathers of the head elongated into a crest ; on
each side of the neck a tuft of feathers ; under the neck tufts, in
the male, are two wrinkled bladders, which the bird can in-
THE HEATH-HEN — QUAIL. 225
While the Tame-Ducks, and Drakes with their
collars of green,
Reeurvate their tails, on the waters were seen.
flate ; when distended they resemble a middle sized orange ;
toes naked, pectinated, pale brown. Found in Carolina, New
Jersey, and other parts of North America, and particularly on
the bushy plains of Long Island. Feeds on huckle berries, the
acorns of the dwarf oak and other fruits, and insects. Eggs
numerous ; nest on the ground 5 flesh good. In September seen
in flocks of two hundred or more. In the year 1791 an act was \^
passed in the United States for the preservation of this bird, in
which a fine of two dollars was imposed on any one killing it
between the 1st of April and 5th of October. It is become,
notwithstanding this act, in America (and it has been rarely,
I believe, heard of elsewhere) a scarce and dear bird.
The Coturnix, or Quail, has the body spotted with grey;
eye-brows white; tail feathers with a ferruginous edge and
crescent; seven and a half inches long: another variety much
larger. Inhabits the whole of the old world, but not, it is said,
America. It is a bold bird, and used in China for fighting, as
in this country are game cocks ; and at Athens, formerly, quail
fighting was as common as cock fighting is at the present time;
it was also at Rome a common diversion ; it is said, indeed, that
in the time of Augustus a prefect of Egypt was punished with
death for having served up at an entertainment one of these
birds which had acquired celebrity from its victories ! It is a
migratory bird, appearing in England the beginning of May,
and leaving it in October ; a few, however, are said to remain
throughout the winter; feeds on green wheat and in stubbles;
calls nearly all night; the males are taken by imitating them.
Eggs eight or ten whitish, laid like the partridge on the ground;
they are occasionally blotched with dusky ; they are said to lay
many more eggs than ten in Italy. Quails are seen in vast
flocks in various places contiguous to the Mediterranean Sea
L3
226 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
The bright Citrinel* cried " Willy winky" aloud;
The Turnstone and Knot made a part of the crowd ;
Sea-Swallows, Sea-Crows, and some Shear-
waters came;
And many more sea- birds not known unto fame.
during their migration. Thousands have heen taken in a day
in the kingdom of Naples.
The Virginianus, or Virginian-Quail, is rather less than the
common partridge; it inhabits the woods of America, and
perches on trees.
The Kakelik has the bill, eye-brows, and legs, scarlet; size
of a pigeon; is named from its note Kakelik ; inhabits China.
The Major, Great-Tinamou, or Great-Partridge, has a yel-
low body, legs yellowish brown; bill black, back and tail with
black spots ; eighteen inches long ; roosts on the lowest branches
of trees; feeds on worms, insects, and fruits; builds twice a-
year, and lays from twelve to fifteen eggs; inhabits the woods of
South America. Note a dull kind of whistle, which may be
heard a great way off; the natives imitate it to decoy them.
The above birds are all more or less excellent food, and
known by the general term Game. Many of the tribe are ex-
tremely pugnacious, particularly the grouse, partridges, and
quails ; this arises most probably from the fact that the males
are generally more numerous than the females. Some of this
genus of birds in cold climates vary in plumage exceedingly du-
ring the summer and winter months.
* Emberjza Citrinella, or Yellow-Hammer, (see Note *>),
one of the few birds to which in this work a new name is given,
and this is here done from the intractable nature of the old one.
Some of our naturalists have described the song of the yellow-
hammer as being composed of only six or seven notes, but it is
very often many more than six. They are uttered with consi-
derable rapidity, the penult being dwelt upon with much em-
phasis, " Willy willy, willy willy, willy willy, winkky."
SCOOPING AVOSET— AMERICAN AVOSET. 227
There were Gannets,* too, — Kilda's prime, staple
support ;
And some Shags* that on ocean delight oft to sport.
With recurvate and flexible beak ting'd with jet,
Appear'd, too, the Scooper, yclept Avoset ( 37 ).
The Pigeons Domestic in large circles soar;
While the Cock and Hen sought out the granary door :
In variety there seen, a numerous tribe,
Whom pen or whom pencil could scarcely describe;
Pugnacity ever their prominent trait, —
Which young and which old, all observant, obey.
( 37 ) Order, Grall^e, (Linn.) Avoset, the Scooping, the
American, the White.
The genus Recurvi rostra, (Linn.) or Avoset, consists of
four species, distinguished by a depressed, subulate, recurved
bill; pointed, flexible at the top; feet palmate. The chief are
the following.
The Avocetia, Avoset, Scooping-Avoset, Butter-flip,
Scoaper, Yelper, Picarini, Crooked-bill, or Cobler's-awl, is varie-
gated with white and black ; length eighteen inches ; bill black,
recurved at the point, flexible like whalebone ; toes webbed
about half their length ; feeds on worms and marine insects,
which it scoops out of the mud or sand ; eggs two, white tinged
with green, and marked with large black spots, size of a
pigeon's. Inhabits southern Europe, and found also in this
country.
The Americanus, or American-Avoset, has the back black,
beneath white ; seventeen inches long ; inhabits North America
and New Holland. — The Alba, or White-Avoset, is white,
wing coverts brownish; bill orange; fourteen inches and a half
long ; inhabits Hudson's Bay.
* Sec Part II. for a description of both Gannets and Sfthgs,
under the genus Pdecanus.
228 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
The Turkey-Cock ( 38 ) strutted his ladies beside,
And, with "Gob, Gobble," note, spread his tail fea-
thers wide ;
( 38 ) Order, Galling, (Linn.) Turkey, the Common, the
Horned.
The genus Mele a Gnis, (Linn.) or Turkey, consists of two spe-
cies only, distinguished by a conic, incurvate bill ; head covered
with spongy caruncles, chin with a longitudinal membraneous ca-
runcle ; tail hroad, expansile; legs spurred. They are as follow :
The Gallipavo, or Common-Turkey, is above three feet and
a half long; domesticated every where; varies much in its co-
lours; its most predominant is black, mixed with shades of white;
caruncles red. In its wild state lives in woods, feeding on nuts,
acorns, and insects ; originally anative of America, where it is now
found in great plenty, as well as the West Indies, constituting a
great part of the food of the natives, although never reduced by
them to a state of domestication : hunting the turkey is a sport
in which the savage delights. The cock makes occasionally a pe-
culiar noise, not easily described. In their wild state, turkeys are
much larger, more hardy and beautiful, than in captivity. The
male wild turkey found in the American woods is nearly four
feet long ; the female three feet and a quarter. This bird, the
young of which are so tender with us, multiplies abundantly in
the large forests of Canada, which are a great part of the year
covered with snow. Eggs from ten to twenty-five; time of in-
cubation from twenty-six to twenty-nine or more days. The
common domesticated turkey is a sluggish, cowardly bird,
formidable in appearance only. A common game cock will at-
tack many at once, and, from his activity, frequently comes off
unhurt. This bird has an antipathy to red colours. The best
turkeys in this country are bred in Norfolk : in breeding, one
cock is sufficient for six hens. The hen will cover from nine to
fifteen eggs. She is a steady setter, and will sometimes continue
upon her eggs until almost starved; hence she should be pro-
vided with food and water during her incubation. I cannot
THE COMMON THE HORNED TURKEY. 229
Though inspirer of fear, yet of cowardice son :
The fierce chanticleer is seen often to shun.
enter here into the domestic management of this, nor, indeed?
of any other bird ; but the reader who is desirous of ob-
taining information concerning the best method of rearing
domestic poultry, may consult my Family Cyclopedia, arti-
cles Hen, Turkey, Duck, Goose, &c. It is scarcely neces-
sary to add, that the turkey is excellent food. This bird was
introduced into England during the reign of Henry VIII, It
consists of several varieties, which are, very probably, increased
by continued domestication.
The Saiyra, or Horned-Turkey, has the head with two
horns, callous, blue, bent back ; body red, with eye-like spots;
caruncle of the chin dilatable, blue, varied with rufous. The
female has the head covered with feathers, is hornless and without
gular caruncle; feathers of the head and upper part of the neck
black-blue, long, incumbent ; rest of the body as in the male ;
rather less than the preceding ; inhabits India.
The wild turkey cock is, in the American forests, an object of
considerable interest. It perches on the tops of the cypress
and magnolia ; and, in the months of March and April, at early
dawn, for an hour, or more, the forests ring with the crowing of
these American sentinels, the watch-word being caught and re-
peated from one to another for, Bartram says, hundreds of
miles round. Mr, Southey, in Madoc, vol. L page c 265 t thus
describes this occurrence :
"On the top
Of yon magnolia the loud turkey's voice
Is heralding the dawn ; from tree to tree
Extends the wakening watch note far and wide,
Till the whole woodlands echo with the cry."
The wild turkey is said to be, in the American woods, a mi-
gratory bird ; not, indeed, by the assistance of the wings, but
by walkiug.
I have lately seen the keel of the sternum of a turkey, that
230 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
In the Guinea-Hens ( 39 ) harsh and monotonous strain,
" Go back" was repeated again and again,
had a round groove or depression in it, produced, doubtless, by
the weight of the bird pressing it strongly on the perch.
( 39 ) Order, Galling, (Linn.) Guinea-Hen, Gallina.
The genus Numida, (Linn.) or Guinea-Hen, consists of four
species, distinguished by a strong short bill, the base covered
with a carunculate cere receiving the nostrils ; head horned,
with a compressed coloured callus; tail short, bending down.
The following is the only one which it is necessary to notice :
The Meleagris, Guinea-Hen, Pintado, Gailina, Galeny, or
Guinea-fowl, has double caruncles at the gape, and is without
gular fold. The bill is of a reddish horn colour, head blue; the
crown with a conic, compressed, bluish-red protuberance; upper
part of the neck bluish ash, almost naked ; lower part fea-
thered, verging to a violet blue; body blackish or greyish, with
round white spots ; legs grey brown. Two other varieties ; one
with the breast white, the other having the body entirely white ;
twenty-two inches long ; makes a harsh unpleasant cry, similar
to that mentioned in the text ; such sounds it often repeats ; it
is restless and turbulent, moving from place to place, and
domineering over the whole poultry yard. The male and female
much alike; the only difference is, that the wattles which are
blue in the former, are inclining to red in the latter; there is
also some difference in the noise which the two sexes frequently
make. Eggs many, speckled reddish-brown, considerably
smaller than those of the common hen : if this bird be left to
itself, it will lay its eggs on the bare ground ; and is generally
in this country a very unfit mother for its own offspring. See
the Introduction. Inhabits Africa and America, and is domes-
ticated every where. Flesh excellent.
This genus in many respects resembles the common poultry,
like them going in large flocks, and feeding its young by point-
THE PEACOCK — THE CRESTED PEACOCK. 231
As a coronal now came the Peacock ( 4 °) along,
Stalking proudly, but uttered no note fit for song.
ing out their food. In this country, however, these birds are
reared much better by the common hen than by their own spe-
cies. The chicken are so extremely sensible to cold, that ex-
posure to it on damp grass, or the ground, for a very short time,
often proves fatal to them.
( 49 ) Order, Galling, {Linn.) Peacock, the Crested, the
Iris, the Thibet, the Japan.
The genus Pavo, (Linn.) or Peacock, consists of seven
species, distinguished by a robust, convex bill ; head covered
with revolute feathers ; nostrils large ; feathers of the tail long,
broad, expansile, and covered with eye-like spots. The
chief are as follow :
The Cristatus, or Crested-Peacock, is the species most com-
monly seen in this country ; it consists of three varieties : one
with a compressed crest, spurs solitary ;— another having the
cheeks, throat, belly, and wing coverts, white; — another with
the body entirely white. The plumage and tail of this magni-
ficent bird are adorned with rich and various colours, but the
most predominant is green of many different shades. It came
originally from India, where it is found, it is said, in vast flocks ;
but it is now seen in all the temperate regions of Europe, and
in almost every part of the new world, and also in Africa. It
arrives at maturity the third year. In this climate the female
lays only four or five eggs, but, in warmer regions, twelve, and,
it is said, sometimes double this number. The time of incuba-
tion is from twenty-seven to thirty days. It lives to the age of
twenty years, or more. One cock is sufficient for three or four
hens. They are granivorous, like other domestic fowls, pre-
ferring barley. The young only are esteemed good eating. It
is not, however, a very desirable bird for the poultry yard, it
being very troublesome and mischievous. The cry which it
utters is one of the most harsh and disagreeable that can be
232 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Thus assembled, the Monarch commanded the
Owl, ( 4I )
To blow loud his trump to the nation of Fowl ; —
Not " hoo-hoo," such as often is heard in the night,
When terror and fancy beget wild affright,
But a note such as never the owl blew before —
Over hill, over dale, went its echoing roar.
conceived. The origin of the white variety is not known, but
it is said that it continues white in every climate.
Lord Bvron calls the peacock
" That royal bird whose tail 's a diadem/'
And Beattie thus describes it in the minstrel:
" Though richest hues the peacock's plumes adorn,
Yet horror screams from his discordant throat/'
The Bicalcaratus, or Iris-Peacock, is brown ; head sub-
crested ; spurs two ; rather larger than the pheasant ; inhabits
China. The Thibetanus, or Thibet-Peacock, isc inereous,
streaked with blackish ; head sub-crested ; spurs two ; twenty-
rive and a half inches long; inhabits Thibet. The Muticus, or
Japan-Peacock, is blue mixed with green j head with a
subulate crest; spurless; size of the cristatus ; inhabits Japan,
( 4I ) Order, Accipitres, (Linn.) Owl, the Great, the Long-
eared, the Tawny, the White, &c.
The genus Strix, (Linn.) or Owl, includes more than eighty
species, scattered over Europe, Asia, and America, about half
of which are eared and half earless ; several are common in this
country: they have a hooked bill, cereless ; the nostrils are
oblong, covered with bristly recumbent feathers; head, auricles
and eyes large; tongue bifid; legs downy; toes four, claws
hooked and very sharp pointed. They fly abroad mostly by
THE OWL — THE GREAT-EARED OWL. 233
What silence, what stillness, at once was impress'd !
Even zephyr scarce wav'd the green trees' leafy vest.
The Falcon then thus: ". It hath pleased the king,
This assembly to-day in his presence to bring;
And wishing sincerely to all much delight,
We now to such sports as are pleasing invite."
night, preying on small birds, mice, and bats; sight, by day,
weak, when the eyes are generally closed ; at such times they
make short low flights, and may be, without much difficulty,
hunted down. At such time, too, the owl is often attacked and
insulted by birds which would not dare, at other times, to ap-
proach him. All the species are not distinguished by this sensi-
bility to light, some of them pursuing their prey during the
day-time.
Owls do, however, for the most part, conceal themselves in
some dark retreat during the day ; the cavern, the rock, the
cavity of a decayed tree, or the holes of a ruinous and unfre-
quented castle, are their solitary abode, where
" They hoot from the hollow of their hallowed thrones,"'
and by their harsh notes render the darkness and silence of the
night truly hideous and appalling. The weak and superstitious
have often foolishly imagined the noise of the screech owl a
presage of some great calamity ; but the good sense of mankind
is rapidly dispelling such idle fancies. Owls are, beyond
question, a very useful tribe of birds. The following are the
chief:
The Bubo, Grea.t-Owl, Great-eared Owl, Eagle-Owl,
Great-horned Owl, has a tawny body ; in other varieties darker,
with blackish wings. The head is large ; the cavities of the
ears large and deep ; on each side of the head are two tufts of
feathers, resembling horns, two inches and a half long, which
the animal can erect or fold down at pleasure ; breadth of the
234 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
The birds soon divided in groups as they chose ;
In the air soaring these, and in water swam those ;
To the wood some retir'd ; others flew up the dell,
Where a bubbling clear fount over rocks dashing fell.
There was singing , the chief: there was billing and
cooing;
And many a coy one her lover came wooing.
There was diving, the Sheldrake's distinguished for
that,
While,some Warbler's sweet notes admiration begat;
wings about five feet ; size, nearly as large as an eagle. Inha-
bits Europe, Kalnmc Tartary, and South America; occasionally
met with in this country. Chases hares, rabbits, moles, and
mice, which it swallows whole ; but the hair, bones, and skin,
which resist the action of the stomach, it ejects in round
balls, similar to the eagle tribe, termed castings. Eggs two, said
to be larger than those of a hen ; they are mottled like the bird.
Wilson describes an owl under the term Virginiana, or
Great-Horned-Owl, which he supposes a variety of the pre-
ceding : themaleis twenty inches long, the female two feet; its
notes, fVavgk 0/ fVavgh O! remains in America the whole
year.
The Otus, Long -eared Owl, Horn-Owl, is a beautiful spe-
cies, in length fifteen inches ; the horns consist of six feathers
variegated with black; its general colour is an ochraceous
yellow. Varieties of this species found all over Europe and
America ; more common in this country than the preceding.
The Stridula, Tawny-Owl, Common-Brown-Owl, Ivy-Owl,
Black-Owl, Aluco-Owl, Wood-Owl, or Screech-Owl, has the back,
head, and coverlets of the wings, a fine tawny red, elegantly
marked with black or dusky spots; fifteen inches long; inhabits
Europe, America, the West Indies, and this country, and is by
far the most plentiful of the owl tribe in England. Breeds in
THE TAWNY OWL — THE WHITE OWL. 235
To enjoy unrestrained of such day the delight,
From pleasure's clear stream each oft sipp'd where he
might.
What excited the smiles of the Aquiline King,
Was the noise made by some birds in efforts to sing.
The jetty black Raven, now stretching his throat,
Did nothing but croak with a horrible note,
That of ill seem'd portentous, as down the deep dell,
Jn echoes heart-startling the wavy sound fell.
hollow trees, sometimes in barns; eggs two or three, a dull
white, Said to be the only species known to hoot. (Montagu.)
I think, however, this is doubtful.
" Heard ye the owl
Hoot to her mate responsive? 'Twas not she
"Whom floating on white pinions near his barn
The farmer views well pleas'd, and bids his boy
Forbear her nest; but she who cloth'd in robe
Of unobtrusive brown, regardless flies
Mouse-haunted cornstacks and the thresher's floor,
And prowls for plunder in the lonely wood."
Gisborne's Walks in a Forest — Summer.
This owl is an excellent mousing bird ; but it will sometimes
destroy pigeons.
The Flamineu, White-Owl, Common-Barn Owl, Howiet,
Gi'lihnwter, Madge- Howiet, Church-Owl, Hissing-Owl, or
Screech-Owl, is about thirteen inches long ; the plumage elegant ;
body above pale yellow, with white dots ; beneath whitish,
with blackish dots ; almost a domestic bird, inhabiting barns,
hay-lofts, and churches ; utters a kind of hissing, or harsh and
mournful cries, formerly believed in the country to be ominous.
Found in Europe, America, and this country. Feeds chiefly on
mice, which it swallows whole, ejecting afterwards the bones and
236 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
The Cuckoo, as songster, would also essay ;
" Cuckoo, Cuckoo,*' still " Cuckoo " was heard through
the day.
In impertinent boldness appear'd the Tomtit, —
His notes little more than a chirp or a chit.
When laughter arose — " Give me sunflower seed/'
He cried, " and I'll sing with the lark of the mead."
The saucy House-Sparrow affected a song ;
But dissonant noises to sparrows belong.
fur in large pellets similar to those of the Great-owl. Eggs four
or more, whitish. Breeds in old trees, or even barns. The young
wholly white, and the flesh then said to be good. Montagu in-
forms us that it never hoots ; I think this is a mistake.
"The awaken'd owl
Majestic, slow, on sounding wing sails by,
And rous'd to active life, enjoys the hour
That gives his winking eye-lids leave to rest,
While bright his eye, dim in day's dazzling light,
Now into distance shoots its beams, and guides
The unweildy spoiler to his creeping prey,
Which having seiz'd, again on murmuring wing
He cleaves the tranquil air, and to his nest
Proudly bears home the feast he toil'd to gain ;
Then from the bosom of some thick wove tree,
Breathes in dull note his votive strain to night,
Friend of his daring, season of his joy."
Mrs. O pie's Evening Walk at Cromer.
Anthology, vol. ii.
The Brachyotos, Short-eared Owl, Mouse-Hawk, Woodcock-
Owl, or Hawk-Owl, is about fifteen inches long ; it is distin-
guished from the rest of the tribe by the smallness of its head ;
on the top of the head above each eye is a tuft of feathers,
THE LITTLE OWL-— THE COQUIMBO OWL. 237
Ducks quak'd, Ganders hiss'd, and Geese cackled aloud ;
Many Rooks, and some Crows, too, were heard 'midst
the crowd.
The Peacock, too, scream'd — his harsh notes ever
shock; —
Of his crowing, seem'd wondrously proud, too, the Cock,
The Dove's gentle cooing was heard in the wood ;
The Daw was desirous to sing if he could.
"Chink, Chink, ,} cried the Chaffinch', the Owl gave-
a shriek;
And the Jay and the Magpie attempted to speak.
which it can erect at pleasure; the neck, back, and scapulars,
are dusky, bordered with ferruginous, breast and belly whitish,
streaked with dusky. Arrives in this country in October, and
departs in March ; hence, from its arriving at the same time as
the Woodcock, one of its names. Supposed to breed in the
Orkneys, Norway, and Hudson's Bay. It never perches on
trees in this country, but hides itself in long grass or fern.
The Scops, orLiTTi.E-HORNEDOwL,and the Pusserina, or Lit-
tle-Owl, may also be mentioned ; the last is an elegant bird,
the smallest of the tribe found in England ; size of a blackbird ;
the head and upper parts are brown, tinged with olive ; the
former, and wing coverts, spotted with white.
The foreign birds of this tribe are numerous, and of various
sizes. I cannot enumerate them. There is, however, in the
northern latitudes, a species common to the old and new world,
called the Nyctea by most ornithologists, which equals in size
the largest of the tribe, being two feet long, and having beau-
tiful plumage.
The Cunicularia or Coqtjim bo Owl, is found in Chili; and
is said to dig holes in the ground for a nest for its young, and
for its own habitation.
There is also a similar owl called the Burrowing-Owl,
found in various parts of the North American continent. In
238 .BRITISH ASD EUROPEAN BIRDS.
'Midst this babel, the Monarch, extending his wing,
Commanded the Warblers in sequence to sing.
In a moment was silence ; the restless were still ;
At distance was heard, in sweet murmurs, the rill.
The Redbreast looked pleas'd, and began with a
twittering;
That excited of Folly an insolent tittering.
But he soon became silent as thus o'er the soul,
The warbler's soft notes with much melody stole.
the trans-Mississlpian territories this owl resides exclusively in
the burrows of the Marmot or Pairie dog; whether at the same
time and in the same burrow with the said dog we are not ex-
actly informed; although in other districts, as in St. Domingo,
it digs itself a burrow two feet deep, in which the functions of
niditication, &c. are performed. Its food is said to be insects ;
it flies about by day ; its notes are cheh, cheh, repeated several
times in rapid succession. Length nine inches and half; extent
two feet. Bill horn colour, the lower mandible strongly notched ;
iris bright yellow; the capistrum before the eyes terminates in
black rigid bristles as long as the bill. General colour of the plu-
mage a light burnt-umber, spotted with a whitish tinge; beneath
whitish; inferior tail coverts are immaculate white ; eggs two,
white, size of the dove's. See a continuation of Wilson's Ame-
rican Ornithology by Prince Charles Buonaparte.
Those who like tales abounding in the horrible, will find one
to their taste in Blackwood's Magazine for July, 1826, entitled
the Owl : the following are the first four lines of it :
*' There sat an owl in an old oak tree,
_ Whooping very merrily ;
He was considering, as well he might,
Ways and means for a supper to-night."
I particularly advise those to read it who may not be quite'
convinced of the impropriety of cruelty to animals.
239
/
THE REDBREAST'S SONG,
Motacilla Rubecula* — Linnaeus.
Sylvia Rubecula. — Latham.
"Little bird with bosom red,
Welcome to my humble shed !
Courtly domes of high degree,
Have no room for thee and me ;
Pride and pleasure's fickle throng,
Nothing mind an idle song."
.Langhorne.,
240
THE REDBREAST'S SONG.
Come listen unto me, love,
Beside the eglantine ;
Or listen unto me, love,
Beneath the shady pine.
I wish not far to roam, love,
Delighted to entwine,
In some sweet rosy, bower, love,
Thy gentle arms with mine.
I wish afar from noise, love,
From fraud and strife malign,
With thee, in peace, to dwell, love ;
That wish is surely thine !
I like a quiet home, love,
Where I, and all that's mine,
In one encircling band move,
With thee and all that's thine.
THE WARBLER — THE REDBREAST. 241
I love to look around, love,
On cherubs that are mine, —
And oh ! how sweet the thought, love,
Those cherubs too are thine !
I like a quiet spot, love,
Where all such things combine
To make us truly blest, love, —
A home almost divine. ( 42 )
(+-) order, passeres,(liw«.)wareler,redbreast,wrey,
Golden-Crested-Wren, Yellow-Wren, Petty-Chaps,
Redstart, Wheat-ear, Wagtail, White-Throat, &c.
The genus Motacii.la, (Linn.) or Warbler, to which the
Redbreast, Motacilla Rvbeculu, belongs, comprehends nearly
three hundred species scattered over the globe; a very great
number of which are natives of Europe, and many of them of
our own country ; their characteristics are a weak, slender
bill ; nostrils small ; tongue cloven ; toes, the extreme one joined
at the under part to the middle one at the base. The follow-
ing are Ihe chief:
The Rubecula, Red-breast, Robin, Robin-red- breast, Robin-
Riddick, Ruddock, or Robinet,* is too well known to need de-
scription. There are three varieties; the common grey, with
throat and breast ferruginous; the second entirely white; the
third with chin while, wing coverts and feathers variegated. It
is remarkable that this bird, which remains, even in North Bri-
* M The nightingale of birds most choice,
To do her best shall strain her voice ;
A dd 1o this bird, to make a set,
The mavis, merle, and robinrt."
Drayton, Muse's Ehjsium,
Nymplml, viii.
M
242 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
tain, all the year round, as well as generally throughout Eng-
land, should migrate from France during the winter months,
which it is said to do. It appears in this country to be par-
ticularly fond, during the winter season, of the habitations of
man ; its note is well-known, and its society always agreeable ;
it sings at almost every season of the year, extremely cold wea ■
ther excepted.
" The Redbreast swells,
In the slow-fading wood, his little throat
Alone: for other birds have dropp'd their note."
It builds in dry banks, beneath tufts of grass ; the nest is
composed of dead leaves, green moss, and stalks of plants; it
is lined with hair. It lays generally five, sometimes more,
whitish eggs, with rusty spots. It is found over the whole of
Europe, from Norway and Sweden to the. Mediterranean.
A redhreast, some years since, frequently perched on one of
the pinnacles of the organ in the cathedral at Bristol, and
joined the music with its warbling effusions, it is said, for fifteen
years successively, till 1787. Some lines on this extraordinary
fact have been long since published ; they were written by the
Rev. Samuel Love, m.a. one of the minor canons, and are
well deserving of perusal ; I am sorry that I have not room for
them.
In very severe weather, a redbreast, many years ago, entered
my parlour in Somersetshire, took its station over the window,
where some food was placed for it; it remained there ahout a
week, and when the weather became more mild it flew away.
The Troglodytes, Wren, Common- Wren, Cutty, Lady's-Hen f *
Cutty-fVren, or Wran, has the whole plumage transversely barred
with undulating lines of brownand black ; on the belly and lower
* Lady's-Hen. My authority for this name is Drayton :
" The hedge-sparrow and her compeer the icren.
Which simple people call our lady's-ken."
Owl.
THE WREN. 243
parts it inclines to grey. Tbe tail of this bird is not, as is com-
monly the case with most other birds, in a straight line with the
back, but it rises considerably upwards, so that one of its distin-
guishing characteristics is a cocked tail. It is one of the smallest of
our native birds, being less than four inches in length ; it inhabits
England and Europe at large; it is found also in Asia ; it remains
in this country throughout every season. Builds a curious nest,
for an account of which see the Introduction ; it may, however,
be added here, that such is the instinctive providence of this
bird, its nest is generally adapted to the place against or under
which it is made; thus, although its usual structure is green-
moss, yet, if it build against the side of a hay-rick, it is composed
of hay ; if against a tree covered with white moss, it is made of
that material ; this is not, however, an invariable habit : for I have
known a wren's nest constructed of green moss at the edge of
the thatch of a house, the colour of which was very different
from the nest itself: something, doubtless, depends upon the
ease or difficulty with which materials can be obtained. Montagu
says that the lining is invariably feathers; this is not, I think,
correct; I believe when made with green moss, its lining is,
generally, of the same material. Eggs six, eight, or more,
whitish, with rusty spots. Feeds on insects. Sings the greater
part of the year. It has, besides, a peculiar note, which it often
repeats in the spring, similar to chit, chit, chit.
The following lines were written many years since.
TO A WREN,
Which, for many years, built her nest behind an ash tree that overhung
my garden.
Little Warbler ! long hast thou
Perch'd beneath yon spreading bough; —
Snug, beneath yon ivied tree,
Thy mossy nest I yearly see,
Safe from all thy peace annoys —
Claws of cats or cruel boys.
M 2
244 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
We often hear thy chit, chit, song
Call thy tiny brood along,
While, in her nest, or on a spray,
The throstle charms us with her lay !
Little warbler ! cbearful wren !
The springtime's come and thou again.
Little warbler! thou, like me,
Delight'st in home and harmless glee.
What of peace is to be found,
Circles all thy dwelling round ;
Here, with love beneath the shade,
Thy tranquil happiness is made;
With thy tiny, faithful mate,
Here meet'st resign'd the frowns of fate.
While prouder birds fly high or far,
Or mix them in the strife of war,
Or restless all the world through range,,
And, restless, still, delight in change,
Thou mak'st thy home a place of rest,
Affection, love, and that is best !
Then welcome, welcome, faithful wren I ,
Thrice welcome to thy home again!
Hunt spill, Somerset ; March 1810.
I believe it may be stated with truth that scarcely a year
pasted from my earliest infancy in which a wren's nest was not to
be found behind the tree alluded to above ; and if it be still
standing may, I dare say, be found there now. The redbreast
has been also a very common inhabitant of the banks near.
As I always discouraged my own children in the practice of
robbing birds' nests, my garden became a sort of sanctuary for
the Goldfinch, the Chaffinch, the Thrush, Sec. The goldfinch in
particular, became a denizen of it ; the garden was by no means
a secluded one, being close to a public road ; but the birds
soon found their security in it: the young goldfinches were de-
stroyed occasionally by cats : this I could not prevent. Candour,
THE GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN. 245
however, compels me to state that, with all my disposition for
indulgence to birds, I found the house-sparrow a very troublesome
guest in the garden, and was obliged to prevent its becoming an
inhabitant of my house and offices, by giving it no opportunity or
place for building its nest. A rookery (see my poem, the Rook-
ery, in the Somerset dialect,) was also a short distance from it.
This bird and the redbreast are supposed in Somersetshire
to be great destroyers of spiders : indeed, the following saying
i3 very common there : if it were not for the Robin- Riddick and the
Cutty-Wran, a spider would overcome a man.
The Regulus, Golden-Wren, Golden-crested Wren,
Wood-Titmouse, or Tidley-Goldfinch, is generally considered the
smallest of British birds. The crown of the head is singularly
beautiful ; the crest is composed of a double series of feathers
arisingfrom each side,and almost meeting at their points; the exte-
rior are black; the interior bright yellow; between which on the
crow T n, the feathers are shorter and of a fine deep orange ; the
hind head, neck, and back, green; beneath, brownish white, on
the belly tinged with yellow. Nest similar to that of the
chaffinch, but lined with feathers ; sometimes placed against a
tree covered with ivy, but most commonly beneath the thick
branch of a fir. Eggs from seven to ten, brownish white. This
bird braves our severest winters, and is by no means so scarce
as it appears, but from its smallness is seldom noticed. Pennant
says it is found principally on oak trees.
" Aloft in mazy course the Golden- Wren
Sports on the boughs; she who her slender form
Vaunting, and radiant crest, half dares to vie
With those gay wanderers,* whose effulgent wings
With insect hum still flutter o'er the pride
Of Indian gardens."
Gisborne's Walks in a Forest — Autumn.
Humming Birds. See note (3), Part IL
246 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Besides these wrens, the following are also inhabitants of* this
country: the Arundinacea, Reed-Wren, or Lesser-Reed-Spurrow,
is a migratory bird, appearing in this country the latter end of
April, and leaving it in September. It builds in reeds, generally,
over water. The Sylvicolu, Wood-Wren, or Green- Wren,
prefers oak and beech woods ; it is also a migratory bird, ar-
riving in and quitting this country about the same time as the
preceding. The Trochilus, Yellow-Wren, Scotch-Wren, Wil-
low-Wren, Ground- Wren, or Ground- Huckmuck 7 is plentiful in
woody places, especially among willows. Nest oval, with a
small opening near the top, composed of moss and dried grass,
and lined with feathers; eggs six or seven, with rusty spots.
The plumage of this bird is very similar to the Lesser Petty chaps.
It sings prettily : see Mr. Sweet's letter in the Introduction.
The Hortensis, Greater-Pettychaps, or Pettychaps, is
above light brown, inclining to olive; beneath dirty white 5
length six inches. Arrives in this country the latter end of
April; its song little inferior to that of the nightingale. Eggs
four, dirty white, blotched with brown. The Hippolais, Lesser
Pettychaps, Hay-bird, or Beam-bird, is smaller than the yellow
wren, length rather more than four inches and half; in plumage
it very much resembles that bird, but is not so much tinged
with yellow. It is a migratory bird, appearing in this country
early, on or before the first of April : its notes consist of two
only, chip, chop, frequently repeated. Nest oval, with a small
hole near the top : it is placed on or near the ground. Found
in all parts of the kingdom : does not leave it till October.
The Phoenicurus, Redstart, Redsleert, Redtail, or Brantail,
is less than the redbreast, but longer and more slender; has
the head, the hind part of the neck, and the back, of a deep
shining grey ; on the fore part of the neck a large black patch ;
the breast, beneath the patch, an igneous red, growing more
faint towards the flanks and belly, which are white. Three va-
rieties. Builds in old walls or rotten trees; eggs five or six,
light blue. Arrives in this country in April, quits it in Septem-
THE WHEAT-EAR THE WAGTAIL. 247
ber. It frequents uninhabited houses and solitary places, in
which it utters its plaintive notes. The female of this species
sometimes sings. See Mr. Sweet's letter in the Introduction.
The (Enanthe, Wheat-ear, Fallow-Finch, Fallow-Smich,
White-tail, Snorter, or English-Ortolan, is distinguished by its
hoary back, rump and base of the tail white ; length six inches
and half. The distribution of its colours varies so as to produce
several varieties. Found as far north as Greenland, and as far
east as India. Visits England in March, and leaves us in Sep-
tember. Frequents heaths and warrens ; breeds in rabbit bur-
rows and under stones ; eggs from five to eight, pale blue.
They grow very fat, and are caught in great numbers in some
of our southern countries previously lo their departure ; many
are sent to London: when potted by the poulterers, are as much
esteemed as ortolans on the continent. This bird sings very
prettily.
The Alba, Wagtail, White-Wagtail, Collared Wagtail,
Water. Wagtail, Dish-washer, Wash- Dish, Washerwoman, or Billy-
Biter, inhabits England and Europe generally; its predominating
colours deep blue, and white; length about seven inches; remains
in this country throughout the year, but migrates, nevertheless,
from one place to another ; it builds in various situations ; in a
heap of stones, in a hole in the wall, or on the top of a pollard
tree; eggs four or five, spotted with brown. Three varieties.
Sings very prettily in the spring. Characterised, as its name
imports, by often wagging its tail, particularly when it drinks.
The tribe Wagtail includes twenty or more species of this
genus, distinguished into pied, cinereous, green, water- wagtail,
&c. ; or into Indian, African, &c. from their native habitations.
Two other wagtails found in this country should also be named.
The Buarula, Grey-Wagtail, or Winter. Wagtail, a very ele-
gant species, is above dark cinereous, rump greenish yellow,
beneath yellow of various shades ; its plumage varies in the
spring. Visits this country the end of September, and quits it
in April. It is seven inches and three quarters long. The
1
248 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Flava, Yellow-Wagtail, Spring; or Summer-Wagtail, is in
length six and a half inches; the distinguishing and predomi-
nating colour of this bird is yellow, mixed in the upper parts
with olive green of different shades. It visits us about the time
that the Winter- Wagtail depaits, and quits this country in Sep-
tember.
I can only mention the following warblers known in this
country: the Dartfordiensis, or Dartford-Warbler; — the
Salicaria, Sedge- Warbler, Willow- Lark, Sedge-Bird, Sedge-
Wren, or Lesser-Reed-Sparrow ; — the %/«ia,WniTE-THROAT, or
Nettle Creeper, is a very common species, visiting all parts of the
kingdom about the middle of April; enlivens our hedges with
its song. — See Mr. Sweet's letter in the Introduction. The
Sylviella, or Lesser White-throat, visits also this country at
the same time as the last; but it is smaller than that bird.
The Rubetra, Whin-chat, or Furze-chat, is migratory in this
country : inhabits Europe, Asia, and Africa. Three or four
varieties : found chiefly among furze, as its name imports.
The Rubicola, Stone-chat, Stone-chatter, Stone-Smich, Moor-
Titling, Stone-Smith, or Blacky-top, is found in this country
during the whole year. Sings prettily in the spring. Habits
the same as the whin-chat. Length five inches and a quarter.
The Ncsviu, or Fig-Eater, inhabits Italy ; feeds on figs and
grapes, whence its specific name.
For an account of other birds belonging to this genus, see the
note on the Nightingale; the Hedge Spar row's Complaint ; the
Blackcap's Song: for the Warblers of foreign countries, see
the note on that tribe in the second part ; see also, in the same
part, a note on the Taylor-bird.
The Wagtails, in Dr. Latham's arrangement, are made a se-
parate genus under the term Motacilla, with 25 species ; the
Warblers another, under the term Sylvia, with 298 species.
The Lark in a flatter uprose with a bound ;
His measure disposed you to dance to the sound.
249
THE SKY-LARK'S SONG.
Alauda Arvensis.—L.in'SJEVS.
u From the green waving corn,
The Lark spreads his wings,
And hails as he sings
The fresh glow of the morn."
To BIN.
He who'd live a happy life,
Let him live as we ;
We defy both care and strife —
Are from sorrow free.
We with early dawn arise,
Health awaits our way ;
Up we mount the radiant skies
To greet the king of day.
Mirth with sparkling eye and Glee,
Listen while we sing ;
Pleasure, too, and Gaiety,
Welcome now the spring.
Love too listens to our song ;
Exquisite delight!
Zephyrs bear the notes along,
O'er yon meadows bright.
Mo
250 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Come, ye sons of sprightliness !
Join our jocund throng ;
These the pleasures we possess ; —
Come ye — come along !
He who'd live a happy life,
Let him live as we ;
We defy both care and strife —
Are from sorrow free. ( 43 )
( 43 ) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Sky-Lark.
The Alauda Arvensis, Lark, Sky-Lark, Mounting-Lark,
Common-Field-Lark, or Laverock, inhabits Europe, Asia, and
Africa; feeds on fruit and insects; sings sweetly, soaring in a
perpendicular direction in the air, and increasing the volume of
its note, as it ascends, frequently, so high as to be scarcely vi-
sible. It assembles in vast flocks in winter, when it is found,
very commonly, in stubble fields, more rarely in meadows or
pastures, at which time it becomes very fat. It builds on the
ground, either in tufts of grass or amidst growing corn ; lays four
or five greenish-white eggs, with dusky confluent spots. This
and the woodlark said to be the only birds which sing as they
fly; but this, like many other sayings, is most probably incorrect.
Body is above varied with blackish, reddish grey, and whitish ;
beneath reddish white ; bill and legs black ; throat spotted
with black; can erect the feathers on the hind head like a crest.
Four or five varieties. Length seven inches. Flesh good.
The song of the sky-lark has considerable sprightliness in it : see
the Introduction, page 69. Pope thus characterises it :
" Is it for thee the lark ascends and sings?
Joy tunes his voice, joy elevates his wings."
Essay on Man, Epistle iii.
The lark sings during a much greater portion of the year than
most birds ; and it is also believed that the female of this species
sings as well as the male ; yet the fact does not seem with cer-
tainty known.
251
THE GOLDFINCH'S SONG.
Fringilla Carduelis* — Linnaeus.
"The GoLDFiNCH r Jie,
Whose plumage with the tropic warbler's vies ; —
Whose note — exultant chearfulness itself; —
Whose downy dome rivals a Trochilid's
In beauty."
From an unpublished Poem.
I've a snug little nest
In a little elm tree ;
This nest I am sure
You'll be pleas'd when you see ;
It is made with much care,
And is lined so throughout—
It is neatness itself
Both within and without.
But a dear little mate,
She with whom I am blest,
Is the neatest of all things
In this little nest.
Should you pass by in May,
When our little ones come>
Look in, and you'll find
We've a snug little home.
252 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
No home like that home,
Where two bosoms impart
Their finest of sympathies
Warm from the heart ;
Where friendship with love
Is perpetual guest ;
And affection's smooth pillow
A soft heaving breast. ( 44 )
( 44 ) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Finch, Goldfinch, Chaf-
finch, Brambling, Redpolf, &c.
The genus Fringilla, (Linn.) or Finch, to which the
Goldfinch, Fringilla Carduelis, belongs, consists of about one
hundred and fifty species, distributed over the globe, several of
which are found in our own country j they are distinguished by
a conic bill ; tongue truncated; toes three forwards, one back-
ward. The following are the chief:
The Carduelis, Goldfinch, Thistle-Finch, or Jack nicker, is
too well known to need description. Nine varieties ; inha-
biting Europe, Asia, Africa, and this country. Sings exqui-
sitely, and is very docile j frequents gardens and orchards, and
feeds on various seeds ; in the winter assembles together in
numbers, feeding at such times on thistle seeds, hence its
specific name carduelis ; builds in apple, pear, elm, and some
evergreen trees; nest very neat, (see the Introduction.) Eggs
five, white with brown spots. It regularly breeds with the
canary-bird, the produce, a mule, termed Canary-Goldfinch.
The young of the goldfinch before the crimson on the head ap-
pears, is called by the bird-catchers grey-pate.
Of the Calebs, Chaffinch, Beech-finch, Horse-finch, Pied-
finch, Pink, or Twink, there are six varieties, the principal
of which is distinguished by the peculiar sound of chink, chink,
CHAFFINCH — SISKIN REDPOLE. 253
or pink, pink, which it often makes ; it has, als^, it is said, a
song, although a trifling one. It is larger than the goldfinch,
and, though having a great variety of colours, is hy no means so
handsome as that bird ; it builds a neat nest, (see the Introduc-
tion,) and lays five dirty-white eggs, spotted with brown. In-
habits almost every where in this country, Europe, and Africa.
It is said, however, that the males are migratory, frequently
leaving the females in the winter even in this country.
Of the Montifringilla, Brambling, Mountain-Finch, or Kate,
there are three varieties; inhabits Europe and Siberia; one
variety, Asia; frequently seen in this country in the winter,
but not supposed to breed here. It is about six inches long ;
the upper parts are ash-coloured, beneath whitish ; the throat,
breast, and upper coverts of the wings ferruginous orange.
Eggs yellowish, spotted.
The Spinus, Siskin, or Aberdevine, has the quill feathers yellow
in the middle, the first four without spots ; tail feathers yellow
at the base and tipt with black; four and three quarter inches
long. Three other varieties. Inhabits our own country and
Europe generally. Feeds on various seeds, easiiy tamed, and
sings moderately. The Cannabina, Greater Red-Pole, Red-
Pole, or Greater -Red-headed- Linnet, has the body above chesnut-
brown, beneath reddish-white, bottom of the breast blood-red
in the male, in the female dirty-brown ; five and a half inches
long. Sings prettily. Inhabits Europe, America, and this
country. Gregarious in the winter. Eggs five, bluish white,
with purplish specks; makes its nest among furze. See the
Linnet's Song. The Linaria, Lesser- Red-headed- Linnet,
Redpole, or Stone-Redpole, is much smaller than the last; often
found in this country. The Montium, Mountain-Linnet, or
Twite, is black varied with reddish, beneath whitish; rump red.
Inhabits Europe and this country; has no song, but merely
twitters.
The Xanthorea is dusky, rump yellow ; primaries edged with
green ; tail tipped with white ; length four inches and half.
254 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Inhabits Rio Janeiro. The bird from which this description
was taken was tame, and sang like a canary ; and, like other
antarctic birds, sang most in the winter. See the Journal of the
Acad, of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, vol. iv. part 2, in the
papers, by Prince Charles Bonaparte.
For the Linota, or Linnet, see the Linnet's Song; for
the Canaria, or Canary-Bird, see the Canary-Bird's
Song ; for the Domestica, or House-sparrow, see the House-
Sparrow's Speech.
The Thrush, closely shrouded some ivy among
That crept up an elm, was rehearsing her song,
In a soft under-tone, and in murmurs most sweet ;
(Such warblings who lives that can catch and repeat?)
Now more loud rose the notes thus the air they
impress'd,
As the songstress still sat in her ivy-hung nest,
255
THE THRUSH'S SONG.
Turdus Musicus. — Linn^us.
"The Home of Love is where the heart
Is never found repining."
256
THE THRUSH'S SONG.
The home of love is where the heart
Is never found repining;
The home of love is where we part.
In pain some bliss combining ;
That bliss, the child of ardent hope,
Persuading that to-morrow
We shall, with rapture, meet again ; —
No room have we for sorrow.
The home of love is that on which
Our thoughts, when absent centre ;
And which, when we behold again,
Delighting we re-enter.
The home of love is that where dwell
Two hearts of pure affection ;
Whose mutual throbbings ever tend
To dissipate dejection.
The home of love is that where dwell
Hearts kind, sincere, indulgent ;
Where dwells besides for all the world
Benevolence effulgent.
THE THRUSH. 257
Then, hallowed be this ivied bower,
This home of love endearing,
Where mutual wishes sink to rest,
With thoughts for ever cheering. ( 45 )
( +5 ) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Thrush, Missel-Thrush,
Fieldfare, Ring-Ouzel, &c.
The genus Turdus, (Linn.) or Thrush, now comprehends
above two hundred and thirty species, scattered over the globe;
the number described by Linnaeus was only twenty-eight.
Several are inhabitants of this country. Many of the tribe sing
exquisitely, among which may be named, the Missel, the
Throstle, or Song-Thrush, the Redwing, the Blackbird, and a
vast crowd of foreign birds, including the Mocking-Bird. They
are distinguished by having the outer toe connected with the
middle membrane, as far as the first joint ; the bill is denticu-
lated towards the point ; they are generally subject to a va-
riation of colour at different seasons of the year. They are
baccivorous, but they also eat insects, worms, and snails ; none
of them feeds on grain. The following are the chief:
The Musicus, Song-Thrush, Thrush, Throstle, Dirsh, or
Mavis,* has the head, back, and upper coverts of the wings
deep olive-brown ; throat mottled with brown and white ; belly
and breast pale yellow, with large black spots ; nine inches
long. Inhabits the woods of Europe, generally, and frequent
in this country. Builds in a low bush, or in an ivied tree ; (for
a description of the nest see the Introduction.) Eggs five, pale-
blue, with blackish spots. In France said to be migratory, in
England remains all the year. Remarkably prolific, producing
sometimes three different families in a season. Of all the tribes,
the Mocking-Bird, perhaps, excepted, this is the most accom-
plished singer ; and it sings also at almost every season of the
year. There are several varieties in Europe ; three or four in
America. This, and indeed the whole tribe, are very useful
* U So doth the cuckoo when the mavis sings,"
Spenclr, Sonnet Ixxxv,
258 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS-
birds in the destruction of snails and other injurious animals, they
should, therefore, never be destroyed. — See the Introduction.
The Viscivorus, Missel, Missel-Thrush, Missel-Bird, Mis-
seltoe-Thrush, Skreech, Home-Screech, Skreech-Thrush, Throstle-
Cock, Holm-Thrush, or Stormcock, is peculiarly distinguished as
being the largest British bird which has any harmony in its
voice; it is in length eleven inches ; back and upper parts light-
brown ; neck white, spotted with brown ; beneath whitish; bill
dusky. Builds its nest generally in the fork of some tree; very
often the apple-tree. Eggs four or five, flesh colour, with rusty
spots. This is rather a scarce bird in England ; I have seen it
and its nest, occasionally, in Somersetshire, but I know nothing
of its song. It is said, indeed, that it is much louder than, and,
by some, esteemed superior to that of the song-thrush. That it
begins to sing in January, and continues singing, more or less,
till the female has hatched its young, when it is heard no more
till the beginning of the new year. If, however, the young be
taken, its song continues as before ; and if the female be de-
stroyed, it continues in song the whole summer. This experi-
ment, Montagu informs us, he tried upon this and several other
song birds, and always found it invariable. Feeds upon holly,
misseltoe berries, whence its name, and insects. It generally
sings from the summit of a tree ; it is said also to sing before
rain and during a storm ; hence its name Stormcock.
The Pilaris, Fieldfare, Fieldefare, Feldefare, Veelvare, or Pi-
geon-Fieldfare, is ten inches long ; back and lesser wing coverts
chesuut-brown ; neck, breast, and sides, yellowish, streaked
with dusky ; throat and beneath white ; tail dusky-black.
Three or four other varieties. This is a migratory bird, visiting
this country in flocks in October, and quitting it in April.
Feeds here on the fruit of the hawthorn, worms, and insects.
Their summer residence said to be Syria, Siberia, and the
neighbouring districts. The numbers and appearance of this
bird in England seem to be determined by the rigour of the
weather; while they are seen here, the inhabitants of the country
consider that the severity of the winter is not yet past.
THE RING THE CARNATION -OUZEL. 259
This bird has given rise to an expression, found occasionally
in our old writers, and also at the present time in the West :
" The harm is done, and farwelfeldefare."
Chaucer, Troilus and Cressida, Book ii.
That is, the season is over ; the occasion is past ; the bird is flown.
"Ye strangers, banished from your native glades,
Where tyrant frost with famine leagu'd proclaims
' Who lingers diesj' with many a risk ye win
The privilege to breathe our softer air
And glean our sylvan berries."
Giseorne's Walks in a Forest — Autumn.
The Torquatus, Ring-Ouzel, Amsel, Rock or Mountain Ouzel,
Michaelmas- Blackbird, or Tor-Ouzel, is eleven inches long ; the ge-
neral plumage black, beneath greyish ; collar white. One or
two other varieties. Rather a scarce bird in this country. It
is also found in many parts of Europe, A?ia, and Africa. The
Ring-ouzel is a migratory bird ; said to breed in Scotland,Wales,
and some parts of the West of England. Nest generally on the
ground under some bush, which, and the eggs, are similar to the
blackbird's.
rt Joyously
From stone to stone, the Ouzel flits along,
Startling the linnet from the hawthorn bough;
While on the elm-tree, overshadowing deep
The low-roofed cottage white, the Blackbird sits
Cheerily hymning the awakened year."
The above lines are from Blackwood's Magazine, for March,
1822, with the signature of £\. I take the present opportunity
of expressing the pleasure which I have often felt on the pe-
rusal of the many truly poetical productions of this amiable yet
anonymous writer which have, from time, to time appeared in
that magazine.
The Roseus, Rose-coloured Thrush, Ouzel, or Carnation-
Ouzel, is themost beautiful of the species, and occasionally seen
in this country ; it is rather less than the blackbird, being in
length hardly eight inches. The head, which is crested, neck,
260 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
wings, and tail, are black, glossed with blue, purple, and green ;
back, rump, breast, belly, and lesser wing coverts, pale rose-
colour, with a few irregular spots. It varies considerably in its
roseate shades. More frequent in France ; and found also in
many other parts of Europe, and also in Asia ; visits, it is said,
Aleppo, in pursuit of locusts, and thence called the Locust-bird ;
it is held sacred by the Turks ; it is also found in South
Russia and Siberia, where it is said to breed.
The Curaus is the size of the Missel, sings finely, and imitates
the notes of other birds; when tame, the voice of man. Inha-
bits Chili. The Tinniens, or Alarm-Thrush, is above brown,
beneath white, breast spotted with black; six and a half inches
long ; inhabits Cayenne ; cries every morning and evening for
half an hour with a harsh loud voice, like an alarum bell.
The Arundinaceus, or Reed-Thrush, is rusty brown, beneath
white-testaceous ; quill feathers brown, tipt with reddish :
three other varieties. Inhabits the reedy marshes of Europe ;
builds a hanging nest among reeds ; eggs five or six, yellowish-
white, spotted with brown. The male sings while the hen is
sitting; seven inches long.
The Iliacus, Redwing, Swine-pipe, Wind-Thrush, Windle-
Thrush, Whinnle-Thrush, or Dirsh, is eight and a half inches
long ; similar in its general colours to the song-thrush, but
having the body, under the wings, and under wing coverts,
reddish-orange. This bird is migratory, arriving in flocks in
this country in September, and leaving it in the spring. Breeds,
it is said, in Norway and Sweden, and is also said to sing in the
breeding season equal to the song-thrush of this country ; nest in
a low bush ; eggs six, blue-green, spotted with black. Flesh good.
The Mindanensis is the most pleasant singing bird of the
island of Java ; its song is, at once, diversified and agreeable.
Horsfield.
For a description of the Blackbird, see the Blackbird's
Song; for that of the Mocking-Bird, see Part II.; for
the Red-breasted Thrush, and the Wood-thrush, see
also Part II.
261
THE LINNET'S SONG.
Fringilla Linota. — Linn&us.
" The lovely linnet now her song
Tunes sweetest in the wood."
Shenstone.
Where dwell pleasures worth possessing?
In yon cot beside the hill ! —
Where content, purer love caressing^
Wanders by the crystal rill ;
Where affection, strong and fervent,
Opes the door to calm delight;
And where hope, a faithful servant,
Fans the flame of promise bright ;
Where domestic peace resideth ;
Where, beneath the humble dome,
Wisdom's self for aye abideth,
There hath Happiness her Home.
262 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
There dwell pleasures worth possessing,
In yon cot beside the hill,
Where content, pure love caressing,
Listens to the crystal rill. ( 46 )
(* c ) The Fringilla Linota, Linnet, Common-Linnet, or
Brown-Linnet, sometimes called also, I believe, Grey-Linnet, is
chesnut-brown, beneath whitish ; bottom of the breast blood-red
in the male, in the female streaked with brown. Size of the
Greater -Redpole. Eggs five, whitish, with chesnut spots; sings
delightfully. It appears that, from occasional variations in its
colours, this bird is often confounded with the Greater*Redpole ;
indeed, Montagu asserts, that both this and the Redpole are
one and the same species. See the description of the Redpole
in note 44.
For a description of the Green-Linnet, Loxia Chloris,
see page 175.
263
THE BLACKBIRD'S SONG,
Turdus Merula. — Linnaeus.
" The blackbird whistles from the thorny brake."
Thomson.
All cities I hate ; nor has splendour or pride
The least of attraction for me ;
Give me a retreat by some shady wood-side ;
There only I'm happy and free.
Though man for his pleasure may birds in a cage
Remorseless for ever confine;
Though some of our tribe such a prison may please,
May such prison never be mine !
Though man, too, may feed us with daintiest food,
Though gold on our prisons may shine ;
I prefer the plain fare that is found in the wood,
For myself and for all that is mine.
264 ERITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
You may prattle of cities as much as you please ;
Of their splendour and wealth all how fine !
I prefer living here with my mate at my ease ;
Where is happiness equal to mine ? ( 47 )
( 47 ) Order, Passkres, (Linn.) Blackbird.
The Blackbird, Turdus Merula, (Linn.) Colly, Merle* or
Amsel, is almost too well known to need description. The
male is wholly of a deep black when full-grown, at which state
it arrives the next spring after the summer in which it is hatched,
when the bill and the orbits of the eyes are deep yellow. The fe-
male is not so intense a black as the male; nor is the bill so deep
a yellow : the difference in the colour of the bills being the
principal characteristic of the sex. It is said there are three
other varieties of this bird ; one with the head white ; another
with the body white ; and the third variegated with black and
white; but they are not common in England. It feeds chiefly
on snails and worms, and, occasionally, on insects and berries.
In a domestic state it may be fed on bread and milk, and bread
and water, and even flesh. It is at all seasons a solitary bird.
Found almost every where in this country, in the neighbourhood
of woods, trees, and hedges; rarely on open heaths or downs.
It also inhabits Europe and Asia. Lays five dirty-green spotted
eggs. Nest composed externally of dried grass, or moss, and
sometimes other materials; plastered inside with clay, and then
lined with dried grass. See the Introduction. See also note (43.)
" Take thy delight in yonder goodly tree,
Where the sweet merle and warbling mavis be."
Drayton's Owl.
* The terms merle for the blackbird, and mavis for the thrush,
are used chiefly by our poets :
" Merry is it in the good green wood,
When the mavis and merle are singing,
When the deer sweeps by and the hounds are in cry,
And the hunter's horn is ringing."
Sir Walter Scott's Lady of the Lake.
265
THE HEDGE-SPARROW'S COMPLAINT.
Motacilla Nodularis. — Linnaeus.
Sylvia Modularis. — Latham.
I have heard well-pleas'd, attentive,
Many birds their carols sing ;
Sweet the power of song inventive ! —
Power to soothe, to charm a king.
But what power may soothe my anguish ?
What shall chase my grief away ?
Mine, not throbs of love's soft languish —
Deeper far my woe than they.
Rapine gives my plaint its feature ;
Rapine ! 'tis too mild a name
For the deeds which outrage nature ;—
Deeds for which man 's oft to blame.
The blackbird has a loud and beautiful note ; it sings in this
country during the spring for about three months ; is generally
silent the remainder of the year, except that, upon being dis-
turbed, it utters a peculiar shrieking, not easily described, yet
well known to the natural historian.
The mode in which this bird, and some others of the thrush
tribe separate house-snails from their shells by striking them
repeatedly against a stone, deserves notice ; the labour which
they expend in doing this is, sometimes, almost incredible.
N
266 British and European birds.
And, as if enough it were not,
While we suffer various ill,
From the kite, hawk, stote* destroying,
Man our cup of woe must fill !
Nets and traps, deceitful birdlime,
Lays he often in our way ;
And he even trains our fellows,
To entice us— to betray.
I my little brood had nurtur'd —
Hope had much for me in store —
Came a boy — a wanton school-boy,
And my darlings from me tore !
Tell me not man's noble nature
Spurns the chains of base control ;
Tell me not that such a creature,
Has a great, a generous soul. ( 48 )
(4 8 ) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Heuge-Spaurow.
The Hedge-Sparrow, Hedge- Warbler, Titling, Dannock,
or Motacilla Modularis, (Linn.) is brownish, with blackish
streaks ; size of the redbreast ; builds in box hedges, low
bushes, hawthorn hedges, and dry brakes ; nest neat; externally
of green moss, &c. internally lined with hair; eggs five, light
blue. Common to Europe, and very common in this country.
The cuckoo generally lays her egg in the nest of this bird. — See
* A species of weasel.
THE HEDGE-SPARROW. 267
note (6.) — The hedge-sparrow has a pleasing song; it remains
with us the whole year ; feeds on insects and worms, but will
also, like the redbreast, pick up crumbs of bread, and seems to
prefer being near the habitations of man. It appears that,
although the young or eggs of the hedge-sparrow are invariably
destroyed whenever the cuckoo's egg is hatched in the hedge-
sparrow's nest, this destruction is not effected by the hedge-
sparrow, but by the young cuckoo. As the following lines, on
disturbing a hedge-sparrow from her nest, allude to this fact, I
shall be, I trust, pardoned for reprinting them here : they have
long been before the public.
" Little flutterer! swiftly flying,
Here is none to harm thee near ;
Kite, nor hawk, nor school-boy prying,
Little flutterer! cease to fear.
One who would protect thee, ever,
From the school-boy, kite, and hawk,
Musing now obtrudes, but never
Dreamt of plunder in his walk.
He no weasel stealing slily,
Would permit thy eggs to take,
Nor the pole-cat, nor the wily
Adder, nor the wreathed snake,
May no cuckoo wandering near thee,
Lay her egg within thy nest ;
Nor thy young ones, born to cheer thee,
Be destroy'd by such a guest.*
Little flutterer ! swiftly flying,
Here is none to harm thee, near ;
Kite, nor hawk, nor school-boy prying;
Little flutterer cease to fear.
* The fact here alluded to is particularly mentioned by Dr.
Jenner in a paper published in the Philosophical Transactions
for the year 1788.
N 2
268
THE BULFINCH'S SONNET.
Loxia Pyrrhula.'— Linn^us.
" The bulfinch whistles soft his flute like notes."
Savage*
We live without law, and we love without care;
And my mate is delighted my feelings to share.
We live without law, and we love without strife ;
Oh what is so sweet as the bulfinch's life ?
Our laws are our feelings, which prompt us to show
Affection to all that inhabits below.
From my mate is ne'er heard the harsh word of com-
mand ;
But a look, always kind, is the wizard's sole wand.
Son of freedom himself, he's the friend of the free;
No constraint could be pleasing to him or to me.
It is thus he insures the Affections' control;
And thus, without law, he possesses my soul.
Come, Man ! and learn thou, from the birds of the
grove,
What happiness waits on such generous love ! ( 49 )
THE BULFINCH.
269
(**>) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Bulflnch.
The Bulfinch, {Loxia Pyrrhula,) Red-hoop, Hoop, Tony-
hoop, Alp, or Nope, is so well known as to need little descrip-
tion. The head, wings, and tail, are black ; the breast and
belly red ; the upper tail coverts and vent white. The male is
distinguished from the female by the superior blackness of his
crown, and by the rich crimson which adorns his cheeks, breast,
belly, and throat ; those parts of the female being of a dirty
buff colour. The plumage is, however, variable, some indi-
viduals being wholly black; others white, with black spots on
the back. About six inches long.
This is one of the few species of birds of which the female also
sings. See Mr. Sweet's letter in the Introduction. This bird
is so docile that, having but two or three harsh notes, it becomes,
by regular education, proficient in music. It may be taught to
speak as well as sing. It is found in our woods and thickets
throughout the year; seen sometimes in gardens attacking the
buds of plums, and generally considered destructive to them ;
but its object, most probably, is not the bud itself, but the worm
in it. Builds in a black or white thorn bush ; eggs four or five ?
bluish white, speckled and streaked with purple.
270
THE RING-DOVE'S LAMENT.
Columba Palumbus. — (Linn.)
Dear is my little native vale,
The Ring-Dove builds and murmurs there.
Rogers.
Why, alas ! am I forsaken ? —
If forsaken ? — Is it true 1 —
Still Affection will awaken
Thoughts of Happiness and you ; —
You — you — you I
How have I in aught offended ? —
With disdain why me pursue ?
Affection, with my being blended,
Ever dwells, in thought, with you; —
You— you — you.
More professing you may find one, —
More imposing — not more true ;
But a heart — where meet more kind one,
One that, e'er, will beat for you ?
You — you — you .
THE RING-DOVE, 271
O, return ! — return ! and gladden
This poor heart, forlorn, yet true ; —
Bid begone all cares that sadden ; —
Here waits Happiness for you ;
You — you — you /( so )
< so ) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Columba, (Lath.) Wood-
Pigeon.
The Columba Palumbus, Wood-Pigeon, Ring-Dove, Ring-
Pigeon, Queeze, Quest, Wood-Quist, or Cushat,* is cinereous, tail
feathers black on the hind part ; primary quill feathers whitish
on the outer edge ; neck each side white ; eighteen inches long ;
iuhabits Europe, our own country, and, occasionally, Siberia;
heard sometimes near London, as, in Kensington Gardens.
Flesh of course good. It is indigenous to this country, and
migrates, most probably, only from the northern to the southern
parts. In winter they assemble in large flocks, and constantly
resort to woods to roost on the highest trees ; on which too they
build their nests, composed only of a few sticks, (see the Intro,
duction.) Eggs two, white, exactly oval, and larger than those
of the domestic pigeon, with which, and with this species, at-
tempts have been made to produce a breed, but without suc-
cess. Feeds on grain, seeds, &c.
The cooing notes of the wood-pigeon are somewhat loud, yet
hoarse, and uttered very slowly ; they seem to be notes of
sorrow, and consist principally of such sounds as are conveyed
by the words two, two, two, taffy take two; they are probably
neither more nor less than the natural expressions of pleasurable
sensation peculiar to this tribe of birds. See note (7.)
* " Perch'd on his wonted eyrie nigh,
Sleep seal'd the tercelet's wearied eye,
That all the day had watch'd so well
The cushat dart across the dell."
Sir Walter Scott's Rokeby, Canto v'u
272
THE BLACK-CAP'S SONG.
Motacilla Atricapilla. — Linnaeus.
Sylvia Atricapilla.-— Lath am,
*' The mimic melodist,
The Black-cap from some tangled sloe bash trills
His varying song : now as some nierulid's.
Now as Luscinian Sylviad's* aloud
His note ; and now in strain original
Excites the woods to listen."
From an unpublished Poem,
Her loveliness, oh, who shall tell,
Or, of beauty, what is the magic spell ; —
And what that affection, pure and fine,
That around the heart unseen doth twine?
And who shall tell the deep feeling now
That is hid in the leaves of the waving bough;—*
And who shall tell that breast's delight,
When my song lays it gently to rest at night?
Hush, hush, ye winds! and ye noises rude !
On my love's repose how dare ye intrude ;
Begone with thy steeds, thou garish day !
And then I will warble my love a lay. ( SI )
* The Nightingale;
THE BLACK-CAP. 273
( Sl ) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Black-cap.
The Black-cap, (Motacilla Atricapilla,) Mock-Nightingale,
Nettle-creeper, or Nettle-monger, inhabits England, Europe, and
Siberia ; it is found also at Madeira, and there called Tinta-
Negra. It is a migratory bird, arriving in this conn try in
April, and leaving it sometime in the autumn ; its winter retreat
is not known ; it is, however, occasionally seen here in January.
It is between five and six inches long. The head of the male
is black, back greyish-brown, with a tinge of green ; beneath
ash-colour. Three or four varieties. The female is larger than
the male, aud has the crown of the head of a rust-colour. Builds
generally in low bushes, but sometimes in an old ivy-tree.
Eggs four or five, pale reddish-brown, mottled with a deeper
colour, sprinkled with a few dark spots ; the male and female
sit upon the eggs in turn. Feeds on insects, and also on the
berries of the spurge laurel, service, and especially ivy. Has,
it is said, in Italy, two broods in a year ; in this country only
one.
The black-cap may with propriety be called the English
Mocking-bird ; it has been heasd to sing the notes of the Black-
bird, Thrush, Nightingale, Redstart, and Sedge-Warbler, besides
its own peculiar whistle, which is most delightful j it makes
also a noise resembling that of a pair of shears used in clipping
a fence, which is also the noise made by its young. See the
paper by Messrs. Sheppard and Whitear, before referred to in the
Introduction.
274
THE NIGHTINGALE'S SONG.
Motacilla Luscinia. — Linnaeus.
Sylvia Luscinia. — Latham.
Sweet is the time when ail the fields
Their loveliest robes assume ;
And sweet the time when lilies shed
Their elegant perfume.
But sweeter far than these the time
When, on his eager wings,
My love returning to his bower
An evening descant sings.
Sweet morn, sweet eve, and sweet the day,
When spring, with budding rose,
Advancing smiles, with liberal hand,
Rich fragrance round him throws.
But, oh ! how sweeter far the time
When, at the midnight hour,
My love pours out to me his soul
In notes of magic power.*
For a description of the Nightingale's Song, see the
Introduction ; for its form, colours, habits, &c. see note (5.)
* It is here presumed that the female, as well as the male
nightingale, sings ; the fact, however, is doubtful : the reader
will, it is hoped, pardon the poetical licence.
275
GLEE.
We are sons of pleasure,
We are sons of love,
Joys, beyond all measure,
Wait us in the grove.
Who so happy as birds,
Who as birds so free; —
Who so happy as birds,
Who so happy as we 1
We know nought of care,
Little know of strife ;
Tell us, tell us where,
You find so sweet a life?
None so happy as birds,
None as birds so free ;
None so happy as birds,
None so happy as we.
276
THE BANQUET.
Quae virtus et quanta, boni, sit vivere parvo,
Discite:
Jejunus raro stomachus vulgaria tenanit.
Horat.
" The freedom nature gave,
Her water and her simplest dish."
Canary Bird's Song.
Behold now the banquet ! And, first, we remark,
That the banqueting -hall was a large shady park ;
The table a glade — cloth a carpet of green,
Where sweet-smelling shrubs strew'd about might be
seen.
The lilac put forth her delights in the vale;
Other spring. flowers' odours were mix'd with the gale.
With encouraging smile nature sat at the feast ;
Her converse a charm that enraptured each guest.
The viands were various to suit every taste,
Got together by magic, assisted by haste :
The dishes, all simple, no surfeit produce ;
Nor did wine's effervescence excite to abuse.
THE BANQUET. 277
There was corn— wheat, oats, barley, for many a Fowl;
There was grass for the Goose, and a mouse for the
Owl.
There were pease for the Rook, as an elegant treat;
For the Crow there was carrion, he glories to eat.
The Bulfinch's feast was some buds from theplum 5
That, torn fresh from the tree, made the gardener
look glum.
For Pheasants and Nightingales, ants' eggs were
found ;
Andres for the Swallows in numbers abound.
For the Sea-gull was many a cock-chafer grub ;
Many Warblers pick'd worms from the tree or the
shrub ;
The Sea-birds directed attention to fish;
The Duck partook almost of every dish.
For the Swan were some water-plants pluck'd from
the pond ;
Offish the King-fishers evinc'd they were fond.
The Divers, Grebes, Guillemots, Water-Rails,
too,
On the dishes of fish all instinctively flew.
For the Goldfinch was groundsel, a delicate bit ;
There was sunflower-seed for the saucy Tomtit.
For the Crane was an eel; for the Thrush was a
snail;
And barley for Partridge, for Pigeon, and Quail,
For the Cuckoo, an earthworm — his greatest delight;
Some Hawks, of fowl, flesh, or fish, seiz'd what they
might ;
278 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
But the Kestril, a mouse to all dainties preferr'd;
While the Shrike pounc'd, at once, on some poor
helpless bird.
For the House-Sparrow, wheat — he's reputed a thief;
The Eagle himself got a slice of raw beef*
The Turkey of apples partook as a treat,
And the Cock and Hen caught up a bone of cold meat.
The Dessert?— It consisted of only one thing :
A clear stream of water just fresh from the spring.
279
THE HOUSE-SPARROW'S SPEECH,
Fringilla Domestica. — Linnaeus.
" Go to the Indian, White Man ! go—
And learn his Ourah reed to blow —
Compound Wourali poison — deep
The arrow in the fell juice steep,
Then shoot — the bird, with scarce a sigh,
"Will thank thee for such death, and die."
280
( sl ) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) The House-Sparrow.
The FringillaDomestica, Hous e- Spar row, or Sparrow, inhabits
Europe, Asia, Africa, and this country, and too well known to
need description ; four varieties ; five and three quarter
inches long. Builds under the eaves of houses both thatched
and tiled ; sometimes in ivy, sometimes in other birds' nests ;
(I have seen its nest in that of a deserted magpie's,) and
in and near London on the Lombardy poplar. Feeds on grain
and insects; troublesome in gardens ; proverbially salacious;
breeds many times in the year; eg-gs six, whitish, dirty spotted
ash colour; it is a gregarious, noisy, crafty bird, and not easily
caught; very destructive to ripe corn; but, nevertheless, it
may be questioned whether, upon the whole, it be not a useful
bird : for more concerning it and its nest, see the Introduction,
281
TO
THE LADIES
Who have so kindly patronized
THE SOCIETY
FOR PREVENTING CRUELTY TO ANIMALS,
THE FOLLOWING
SPEECH OF THE HOUSE-SPARROW
Is respectfully inscribed
By the Author.
Why mute the Lark on themes like these ;—
Why silent are the Partridges ; —
Why slumber Sea-birds when among"
Them death, disasters, stalk— a throng?
Why sleeps remonstrance, when proud Man
Walks forth, the monarch of a span,
And lifts the fatal tube on high,
Then, 'midst our tribe, lets ruin fly ?*
* The very common practice of firing at large flocks of birds
deserves severe animadversion. Larks, House- Sparrows, Par-
tridges, and various other gregarious tribes, are too often sub-
jected to this wanton and merciless indulgence in what has been
named Sport. It is difficult in speaking or in writing of such
282 BRITISH Afti) EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Why sleeps Remonstrance when to SporI'
He pays a heedless wanton court; —
Wounds many — kills, perchance, a few —
Then calls his dogs with loud halloo ?
barbarity, for barbarity it assuredly is, to suit one's expressions
to the occasion. There can be, however, I presume, but one
opinion as to firing amidst a Jlock of birds, where the chances
are that as many or more may be wounded than killed by the
unfeeling process. The thought, too, which must naturally arise
in the breast of every humane person, that the wounded birds
may, and very often do, retire in agony and die a lingering
death, or drag on a miserable life, is calculated still more to
heighten our disgust and disapprobation. Such reflections as
these ought to deter Man from so wanton an aggression on the
happiness and well being of birds: but, alas! his Pleasure
and his Sport weigh down the beam in opposition to humanity
and feeling.
Although I should not desire to see the late Act of Parliament
for preventing Cruelty to Animals extended so as to include birds,
it being a subject on which it is difficult, if not impossible, to
legislate, yet I should be very glad to find that, in every Seminary
of Education, the necessity and duty of treating with kindness and
benevolence all animated nature were strongly inculcated
and enforced. Such kindly feeling exercised towards brutes
would inevitably lead to more kindly feelings towards our own
species — feelings which cannot be too much encouraged and
nurtured ; feelings which tend not only to promote the happi-
ness of others, but most essentially our own.
It appears to me that it is chiefly by such means as these,
not by penal enactments, that Cruelty to Animals, generally,
will be most effectually prevented ; more especially if those, who
are influential in the affairs of mankind, take care to evince
those dispositions which it ought to be the aim of our seminaries
to implant. But, while the pursuits of Hunting, Fishing,
ON SHOOTING BIRDS FOR SPORT. 283
The wounded flutter through brake or wood,
With anguish writhe as they seek their food ; — -
Or, lingering in pain from day to day.
At length they pine and die away ; —
Or fluttering , floating on ocean wave,
They find, in some hungry fish, a grave.
These, Man ! the trophies of thy sport!*
For these thou payest wanton court !
and Shooting, are encouraged as Sports, and followed ac-
cordingly by our Magnates, acts of parliament, and, I fear,
most other attempts to prevent cruelty to animals, will be
comparatively abortive.
Relative to the destruction of animals injurious to man, Cowper
has stated the case with tolerable precision :
" The sum is this : If man's convenience, health,
Or safety, interfere, his rights and claims
Are paramount, and must extinguish theirs."
When, however, noxious animals are to be destroyed, hu-
mauity will prompt us to do the revolting deed in the most ex-
peditious and least painful way. The wickedness and cruelty
of destroying any animal, how noxious soever it may be, merely
for our sport or diversion, require no comment.
In Note (17), page 185, it is stated that one hundred and twenty-
nine birds were killed, or at least obtained, by one shot ; but
it should also be mentioned, as an appalling fact in the history,
that nearly forty birds more, either wing-broken or otherwise in.
jured, floated away on the surface of the water. What must
have been the mass of pain and suffering produced by this
outrage on the unoffending Pur; a bird which, after all, though
eatable, is by no means a delicacy.
* These are not, however, the only trophies obtained by
Shooting. The accidents arising to man himself from the use
284 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
But what have we, House- Sparrows, done,
The victims both of net and gun !
A race proscribed, for ever we
Are doomed to dire hostility ; —
Our various labours set at nought; —
Our heads by the churchwarden bought ; —
And every wanton, booby boy
Taught us to worry and destroy.
True, we in fields of corn delight —
Corn is to us most apposite :
In this we only follow nature,
As man does, every other creature*
Our sins are trumpeted aloud,
Our virtues wrapt in darkness' shroud.
How comes it that the good we do
Is kept most carefully from view 1 TSM
of the Fowling-piece in this country are so many, so continual
and disastrous} that it is really surprising, seeing that shooting is
not only circumscribed by law, but is, besides, in numerous in-
stances, a very unprofitable employment, how so many persons
can find pleasure or amusement in it ; but it seems that its
comparative unproductiveness, its dangers, and, withal, its in-
humanity, are not sufficient to prevent certain persons from
following, what I cannot avoid considering, to say the least of
it, a silly occupation. When will men act up to the dignity of
their nature and their knowledge ?
'* I would not kill one bird in wanton sport,
I would not mingle jocund mirth with death,
For all the smoking board, the savoury feast,
Can yield most exquisite to pampered sense."
C. Lloyd. Anthologij, vol.ii. page 237".
UTILITY OF BIRDS. 285
We hear not of the many seeds
Which we devour of noxious weeds ; —
Of worms and grubs, destructive things,
That each of us his offspring brings.*
What though we snatch a feast of corn,
Or ere its safe in yonder barn,
Yet, is there not enough beside
For Mat* and his consummate pride 1
Must all of us to him alone
Bow down as though earth were his throne,
On which no being may intrude
To mar his pleasure or his good ?
Hath he of earth the exclusive charter ; —
Shall he for sport or pleasure martyr
All others' weal? — We may admit
His manly port — his talent — wit —
Admit, nay, more, admire them too !
But we have rights, and so have you.
Shall he, our fellow mortal here,
Presume with us to interfere—
Fix limits to our happiness —
Capriciously curse or bless
As pleaseth his high mightiness ?
* Bewick states that " a single pair of sparrows, during the
time they are feeding their young, will destroy about four thou-
sand caterpillars weekly." They feed their young, also, with
many winged insects : in London, it is presumed, chiefly with
flies.
The utility of the Goldfinch is peculiarly striking, it feeding in
the winter, when at large, principally on thistle seed ; hence it
is called the Thistle/inch.
286 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS,
Have we no sense— no feeling — we
With all the Animate of Earth, whom he
Vainly attempts to govern ? — Narrow
The thought, and futile the pretence,
To limit to himself all sense !
He may obtain some even from a Sparrow !
I here, might, en passant, complain
For youye Warblers in our train ;
For you, who morning, noon, and night,
The woods, the uplands, meads, delight.
For you, who oft in prison dwell,
Depriv'd of social converse there,
Like lonely hermit in a cell,
Perchance to please some lady fair ; —
To pick from off her lily hand
Some crumbs, or sing at her command.
But Scotia's Bard hath well in song
Proclaim'd aloud the heinous wrong.*
* '* Be not the muse asham'd here to bemoan
Her brothers of the grove by tyrant man
Inhuman caught, and in the narrow cage
From liberty confin'd and boundless air.
Dull are the pretty slaves, their plumage dull,
Ragged, and all its brightening lustre lost ;
Nor is that sprightly wildness in their notes
Which, clear and vigorous, warbles from the beech ;
O then ye friends of love and love-taught song,
Spare the soft tribes ; this barbarous art forbear .
If on your bosom innocence can win,
Music engage, or piety persuade."
Thomson's Spring.
ON THE PLUCKING OF GEESE. 287
And you yourselves to-day have shown
That 'tis not good to be alone.
Besides,
And here even patience' self derides,
Who is it that complains of us —
About his corn-fields makes such fuss ?
The Greatest Ravager on earth —
Man ; man, who, from the earliest birth
Of ancient time,
Hath robb'd and ransack'd every clime —
The ocean, earth, and air, for food ! —
In pleasure or in wanton mood
Commands the Duck, Goose, us, to bleed ;
Pursues the Ostrich on the steed ; —
Of all our pangs takes little heed ! —
The most omnivorous of all,
What shall we such a being call? —
I might still further amplify
On his august humanity:
Might tell how, jive times in a year,
He strips the raiment from the goose
And then, as heartless, turns him loose ;— *
* Since the above was written, I find the following informa-
tion in the Morning Herald of Sept. 15, 1826. "The farmers on
the moorlands in this county (Somerset) rear vast flocks of
geese, chiefly for the sake of the feathers, which are mercilessly
stripped from the suffering bird five times a year. By this
practice one pound of feathers is obtained from each bird
yearly. Yesterday week was the period of plucking for the
fifth time in the neighbourhood of Westmoor near Langport; the
geese were immediately afterwards turned out on the common :
6
288 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
How poulterers the feelings rive,
By plucking many a fowl alive,*
You well might shudder while you hear!
How sordid wights will oft pretend
Our native songs to improve, extend ; —
the rain descended that night in torrents, and the air was chilly;
in consequence of which the flocks, having been divested of
their natural protection, suffered so severely, that, on Westmoor
alone, from 1600 to 2000 geese were in the morning found dead ;
and a very considerable number besides are now so languid that
their recovery is doubtful."
The plucking of geese for their feathers, even in the most
genial season, can scarcely be effected at anytime without the
production of considerable pain to the animal. A more humane
method would be, at a suitable season, to cut off the feathers
close to the skin with sharp scissors; by this method the quality
of the feathers would be much improved, and the trouble of
assorting and dressing the feathers after they are plucked would
be thus saved ; the down may be afterwards removed by the
same means. It is said that when the feathers are removed in
this way, the animal is rather benefited than injured by the
operation ; and that the stumps are thrown off as in natural
moulting, and a beautiful new crop of plumage quickly makes
its appearance. I am indebted for these hints to the communi-
cation of a lady in the Monthly Magazine, vol. lvi. page 424.
* This is, I fear, too true, and too common a practice in the
metropolis. The reason assigned by a poulterer is that
" it does not tear the flesh" — that is, as the living is more
tenacious than the dead fibre, the exterior appearance of the
fowl after death is, to use a vulgarism, more sightly. When
will man cease to agonize the quivering fibres of animals for his
silly and luxurious gratification ?
THE HOUSE-SPARROW'S SPEECH. 289
How keep us in a putrid bath !
Restrain, I you beseech, your wrath !
That all much suffer, many die,
You know, I ween, as well as I.*
From Birds, to Beasts, to Fish, might pass—*
Tell how he treats the horse, the ass —
The bull how worries — and how eelis
He skins alive — what crimp'd cod feels.
But such a catalogue — so dire
Would only more inflame your ire.
He boasts his knowledge and his art ;
His wisdom, too; — his generous heart.
Have we no knowledge— none, when we
Pass over land and over sea,
From clime to clime,
As constant as the march of time,
Our wants, our pleasures, tastes, to suit?—
Man calls this, instinct of the brute!—
A most convenient word is this,
For his sublimity, I wis —
Instinct ;f whenever and where he
Cannot perceive congruity —
* See the Introduction, page 4?.
t The term Instinct has been so long used by our philoso-
phers both prosaic and poetical, that it may be thought some-
what heretical to question its meaning and application. But as
Truth can never be injured by discussion ; and as it is the
duty of every one of us to verify, if possible, by actual experi-
ment, the truths which we are taught, in order that our convic-
tions may be rendered, by such experiments, more consistent,
O
290 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Connexion 'twixt effect and cause.
He, at one stride, the inference draws —
'Tis Instinct, and beyond all laws.
useful, and lasting, I make no apology for questioning the pro-
priety of the use of the term Instinct when applied to many of
the actions of birds as well as to those of other animals, com-
monly termed the brute creation. Pope says,
How instinct varies in the grovelling swine.
Compared half-reasoning elephant with thine !
'Twixt that and reason what a nice barrier!
For ever separate yet for ever near!
Remembrance and reflection how allied ;
What thin partitions sense from thought divide!
Essay on Man.
So thin, indeed, as frequently not to be divided at all ! These
lines appear to me to contain a very small portion of philosophy ;
little that is agreeable to Fact, upon which all true philosophy
must be founded : for, according to the doctrine here laid
down, brutes do not reason. Why not ? If Reason be a process,
(not a faculty,) by which different ideas or things are compared, their
fitness or unfitness perceived, and conclusions drawn from such com-
parisons and perceptions, which I think it is, then it will be found
that most brutes, including birds, reason more or less, the intel-
lectual difference between these and man consisting principally
in degree ; the degree is undoubtedly great; but the probability
is that, from their inability to communicate many of their
thoughts to us, they all know much more than they can show.
The terms half-reasoning applied to the elephant are peculiarly
inappropriate; the elephant, compared with many other qua-
drupeds, reasons well ; so do the dog, the horse, and many
other animals whose actions we have an opportunity of atten-
tively observing, not omitting to name some of the birds.
When the action of a brute animal appears to arise without
any apparent process of reasoning, we call it instinct; but if
INSTINCT — REASON. 291
How knows he this? — Who could him teach,
None but himself hath power of speech?
What ! does he think the various sounds
With which our feather'd world abounds
Contain no meaning ? — This, his sense !
His views of our intelligence !
He too denies that we have reason !
If it would not be out of season,
I'd prove, as easily I can,
That we have that as well as man.
we were belter acquainted with the operations of the minds of
brutes, it is extremely probable that much of what now seems,
and is called instinct, would be found the result of processes of
reasoning ; simple, no doubt, many of them are, but rational
notwithstanding.
Mr. Bolton, the author of Harmonia Rurulis, informs us
that he observed a pair of goldfinches beginning to make their
nest in his garden, and tiiat they formed their ground-work
with moss, grass, &c. as usual ; but, on his scattering small
pieces of wool about the garden, they, in a great measure, left
their own materials and used the wool ; he afterwards gave
them cotton, which they took, resigning the wool ; he lastly
gave them down, with which they finished their work, having
forsaken all the other articles. Is not this reason'/ But it
would be endless to multiply instances in which the actions of
birds, and other animals, are evidently regulated by reason.
And here I cannot avoid lamenting that Pope's Essay on
Man has had, on this account, as well as on some others, so ex_
tensive a circulation j it has, I fear, by the method in which it
has treated the subjects of Morals and Mind, considerably
obstructed our progress in knowledge: for it is, it appears 10
me, by far too dictatorial and dogmatic, assuming as true what
must still, I think, be considered assubjudice. And although we
292 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Of our proficiency in art
I shall convince you ere we part.
Look at our Domes inlaid with care ;
Such let him fashion if he dare :
Inspect the Wren's — the Oriole's nest —
The Goldfinch's, and all the rest
Of curious make ; then say if he,
With all his cunning nicety,
With all the abundance of his wit,
Can ever thus materials fit ?
As for his wisdom. Being vain !
Behold it in his Sporting Train !
may not exactly agree with another poet, a predecessor of Pope,
yet Prior has treated the subject with more modesty, if not
with more truth. Speaking of brutes, he says,
" Evil like us they shun, and covet good ;
Abhor the poison and receive the food.
Like us they love and hate ; like us they know
To joy the friend, or grapple with theibe.
With seeming thought their actions they iutend,
Aud use the means propot tion'd to the end.
Then vainly the philosopher avers
That reason guides our deed, and instinct theirs.
How can we justly different causes frame,
When the effects entirely are the same ?
Instinct and reason how can we divide?''
Solomon, Book I.
Yet Pope has divided them ! — how lamely we have seen. We
conclude, therefore, that instinct ought to be used in a much
more restricted sense than it hitherto has been ; it is by no
means applicable to many of the actions of the brute creation:
for, in numerous instances, they appear to reason in a similar
way to man.
THE HOUSE-SPARROW's SPEECH. 293
'Mongst which, the savage horde canine,
Kept hungry by sedate design —
Those Hounds that, now and then, contrive
To eat their keepers up alive —
I here might aptly introduce
To shew man's wisdom and its use ;
But the horrific theme is such
It proves, I fear, almost too much ;*
Talk of a heart ! prate to the wind !
The storm, the waves, are far more kind !
Have we not homes and children too ?
How often he doth these destroy,
In all the glee of savage joy,
I need not here relate to you.
Talk of a heart! — what I have said
Will prove what are both heart and head;
Of Man, our Master, these are deeds
At which the heart revolting bleeds :
Of man, too, who is said to be, —
Of all God's creatures only he, —
The HIGHLY-CIVILIZED !
Of man who, vainly proud of name,
Asks guerdon of immortal Fame!
By fame such deeds are duly prized !
Might I now here advice presume
This Lord's thick darkness to illume,
I'd say — If thy penchant be still
The fowls of air, in Sport, to kill,
* The circumstance here alluded to occurred in Somerset-
shire about twenty years ago. — See my Observations on the Dia-
lects of the West of England, article Fanny Fear.
294 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
Go to the Indian, white man ! go,
And learn his ourah reed to blow —
Compound wourali poison, — deep
The arrow in the fell juice steep,
Then shoot — the bird, with scarce a sigh,
Will thank thee for such death, and die.*
And are we not, 'tis painful thus
To speak of what relates to Us —
I here more strictly now apply
The word to sparrows such as I —
* We learn from Waterton's Wanderings, that the Blow-
Pipe, with which the Indians of Guiana shoot their poisoned
arrows at birds, consists of a long hollow reed without a joint*
The part used is ten or eleven feet long; it is called Ourah i
the case consists of another reed called Samourah. The
arrow, which is made from the leaf of a palm tree, is hard and
brittle, and pointed as sharp as a needle. About an inch of the
pointed end is dipped in the poison called Wourali, which de-
stroys life's action so gently that the victim appears to be in no
pain whatever. This powerful and fatal drug is a syrupous de-
coction made from several vegetables, the chief of which is
called wourali, whence the poison has obtained its name, and
from venomous ants and the fangs of some snakes. It is pre-
pared by the Indians with many superstitious rites. With this
blow-pipe the Indian can send an arrow three hundred feet : he
puts the arrow, round one end of which some cotton is wound
to resist the air, into the tube, and, collecting his breath for the
fatal puff, after taking aim, sends it on the work of death ; the
birds, it is said, are not at all injured by the poison, — in three
minutes the victim generally falls to the ground. The plant
called wourali is one of the scandent tribe, and allied to the
genus strychnos. — The particular species does not appear to be
yet ascertained.
THE HOUSE-SPARROW'S SPEECH. 295
And are we not a social tribe ?
We follow man without a bribe ;
We leave even corn with him to dwell,
Why, let him, if he's able, tell :
For in his cities we abound
Where corn grows not, nor weeds are found,
* How live you, then ?" — I almost scorn
Such question ! certes not on corn /
We live by worthy means — by wit-
Have I not rightly answered it ? — •
We live — enjoy domestic life —
And though we sing not, you may see
And hear us always full of glee ;
Nor know we much of care or strife,
Save what proud Man provides for us.
From what is said conclude we thus :
That yet, our knowledge cannot scan
The vast design which we, with man,
In nature's universe behold ;-—
That, though there be some beings bold
Who would prescribe laws to that Power,
Beneath which we and man must cower,
How often are we set at nought —
Our insignificance how taught ?
Yet may we cherish happiness
And all our fellow beings bless,
By offices of tenderness. —
Here chiefly lie our duties — here
No doubts arise — no mists appear.
Who is it then that has most sense ?
He who shews most Benevolence !
296 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.
The shadows of evening began to grow long ;
The monarch once more now demanded a song.
Desirous to know how their notes would combine
He directed the songsters in chorus to join.
With the rich varied concert resounded the glen :
The Nightingale — Blackcap — the Thrush — WiUow~
wren ;— ■
The Redbreast — the Linnet — the Lark, with brisk
note ; —
The Stone-chat — Wren— Goldfinch-* the Woodlark—
White-throat ;
Blackbird— Bulfinch-— the Swallow—the Petty-chaps
loud,
Missel— Red-pole, and Red-start, were heard 'midst the
crowd.
The Hedge-Sparrow —Pigeon — the Siskin — the Dove
Were pleas'd to pour out, too, the notes of their love.
Yet who of such sounds may the melody tell
That, on zephyr's light wings, were borne far up the dell ?
No artist could copy— no pen could indite !
The Birds, too, were now ail preparing for flight.
They departed in peace; while the Nightingale's
song,
'Midst the silence was heard, deep, melodious, and strong :
First, to Eve a rich carol of rapture he sang ;
Now, with Love notes, the woodlands delightfully rang ;
Then, to Day a " Farewell," and a " Welcome" to
Night,
He warbled ; — the moon in her splendour rose bright.
297
TO THE WARBLERS*.
" On every bough the birdis herd I sing
With voice of angell in their harmonic"
Chaucer, Assemble of Foules.
Then hail, ye sweet Warblers ! continue to sing!
Ever charm by your presence the redolent Spring !
Be your songs ever sacred to peace and to love,
And may harmony ever be found in the grove.
May the woods, dells, and vallies, resound with your
voice ;
And may man in your freedom for ever rejoice.
No more may he wantonly death 'midst you send,
But become, as in duty, your patron and friend ; —
No more in your sorrows delight, nor the crime
Of involving your feathers in treacherous lime ;
No more may in prison your peace he beset;
No more may ensnare you with bait or in net.
May he cease to torment you in sport with dire p, : n!
And my song, ye sweet Warblers ! shall not be in
vain !
* By Warblers here the reader will please to understand not
only the genus Motacilla or Sylvia, but also the whole tribe of
Song-birds.
3
298
TO THE SPRING.
Solvitur acris hyems grata vice Veris et Favonl.
Horat.
" The birds, in new leaves shrouded, sung aloft,
And o'er the level seas spring's healing airs blew soft/'
Bowles's Hope.
And hail, too, thou blithe and thou green-budding
Spring I
May the Birds on thy branches continue to sing ;
May thy groves and thy meadows with beauty be
crown'd ;
And may plenty, content, 'midst thy dwellings abound;
With Thee, Truth and Nature, may rapture e'er
dwell,
While echo, in bird notes, is heard in the dell ;
And the song of the plough-boy, all buoyant with hope,
Descend in soft cadence from upland or slope.
May man, far remov'd from the city and strife,
Possess, and with Thee, a refind rural life.
May thy roses e'er blossom — thy pleasures ne'er fade.
And love e'er enjoy the delights of thy shade !
Then hail, thou blithe, bright, and thou redolent
Spring !
May the Birds on thy branches for ever still sing!
END THE FIRST PART.
ORNITHOLOGIA.
PART THE SECOND.
FOREIGN BIRDS.
La Zone Torride.
"C'est Ih. que la nature, et plusriche et plus beHe,
Signale avec orgueil sa vigeur €ternelle :
C'est lit qu' elle est sublime.'*
Saint Lambert.
titesittgioiQflgbfc
PAST THE SECOND.
FOREIGN BIRDS
VULTUR GRYPHUS:
OR,
THE CONDOR.
ORNITHOLOGIA.
PART THE SECOND.
•9
POREIGN BIRDS.
Once more of the Princes of Air — yet once more
Ere my harp in the hall to its place I restore. —
OncemoreshalltheWARBLERsbeheard,andtheirsoNG
Once more waken Echo the woodlands among.
O for powers that, more worthy the theme of my lute,
Shall an audience insure and attention strike mute.
Might I catch, Bard of Erin ! a note of thy strain,
My song, although humble, shall not be in vain.
Yes, Moore ! to the sounds of thy rapturous Lyre
At distance I listen, but dare not aspire :
lend me thy mantle, or toss me thy pen ;
Or prompt me to sing of the Birds of the Glen.
What delight had pervaded the Eagle's throng'd
court,
Swiftly bore to the Vulture the tongue of report:
His pride took alarm as on Andes he sate ;
He arose, flapp'd his wings, and assum'd much of state.
To declare to the empire his wishes august
He delay'd not — thus ran the high will of the Just :
6
302 FOREIGN BIRDS.
Be it known to all Birds, beneath moon, beneath sun,
That, ere the next hebdomad race shall be run,
The Autocrat, monarch of Andes, the world,
Where vulturid banners have long been unfurl'd,
Apart all excuse and aside laying care,
A day of delight with his people will share.
It was, too, a command that no bird, on that day,
Should dare his rapacity once to display ;
Who, offended in this, in his fulness of might,
The monarch indignant would dash from his sight.
Proclamation being made of the Vulturid's pride,
By swift pinion'd report it was borne far and wide ;
Announc'd, too, through many and distant a clime,
The Isle of assembly, and also the Time ;
To delight, and to birds, long the Island well known ;
There often the Vulture reclines on his throne ;~
Not the throne of the Andes, but one where the ocean
Can be heard or in wild or in pleasing commotion :
Where a dell that, uplifting its bold, rocky side,
High, massive, would seem the fierce storm to deride.
His bolts shoot the thunder oft sportively there,
And echo, again and again, awakes fear.
Below, at the base of a mountainous rock,
That hath long stood of earthquakes and tempests the
shock,
Rolls ocean, whose waves, as they break on the shore,
Send up through the dell a loud murmuring roar :
As you pass its wild, picturesque windings along,
You will hear many Birds both in loud and soft song;
FOREIGN BIRDS. 303
While now dash over rocks, now in eddies soft glide,
The crystalline waters those windings beside.
What though there no Luscinian Sylvia's* sweet throat,
Nor of Cuculid Scansor canorous^ the note,
Yet the Warblers abound, and, in many a lay,
Their amorous passion are pleas'd to display ;
But their plumage will charm you as much as their
airs ;
Delight's gayest daughter — such plumage is theirs.
Embossom'd this Dell in that Isle of the west,
Which Nature herself hath abundantly bless'd.
The whole a wild garden, where plants, shrubs, and
trees,
Grow in richest luxuriance ; the evening breeze,
Delighted to fan you, bears odours along,
While the Polyglot Thrushl fills the woods with his
song.
Heat a monarch is there; the rich, tropical fruit
In its splendour stands forth, varied tastes to salute.
Of the Beauties of Flora which rise in their pride,
'Midst the rocks fertile crannies — the streamlets be-
side, —
Or in soil rich and deeper adown thrust their root,
While their corols of splendour on lofty stalks shoot,
Description, how vivid soe'er, becomes faint,
When attempting such tropical glories to paint.
* Nightingale, Sylvia luscinia. t Cuckoo, Cuculus canorus*
% The MockiDg-bird, Turdus polyglottus.
304 FOREIGN BIRDS.
Yet we may not neglect the fair Dahlia 1 bright ;
Nor her the fam'd Cactus 2 who blooms in the night;
Nor the Fuchsia, 3 with red and with frutescent
stems,
And with florests depending like bright crimson gems;
Nor the Aloe who sits on the rock all serene,
Unfolding her leaves long and thick and pale green.
Midst the lords of the forest, Pimenta 4 grows
there,
Whose beauty and fragrance what need to declare ? .
The Bombax 5 abundant in pods of fine silk; —
The Cocos 6 nutricious with nuts full of milk, •
The red Theobroma 7 delighting in shade,
From whose rich oily nuts the fam'd chocolate's
made ; —
The hard Sideroxylon 8 also there grows ;
And the lofty Mahogany 9 round her arms throws; —
1 Dahlia superfiua and frustrunea. They are now common in
this country.
2 Cactus grandiflorus. This plant produces a very magnificent
flower of an exquisite odour; it is said to open at sunset, and to
continue in perfection only six hours. It belongs to that class
of plants called Cereus.
3 Fuchsia coccinea,
4 Myrtus pimenta, or Allspice Tree.
5 Bombax heptaphyllum, Silk Cotton Tree, or Ceiba.
6 Cocos ?iuci/era, or Cocoa Nut Tree.
7 Theobroma cacoa, or Chocolate Tree.
8 Sideroxylon lycioides, or Willow Leaved Iron Wood.
9 Swietenia mahogoni, or Common Mahogany,
FOREI&N BOTANY, 305
While the strange Indian Tree 1 sends her shoots
to the ground ;
For the Warblers a harvest her fruit will be found.
The Cabbage Tree Palm 2, lifts her broad leaves on
high;
The Fan-Palm 3 and Tamarind 4 also grow nigh ; —
The Guaiacum s rich in medicinal gum ; —
The Ferns 6 plants perennial and lofty become;
The 'leguminous Cassia, 7 with flowers of gold,
Is pleas'd her pale foliage in light to unfold :
While many trees more, in their floral robes dight,
Aroma diffuse on a zephyr wing light ;
For the Birds they would seem almost purposely made;
As food some, and others delightful as shade.
1 Ficus Indicus, or Wild Fig. A similar tree is called iti
the East Indies Banyan. See a more extended poetical de-
scription of this tree in Southev's Curse of Kehama; see
also Milton's Paradise Lost.
s Areca oleracea,
3 Corypha umbraculifera,
4 Tamarindus Indica.
5 Gnaiacum officinale.
6 Polypodium arboreum, or Cyathea arborea, a perennial
fern rising twenty feet high, with leaves that give it the appear-
ance of a palm tree.
7 Cassia fistula. The fruit of this tree is a woody, round,
blackish pod, about one inch in diameter, and sometimes two
feet long ; it contains a sweet pulp, which is used in medicine
a3 a gentle purgative. It is a native of both the Indies; some
pergons have imagined this to be the wild honey eaten by St.
John in the wilderness — but surely without reason.
306 FOREIGN BIRDS.
With the Pine- Apple/ rich in a nectarine taste,
The clefts of the rocks in abundance are grac'd.
There, too, Ricinus* broad-leav'd, whose reniform
seed
Secretes in its cells panaceas indeed ;
There the Capsicum 3 rich in pods pungent and red;
And there the Banana 4 uplifts too her head.
Thus the Lord of the Mountain (') waspleas'd to
invite
His vassals to meet on this day of delight.
( J ) Order, Accipitres, (Linn.) Condor, Vulture, the
King, the Aura, the Crested, the Aquiline.
The genus Vultur, (Linn.) or Vulture, to which the
Condor or Condur, the Vultur gryphus, belongs, and to which
1 Bromelia Ananas.
2 Ricinus Communis, or Palmu Christi. An annual plant, grow-
ing plentifully in the West Indies ; it is of very quick growth,
and sometimes attains the height of sixteen feet. From its seed is
obtained the well known and safe purgative called Castor Oil.
3 The Capsicum Annuum 9 buccatum, and other species of Bird
Pepper, are well known pungent stimulants, from some of which
is obtained the Cayenne Pepper.
4 The Musa sapientum, or Banana Tree, is supposed to he
a native of Guinea, whence it was carried to the West Indies,
where it now flourishes most abundantly. The stalks of this
plant are peculiarly porous j the root alone is perennial, the
rest dying down to the ground every year; the leaves are two
yards long and a foot broad. The fruit is in the form of a cu-
cumber, four or five inches long. The weight of a bunch of
hananas usually exceeds twelve pounds ; when ripe it is eaten
by all ranks of people eitlier raw or fried.
TH£ CONDOR. 507
* Now haste to the dell of enchantment away /"
In vigour arose and exclaim'd the fresh day.
the term Vulture in the text is designed emphatically to be ap-
plied, comprehends above thirty species scattered over the
warmer parts of the globe : some of which inhabit America,
some Asia, some Africa, and some other parts of the world, but
none of them is found in this country. They seem to be pe-
culiarly inhabitants of warm climates, Chiefly, it is presumed,
because putrid flesh, on which they feed, is there most plentiful.
They are distinguished by a straight bill hooked at the point ;
the head is bare of feathers, with a naked skin in front; tongue
cleft ; neck retractile ; sense of smell generally acute. They
are a rapacious tribe, feeding on carcasses, however putrid :
unless pressed by hunger they seldom attack living animals.
Waterton, indeed, informs us, in his Wanderi?igs in South
America, that Vultures never live upon live animals ; that in
Paramaribo the laws protect them, and that in Angustura they
are as tame as domestic fowls. They are bold, gregarious, fly
slowly, unless very high in the air. The following are the chief:
The Gryphus, Condor, Condur, or Zumbadore, is of prodi-
gious si2e, measuring, with the wings extended, it is said, four-
teen, sixteen, or even more, but other accounts say ten or
eleven, feet. Mr. Barrow wounded a Condor at the Cape of
Good Hope, whose wings, when spread, measured ten feet and
one inch. The bill is black, four inches long, point white ;
caruncle on the crown as long as the head ; the throat is naked,
the bottom of which is surrounded with a white ruff composed
of long fine feathers of a hairy texture ; the lesser wing coverts
wholly black, middle ones the same with greyish white ends,
forming a bar when closed ; the greater, half black and half
white, divided obliquely; three first quills black ; secondaries
white, tipped with black ; back black; tail black; legs stout,
reddish brown, and those as well as the claws, which are three
quarters of an inch long, are said to be covered with scales.
308 FOREIGN BIRfiS.
The birds heard his voice, ere the glorious sun
Had his race o'er the waters in radiance begun.
The chief of this description h from Dr. Latham, who derived
his information from an actual specimen ; but the scarcity of
this bird renders its accurate description difficult, and it also
varies in different authors.
It is said to build under the protection of the highest rocks ;
eggs two, white ; the nest must be, of course, large, but its size,
or of what materials composed, does not seem with accuracy
known. Inhabits South America, Asia, some parts of Africa,
and probably other regions of the globe j it appears to be a bird
of enormous power, but is, in every country, extremely rare.
This rapacious animal has attracted the notice of travellers,
who have, perhaps, too often given their descriptions of it an
air of exaggeration. Dr. Grainger, author of the Sugar Cane,
and other Poems, has alluded to it under the name of Zumbadore,
so called, he informs us, in consequence of the hideous humming
noise which it makes :
" The swift wing'd Zumbadore
The mountain desert startled with his hum."
Sugar Cane, Book I.
In a note to the poem it is said that this bird, one of the
largest and swiftest known, " is only seen at night, or rather
heard, on the desert tops of the Andes." This, however, is
not, by later accounts, correct : the condor frequents the sea-
coasts during the rainy season in the evening, remains there all
night, and returns in the morning to the mountains. From the
extreme rarity of this bird its natural history is not yet well
understood; further information concerning it is every way
desirable.
It has been conjectured that the Roc mentioned in the fables
of the Arabian writers is this bird.
The Papa, King-of-the- Vultures, or King-Vuliure, has
the nostrils carunculate ; crown and neck naked ; body above
THE KING OF THE VULTURES. 309
The dews, rich in odour, from balmy shrubs fell ;
And the Mocking-Bird warbled his night song's
farewell.
reddish buff, beneath yellowish white ; quills greenish black;
tail black ; craw pendulous, orange coloured. It is about the
size of a turkey; but is chiefly remarkable for the odd formation
of the skin of the head and neck, which is bare; this skin,
which is of an orange colour, arises from the base of the bill
whence it stretches on each side to the head, thence it proceeds
like an indented comb, and falls on either side according to the
motion of the head ; the eyes are surrounded by a red skin,
and the iris has the colour and lustre of pearl. This species
has been placed at the head of the vulture tribe en account of
the superior beauty of its external appearance; and it is said
that it is no other way distinguished from the genus ; yet
Waterton asserts that when the king of the vultures is present,
the inferior species do not attempt to touch the prey till the
king is satisfied ! — There might be some truth in this without
attributing kingly qualities to the bird : the inferior species
might know experimentally that his majesty would not suffer
them to touch the prey till he himself is sated. It attacks, it is
said; only the weaker animals, devouring rats, lizards, serpents,
and every kind of excrement and filth; flies very high; a native
of America.
The Aura, Carrion-Vulture, Aura-Vulture, Turkey- Vulture,
or Turkey-Buzzard, has the body greenish brown; quill feathers
black ; bill white. Another variety with body black ; quill
feathers brown ; bill cinereous ; size nearly of the preceding;
feeds on carrion, putrid carcasses, on which it gorges, and
crocodile's eggs, &c; sense of smell extremely acute ; inhabits the
United States, the West Indies, South America, and Africa ;
it is also said to be found in some parts of Europe j seen in large
flocks ; nest midst the recesses of solitary swamps in hollow
trees ; eggs from two to four, dull dirty white or cream
310 FOREIGN BIRDS.
The Scansors, chief Parrots, were dissonant loud;
Many Goat-suckers' ( z ) notes, too, were heard from
the crowd.
colour, splashed with chocolate, mingled with black ; they are
in length two inches and three quarters, breadth two inches.
This is a peaceable and harmless bird, never offering violence to
any living animal; in the southern states of North America, from
their usefulness, they are protected by a law which imposes a
fine on those who wilfully deprive them of life.
The Cristatus, or Crested-Vulture, has the body blackish
red; head crested; breast rufous ; smaller than the last, but ex-
tremely active and voracious; feeds on hares, rabbits, foxes,
fawns, and fish ; found in some parts of Europe.
The Percnopterus, Aquiline-Vulture, or Pharoah's-Chicken,
has the plumage white, except the quill feathers, which are
black; the edges hoary; length two feet. Another variety,
with the body reddish-ash, spotted with brown ; inhabits Egypt,
Syria, and Persia. It is encomaged in Cairo to devour dead
carcasses ; and in Palestine to destroy the mice which swarm in
the fields. In Egypt it was formerly a capital crime to destroy
one of these birds.
" The place is tainted — and behold
The Vulture hovers yonder, and his scream
Chides us that still we scare him from his banquet."
Southey's Thalaba, vol. i. page 105.
( 2 ) Order, Passfres, (Linn.) Goatsucker, tiie European,
the Vikgian, the Grand, Sec.
The genus Caprimulgus, (Linn.) or Goat-sucker, com-
prehends about forty species, chiefly inhabitants of America;
one the Caprimulgus Europaus, or European Goat-sucker,
is found in this country. The characteristics of the tribe are,
bill short, hooked at the end ; upper mandible beset with a row
THE GOAT-SUCKER. 311
Where, 'midst shades dark and sombre, and shrouded
from sight,
They shrank from the glances of strong piercing light.
They often, whenever the parrots were still,
Exclaim'd " Willy come go /" or now, " Whip, whip,
poor will!"
il Who are you f" was another monotonous lay;
And another repeated, " Work, work, work away!"
Whilst a "Ha!" " heard aloud, in the wild, distant
wood,
Oft repeated, yet fainter, spake murder and blood.
of stiff bristles; mouth wide; tongue small, pointed, entire;
toes connected by a membrane as far as the first joint; tail
feathers ten. These birds seldom appear in the day-time,
unless when disturbed, or in dark cloudy weather, but wander
about in the evening in search of insects, on which they feed.
They lay two eggs, which they deposit on the naked ground.
The Europceus, Goat-sucker, European Goatsucker, Noctur-
nal Goat-sucker, Night* Hawk, Dorr-hawk, Churn-Owl, Goat-Owl,
Wheel bird, or Night-jar, is ten inches long ; mouth excessively
wide; plumage beautifully diversified with black, brown,
ferruginous, and white, speckled and dashed with cinereous ;
beneath ferruginous brown. Inhabits Europe, Asia, aud Africa.
During summer, from May to September, frequents the woods
of this country ; feeds chiefly on beetles and moths ; hence is,
most probably, a very useful bird. The absurd story formerly
related of it, namely, that of sucking goats, whence its name, no
longer credited. Its note is similar to the sound of a spinning
wheel, besides which it has a sharp squeak. Eggs whitish,
marked with light brown and ash colour, larger than those of a
blackbird ; these are laid on the ground amongst fern, heath,
long grass, &r. It begins its flight in the dusk of the evening in
312 FOREIGN BIRDS.
Of the Bell-birds was heard too the loud clanging
note,
As far distant it seem'd upon ether to float.
What clamour arose as the Birds flew along !
No time was there now for the soothing of song ;
The sounds more like Babel assaulted the ear ;
The Sea-birds like dense clouds dark rolling appear.
pursuit of the larger insects, particularly the ScarabcBus Melolon-
tha, or cock-chafer, &c.
"Hark from yon quivering branch your direst foe,
Insects of night, its whirring note prolongs
Loud as the sound of busy maiden's wheel :
Then with expanded beak, and throat enlarged,
Even to its utmost stretch, its customed food
Pursues voracious. Thus from Zembla's deep
On warmer climes when herring armies pour
The living tide of plenty ; to the sun
With gold and green and azure many a league,
When ocean glitters like a field of gems
Gay as the bow of heaven, and burns by night
In every billow with phosphoric fire ;
Their march innumerous foes attend. Behold
In light wing'd squadrons, gulls of every name
Screaming discordant on the surface hang,
Aud ceaseless stoop for prey. Lo ! gunnels huge
And ospreys plunging from their cloudy height
With leaden fall precipitate, the waves
Cleave with deep dashing breast, and labouring rise
Talons and beak o'er-loaded."
Gisborne's Walks in a Forest.
I have thought it most advisable not to separate these lines,
so descriptive of several facts in the natural history of birds,
THE VIRGINIAN — THE GRAND GOATSUCKER. 313
Come hither Description ! assist to me sing,
The birds who this day met their Vulturid King.
He from high Chimborazo* or Cataracts f came,
(Or from that lofty giant envelop'd in flame,
although the last portion of them relate to the Osprey. See
note (1) of the first Part, article Ossifragus.
The Virginianus, Virginian Goat-sucker, Short-winged
Gout-sucker, Night-hawk, and sometimes Whip-poor-will, is brown,
transversely varied with grey-brown and a little ash-colour ;
beneath reddish-white ; eight inches long; makes a disagreeably
loud noise all night long; eggs green, with dusky spots and
streaks; inhabits North America.
The Grandis, or Grand Goat-sucker, is nearly two feet
long; the gape of the mouth so large as readily to admit a man's
fist ; inhabits Cayenne.
The Indicus, a small elegant bird, and the Asiaticus, or Bom-
bay Goat-sucker, inhabit India. The Nova Hollandice, or
Crested Goat-sucker, is found in New Holland ; the Longi-
pennis, or Leona Goat-sucker, at Siena Leone.
The goat-suckers being chiefly American birds, exhibit in
that continent, of course, the greatest variety in their manners
and notes. Waterton, in his Wanderings, mentions five
kinds that have each a peculiar set of notes. One utters,
" Who are you, who, who, who are you ;" another, " Work
away, work, work away;" another, " Willy come go; another,
which is also common to the United States, " Whip poor will,
* The highest peak of the Andes, and, as far as is hitherto
known, the highest mountain in America.
t The cataracts of the Andes are unrivalled : that of Tequen-
dama dashes, at two bounds, down a perpendicular height of
six bundled feet, with an astounding roar, into a dark and
frightful abyss. The tremendous cataracts of Maypuri and
Apurt may also be mentioned.
P
314 FOREIGN BIRDS.
The fierce Cotopaxi;* or some rocky chasm —
Some frightful Quebradaf that nature in spasm
And wild agony bore,) ere the morning's first beam ;
His hum startled forest and mountain and stream.
whip, whip, whip, poor will ;" and another, a large bird, the size
of the English wood-owl, *' Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha," which
sounds are uttered like a person in deep distress — the departing
voice of a night-murdered victim. Suppose yourself in hopeless
sorrow, beginning the above sequence of sounds with a loud
note, each succeeding one being lower and lower till the last is
scarcely heard, and pausing a moment between every note,
will convey, according to Waterton, an idea of this bird's
noise. The plaintive cries of all these are uttered throughout
the night.
As Waterton has not mentioned the specific names, these
birds cannot be identified ; but we learn from Dr. Latham's
work, that two species of goat-suckers have obtained the name
of Whip-poor-will. The Vociferus, however, seems to be that to
which the name is most properly applied.
The Vociferus, Whip-poor-will, or Whip-poor-will Goat'
sucker, is nine and a half inches long ; gape very large ; mouth
* A notable Volcano of the Andes, of which, it is said, there
are tiear\y forty scattered over that mountainous chain.
f The Quebradus of the Andes are immense chasms by which
many of the mountains are separated from each other ; some of
these chasms are nearly a mile deep, and their sides almost per-
pendicular ; they are, nevertheless, frequently adorned with
trees, shrubs, and flowers. Natural, as well as artificial
bridges, are occasionally seen over these deep and yawning
lacerations ; sometimes, too, a torrent rolls down their winding
jaws, adding, of course, to the sublimity of the scene : nor does
the occasional presence of the Condor detract from the astound-
ing picture.
WHIP-POOR-WILL — NIGHT-HAWK. 315
With beak black, and bent at the tip ting'd with white ;
With an eye that commands both the day and the
night ;
With wing nervous, expansive, and tint of black -brown ;
With legs and feet squamous, carunculate crown ;
Throat naked ; back dark ; and with claws black and
strong ;
Evincing the signs that to power belong ; —
Of the mountainous desert the lord, in whom fear
And imperial command both united appear ; —
He look'd round from his Rock, over sea, over shore,
And over the Dell too — that proud Zumeadore.
beset with long, thick, elastic bristles; plumage above varie-
gated with black, pale cream-brown, and rust-colour ; back
darker ; breast and belly mottled, and streaked black and
yellow ochre. Eggs two, marbled with dark olive. Inhabits
many parts of North America, most plentifully in Kentuckey.
The notes of this bird are similar to the words whip-poor-will,
whence it has obtained its name; it is heard very often in the
night. Rarely seen during the day, unless attendant on its
young. Feeds on moths, grass-hoppers, and insects. In Penn-
sylvania it is a migratory bird, proceeding to the South in
winter. — Wilson.
Waterton says that the goat-suckers of South America
perch longitudinally on trees, and not crosswise like other
birds ; this is also stated by Wilson in regard to the Americanus,
or Night-Hawk, called in Virginia, and some of the Southern
districts of the American States, a Bat.
According to Wilson, the only goat-suckers found in the
United States are the preceding, Whip-poor-will ; the
Carolinensis, or Chuck-wills-widow; and the Americanus, or
Night-Hawk, which is, I believe, the same as the Virginianus,
described above ; these are all migratory birds.
p2
316 FOREIGN BIRDS.
Around him the Vultures obediently flew :
The Crested, the Aura, and Aquiline too :
And even the Papa of beautiful dyes,
With Ingluvies pendulous, glossy pearl eyes—
Of royal external that homage might bring—
A subject was here, although elsewhere a King.
The Parrots* presented a numerous host;
The Petrb-ls were few, just arrived on the coast.
The Humming-Birds ( 3 ) gaudily glow'd midst the
throng,
In their green and their gold as they flutter'd along;
( 3 ) Order, Pic^e, {Linn.) Humming-Bird, the Red-
throated, the Supercilious, the Least,
The genus Trochilus, (Linn.) or Humming-bird, consisis
of above ninety species, found, chiefly, in the tropical regions
of America and the West Indies; indeed, it has been stated, that
no humming-bird has ever been seen in the old world ; one,
however, has been mentioned as an inhabitant of the Cape of
Good Hope. About half the species has a curved, the other
a straight bill, which is subulate, filiform, and tubular at the tip,
the upper mandible sheathing the lower; the tongue is also
filiform, the two threads coalescing, tubular. This genus is the
least in size of the race of birds. They feed, it is said, on the
nectar of flowers; but there is reason for believing, from the
statement of Wilson in regard to the Red-throated-humming-
bird, that they feed also on small insects. They are almost
continually on the wing, fluttering like bees, and making a
humming noise, whence their name. Of all animated beings,
these birds are the most elegant and brilliant ; their plumage
• For a description of the Pari ot, see forward.
THE HUMMING-BIRD. 317
Of nectar they sipp'd from the sweet smelling flower ;
Or, seizing, abriclg'd the small insect's brief hour,
There was one of large size, of rich plumage, Red
Throat,
Distinguished by chirping a grass-hopper note ;
being adorned with innumerable shades of colour, in which the
emerald, the ruby, and the topaz are gracefully intermixed.
Their nest is curiously constructed, and attached sometimes to
two leaves, or to a single twig of the citron or orange j it is pe-
culiarly neat and small ; eggs two, white, about the size of a
pea; time of incubation twelve days.
It has been said that these birds cannot be tamed j this is,
however, in regard to some of them at any rate, a mistake.
Wilson mentions having kept one of the Red-throated Humming-
birds in confinement for three months. It is said, nevertheless,
that they are neither shy nor suspicious ; that they are caught
by the Indians on limed twigs, and that, when taken, they in-
stantly expire, and are afterwards worn as ear-rings by the
Indian ladies. That some of them should expire when caught
on limed twigs is not to be wondered at when the delicacy of
these birds is considered ; but that they instantly expire if
taken with suitable precaution, is quite incredible. Some
have been kept alive by syrups for a few weeks j and, probably,
were we better acquainted with their proper food, their pre-
servation alive would be more certain and continued. That
they sometimes feed on insects is confirmed by Waterton, and
it is said that small insects have been found in them on dis-
section. The following are all we can name :
The Colubris, or Red-throated Humming-bird, is three
inches and half long ; back, upper part of the neck, sides, under
the wings, tail coverts, and two middle feathers of the tail, a
rich golden green ; tail and wings a deep brownish purple.
Nest one inch in diameter and the same in depth. Eggs two,
white. From the drawing given of it in Wilson's American
318 FOREIGN BIRDS.
And one of form tiny might, too. be there seen,
Much less than a bee, deck'd in elegant green ;
But of gay, eastern Sun-Birds, ( 4 ) in robes bright
and fair,
And of manners congenial, not one was found there :
Ornithology it appears similar to the goldfinch's, but, of course,
much smaller and neater. The note of this bird is a single chirp,
not louder than the grasshopper. It has been kepi in confine-
ment in the United States for months : it is a mistake to sup-
pose that it feeds only on the nectar of flowers; it feeds also on
insects. This bird is very fond of the flowers of the plant
called Balsamum noli me tangere, or Touch-me-not. It is found
in most of the warm and tropical regions of America. This
description is taken from Wilson's work; the bird is, I sus-
pect, the Moschitus, or Ruby-necked Humming-bird of
some other writers.
The Superciliosus, or Supercilious Humming-bird, is one
of the largest of the tribe, being nearly six inches long, and in-
habits Cayenne. The Minimus, or Least-Humming bird,
is green ; smaller than several of our bees, hardly a quarter of
an inch long; weighs about twenty grains; found in Brazil.
See note (42,) part 1, article Golden-crested-Wren,
( 4 ) Tenuirostres, Cinnyrida, (Vigors); or, to anglicize the
terms, Cinnyrid Tenuirosts — Sunbirds.
The genus some time since established by Cuvier, and de-
nominated by him Cinnyris, has been lately brought into no-
tice in consequence of Mr. Vigors having arranged it as a
sub-family in his Tenuirostres ; and also by his having excited
the public attention to this group of birds in his late Lectures
at the Zoological Society, According to their habits, size, aud
the statements of Mr. Vigors, they appear to supply the place
in the old world, of that numerous, airy, and splendid race of
birds in the new, so well known and so much admired under the
SUN-BIRDS. 319
They the odorous groves of the Orient Isles,
And the Hindoostan gardens, e'er greet with their smiles.
name of Humming-birds, or, to anglicize a Vigorsean term,
Trochilids. They are now, it seems, called in this country
by the trite name of Sun birds. By whom this term was first
applied, or for what reason, I do not know, but presume from
the splendour of their colours. One of their characteristics
(besides of course being Tenuirosts) is that of feeding on the
nectar of flowers. The genus Cinnyris is included in Tem-
minck's Necturinia.* I have not been able to obtain so satisfac-
tory an account of it as I could wish. The following species I,
however, find described in Dr. Latham's great work.
The Longirostra, (Linn. Transact, vol. xiv.) Certhia Longi-
rostra, (Lath.) or Long-billed-Creeper, is five inches long,
the bill an inch and half; the tongue is long and missile; crown
and back behind light green; back, wings, and tail, dusky,
edged with olive green ; neck before, and breast, white ; belly
and vent pale yellow; legs bluish. Found in Bengal, where it
perches on the rich flowers of Indian plants, and darting its
tongue into the calyx extracts the sweets. Inhabits also Java,
where it is called Prist Andun. The Java species is larger and
more brightly coloured.
The Affinis (Linn. Transact, vol. xiii.) Anthophagus Oliva-
* Since this volume has been in the press, my attention has
been called to the splendid work of M. Temminck on Birds,
now publishing at Paris in large folio, with finely executed en-
gravings, accurately and most carefully delineated, and coloured
after nature. This work is esteemed by our ornithologsts as a
very valuable addition to the science: as far as I have had an
opportunity of examining it, I can bear my willing testimony to
its merits, particularly in regard to the engravings. The
Manual of Ornithology of this author is, of course, well known to
the scientific. Both works are written in the French language.
320 FOREIGN BIRDS.
From the Papuan Isles in magnificence bright,
Came the Paradise Birds ( 5 ) at once lustrous and
light;
eeus, (Lath.) Olive-Honey-Eater, or Olive-Creepei', is four
inches long; bill half an inch long, black; plumage above dull
olive-green, inclining to brown on the forehead and crown ;
beneath grey-brown ; around the eyes whitish ; quills and tail
brown, with an olive-green tinge ; the two outer feathers
white at the ends; legs pale brown. Inhabits Madagascar and
Java. Individuals found in the last-named place are olive, va-
riegated beneath with dull brown-grey ; outer tail feathers
white at the ends.
Many others of this tribe of birds have been exhibited, by far
more splendid and smaller than these ; but I have at present no
means of obtaining an accurate description of them.
( s ) Order, Pi cze, (Linn.) Birds of Paradise.
The genus Paradisea, (Linn.) or Bird-of-Paradisk,
consists of twenty species ; the bill is coveied with a belt of
downy feathers at the base ; feathers of the sides very long ;
two of the tail feathers naked. They are inhabitants of New
Guinea, the Papuan Islands, or Islands of the Indian ocean.
The following are some of the most remarkable. The habits of
this tribe of birds do not, however, appear to be yet very ac-
curately known.
The Apoda, or Greater-Paradise-Bird, is of a chesnut
colour ; neck beneath green gold ; feathers on the sides
longer than the body ; two middle tail feathers long, bristly.
Another variety of a smaller size. Inhabits the islands near
New Guinea ; feeds, it is said, on moths and butterflies ;
flies, it is also reported, in flocks, with a leader at the
head, making a noise like the thrush. The strangest and most
THE BIRD-OF-PARADISE. S21
Of whom hath cupidity artful and bold,
Yet in mystery's cant, many falsities told.
improbable tales were formerly related concerning this bird.
Thus sings Camoens :
" The golden birds that ever sail the skies,
Here to the sun display their shining dyes;
Each want supplied on air they ever soar ;
The ground they touch not till they breathe no more."
The Lusiad, by Mickle.
From their food being moths and butterflies, and, perhaps,
the nectar of flowers, they are doubtless a good deal on the
wing ; but there appears no reason whatever to suppose that
their manner of incubation and resting is different from other
birds.
The most remarkable features of this species are about forty
or fifty long feathers, which spring from each side below the
wing, and, mingling below the tail, augment the apparent size of
the animal, without adding any thing to its weight. It is about
the size of a thrush, but its feathers make it appear much larger
than that bird. In some parts of India, the feathers fetch a
great price, being worn as ornaments of dress.
These birds were formerly brought to this country without
feet, the policy of the foreign dealers in them most probably in-
duced the abstraction of those signs which lead very often to
the habits and manners of the bird. Hence also the more ready
belief in the tales propagated concerning them ; and hence, too,
the specific name Apoda, without feet, very improperly applied
to these birds by European naturalists.
The Regia, or KiNG-of-the-BiRDs-OF-PARADiSE, is a ches-
nut-purple, beneath whitish ; a green-gold band on the breast ;
from five to seven inches long; solitary. Inhabits the same
countries as the last.
322
FOREIGN BIRDS.
The Honey-Guide-Cuckoo, from Africa came ;
TheFLAMiNGo( 6 ) look'dgay in his garments of flame,
( 6 ) Order, Grall^e, (Linn.) Flamingo, the Red, the
Chilese.
The genus Piicbnicopterus, (Linn.) or Flamingo, consists
of two species distinguished by having a naked toothed bill,
bent as if broken ; the feet are four-toed, palmate, the mem-
branes semicircular on the forepart.
The Ruber, Flamingo, or Red- Flamingo, is a very remarkable
bird, with a body less than that of a goose; but when erect, is
six feet high from the lip of the toe to the bill, which is seven
inches long, partly red, partly black, and partly crooked ; it per-
petually twists its head round when eating,so that the upper man-
dible touches the ground. The legs and thighs are slender, not
thicker than the fore-finger of a man, yet two feet long ; the
neck is also slender, and three feet long. From this extraordi-
nary shape, it is able to wade in water to the depth where its
food is to be found. The feet are webbed, though it seldom
uses them for swimming. Length from bill to tail four feet
four inches. The plumage is not less remarkable than its fignre,
much of it being of a bright flame-colour, whence its name.
Found both in the new and old continents, but in not more than
about forty degrees either north or south from the equator. It
is found on almost every shore of the Mediterranean — Spain,
Italy, &c. ; and in every district of Africa, to the Cape of
Good Hope ; in South America, and the West Indies. The
nest is made of earth, rising about twenty inches above the
water, which always covers its base ; the top of this is a little
hollowed out for the reception of the eggs, which are two,
white, size of a goose's, upon which the female sits and hatches,
perched, as it were, upon her rump, with her legs hanging down
like a man sitting upon a stool. This peculiar posture is ne-
cessary during her incubation, in consequence of the very great
length of the legs. The young never exceed three in number.
THE FLAMINGO — THE TAYLOR-BIRD. 323
The Taylor-Bird, ( 7 ) too, left his leafy sew'd nest,
To pay his respects to the King of the West ;
These birds are gregarious, and are occasionally tamed in
their native climates, and mingle with other poultry, but they
never thrive in such a state. They afford a fine down, equal
to swan's down ; flesh, by some persons, esteemed.
The negroes of Africa hold this bird in superstitious venera-
tion ; hence they do not permit it to be destroyed, although,
from its numbers and its noise, it is extremely troublesome. It
feeds on shell-fish, aquatic insects, and the spawn offish.
The Flamingo was well known to the ancients under the
name of Phoenicopterus ; its flesh was a dish among the luxu-
rious Romans ; Apicius is said by Pliny to have discovered
the exquisite relish of this bird's tongue, and a new method of
seasoning it !
" Evening came on : arising from the stream
Homeward the tall Flamingo wings his flight ;
And when he sails athwart the setting beam
His scarlet plumage glows with deeper light !"
South ey's Curse of Kehama — the Separation.
I take the present opportunity of expressing the great plea-
sure which the perusal of that highly imaginative and melodious
poem, the Curse of Kehama, has afforded me.
The Chilensis, or Chilese-Flamingo, has the quill feathers
white ; bill covered with a reddish skin ; head subcrested ^
five feet long from the bill to the claws. Inhabits Chili.
( 7 ) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Taylor-Bird.
The Taylor-Bird, Taylor-Wren, Taylor-Warbler, Motacilla
Sutoria, (Linn.) or Sylvia Sutoria, as it is called by Dr. Latham,
one of the numerous genus Wareler, is a very small bird,
being only about three inches and a half in length, and weighs
only about, it is said, three sixteenths of an ounce ; the plu-
mage above is pale olive-yellow; chin and throat yellow;
324 FOREIGN BIRDS,
The restless Black-Skimmer ( 8 ) swept often along ;
And the Barbet( 9 ) was heard with his turtle-dove
song.
breast and belly dusky-white. It inhabits India, and particu-
larly the Island of Ceylon ; it constructs a very curious nest by
sewing the edges of one or more leaves together, so as to form a
conical repository for its eg«s and young; the eggs are while,
not much larger than what are called ants' eggs. For further
particulars concerning this bird's nest, see the Introduction.
( 8 ) OKDER, ANSEBES, (Ll'nW.)SKIMMEK.
The genus Rh ynchops, (Linn.) or Skimmer, consists of one
species only,
The Nigra, Bi.ack-Skimmer, Breaker, Cutter, or Skippog.
The bill is straight, the upper mandible much shorter than the
under; size of the black guillemot; length eighteen inches;
breadth three feet ; tail forked ; body blackish, beneath white;
front and chin white; wings with a transverse white band;
legs red. Another variety tawny. This bird is perpetually
flying about and skimming over the water, out of which it
scoops small fish with its lower mandible. Inhabits all
South America, and the southern parts of North America,
and also the East Indies. Nest a mere hollow in the
sand ; eggs three, white, with large round blackish spots, others
like pale Indian pink. They lay near to each other, in societies
of from 1.5 to 20 pairs ; half a bushel of eggs have been col-
lected in New Jersey within the compass of half an acre; they
have a fishy taste, but are nevertheless eaten. Voice harsh
and screaming. This bird is migratory in New Jersey.
( 9 ) Order, Pic^e, (Linn.) Barbet, the Beautiful, the
Yellow-cheeked, &c.
The genus Bccco, (Linn.) or Barbet, compreheuds twenty-
nine species, chiefly inhabitants of Guiana, and found almost
universally in warm climates. The bill is strong, straightish.
THE BARBET THE IBIS. 325
There too was seen, hovering over the shore,
The Ieis ( 10 ) that Egypt once pleas'd to adore;
The Curlew in Scarlet with richest tints glow'd,
And the Canvass-back-Duck on the waters proud
rode :
nearly covered with bristles ; it is a very stupid genus. The
following are all I can notice :
The Zeylonicus, or Yellow-cheekedBarbet, is five and a
half inches long; sits on trees, and murmurs or coos like a
turtle-dove, but louder. Inhabits Ceylon.
The Eleguns, or Beautiful-Barbet, is green, head and
chin red, edged wiih blue ; quill feathers brown ; throat and
breast yellow, the latter spotted with red; belly yellow, spotted
with green ; size of a sparrow. Inhabits the shores of the
Amazon. The Tamatia, or Spotted-bellied Barbet, is
above tawny brown, beneath tawny white, spotted with black;
six and a half inches long. Inhabits Cayenne and Brazil. Flesh
insipid.
The Philippensis, a native of Java, has its notes conveyed by
the word Ingku. Horsfield.
( I0 ) Order, Grall^e, (Linn.) Ibis, the Egyptian, the Wood,
the Scarlet, the Glossy, &c.
The genus Tantalus, (Linn.) or Ibis, consists of more than
thirty species scattered over the warmer climates of the globe.
The bill is long, subulate, rounded, and subarched; face naked;
tongue short, broad; jugular pouch naked; feet four-toed,
palmate at the base. The following are the chief:
The J6is, or Egyptian-Ibis, has the face red, bill pale yellow;
quill feathers black ; body whitish-rufous. From thirty to forty
inches long. Inhabits, in vast numbers, the lower parts of
Egypt. This bird, so faithful in its native country, was made the
emblem of it. Its figure, which is wrought on all the ancient
Egyptian monuments, represents Egypt, where divine honours
|326 FOREIGN BIRDS.
The Egret, the Great, and the Little, milk white,
Their pinions display'd 'midst a splendour of light.
'Mongst the Eagles, the Crested a denizen here,
Were many rapacious whose looks begat fear.
were paid to it by the superstitious inhabitants. This bird
feeds on locusts, caterpillars, and serpents; and, it is said, even
after it is satiated, it still continues occupied in destroying
these noxious animals. The intention, therefore, of the Egyptian
rulers in rendering this bird sacred, was, doubtless, to preserve
and to mutiply so useful an animal. So sacred was it held,
that dried skeletons of it have been found preserved as mum-
mies. As a drawback from this statement, it should be also ob-
served, that many other birds, such as storks, kites, and vultures,
are hostile to serpents, and the figures on their hieroglyphics do
not appear sufficiently defined, so that this kind of bird may be
determined with exactness : certain, however, it is, that for-
merly, in Egypt, the killing of this bird was held as a capital
crime.
The Loculator, or Wood-Ibis, has a bluish face ; the bill red-
dish, nine inches long ; the body white ; legs, quill, and tail-
feathers, black. Two other varieties. Three feet long. In-
habits New Holland, and the warmer parts of America ; slow in
flight, and stupid ; feeds on fruit, fishes, and reptiles j flesh good.
The Leucocephalus, or White-headed-Ibis, has the head,
neck, and body, white ; bill and face yellow ; legs pale flesh-
colour ; rump with long rosy feathers; the largest of the tribe.
Inhabits India.
The Ruber, Scarlet-Ibis, Scarlet -Curlew, or Red-Curlew, is
a beautiful bird, found in most parts of America, within the
tropics; the whole plumage a rich glowing scarlet, except the
extremities of the four outer quill feathers, which are of a deep
steel blue ; length twenty-three inches ; sits on trees, but lays
its greenish eggs on the ground. The young birds, when first
THE GLOSSY-IBIS THE ANI, 327
The social and singular Ani (") was there,
In whose nest many females obtain oft a share.
The fleet Courier-Pheasant ran swiftly along ;
With a serpent the Crested immers'd in the throng.
hatched, are said to be black, then grey, then whitish, and,
lastly, scarlet.
The Igneus, or Glossy-Ibis, has the head and neck black ;
bill and legs green ; body varied with glossy-blue, blackish-
green, green and claret ; beneath dark rufous ; quill and tail
feathers green-gold ; thirteen inches long 5 inhabits Russia :
was once shot in Cornwall ; it has also been seen in Norfolk.
(") Order, Picae, (Linn.) Ani, the Lesser, the Greater,
the Varied, the Walking.
The genus CrotopHaga, or Ani, consists of four species,
all natives of South America ; they have a compressed semi-oval
arched bill, carinate on the back ; upper mandible angular at
each edge ; nostrils pervious. They are as follow:
The Ani, or Lesser-Ani, is blackish violet, feet formed for
climbing ; thirteen and a half inches long ; gregarious, many
females laying in the same nest, each taking care of its own
brood ; eggs sea-green, spotted towards the ends ; feeds on
fruits, seeds, worms, and insects; picks out the acarns, or tick,
from the backs of cattle infested with it, for which purpose it is
said they will lie down spontaneously. The Major, or Greater-
Ani, is also blackish-violet, the feathers edged with green;
quill feathers dusky green ; feet scansorial like the last ; length
eighteen inches ; docile and easily tamed ; inhabits Cayenne.
The Varia, or Varied-Ani, is varied with black and red ; feet
seansorial ; eleven inches long. The Ambulatoria, or Walking-
Ani, has the feet ambulatory ; except in the structure of the
feet, is like the last ; inhabits Surinam.
328 FOREIGN BIRDS.
Rice-Buntings, andTuRNSTONES ingenious abound;
And Bee-Eaters, ( ia ) Beef-Eaters, ( ,3 ) some were
there found.
( I3 ) Order, Picab, (Linn.) Bee-Eater, the Common, the
Indian.
The genus Merops, (Linn.) or Bee-Eater, contists of more
than forty species, one only of which, the Apiaster, or Common-
Bee-Eater, is found in this country. The characteristics of
this tribe are a curved, quadrangular, compressed, carinate,
pointed bill; tongue slender, the tip (generally) jagged ; feet
gressorial. They are scattered over India, Africa, and the
South of Europe.
The Apiaster, or Common-Bee-Eater, from which the rest
of the species do not essentially differ, derives its name from
subsisting chiefly on bees, wasps, and other insects, which, like
the swallow, it catches when on the wing. The head and neck
of this bird are chesnut ; upper part of the body pale yellow,
with reflections of green and chesnut ; the lower parts azure,
brightening towards the tail ; bill black, quadrangular, a little
bent and sharp at the point ; length ten inches. Digs deep holes
in sandy banks, where it lays from five to seven white eggs ; gre-
garious, found not only in England, but many other parts of
Europe, as well as in Asia and America. There is another va-
riety, having a convex instead of a carinate bill, and in which
the toes are not connected, as far as the third joint.
The Rufus, or Rufous-Bee-Eater, is eight inches and half
long; plumage in general rufou*, deeper on the upper parts, in-
clining to yellow beneath ; builds a curious nest. Seethe Intro-
duction. Eggs four, white, spotted with rufous. Song trifling.
Found at Buenos Ayres, and on the River Plate.
The Bee-Eater is said to be migratory in this country ; but,
although occasionally seen here in the summer season, its nest
has never, I believe, been discovered. It is said to be plenti-
ful, and to breed in the southern parts of Russia.
DEE-EATER BEEF-EATER — HONEY-EATER. 329
From far Polynesia's Taheitian grove,
Where, 'midst Flora's rich realm is his pleasure to rove,
In his glossy green-black came the Poe-bird ( 14 )
bright,
Whose plumage and note afford equal delight.
One of the handsomest of the tribe is the Viridis, or Indian-
Bee Eater, of a green colour, with a black belt on the breast
and the throat, and tail of the same hue; of this there are
several varieties, inhabitants of Bengal.
( I3 ) Order, ViCM,(Linn.) Beef-Eater.
The genus Buphaga, (Linn.) or Beef-Eater, consists of
two species only, distinguished by a straight somewhat square
bill, mandible gibbous, entire, more gibbous on the outside;
legs gressorial. The Africana, African-Beef-Eater, or
African* Oxpecker, is eight and a half inches long; picks
holes in the backs of cattle, for the purpose of getting at the
larva of the gad rly ; feeds also on insects ; found near the river
Senegal in Africa, and parts within the Cape of Good Hope.
The Striped-Beef-Eater is the size of the former j a spe-
cimen is in the museum of Mr. Bullock.
( l4 ) Order, Pic^e, (Lath.) Honey-Eater, the Poe, the
Great-Hook-Billed, the Hook-billed, &c.
The genus ANTHOPHAGUs,(Z,a//i.) or Honey-Eater, consists
of seventy species ; they have a bill somewhat triangular at the
ba«e, and more or less bent at the tip ; nostrils rounded, partly
covered by a membrane ; tongue more or less extensile, formed
for collecting honey from flowers, which is supposed to be their
principal food ; legs made for walking. This genus is also di-
vided by Dr. Latham into those with thrush-like bills, and those
with creeper bills. The following are examples of each :
The Cincinnati^, (Luth.) Poe-Honey-Eater, Po'e-Bce-Eater,
Poe- Bird, or Kogo, with a thrush-like bill, is rather larger than
330 FOREIGN BIRDS.
Many Eaters of Honey, flowers flutter'd among ;
While others seem'd charm'd with the Poe-bird's song.
a blackbird ; length eleven inches ; plumage deep greenish-
black, in many parts very glossy ; greater wing coverts white-
tail coverts a rich blue ; tail same as the body ; neck feathers
fine, long, somewhat curled, and standing from the neck like a
ruff; a white tuft of curled feathers on each side of the neck.
The term Pot is said to be the Otaheitan word for ear-ring,
whence its name. This bird is said to be as remarkable for the
sweetness of its note as it is for the beauty of its plumage ; flesh
delicate food ; inhabits New Zealand and the South Sea
Islands ; and particularly GtaheiU ; or, as the inhabitants
themselves call it, Taheety, or Taheity. This island lies in lati-
tude 18° South, and in the 150 th degree of West longitude; it is
beautiful, well wooded, and affords support to many inhabi-
tants. The celebrated Bread Fruit-Tree, Artocarpus incisa,
is indigenous here ; it is about the size of a moderate oak; the
leaves are oblong, and often a foot and half in length ; they, in
colour and thickness, resemble those of the fig, exuding a milky
juice on fracture. The fruit is about the size of a new-born
child's head. The eatable part, which lies between the skin
and core, is as white as snow, and of the consistence of new
bread. It is prepared for eating in various ways.
The Great-Hooked-billed-Honey-Eater, or Great-
Hook-billed-Creeper, (Certhia pacifica,) with a creeper-like-
bill, is eight inches long; plumage above black, lower parts of
the back, rump, and upper tail coverts, a fine deep yellow ;
beneath dusky ; shoulders, inner ridge of the wing, and part of
the coverts, yellow ; quills and tail black; inhabits the Friendly
Islands in the South Seas ; called at Owhyhee, Hoohoo.
The Hooked-billed-Honey-Eater, (Certhia Obscura,)
may also be mentioned as a curious species. For another
Honey-Euter, see pages 319, 320, Cinmjris affinis.
331
THE POE-BIRD'S SONG.
Anthophagus Cincinnatus. — (Lath .}
Taheity ! Taheity !
The Poe-bird's home,
Taheity! Taheity!
Who from thee would roam ?
Taheity ! Taheity !
Far over the sea !
When, when shall return
Thy own bird unto thee ?
Taheity ! Taheity !
All strangers I see J
When shall I behold
Those I love, know, and thee ?
Taheity! Taheity!
Thy groves and thy shade,
Thy mountains, thy vales,
For affection were made.
Taheity! Taheity! —
■
Thy Mahie* to see !
Oh, when shall return
Thy own bird unto thee ?
The Bread- Fruit -Tree, so called by the natives of Otaheite.
332 FOREIGN BIRDS.
Not in woodlands apart from the rest of the crowd,
Where the dark vested trees many warblers oft shroud;
Not unheard and unseen, far from dwellings of men,
Pour'd the Blue-Bird ( i5 ) his notes in the wild forest
glen ;
But, the dear mellow harmonist seem'd to delight
In all that was social, and chearful, and bright :
Artless chorister ! he, in his elegant suit,
Thus tastefully touch'd the sweet strings of his lute.
( I5 ) Order, PAssEREs,(La^.)BLUE-BiRD,or Blue-Warbler.
The Sylvia sialis, Blue-Bird, or Blue-Warbler, is six
inches and three quarters long ; above a rich sky-blue, with
purple reflections; throat, neck, breast, and sides partially
under the wiDgs, chesnut ; beneath white ; inhabits the United
States, Mexico, Brazil, and Guiana; eggs five or six, pale blue ;
feeds on insects and berries. It is much troubled with a species
of tapeworm j most other birds, it is said, are also pestered
with these animals. The spring and summer song of this bird is
a soft, agreeable, and oft repeated, warble. In its motions and
general character has a great resemblance to the redbreast ;
like him in this country, the blue-bird is known to almost every
child in the United States. The cowpen lays its egg sometimes
in the nest of this bird. See the Note on the Cowpen, for-
ward ; and also the Address to the Blue-Bird.
" When winter's cold tempests and snows are no more,
Green meadows and brown furrow'd fields re-appearing ;
The fishermen hauling their shad to the shore,
And cloud-cleaving geese to the lakes are a-steering;
When first the lone butterfly flits on the vu'ug;
When red glow the maples so fresh and so pleasing,
O then comes the Blue-Bird, the Herald of Spring!
And bails with his warbling the charms of the season."
Wilson's American Ornithology*
333
THE BLUE-BIRD'S SONG.
Sylvia Sialis. — (Lath.)
Free from sorrow, free from strife,
What is like domestic life ?
Over mountain, over hill,
Vagrant birds may wander still ;
I, contented, will not roam ;
Sweet are the delights of Home !
Seek thou glory's sanguine field ; —
Seek whatever fame may yield ; —
Seek thou honour, seek thou wealth —
Seek, still seek, and squander health ; —
I, contented, will not roam ;
Sweet are the delights of Home !
Home ! thy magic circles round
What of peace on earth is found ;
Love — affection — friendship — all
That the virtues we may call.
I, contented, will not roam ;
Sweet are the delights of Home !*
* "There is a magic in that little word,
It is a mystic circle that surrounds
Comforts and virtues, never known beyond
The hallowed limit."
Sovthey's Hymns to the Penutes.
334
TO THE BLUE-BIRD.
Sylvia Sialis. — (Lath.)
" In far Columbian climes
The Blue-bird, that domestic sylviad, he
"Whom youth, whom age, whom infancy respects,
Affords sincere delight what time the spring
He wakens with his gentle melodies."
From an unpublished Poem.
Bird cerulean ! Bird of Spring !
Listen while the strain I sing.
When nature clad in robes of green
Amidst her woodland haunts is seen ; —
When trees and flowers pour out their bloom,
.And fling abroad a rich perfume,
Then, then thy softest, sweetest note
On zephyr's wave is heard to float ; —
All things look fair, rejoicing, bright —
Children of hope and high delight;
While infancy enraptur'd views
Thy beauty ting'd with purple hues.
Bird cerulean ! Bird of Spring !
Listen while the strain I sing.
Thy spring shall pass, thy summer fly,
And autumn quit thee with a sigh ;
At length, the winter's howling gust
Shall dash thy pleasures to the dust ;
TO THE BLUE-BIRD. 335
But soon again thy hope shall rise,
And spread her wing o'er vernal skies ;
Thy song of softest, sweetest note,
On zephyr's wave again shall float.
Bird cerulean ! Bird of Spring !
Listen while the strain I sing.
Man hath his foes and so hast thou ;
What time beneath the waving bough
Thy humble home is recent made,
The Cowpen may thy peace invade.
Audacious bird ! uncourtly guest !
Too idle to construct a nest!
Alas ! who must not bend to power?
Even birds, within their little hour,
From tyrant birds shall suffer still
As man from some superior's will :
Who does not sometimes nurture those,
As thou, who prove the deadliest foes ?.
Bird cerulean! Bird of Spring,
Listen while the strain I sing.
All, all is change throughout the earth !
Joy follows sorrow, sadness mirth,
And when distress pursues the mind,
Relief, perchance, is close behind.
Sweet Bird ! Columbia's gentle pride,
Whose doors for thee are open wide,
Still warble thou thy softest song ;
To thee all pleasing strains belong ;
Bird cerulean ! Bird of Spring!
Listen while the strain I sing.
l
336 FOREIGN BIRDS.
The Man-of-War-Bird, ( ,6 ) with a fish in his
mouth,
Look'd grotesque as he heavily rose from the south ;
( l6 ) Order, Anseres, (Linn.) Albatross, the Wandering,
the Chocolate, the Sooty, the Man-of-War-Bird.
The genus Diomedea, (Linn.) or Albatross, consists of
four species, distinguished by a straight bill, the upper mandible
hooked at the point, the lower truncate ; nostrils oval, wide,
prominent, lateral ; tongue very small ; feet four toed, all placed
forwards, palmate. They are as follow :
The Exulans, Albatross, fVandering-Albatross, or Man-of-
War-Bird, is from three and a half to four feet long ; its general
colour is white; back and wings with white lines; bill pale-
yellow, legs flesh-colour ; qnill feathers black ; tail rounded,
lead-colour; wings, when extended, from ten to thirteen feet ;
inhabits most seas, but chiefly within the tropics; rarely flies
at a great distance from the water, unless obliged to do so by
high winds; seen sometimes in the southern ocean, six or seven
hundred leagues from land.
Eggs numerous, larger than those of a goose, the white not
hardened by boiling ; the flesh is tough, but occasionally eaten.
The cry of this bird is harsh and braying. It sometimes swal
lows a salmon of such length that the whole cannot enter its
stomach, the tail part hanging out of its mouth. At such times
it is easily knocked down and killed; but, at other times, it
makes a stout resistance. The male watches the female while
sitting, and supplies her with food. The large intestine is used
iu some countries as a floating bladder to buoy up fishing nets ;
the bones are employed by some of the South Sea Islanders foi
tobacco pipes, needle cases, and other trinkets. As soon as tht
young of this bird leave the nest, the Penguin takes possession
of it, and hatches its young in turn.
The Spadiceu, or Chocolate-Albatross, has the body a
THE COW-BUNTING. 337
The Chocolate-Albatross came from Chung-
kwo ;»
And another, the Sooty, from regions of snow.
The Cowpen ( l7 ) too came, who, for reasons unknown,
Will never construct any house of her own ;
Like the Cuckoo, content is this bird of the west
To deposit her egg in another bird's nest :
deep chesnut brown ; face and wings, beneatli whitish; another
variety entirely grey-brown. The first, three feet long, inha-
bits the Pacific Ocean ; the second, two and a half feet long,
inhabits China. The Chlororhyncos, or Yellow-nosed-Alea-
tross, is about three feet long, and inhabits the Pacific Ocean.
The Fuliginosus, or Sooty-Albatross, is the size of the last ;
inhabits seas in the arctic circle.
All this tribe of birds nourish their young by discharging the
contents of their stomach.
For another Man of- War- Bird see the note on the Pelican.
( i7 ) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Bunting, the Cow, or
COWPEN-BIRD.
This bird, which is found in the United States of America,
and, probably, in many other places of the western world, is
called by Latham, Oriolus pecoris, or Cowpen-Qriole,
and by Wilson, Emberiza pecoris, Cow-Bunting, Coic-Black-
bird, or Cowpen; it is, in consequence of its mode of laying its
egg, one of the most singular of the ornithological creation.
We are not yet sufficiently acquainted with its natural history ;
but, from that accurate observer, Wilson, we learn the follow-
ing particulars :
It is seven inches long; the head and neck are of a
deep silky drab colour; the upper part of the head is a change-
able violet ; the rest of the bird is black, with a considerable
* China.
Q
338 FOREIGN BIRDS.
Wild wonder may gaze while proud science, in vain,
Attempts the anomaly strange to explain.
Of the Tinamou-Tribe* many visitors came ;—
One of robes citrine hue and distinguished by fame ;
The Virginian-Quail, and the Heath-hen were
there,
To whose singular figure what bird may compare ?
gloss of green when exposed to a good light. The most remarka-
ble trait in the character of this bird is that, like the Cuckoo,
it lays its eggs in the nests of other birds, instead of building a
nest and hatching for itself; and thus leaving its progeny to
the care of strangers. It only lays one egg in any one nest ;
it is rather larger than those of a blue-bird, thickly sprinkled
with grains of pale-brown on a dirty-white ground. It seems
to be less nice than the cuckoo in the choice of its nest; among
others, it lays in that of the Blue-Bird, the Chipping- Sparrow, the
Golden-Crowned-Thrush, the Red-Eyed-Fly-Catcher, and the
Maryland- Yellow-Throat, birds all well known in America, but
which are quite foreign to this country. It is said, too, that
the eggs or young of the fostering birds, in whose nest the cow-
bunting lays its egg, are ejected from the nest, and, of course*
destroyed ; but, whether by the hatched stranger, or by the
foster parents, has not been yet ascertained. This bird is mi-
gratory in the northern States of America: it appears in
Pennsylvania from the south at the end of March or early in
April; it winters in the Carolinas and Georgia. As it
does not appear in size and shape by any means so formida-
ble as the cuckoo, this extraordinary habit of laying its
egg in the nest of some birds equal, if not superior, to it in size,
is more singular than even that of the cuckoo, singular as both
of them undoubtedly are. See note (6,) p. 137, 138.
* For a description of the Great-Tin amou and the Pin-
nated-Grouse, or Heath-Hen, see note (36,) part I.
CRESTED-GUAN YACOU — PIPING-CUR ASSOW. 339
There, too, Yacous ( i8 ) domestic and Guans were
seen ;
The last with brown back, and a body black-green.
( l8 ) Order, Gallinje, (Lath.) Guan, Yacou, Piping-Cu-
rassow, Marail.
The genus Penelope, (Lath.) to which the Guan, Penelope
cristata,and the Yacou, Penelope cumunensis, belong, consists of
eleven species, distinguished by a bill naked, at the base
covered with feathers ; legs spnrless. They are all inhabitants
of South America. The following are the chief:
The Cristata, or Crested-Guan, has the head with an erect
crest; bill black; body black-green; back brown; neck,
breast, and belly, spotted with white ; legs red ; two feet and a
half long; they are often tamed, and make a noise not unlike
the sound of jacu, or rather, perhaps, yacou; flesh good; inhabits
Brazil and Guiana.
The Cumanensis, or Yacou, is blackish ; crest and first quill
feathers white ; body beneath speckled with white ; tail long ;
legs red ; size of a hen turkey ; erects its crest and spreads its
tail ; builds on the ground and in low trees ; inhabits Cayenne
and Guiana; at the former place it is tamed, becomes familiar,
and will mix with other poultry.
The Pipile, or Piping-Curassow, has the back brown,
spotted with black, the belly black ; wing-coverts and first
quill-feathers white ; legs red ; voice weak, piping ; inhabits
with the last.
The Marilf or Marail, is greenish-black ; head crested ; in-
habits, in flocks, the woods of Guiana ; roosts in trees, upon
whose fruit it feeds ; emits a harsh disagreeable cry.
q2
340
FOREIGN BIRDS-
The Boat-bill ( l9 ) was there, too, that feaster on fish;
And the Scarlet-Cotixga as bright as you wish.
Many Pompadour-Chatterers ( 20 ) were seen in
the throng ;
Many Troupioles* warbled a sweet plaintive song.
( ,9 ) Order, Orally, {Linn.) Boat-bill, the Crested, the
1 White-bellied.
ThegenusCANCROMA, (Linn.) or Boat-bill, consists of two
species only ; it is characterized by a gibbous bill, shaped like
an inverted boat ; nostrils small, placed in a furrow ; tongue
small; toes divided; they inhabit South America.
The Cochleuria, or Crested-Boat-bill, is ash-colour ; the
belly rufous ; crown and lunule on the neck black ; bill brown ;
lores naked and blackish ; crest long, pendulous, pointed ; legs
yellowish, brown ; toes connected at the base ; length twenty-
two inches; perches on trees which hang over water, and darts
down on fishes as they swim underneath ; feeds also on crabs :
a second variety having the body spotted brown. The Cancro-
phaga, or White-eellied-Boat-bill, is also crested ; the
body rufous-brown ; belly whitish ; crown black ; by some
considered only a variety of the preceding, by others the female.
( 2? ) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Chatterer, Cotinga,
Bell-Bird.
The gentis Ampelis, (Linn.) or Chatterer, comprehends
twenty-eight species, most of them natives of Africa or Ame-
rica, one or two of India; and one, the Ampelis Garruhis, or
Waxen Chatterer, found occasionally in this country; they
are distinguished by a straight, convex, subincurved bill, each
* See forwards. The Orioles, so called by the French ; I
should not have thought it necessary to introduce this term
Troupiole, had not Watekton, used it very freely in his
Wanderings in South America: this unnecessary, as it appears to
me, introduction of new names is greatly to be regretted.
THE WAXEN-CHATTERER— THE BELL-BIRD. 341
Aloud, too, was heard the Campan'ero's note,
.As, afar o'er the dell, it seem'd frequent to float.
mandible notched ; nostrils covered with bristles ; tongue sharp,
cartilaginous, bifid ; middle toe connected at the base to the
outmost. The following seem most worthy of notice:
The Garrulus, Waxen-Chatterer, European-Chatterer,
Silk-Tail, Bohemian- Wax-Wing, or BohemianChattei'er f in size
resembles a starling; the head is crested, which, and the upper
parts, are vivacious brown, dashed with ash-colour ; beneath
pale purplish ash-colour ; it is said to appear annually about
Edinburgh, and to feed on the berries of the mountain ash; it
is also said to breed in parts more northerly, and to form its
nest in the holes of rocks; found also occasionally in the
southern parts of the kingdom.
The Carnifex, Red-Chatterer, or Scarlet- Cot inga, is seven
inches long ; crest, lower part of the back, rump, thighs, and
lower part of the belly bright crimson ; the rest of the plumage
dull red ; inhabits South America ; its cry like the word ouette.
Another, the Coccinea, is called Scarlet-Chatterer. Ano-
ther, the Militaris, the size of a crow, has the whole plumage
crimson, inclining to pompadour red ; found in Guiana, but
scarce. And another, the Pompadora, or Pompadour-Chat -
terer, has the plumage, in general, a fine glossy purplish red ;
found also in Guiana.
The Variegala, or Variegated-Chatterer, called, occa.
sionally, Bell-bird, is eleven inches long; general colour of
the body pearly-white, inclining to dove on the back; wings
black; from the chin to the middle of the breast, spring numerous
narrow flat and elongated fleshy appendages, about one inch
aud a quarter in length; voice loud, and heard a great way off;
makes two kinds of noise, for about six weeks only, in the months
of December and January ; one like a hammer striking on a
wedge ; the other similar to the noise of a cracked bell; found
in South America, particularly Guiana.
342 FOREIGN BIRDS.
The White-bellied-Darter^ 1 ) his power display'd;
The Terns ( m ) noisy, daring, of nought were afraid.
The Carunculata, Carunculated-Chatterer, Bell-Birp,
or Campanero, is twelve inches long ; the whole plumage in the
male white, in the female olive-green ; on the forehead a fleshy
caruncle or tube, nearly three inches long, which may be
erected at pleasure ; when filled with air it looks like a spire,
when empty it becomes pendulous like that of a turkey-cock ;
it is jet black, dotted all over with small white feathers: nest
on tall trees ; eggs four, greenish; voice so loud as to be heard
for half a league ; Waterton says three miles! notes composed
of two syllables — In, An, uttered in a drawling tone ; it has
been compared, as in the variegated species, to the sound of a
bell, and hence one of its names ; inhabits South America, par-
ticularly Guiana.
The Murasing-Chatterer is found at Calcutta.
( 2I ) Order, Anseres, {Linn.) Darter, Ahinga.
The genus Plotus, (Linn.) or Darter, consists of a very
few species j five have been described; they have a straight,
pointed, toothed bill; the nostrils with a little slit near the
base ; face and chin naked ; legs short ; all the toes connected ;
they have also a small head and slender neck, and are chiefly
seen in southern climates ; they live principally on fishes, which
they take by darting forward the head, while the neck is con-
tracted like the body of a serpent.
The Anhinga, Whlte-eellied-Darter, Ahinga, or Snake-
bird, has the body above black ; belly white ; head, neck, and
breast, reddish-grey ; tail-feathers twelve, broad, long ; two
feet ten inches long ; inhabits Brazil, and many other parts of
America ; builds on trees ; when at rest sits with the head
drawn in between the shoulders ; flesh oily and rancid. The
Melanogaster, or Black-bellied-Darter, is three feet long;
inhabits Ceylon and Japan; three or four other varieties
THE GREATER-TERN. 343
The Noddy, too, sought, midst the sea-birds, delight;
The Larids in air look'd exultant and bright.
found in Cayenne and Senegal. The Surinamensis, or Surinam-
Darter, is thirteen inches long; has the head crested; the
belly white ; is domesticated ; feeds on fishes and insects ; is
very active ; inhabits Surinam ; Dr. Latham has arranged this
last under his genus Fin-foot, which see.
( s2 ) Order, Anseres, ( Linn.) Tern, the Common, the Black,
the Lesser; the Sandwich ; Noddy.
The genus Sterna, (Linn.) or Tern, comprehends between
forty and fifty species, four of which are found in this country ;
they have a subulate, straight, pointed bill; wings very long,
tail mostly forked ; feet small, webbed ; they are clamorous
and gregarious, assembling in large flocks ; with us they are
migratory, leaving our shores regularly on the approach of
winter. The following are specimens :
The Hirundo, Common, Greater-Tern, Sea-Swallow, or
Gull-Teazer, is fourteen inches long; the bill and legs red ; the
top of the head black; beneath the eyes, the neck, and all the
under parts, white ; back and wings of an ash-colour ; tail
forked and white, except the outer web of the exterior feathers,
which is black ; it has a slender but elegant form, most
beautiful plumage, and is the most active fisher of all the
aquatic tribe ; it is a noisy and restless bird, constantly on the
wing in search of insects or small fish ; but though web-footed,
is said never to swim or dive ; it is most commonly known by
the name of sea-swallow, its actions being similar to those of that
bird ; it is called gull-teazer on the south coast of Devonshire,
where it is frequently seen to pursue and persecute the lesser
gulls, till they disgorge their food, which it dexterously catches
before it reaches the water ; it comes to this country in the
spring ; laying on our flat sandy shores three or four eggs, it is
said in sand, the size of a pigeon's, olivaceous brown, spotted
344 FOREIGN BIRDS.
Curacoas Globose, C 3 ) and the Crying, were there ;
And many Black Swans, that of yore were so rare,*
with dusky ; these are, it is also said, hatched without much at«
tention of the female. This species is found in great abundance
on the Canary Islands. It leaves this country on the approach
of winter.
The Fissipes, Black-Tern, Cloven-footed-Gull, Pease-Crow,
or Car-Swallow, is less than the common-tern, but is similar in
its manner to that bird ; it breeds also in this country. The
Minuta, Lesser-Teh n, Smaller-Tern, Lesser- Sea- Swallow, or
Richel-Blrd, is the smallest of the tribe, not measuring more
than eight inches and half long; it is an elegant bird, and has
also the habits of the common-tern ; breeds in the same places,
but is far less numerous. The Cantiaca, Sandwich-Tern,
Kamtschutka-Tern, or Cloven-footed-Gull, is the largest of the
British terns, being in length eighteen inches; it is a beautiful
bird, but by no means so plentiful as the other species; it is
said to breed on the coast of Kent, near Sandwich.
The Slolida, or Noddy, is also another species that may be
mentioned ; the body is black ; front whitish ; eye brown-
black ; hind head cinereous; bill and legs black ; fifteen inches
long ; inhabits within the tropics.
( 23 ) Order, Galling, (Linn.) Cura<joa, the Crested, the
Globose, the Cashew, the Crying.
The genus Crax, (Linn.) Cura^oa, Curassow, or Curasso,
consists of eight species, having the bill strong, thick, and the
base of each mandible covered with a cere; nostrils in the
middle of the cere; feathers covering the head revolnte; tail
large, straight, expansile : they are all inhabitants of South
America; the chief of which are as follow :
* Ruru avis hi terris nigroque simillima cygno.
Juvenal, Sat. vi«
See note (4,) part I.
THE CRESTED — THE CRYING CURAC,OA. 345
On the waters were pleas'd their dark plumes to
display,
While elegant gracefulness waits on their way.
The Alector, Crested-Curacoa, Curasmv, Indian-Cock,
Pheasant-Cock, Hocco, or Pheasant-of -Guiana, sometimes called,
from the noise it makes, Powese, has the cere yellow ; body
black ; belly white. Three other varieties, differing in the
colour of the cere or the belly. The females differ from the
males in their colours, but in no other external mark ; three feet
loog ; feeds on fruits, and roosts on trees ; inhabits the moun-
tainous woods of South America ; flesh good. They are fre-
quently brought up tame in the Dutch settlements of Guiana.
They breed freely in the menageries of Holland, and have also
bred in this country, but the climate does not seem sufficiently
warm for them.
The Globicera, Globose-Curaqoa, or Curassow, has the
body blackish-blue, lower part of the belly white; size of
the last ; inhabits Guiana. The Pauxi, or Cashew-Cura^oa,
has the cere blue; body blackish ; belly and tip of the tail
white ; size of the two preceding ; inhabits New Spain.
The Galeata, Galeated-Cura^oa, or Curassow, has the
crown with a horny cone ; body black ; nearly as large as a
turkey 5 inhabits the Island of Curacoa. The Vociferans, Crying-
Curaqoa, or Curassow, is brown ; belly whitish ; bill and breast
blue ; size of a common fowl ; a noisy clamorous bird ; inhabits
the mountainous parts of Mexico.
It will be perceived at the commencement of this article, that
this genus has too often corrupted names applied to it ; I have
endeavoured to restore the true one, being Curaqoa, from the
island so called. The term Hocco is applied to this tribe of
birds by the French.
346 FOREIGN BIRDS.
From the fertile, moist meadow, palm grove pic-
turesque,
Came the splendid Toucans (* 4 ) with bills huge and
grotesque.
Toucanets, mewing Cat-Birds, and Cocks of the
Rock,
All fearlessly mix'd with the feathery flock.
The Night-Raven's note, Qua, was oft heard 'midst
the throng ;
The huge Adjutant stalk'd the grallators among.
( 2 *) Order, Pic^e, (Linn.) Toucan, the Yellow-breasted,
the Green, Toucanets.
The genus Ramphastos, (Linn.) or Toucan, comprehends
eighteen species, distinguished by an enormous convex bill,
which has a most grotesque appearance, being something like
the shape of a mask with a large and long nose, constructed to
surprise and frighten children ; the tongue is not less singular
than the bill, exactly resembling a feather shut up in a large
case. They belong to the scausorial tribe, and have, like the
parrots, two toes before and two behind. They make much
noise, particularly a hissing sound, which is heard at a conside-
rable distance. They build in the holes of trees, which have
been scooped out by the woodpecker. They lay only two eggs;
they are spread over all the warm, parts of America, and, being
very sensible to cold, never quit it. They feed, it is said, prin-
cipally upon the fruit of the palm tree, and swallow their food
whole ; but the latest observations on the food of this tribe tend
to shew that, during the season of incubation, at least, they feed
on the eggs and young]of other birds. The feathers of the toucan
are greatly admired by the Brazilians, who make them up into
articles of dress. The following are the chief :
The Tucanus, or Yellow-breasted-Toucan, is blackish ;
abdominal band, vent, and rump, yellow ; cheeks, chin, and
THE TOUCAN — THE SPOON-BILL. 347
The Eider-Duck came with some other sea-fowl ;
In much state appear'd, also, the Great-Eagle-Owl.
The Coquimbo-Owl, also, the Burrowing, too,
came ;
Both by singular habits are known unto fame.*
The Rosy rob'd Spoonbill, ( 2S the Crimson rob'd too,
In g-audiness flaunted, not pleasing to view;
neck, orange; legs and claws lead colour; nineteen inches long;
feeds upon pepper, as do several other species of the genus »
inhabits South America ; the natives of Cayenne glue the skin
and feathers of the neck of this bird upon their cheeks by way
of ornament.
The Viridis, Green-Toucan, or Grigi, is green ; belly yel-
low ; rump red; fourteen inches long; inhabits and feeds like
the last; bill not so enormous as some of the other species,
being only about four inches and a half in length.
The Toucan ets are, of course, the smaller species of Toucans;
they are mentioned by Waterton, but not specifically de-
scribed by him: it is much to be regretted that this gentleman
has not been more scientifically descriptive of the many birds
which he has mentioned in his Wanderings in South America.
A Toucan is to be seen alive and in remarkable activity at
the Zoological Society in Bruton-street.
( 2S ) Order, Grall^e, (Linn.) Spoon-eill, the White, the
Roseate, the Dwarf.
The genus Platalea, (Linn.) or Spoonbill, consists of five
species, one of which, the Leucorodia, is found occasionally in
this country. The distinguishing characteristics of this tribe is
its singular bill, having, as its name imports, the shape of a
spoon; its singularity does not, however, consist merely in its
shape, but also in its structure, for it is not hard like the beaks
of other birds, but soft and flexible like leather ; it is commonly
* For an account of the Owls, see note (41,) part I.
348 FOREIGN BIRDS.
While Canary-Birds fluttered the branches among,
And now warbled apart, now in concert a song.
The Tropic-Bird ( 2S ) swift, too, was seen in mid sky;
And that Tyrant, the Shrike, you might also descry.
seven inches long, and nearly two in breadth towards the point;
all round the upper mandible runs a rim which covers the
lower one ; the nostrils are small, at the base of the bill ; tongue
short, pointed ; feet semi-palmated. The following are the
chief:
Of the Leucorodia, White-Spoon sill, Spoonbill, or Pelican,
there are three varieties. The first has the body white; chrn
black; hind-head subcrested: the second has the wings varied
with black and white; legs yellowish: and the third has the
body all white ; legs flesh-colour ; two feet eight inches long;'
feeds on fishes, frogs, snakes, and grass; builds in high trees ;
eggs three or four, white, with reddish spots ; flesh resembles a
goose, especially when young ; inhabits Europe and Asia, and
is seen occasionally in this country.
The Ajaja, or Roseate-Spoonbill, has the body rosy; tail-
coverts scarlet ; another variety blood-red; neck white; collar
black ; tail-feathers scarlet ; two feet three inches long ; the first
variety inhabits Guiana and Brazil ; the last Mexico and Jamaica.
The Pygmaa, or Dwarf-Spoonbill, has the body above
brown, beneath while.
In the European Spoonbill both mandibles are black, brown,
or grey; the beak of the American Spoonbill is of a red colour,
resembling its feathers ; all the different species are inhabitants
of the sea-coast ; they are sometimes met with in vast flocks.
Notwithstanding the brilliant colours of the American species,
the spoonbill is generally considered an ugly bird. The Leu-
corodia is found in great plenty in Holland.
( 26 ) Order, Anseres, (Linn.) Tropic-Bird, the Common,
the Black- Billed, the Red-Tailed.
The genus Phaeton, (Linn.) or Tropic-Bird, compre-
hends four species only, distinguished by a sharp-edged, straight,
THE TROPIC-BIRD — THE TODY. 349
The Tanager touch'd with much feeling his lute;
The diminutive Tody ( 27 ) was there in green suit.
pointed bill, the gape of the mouth reaching beyond ; nostrils
oblong ; hind toe turned forward. The chief are as follow :
The Mthereus, or Common-Tropic-Bird, has the head,
neck, and beneath white; back, rump, and less wing-feathers,
streaked with white, mixed with black ; two middle tail fea-
thers black at the base; bill three inches long; size of a widgeon,
yet its length, with the tail, two feet ten inches ; flies very high ;
feeds on fishes ; often seen on the backs of tortoises ; seldom
on land, except at breeding time ; inhabits the tropics. Two
other varieties.
"Though faster than the tropic-bird they flew."
Grainger's Sugar Cane, Book iii.
The Melanorhynchos , or Black-eilled-Tropic-Bird, has
the bill black; is above streaked with black and white; be-
neath white; nineteen and a half inches long; inhabits Fal-
merston and Turtle islands.
The Phcenicurus, or Red-tailed-Tropic-Bird, is of a rosy
flesh-colour; bill red; length two feet ten inches, of which the
two middle tail feathers, which are red, measure one foot nine
inches ; builds in hollows in the ground, under trees ; eggs
two, yellowish-white, with rufous spots. Inhabits the Mauritius
island.
( 27 ; Order, Pic^e, {Linn.) Tody, the Green, the King, &c.
The genus Todus, {Linn.) or Tody, consists of nearly thirty
species, mostly inhabiting the warmer parts of America ; they
have a subulate, depressed, obtuse, straight bill, covered at the
base with bristles; feet gressorial ; this tribe are nearly allied
to the fly-catchers, but have the middle and outer toes much
connected, which in the fly-catchers are divided at the base.
The chief are the following : —
The Viridis, otGreen-Tody, Green-Sparrow, Green-Humming-
350 FOREIGN BIRDS.
Woke his flute to wild cadence the Red-breasted-
Thrush,*
And the sweet, shy Wood-Robin* was heard with a
" hushP'
He, rehearsing his strain, in the woodlands apart,
Touch'd with magical sympathy many a heart,
And, at length, his rich notes, bursting forth into song,
Thus arrested, in silence, the listening throng :
Bird, or Ground- Parakeet, has the upper parts of the body in the
female green, in the male blue ; size of a wren ; the bill is red ;
back light-blue; belly white; the throat and sides a beautiful
rose-colour; the claws are long and hooked, adapted to scoop
out holes in the ground, where it takes up its abode and
builds its nest, which it lines with straw, moss, cotton, and
feathers; eggs grey, with deep yellow spots; the young is fed
with insects and small worms : inhabits St. Domingo.
The Regius, or King-Tody, is blackish-brown, reddish be-
neath ; crest chesnut, spotted with white at the tip ; chin and
eyelids white; bill dusky-brown ; breast with transverse black-
ish lines ; legs flesh-colour. This singular and beautiful species
inhabits Cayeune ; it is, however, a very rare bird ; seven inches
long.
The Platyrhyncos, or Broad-billed-Tqdy, is yellowish-
brown, beneath yellow ; chin and spot on the crown white ;
wings and tail brown ; bill very large and broad ; size of the
nightingale.
The Obscurus, or Obscure-Tody, is olive-brown; beneath
yellowish-white ; size of the hedge-sparrow ; found in North
America ; feeds on insects.
* For an account of this bird and the Red-breastediThrush,
see the Wood-Thrush's Evening Song.
351
THE WOOD-ROBIN'S MORNING SONG.*
Turdus Melodus. — (Wilson.)
Liberty, Liberty, dearest of treasure —
Give me of freedom an o'erflowing measure !
Columbia ! Columbia ! the home of the free,
Who of the earth is so happy as thee ?
Peace with her olive branch waving her hand —
One brotherhood binds thee, my dear Native Land!
Made were thy Prairies, Woods, Mountains, and
thee,
For us, and for man - , too — a home for the free.
Liberty, Liberty, dearest of treasure-
Give me of freedom an o'erflowing measure T
* The reader will be so obliging as to recollect that the
Wood-Robin and the Wood-Thrush is the same bird: the evening
song of this charming bird is, therefore, that entitled the
Wood-Thrush's Evening Song • the two names have been adopted
both for euphonious convenience and variety. The following
lines, used as a simile in Carrington's Twin's Lament, are
very descriptive of the locality of this bird's nest : a coincidence,
of course, purely accidental.
" His home,
— A quiet nest embosom'd deep
In woods of some soft valley, where the hand
Of plunderer comes not, and the sudden gale
But seldom shrieks, and silence sweetly spreads
O'er all her downy wing.''
352
TO THE WOOD-ROBIN.
Turdus Melodus. — (Wilson.)
Yes, Bird of melodious note ! unto thee
Shall ever be sacred the home of the free !
There may Liberty flourish — extend her broad shade,
And Knowledge delight in the home she hath made.
And oh ! might a wish for the welfare of men
Be heard, and prevail over mountain and glen,
Where the fierce tropic sun rolls his chariot along,
And Slavery still dwells western regions among;
Then, should gentle Benevolence, warm from the
heart,
Flow in streams of Persuasion — pure lessons im-
part —
Then, should Truth and should Justice together be
found ; —
And knowledge diffuse far her radiance around ; —
The Slave become free, and his Master his
Friend ;
And thus Happiness widely her blessings extend.
Yes, Bird of melodious note ! unto thee,
Unto man, too, be sacred the Home of the Free !*
* See this subject farther pursued in the piece towards the
conclusion of this work, entitled the Hill of Freedom.
THE PELICAN. 353
Of mercy the emblem in annals of fame,
With her pouch full of fish, the White Pelican ( 28 )
came ;
( 28 ) Order, Anseres, (Linn.) Pelican, Cormorant, Shag,
Booby, Frigate-Pelican, Gannet.
The genus Pelecanus, {Linn.) or Pelican, comprehends
nearly forty species scattered over the globe, three or four
common to this country. The hill is long, straight, hooked at
the end ; nostrils an obliterated slit; toes four, palmate. These
birds are extremely expert at catching fishes with their long
bills, and are often tamed for this purpose. They are gregarious
and voracious. The following are the principal: —
The Onocrotalus, White-Pelican, or Pelican, is white, gullet
pouched ; bill red, from fifteen to sixteen inches long ; upper
mandible depressed, broad, the lower forked ; the gular pouch
is flaccid, membranaceous, of a red or yellowish colour, and ca-
pable of great distention ; head naked, at the sides covered with
a flesh-coloured skin. It is by far the largest of the genus, the
wings, when extended, being from ten to twelve feet ; the pouch,
which will contain when distended ten quarts of water, answers
the purpose of a crop, and is used by the bird to contain food
both for itself and for its yourrg, which, when hatched, are fed
with the fishes which have been for some time macerated in the
pouch. This bird is easily tamed ; but it is a disagreeable and
useless domestic, and its flesh unsavoury. Whatever food is
given it, it always first commits to the pouch, and afterwards
swallows at leisure. It is universally spread over all the warm
latitudes of both the old and new continents ; has been seen,
although rarely, in this country. In Asia they are pretty
numerous, migratory, and fly in wedge-shaped flocks. Eggs
two cr more, white, the size of those of a swan ; time of incuba-
tion the same as that bird. Great numbers are killed for their
pouches, which are converted by the native Americans into
purses, &c. When carefully prepared, the membrane is as soft
as silk, and sometimes is embroidered by the Spanish ladies for
354 FOREIGN BIRDS.
The once-believ'd fable of blood from her breast
Hath long since been set, and for ever, at rest.
work-bags, &c. It is used in Egypt by the sailors, whilst at-
tached to the two under chaps, for holding or baling water.
The pouch extends from the point of the under mandible to the
throat ; it admits of being greatly contracted. In disgorging
the food the bird presses the bottom of the sack upon her
breast, and thus the contents are discharged: hence the fable
of feeding her young with her blood. ., It is an indolent lazy
bird; the female takes very little care either of her eggs or her
young. When it cannot obtain fish, it will feed on rats and
small quadrupeds. Although the general colour of this bird is
white, it becomes, it is said, as it advances in age, in many parts
of the body, red. It lives sometimes 100 years.
The Carbo, Cormorant, Corvorant, or Sea-Crow, is black; the
neck long, size nearly that of a goose ; found in almost every part
of the ocean; flesh eaten by navigators; it abounds on the sea-
coasts of these kingdoms, but chiefly the north : it is very
common also on the shores of the Bristol Channel. This bird
was formerly domesticated in this country, and trained to fish
for its owner ; it is still used in China for this purpose. It is
subject to much variety both in size and colour : one described
by Montague, unquestionably very large, was three feet three
inches long, breadth four feet eleven inches, and weight eight
pounds! It is usually, however, much less than this: not so
large as a goose. Eggs three, white; nest, composed of sticks
and sea-weed, is generally found on the summit of the highest
rocks, near the sea. It is in the wintt r seen sometimes in fresh-
water rivers, at a considerable distance from the sea.
This bird has been usually considered greedy and rapacious ;
so much so, indeed, that it has been often cited by writers, and
particularly by the poets, as well as in the common language of
life, as an emblem of greediness :—
" Spite of cormorant devouring time.''
Shakespeare.
THE BOOBY THE FRIGATE-PELICAN. 355
The imbecile fool Booby, the Gannet, the Shag;
Ducks of all kinds; and Geese, amongst which the
Grey-Lag.
There were, too, Frigate-Pelicans soaring on high ;
Those who sometimes proceed man himself to defy ;
" Hence up he flew, and on the tree of life
Sat like a cormorant."
Milton.
The Graculus, or Shag, called erroneously sometimes Crane,
is black above, beneath brown; two feet and a half long; two
other varieties ; in its general manners similar to the Cormorant,
but keeps wholly to the salt water. Inhabits Europe and
Ireland, and is common also to this country. Perches on and
sometimes builds (as well as one of the varieties of the Cormorant)
in trees, although both these birds have palmate feet.
The Sula, or Booby, has a whitish body, quill feathers tipt
with blackish; beneath white ; length two feet and a half; bill
five, tail upwards of ten inches long. Inhabits South America
and the neighbouring islands. It is an indolent, senseless, and
cowardly bird, submitting to all sorts of depredations upon its
happiness with indolent imbecility; yet is,occasionally,when much
excited, ferocious. The man-of-war-bird (see the next species,)
no sooner perceives it in the air, than it pounces upon it, not to
destroy it, but to make it disgorge the fish which it has swallowed,
which is snatched up by the voracious plunderer before it reaches
the water.
The Aquilus, Frigate-Pelican, Great-Frigate-Pelican,
Frigate-Bird, or Man-of-War-Bird, has a forked tail, body
black, bill red ; the male has the pouch deep red ; wing coverts
rnfous; female belly white; three feet long; extent of the
wings fourteen feet ; builds in rocks and trees ; eggs one or twoj,
flesh-colonr, spotted with red ; feeds principally, if not entirely,
op fish. This bird is one of the most formidable tyrants of the
356 FOREIGN BIRDS.
Fierce warriors o'er ocean pursuing their way,
And who merciless pounce, as they pass, on their prey.
ocean. When in flocks their audacity lias sometimes prompted
them to brave even man himself. It is said a cloud of them at-
tacked a crew of French sailors upon tbe Island of Ascension,
and, till some of them were struck down, endeavoured to snatch
the meat from their hands. From the length of their wings,
when upon the ground or on the water they cannot easily take
flight ; they are, therefore, rarely, if ever, seen on the water.
Although having palmate feet, they perch commonly on trees
or other eminences, where they also build: eggs one or two,
fiesh-colour, spotted with crimson. Inhabits within the tropics.
See the preceding article.
The Bassanus, Gannet, Common-Gantiet, or Soland- Goose, has
a white body ; bill and primary quill feathers black ; face blue ;
length three feet ; three varieties ; one inhabits Cayenne, the
other two Europe and America. The gannets are birds of
passage, arriving in this country in March, and quitting it in
August or September. Their chief food is herrings, although, it
is said, they cannot dive for them. They are found in vast
numbers on the rocky recesses of Scotland ; and particularly on
the Bass rock, at the entrance of the Frith of Forth, whence
this bird has obtained its specific name. Egg one ; but, if that
be carried away, the female will lay twice or even thrice. The
young grow very fat ; and, in St. Kilda, with the egg?, contri-
bute to the support of the inhabitants, who contrive to take
them by being suspended by a rope from precipitous rocks, two
hundred fathoms from the ground. The eggs and food thus pro-
cured are preserved in pyramidal stone buildings, covered with
ashes, to defend them from moisture. Their winter retreat is
said to be off the coast of Cornwall, far out at sea, and in every
part of the British and Irish Channel, pursuing herrings and
pilchards. See the Introduction.
THE GRAKLE. 357
The Grakle( G9 ), loquacious, whose nests will be found
The marge of the Osprey's to cluster around ;
( 29 ) Order, Pue, (Linn.) Grakle the Minor, the Boat-
tailed, the Crested, the Purple, &c.
The genus Gracula, (Linn.) or Grakle, consists of nearly
forty species, natives of India and South America, some of them
of Europe. They have a thick convex bill, compressed at the
sides, with small nostrils, and sharp hooked claws, the middle
toe connected at the base with the outer. The following are
the chief: —
The Religiosa, or Minor-Grakle, is violet black, spot on
the wings white; hind head with a yellow naked band. Another
variety much larger ; both inhabit Asia ; the first is ten inches
and half long ; feeds on cherries, grapes, and other fruits : when
tamed exceedingly loquacious.
The Barita, or Boat-tailed Graki.e, is greyish, shoulders
blue; quill feathers outside green ; tail rounded and concave
when folded, as it is when on the wing ; fiat when spread ;
thirteen inches long; feeds on insects and fruits; inhabits
America and the West Indies.
The Quiscala, Purple-Grakle, or Crow-Blackbird, is
violet black, tail rounded. Male thirteen and a half, female
eleven and a half inches long; sings finely; lays five or six
bluish eggs, with black striped spots : nests in great numbers on
the same tree; and also sometimes near the Osprey's. See note
1, part I., article Hali^eetos. When domesticated, feeds en
all kinds of grain. Although very destructive to plantations,
it clears them in a considerable degree from noxious insects, on
which account the breed has been of late encouraged in the
West Indies. It is a native of Mexico, the warm parts of
America, and Jamaica.
The Sturvlna is hoary, black on the crown and back ; between
the wings violet black ; tail and wings with a shade of green.
358 FOREIGN BIRDS.
The Horn'd-Screamer ( 30 ), too, from the Savannah
was there,
Arm'd with spines on his wing, yet is said still to be
Of birds the most harmless, affectionate he.
And Grosbeaks, whose nests with what can we
compare ?
Fame reports, too, with worms* noctilucent and bright,
They illumine their domes in the darkness of night !
But Fame oft misleads us from Nature and Truth,
Her excitements deceive age, and manhood, and youth.
In its eggs and nest resembles those of the thr ush ; inhabits
the osier banks of Dauria.
The Cristellata, or Crested-Guakle, is eight and a half
inches long; inhabits China; is very loquacious, and makes a
hissing noise.
( 3 °) Order, Grall^e, (Linn.) Screamer, the Horned, the
Crested.
The genus Palamedea, (Linn.) or Screamer, consists of
three species, having a conic bill, the upper mandible hooked,
feet four- toed, cleft; a very small membrane connecting the
toes at the root. They are as follow : —
The Corwuta, or Horned-Screamer, has the wings with two
spurs at the head of each ; front horned ; the head and upper
part of the neck covered with short bristly feathers ; the rest of
the plumage is longer, of a dark brown colour, mixed with
green. The feet four inches long ; size of a large swan. The
first spur on the wing is two inches long; the second half an
inch. Notwithstanding this armour, it is said that this bird is
the most gentle of all animals; that the male and female are
always found in pairs, evincing great attachment for each other;
that they are inseparable ; aud that, if one dies, the other does
* Lampyris noctiluca, or Glow-worm. See page 177.
THE CRESTED-SCREAMER. 359
He who Nature's great book would sincerely
peruse,
With dispassionate judgment phenomena views;
Whatever he sees, and whatever his tact,
He will always confine himself closely to fact ;
Nor permits he wild wonder to dazzle his eyes,
Nor yields Reason a captive to silly surprize ;
If Discovery should give to some Novelty birth,
Lets not Rapture esteem it beyond its own worth ;
Lets not Poetry paint it in colours so fair,
That when seen, void of Art, is nor splendid nor rare ;
In fine, although led by fair Pleasure's soft hand,
Still,observant of Nat uPvE, gives Truth the command.
not long survive. It seems, nevertheless, most probable
that the spurs on the wings are a defence against some
noxious animals, which infest tire native regions of this
bird. Feeds on herbs, seeds, and reptiles. Nest of
weeds, and shaped like an oven ; eggs two. When alarmed,
rises from the ground with a loud and continued screaming.
Inhabits the fenny and marshy parts of South z\merica, where it
is discovered by its voice, and hunted for its flesh; it is also
domesticated for the same purpose. Called by the natives
Kamichi.
The Cristata, or Crested Scbeamer, has the wings unarmed,
front crested ; size of a heron ; habits and place of abode
similar to the last. Called by the natives Cariama, from the
sharp cry which it makes, and which is compared to that of a
turkey, but so loud as to be heard a mile off. Flesh delicate ;
by some thought equal to the pheasant.
This last is described by Dr. Latham as a separate genus,
under the term Cariama.
The other species is the Chaja, inhabiting Paraguay.
360 FOREIGN BIRDS.
While many a Warbler's and Oriole's song
Were heard, in wild cadence, pimentas among,
The Gold-breasted Trumpeter ( 3I ) shouted aloud;
Of all harsh discordance he seems to be proud.
The Grand Promerops*, too, in his beautiful gTeen,
Other Hoopoes of splendour were also there seen.
( 3I ) Order, Grall^e, (Linn.) Trumpeter, the Gos.d-
breasted, the Ujsdulate.
The genus Psophia, (Linn.) or Trumpeter, consists of
three species, distinguished by a cylindric, conic, convex, some-
what pointed bill; the upper mandible larger; nostrils oval,
pervious; tongue cartilaginous; feet four toed, cleft. The
following are the chief: —
The Crepitans, or Gold-breasted Trumpeter, is black,
back grey ; breast shining blue green ; legs strong, tall, tail
short; feathers of the head downy, of the lower part of the neck
squamiform ; of the shoulders ferruginous, lax, pendulous, silky ;
twenty inches long; makes a haish uncommon cry, not unlike
a child's trumpet, and follows people through the streets with
its disagreeable noise, so that it is difficult to get rid of it ;
stands on'one leg, and sleeps with its head between its shoulders;
eggs blue green. Inhabits Brazil and Guinea. When tamed,
mixes with other poultry, and domineers even over the Guinea
fowl ; follows its master in its walks; flesh good. — Waterton.
The Undulata, or Undulate-Trumpeter, has the body
above brown, waved with black, beneath bluish white ; size of
a goose ; inhabits Africa.
f See note (24,) Part I.
THE ORIOLE. 361
The Orioles ( 32 ) presented a brilliant group :
Some whose domes from one tree by whole centuries
droop :
The Persictjs, he whom sound wisdom hath taught
That his welfare in union can only be sought ;
From the Serpents — the Apes, his alembical nest,
Moves secure o'er the breeze's soft billowy breast.
( 32 ) Order, Ptc^, (Linn.) Oriole, the Hang-nest, the
Baltimore, the Golden, the Icteric, the Red-winged,
the Banana, the Black or Troupiole.
The genus ORiOLUs r (Linn.) or Oriole, comprehends
upwards of sixty species, chiefly inhabitants of America; one
only, the Galbula, or Golden-Oriole, found occasionally in
this country. They have a conic, convex, very sharp and
straight bill ; tongue bifid; feet ambulatory. They are gre-
garious, noisy, numerous, voracious, and great devourers of
corn: they often build pendulous nests. The following are
most deserving of notice: —
The JSidipendulus, or Hang-nest Oriole ; for an account of
which, see the Oriole's Song.
The Baltimore, Baltimore-Oriole, Hang-nest, Hanging-
Bird, Golden- Robin, Fire- Bird, Baltimore- Bird, is seven inches
long; body above black, the rest orange; inhabits various
parts of North America, often in flocks, migrating as far as
Montreal to the north, and of Brazil to the south; most com-
mon in Virginia ; has a clear mellow whistle, but can be scarcely
termed a song. It attaches its nest to an apple-tree, a weeping-
willow, or the Lombardy-poplar, in the American towns ; the
nest is like a cylinder, five inches in diameter, seven in depth,
and round at the bottom ; the opening at the top narrowed by
a horizontal covering, two inches and half in diameter j the
materials flax, hemp, tow, hair, and wool, woven into a com-
plete cloth, the whole tightly sewed through and through with
R
362 FOREIGN BIRDS.
His clear mellow pipe loud the Baltimore blew,
As round willows and poplars delighted he flew :
long hopse hairs, several of which measure two feet in length ;
the bottom consists of thick tufts of cow hair.
*' High on yon poplar clad in glossiest green
The orange, black-capp'd Baltimore is seen ;
The broad extended boughs still please him best;
Beneath the bending skirts he hangs his nest."
Wilson's American Ornithology,
The Galbula, Golden-Oriole, Golden-Thrush, Witwall, or
Yellow-Bird'froni' Bengal, is pale-yellow ; outer tail-feathers on
the hind part yellow; female dusky brownish-green; lateral
tail-feathers yellowish-white ; nine and a half inches long ;
feeds on cherries, berries, and insects ; inhabits Europe, Asia,
and Africa ; occasionally seen in this country in the summer ;
more common in France, where it breeds ; the nest is curiously
shaped like a purse, and fastened to the extreme branches of
tall trees ; it is made of the fibres of hemp or straw, mixed with
fine dry stalks of grass, and lined with moss and liverwort ; eggs
four or five, dirty white, with dark brown spots ; voice sharp ;
flesh good. Four or five other varieties, found in Cochin-china
and India. It is a migratory bird, and found in various parts
of the European continent during the summer ; has been ob-
served in Malta on its passage southward, and on its return in
the spring northward ; supposed to winter in Africa and Asia.
A nest, with young ones, was once, I understand, seen in
Hampshire.
The Icterus, or Icteric-Oriole, is tawny, nine and a half
inches long ; active, bold ; builds a large cylindrical nest
hanging from the extreme branches of a tree ; is domesticated
in America for the purpose of destroying insects ; inhabits the
warmer parts of America and the Caribbees.
The Phceniceus, Red-winged-Oriole, or Red-winged-Star-
ling of Wilson, is black, wing-coverts red; about nine inches
THE PERSIC, THE BANANA, THE BLACK ORIOLE. 363
The Niger sang sweetly; what time did the note
Of the Hang-nest on zephyrs enchantingly float;
Of the tawny Banana inscribe we the name,
And forget not his nest in the annals of fame.
long; builds a thick pensile nest between reeds, and just above
the reach of floods ; eggs white, with a few black streaks; very
destructive to rice plantations ; it devours, also, swarms of
insects and worms ; inhabits in vast flocks from New York as
far as New Spain. Found in the summer in the northern, in the
whiter in the southern American States. Another variety in-
habits Africa.
The Persicus, Black-and- Yellow-Oriole, or Persic, of
which there are three or four varieties, inhabits South America.
It forms a pendent nest, shaped like an alembic, on the extreme
branches of trees ; sometimes, it is said, hundreds are seen
hanging from the same tree ; eggs dirty white, with small pale-
brown spots.
The Banance, Banana-Oriole, Bomna-Oriole, or Banana-bird,
is tawny ; back, and quill, and tail-feathers, black ; seven inches
long ; inhabits South America and the Caribbee Islands ; forms a
nest of leaves and stalks the shape of a fourth part of a globe, sewed
with great art to the under part of a banana leaf, so that the
leaf itself makes one side of the nest. I have ventured to differ,
even from Linnaeus himself, as well as subsequent naturalists,
in the orthography of the specific name of this bird. The great
Swede gives us Bonana ; but surely there can be no reason for such
an orthography, as the bird forms its nest partly of the leaf of
the Banana, (musa sapientum,) we ought not to depart from
the orthography of that word. I also give it in the genitive
case, as more expressive of the habit of this Oriole.
The Niger, Black-Oriole, or Troupiole, is totally black*
female greenish-brown ; ten inches long ; feeds on worms and
beetles ; builds in trees about eight feet from the ground, and
r2
364 FOREIGN BIRDS.
There was also the sawing bird Phytotoma ( 33 )
Those harshest of all notes, repeating Ra, Ra.
With the fine English-Lady, ( 34 ) so named by
French taste,
The Vulture was honoured—the assembly was grac'd.
lays five dusky eggs with black spots; it is gregarious, and, in
breeding time, sings delightfully ; inhabits North America.
For another Oriole, the Cowpen, see page 337 ; see also for-
wards — the Weaver-Oriole.
Most of the Oriole tribe are called Troupioles, or Troupiales, by
many French naturalists: they are also called Troupioles by
Waterton.
( 33 ) Order, Passeres, (Lath.) Plant-Cutter, the Chili,
the Abyssinian.
The genus Phytotoma, {Lath.) or Plant-Cutter, consists
of two species, one of which, the Rvra, Chili-Plant-Cutter,
or Sawing-bird , has the bill conic, straight, serrate; nostrils
oval ; tongue short, obtuse ; feet four-toed ; the bjll is thick,
half an inch long, and toothed on each side like a saw ; body
above dusky-ash, beneath paler ; quill and tail-feathers spotted
with black ; nearly the size of a quail ; has a harsh inter-
rupted cry, Ra, Ra, whence its specific name ; feeds on fresh
vegetables, which it cuts down near the roots with its bill as
with a saw ; a pest to gardens ; builds in high shady trees ;
eggs white, spotted with red ; inhabits Chili.
The other species is the Abyssinian-Plant-Cutter, called
by Linnaeus Loxia tridactyla, or Three-toed-Grosbeak ; it is
the size of the common-grosbeak, but has only three toes.
( 34 ) Order, Pic^e, (Linn.) Curucui, English-Lady,
The genus Trogon, (Linn.) or Curucui, consists of ten
species, ali natives of warm climates, chiefly Brazil ; they are
named Curucui from the similarity of that sound to their voice ;
the bill is shorter than the head, sharp-edged, hooked, th e man-
THE COURIER— THE WARBLERS. 365
The Couriers ( 3s ) came from Europe ; — the Creepek
I sing,
From New Zealand arriv'd — of the Creepers the king.
The Manakin tuning his octave was there ;
And many sweet Warblers ( 36 ) both splendid and
rare :
dibles serrate at the edge ; feet formed for climbing. The
Curucui, or Red-bellied Curucui, the chief species, is about,
ten inches long; the head, neck, and breast, a brilliant green,
changing in different positions into a lively blue ; wings greenish-
white, variegated with small lines of black in a zig-zag direction ;
tail very long ; belly red; builds in the hole of some tree ; eggs
three or four, nearly white, the size of a pigeon's ; the female
during her incubation is supplied- with food, carefully watched
by the male, and soothed by his song ; the female has also a me-
lancholy accent during the season of love. The French in St.
Domingo call this bird the English Lady, Found in various
parts of South America.
The Viridis, or Yellow-bellied-Curucui, is eleven inches
and a half long ; song, or rather whistle, not unpleasant ; two
varieties found in Brazil. The Indicus, or Indian Curucui, is
found in India ; the Fasciatus, or Fasciated-Curucui, in
Ceylon.
( 35 ) Order, Grall^e, (Lath.) Courier.
The genus Corrira, (Lath.) or Courier, consists of one
species only, the Italica, or Italian-Courier, having a long
straight bill, without teeth; thighs longer than the body; feet
four-toed, palmate; the hind-toe not connected ; it is less than
the curlew, and runs swiftly; inhabits Italy.
( 36 ) The genus Motacilla, (Linn.) or Sylvia, as the War-
blers are termed by Dr. Latham, has been described pretty
copiously in the first Part ; but as the Warblers, peculiarly so
called, are most common to tropical and other warm climates,
366 FOREIGN BIRDS.
The Pensilis, fam'd for perennial song,
Was pleas'd, amid pines, his soft notes to prolong;
and, as few are known in our own country, a separate notice of
some of the most striking is here introduced.
Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Warbler, the Superb, the
Babbling, the African, the Thorn-tailed, the Yellow-
Poll, the Palm, the Banana, the Pensile.
The Cyanea, or Superb-Warbler, the most beautiful species
of the whole genus, is five inches and a half long; colour black-
blue, beneath white ; feathers of the head long, lax, turgid ;
front, cheeks, and lunula of the neck, fine blue ; female brown
above, beneath white ; blue round the eyes ; one other variety.
Inhabits New Holland; the second variety Manilla.
The Curruca, or Babbling-Warbler, is found in France,
Italy, and India ; itJs a restless noisy bird, imitating the notes
of other birds.
The dfricam, or African -Warbler, which is move than
seven inches long, inhabits the Cape of Good Kope. Its
note is said to resemble a flute; flesh in much estimation.
The Spinicauda, or Thorn-tailed-Warbler, is the size of
a sparrow ; the chief peculiarity is its tail, which is cuneiform,
and the feathers are almost bare of webs for one third of their
length, ending in points. Inhabits Terra del Fuego, and found
occasionally in Paraguay ; another variety at the Cape of Good
Hope.
The JEstiva, Yellow-Poll-Warbler, or Blue-eyed-
Yellow-Warbler, inhabits America ; makes a soft noise*
compared to that of a linnet.
The Palmarum, or Palm-Warbler, is five inches long;
plumage above brown, beneath dirty yellowish-white. Inhabits
St. Domingo; its song consists of four or five notes only, not
unpleasant. Found among palm-trees, in which it builds its
nest; eggs two only.
THE PENSILE-WARBLER — WRENS — MOTMOT. 367
The Superb in rich robes flaunted by without lute ;
And the African blew, as it pleas'd him, his flute ;
One, the Babbling, was heard in a neighbouring vale;
While the Motmot( 37 ) ran past with his singular tail.
The Bananivora, Banana- Warbler, or Bananiste, is often
seen on the bananas, on which it is supposed to feed ; song
trifling ; inhabits St. Domingo.
The Pensilis, or Pensile-Warbler, inhabits St. Domingo
and the pine thickets of Georgia ; it is five inches long, and a
most beautiful species ; nest very curious, hanging by the top
and playing with every blast of wind ; the opening is beneath,
through which the bird rises some way upward, over a kind of
partition, and descends again to the bottom, on which the eggs,
four, are laid on a soft downy matter. The nests are frequently
seen suspended on the withes which hang from tree to tree, and
chiefly such as are over water ; song very delicate, and con-
tinued throughout the year; the female also sings, although not
equal to the male ; feeds on insects and fruit ; breeds, it is said,
two or three times a year.
The Carolinensis, Louisiane-Wren, or Caroline- Wren, is five
inches long ; inhabits various parts of South America ; called
Tout-voix by the French ; song said to be little inferior to the
nightingale ; nest like a melon ; the entrance to which is about
the middle ; it is suspended between reeds, and lined with fea-
thers ; it is made by the female, the male bringing her the ma-
terials.
The Calendula, or Ruby-crowned- Wren, is larger than the
Golden-crested-Wren ; plumage above olive, with a tinge of
brown, beneath yellowish-white ; note loud ; it has also a
pretty soft warbling one ; inhabits South Carolina and Georgia.
( 37 ) Order, Pice, (Lath.) Motmot.
The genus Momotus, (Lath.) or Motmot, consists of two
species ; the characteristics are a strong, slightly curved bill,
serrate at the edges; nostrils feathered; tongue feathered ; tail
368 FOREIGN BIRDS,
There, with loud and soft note, too, the Ruby-crown'd-
Wren ;
And the Caroline warbled most sweet in the glen.
The Woodpeckers came, in their brightness array'd,
Still " tapping," still scooping till holes they had made.
For the poultry fit guardian and governing king,
There the Faithful Jacana ( 38 ) with spines on his
wing.
wedged; feet gressorial ; distinguished also from all other birds
by having the two middle tail feathers quite naked of their
vanes, for about an inch, at a small distance from the extremity.
The Brasilicnsis, or Brazilian -Motmot, is bright green
above, below a more obtuse shade of the same colour; length
seven inches; bill conic, serrate ; toes three before, one behind.
Found in South America ; feeds on insects ; shy, solitary, and
almost incapable of flight. This bird is called by Edwards
the Brazilian Saw-billed Roller, by Marcgrave,Guira-
GTJAINUMBI.
( 38 ) Order, Grall^e, (Linn.) Jacana, the Chilese, the
Chesnut, the Faithful.
The genus Parra, (Linn.) or Jacana, comprehends more
than ten species, natives of the warmer parts of Asia, Africa,
and America; they have a tapering, somewhat obtuse bill;
nostrils oval, in the middle of the bill ; front covered with
lobate caruncles ; wings spinous. The following are some of the
most interesting examples :
The Chilensis, or Chilese-Jacana, has the bill two inches
long ; neck, back, and forepart of the wings violet ; throat and
breast black ; wings and short tail brown ; spurs on the wings
yellowish, conic, bony, half au inch long, with which it de-
fends itself; size of a Jay j noisy ; feeds on worms, &c; builds
in the grass; eggs four, tawny, speckled with black.
The Jacana, or Chesnut-Jacana, has the body chesnut-
THE JACANA — THE JABIRU. 369
The Prince of the Waders, the huge Jabiru, ( 3& )
Up the dell in much Haste with a long serpent flew.
The Crows, Rooks^ and Ravens, arriv'd rather late;
The Wild-Turkies were many — affected much state.
purple ; length ten inches ; very noisy ; flesh good ; inhabits
watery places of South America.
The Chavaria, or Faithful Jacan a, has the toes long; on
the hind head a crest, consisting of about twelve black feather?,
three inches long, pendent; body brown, belly light black;
wings and tail blackish ; wing-spurs two or three, half an inch
long ; size of a cock, and stands a foot and a half from the
ground ; inhabits the rivers and inundated places near Cartha-
gena in America. The natives keep one of these birds to
wander with the poultry and defend them from birds of prey,
which it does by the spurs on its wings : it never deserts its
charge, bringing them home safely at night. It feeds on herbs ;
its gait is slow; it cannot run unless assisted by its wings ; it
flies, however, easily and swiftly j voice clear and loud.
( 39 ) Order, Grall^e, (Linn.) Jabiru, the American, the
Indian, the New Holland.
The genus Mycteria, (Linn.) or Jabiru, comprises six
species, distinguished by a sharp-pointed bill, a little bending
upwards ; tongue small, or tongueless ; feet four-toed, cleft ; the
following deserve notice :
The Americana, or American-J abiru, is white, the plumage
on the neck excepted, which is red; quill and tail-feathers
purplish-black. It is one of the largest birds of Guiana, being
more than four feet high and six in length. Its large black bill
is a formidable weapon, being above thirteen inches long, and
at the base three in thickness ; feeds chiefly on fish, but destroys
serpents and other reptiles ; is gregarious and migratory ; eggs
two ; nest iu trees hanging over water.
The Asiatica, or Indian-Jabiru, is white; band over the
ro
370 FOREIGN BIRDS.
The Fly-Catchers ( 40 ) also flew darting along,
While the Mocking-Bird warbled some other bird's
song:
eyes, lower part of the back, quill and tail feathers, black ;
feeds on shell fish ; inhabits India.
The Novce-Hollandia:, or New-Holland-Jabiru, has the
body above purplish-green, beneath, neck, and shoulders,
white ; head purplish, spotted with white ; first quill feathers
white ; tail black and white ; inhabits New Holland.
( 4 °) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Fly-Catcher, the Spotted,
the Pied, the Fantailed, &c.
The genus Muscicapa, (Linn.) or Fly-Catcher, compre-
hends more than one hundred and seventy species scattered
over the warmer parts of the globe; the greater number inhabi-
tants of Australasia and Polynesia ; two found in this country.
They have a bill nearly triangular, notched at each side, bent
in at the tip, and beset with bristles at the root ; toes, mostly,
divided at their origin. The following deserve notice :
The Grisola, Spotted-Fly-catcher, Cobweb, Rafter, Bee-
bird, Cherry-sucker, or Chanchider, is about the size of a titlark ;
body above brown, beneath whitish ; neck longitudinally spot-
ted. Inhabits Europe ; comes to this country some time in
May, and quits it in September ; builds in holes of walls or
hollow trees ; eggs four or five, pale, spotted with reddish ;
feeds on winged insects, but is fond also of cherries ; frequently
seen in woods where flies abound, darting in every direction in
pursuit of them ; its note a simple weak chirp.
The Atricapilla, Pied-Fly. Catcher, or Cold-Finch, is about
the size of a Linnet, and occasionally seen in this country, and is
said to be indigenous here ; it is, however, a scarce bird, said
to frequent uncultivated tracts of furze, and probably builds
there.
THE FLY-CATCHER — CAT-BIRD. 371
Delight of Columbia!* her woods, unto thee,
For ever be hallowed that home of the free,
Which the Spirit of Britain for ever pervades —
Her hills and her vallies and far distant shades.f
The A'edon is rusty-brown, beneath yellowish-white ; size of
the reed-thrush, and sings delightfully in the night; inhabits
Dauria. The Rubicollis, orPuRPLE-THROATED-FLY-CATCHER,
is black ; chin and throat with a large purple-red spot ; twelve
inches long ; gregarious; often associates with the toucan ;
inhabits South America. The Flabellifera, or Fan-taileo-
Fly-Catcher, is above olive, beneath ferruginous; length six
and a half inches ; flies with its tail expanded like a fan ; is
easily tamed, and will sit on the shoulders and pick off flies as
they appear.
The Carolinensisf Cat-Fly-Catcher, or Cat-bird, (the Turdus
lividus of Wilson,) is nine inches long ; very common and very
numerous in the United States; colour a deep slate; notes
more remarkable for singularity than for melody ; mews like a
cat, or rather, according to Wilson, like a young kitten ; it
also imitates the notes of other birds ; attacks snakes. To the
stories told of the fascination of snakes, Wilson gives no credit.
* For one song of the Mocking-Bird, see the Song of the
Manakin, and page 405; for the Mocking-Bird's Night Song,
see the conclusion of the second Part.
f The reflection that the pervading mind of the United States
of America is essentially British — liberal, intelligent, is pecu-
liarly gratifying to a native of the United Kingdom. May
nothing, for the future, occur to disturb the harmony now sub-
sisting between us and our kindred of the west !
372
TO THE MOCKING-BIRD,
Turdus Polyglottus. — (Linn.
Bird of Mockery ! Bird of Song I
To thee all discord's notes belong.
When, risen from his couch, the day
To ruddy labour hastes away,
And many a scansor's screaming' note
Through wood, o'er dell, is heard to float,
Thy mimic voice is present, loud,
As though of all discordance proud :
The Bell-bird's clang — the Parrot's prate—
Toucans loud hiss of fearful hate —
The Cat-bird's mew — Goatsucker s Ha!
The Sawing-bird's harsh a grating Ra —
By thee sent forth in mimic song ;
To thee all discord's notes belong.
But now, with silence, wait awhile; —
What sounds shall soon the sense beguile!
Some Warbler, tenant of the shade,
Sends forth his song of sweetness made ;
By Thee the strain is instant caught,
And with more mellow sweetness wrought !
Bird of Mockery ! Bird of Song!
To thee all pleasing notes belong.
THE MOCKING-BIRD. 373
When day resigns to night his reign,
And stillness stretches o'er the plain,
Then, Bird of Melody ! thy note
Doth on the gales of ether float.
That note harmonious, truly thine,
Approaches strains almost divine :
When lifts the moon her lamp on high,
And dashes light o'er earth and sky,
Its warbling echoes onward roll,
And lap in feeling's bliss the soul.
Bird of Mockery ! Bird of Song !
To thee all pleasing notes belong. ( 41 )
( 4I ) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Mocking-Bird.
The Turdus Polyglottus, (Linn.) Mocking-Bird, or Mimic-
Thrush, belongs to the numerous genus Turdus described in
note (45) of the first Part. Its colour is above dusky-ash, beneath
pale-ash; primary quill feathers white on the outer half; nine and
a half inches long; female nearly like the male ; feeds on berries,
fruits, and insects ; eggs four or five, cinereous blue, spotted
with brown ; has two broods in a year ; found in America,
from the States of New England to Brazil, and in many of the
adjacent islands ; more numerous in those states south of the
Delaware ; generally migratory in the latter and resident in the
former ; a warm climate and low country not far from the sea are
most congenial to it; sings occasionally as early as February ; builds
in Georgia in April, in Pennsylvania in May, and in New York
and the New England States still later ; prefers a thorn bush, an
impenetrable thicket, an orange tree, a cedar or a holly bush ;
sometimes a pear or apple tree, often a short distance from a
dwelling-house ; time of incubation fourteen days, during which
the male will attack both cats and snakes with great courage ;
374 FOREIGN BIRDS.
The Great-Crown'd-Indian-Pigeon came cooing
aloud,
Of whom might the Papuan regions be proud.
the pretended fascination of these last being ineffectual, this
bird frequently destroying the noxious reptile.
The mocking-bird forms a striking exception to what is
generally esteemed the character of the birds of the new world,
where the rich, lively, and brilliant hues of the feathered race
are very often accompanied with harsh, monotonous, and disa-
greeable notes, but the mocking-bird is the most melodious of
all birds, the nightingale not excepted. Besides the charms of
its natural song, it has the power of imitating or counterfeiting
the notes of every bird of the woods ; and, it is said, too, that
the songs which it repeats it improves. With all these qualifi-
cations it is of very ordinary appearance compared with other
birds in the American woods. It is, however, fond of the vi-
cinity of man, and easily domesticated ; it perches upon trees
near the planter's houses ; and sometimes upon the chimney tops,
where it remains all night, pouring forth the sweetest and most
varied notes. From all that can be gathered concerning the
song of this bird, it appears that during the day its chief notes
consist of the imitations of the songs of its neighbours ; at night
its song is more peculiarly its own. It is in accordance with
this impression that two songs of the mocking-bird are given in
the text. See forwards.
It ought, however, to be mentioned, that different accounts
are given of this bird's song. Mr. Southey, in his Madoc, has
thus alluded to the Mocking-bird :
" Or gladlier now
Hearkening that chearful one, who kuoweth all
The songs of all the winged choristers
And in one sequence of melodious sounds
Pours all their music."
Madoc, vol. ii. page 48.
THE MOCKING-BIRD. 375
The Ground-Pigeons tiny, from mountainous nest,
Came also to visit the King of the West.
In notes of sad seeming the Blue-Turtle-Dove
Evinc'd for his mate most affectionate love.
Of the Passengers, too, many myriads were there,
And in cloudy-wav'd columns they darken'd the air.
In a note, page 235, of the same volume, Mr. Southev men-
tions Davis's Travels in America, and the Blocking-bird. A
negress was heard to exclaim, " Please God Almighty, how
sweet that mocking-bird sing ! he never tire."
" By day and night it sings alike ; when weary of mocking
others the bird takes np its own natural strain, and so joyous
a creature is it that it will jump and dance to its own music.
The bird is perfectly domestic, the Americans holding it sacred."
" Would," exclaims Mr. Southey, " that we had more of these
humane prejudices in England — if that word may be applied
to a feeling so good in itself and in its tendency."
The native notes of this bird, Wilson informs ns, consist of
short expressions of two, three, or, at the most, of five or six
syllables, generally interspersed with imitations, and all of them
uttered with great emphasis and rapidity, and are continued
with undiminished ardour for half an hour or an hour at a time.
They have considerable resemblance to those of the Brown-
Thrush, another American bird, but may be easily distinguished
by their greater rapidity, sweetness, energy, and variety ; both
are called in many parts of the United States, Mocking-bird ;
but the brown thrush is the French, the other the English mocking-
bird. While this bird sings, his expanded wings and tail, his
buoyant gaiety of action, arrest the eye as his song irresistibly
does the ear; he mounts or descends as his song dies away j —
he bounds aloft with the celerity of an arrow." (Bartram.)
His imitations are wonderfully like the notes of the birds
whom he imitates, so that the sportsmen are frequently deceived
376 FOREIGN BIRDS.
Besides these, many more came from regions re-
mote,
But whom to description we cannot devote.
Some sent by the Pigeon excuses to make ;
Some alleged inability journies to take :
by him. He loses little of his power and energy by confine-
ment. He whistles for the dog ; he squeaks out like a hurt
chicken : the mewing of a cat, the creaking of a wheelbarrow,
the quivering notes of the canary, the clear whistling of the
Virginian nightingale, are alike by him distinctly and accurately
expressed.
Both in his native and his domesticated state, during the
stillness of night, as soon as the moon rises, he begins his solo,
and during the whole of the night makes the neighbourhood
ring with his inimitable melody.
There is very little difficulty in rearing these birds in America.
The eagerness with which they are sought after in the neigh-
bourhood of Philadelphia has rendered them extremely scarce
for many miles around that city. They have been known also
to pair and breed there in confinement. The price paid for a
mocking-bird at Philadelphia has been from seven to fifteen
dollars ; fifty have been paid for a remarkably fine singer.
We learn from a paper in the Philosophical Transactions, vol.
lxii. part ii. page 284, by the Hon. Daines Barrington, that
a mocking-bird was once to be heard in London ; but here, it
seems, his notes were chiefly if not entirely the imitations of
the notes of other birds: "his pipe," says Mr. Barrington,
" comes nearest to our nightingale of any bird I have ever met
with." It is also, I understand, now to be seen occasionally in
London. A keeper of a menagery informs me that he gave five
pounds for one not long since.
THE OSTRICH. 377
As, the Ostrich, ( 42 ) and Emeu, well known in the
east ;
To credulity long both have furnished a feasts
(+ 2 ) Order, Grall,e, (Linn.) Ostrich, Emeu, Cassowary,
Rhea.
The genus Struthio, (Linn.) or Ostrich, is arranged by
Dr. Latham as a separate order, (Struthiones,) consisting,
with the Dodo, of four genera. It comprehends, without the
Dodo, five species, not only the Ostrich so called, but also
the Emeu, the Cassowary, and the Rhea. This tribe has
been arranged under the order Gallinje by some authors.
Its characteristics are a subconicbill; oval nostrils; wings unfit
for flight ; feet formed for running. They are as follow : (the
Dodo is described in the next note.)
The Camelus, Ostrich, Black, or African-Ostrich, has
the feet two-toed ; plumage of the male black ; quill feathers
and those of the tail perfectly white : plumage of the female ash-
colour ; wings and tail black $ height from the top of the head to
the ground from seven to nine feet; length from the beak to
the top of the tail the same ; weight from eighty to one
hundred and fifty pounds, or perhaps more, and is said to be
the largest of birds. It is found in Africa, and the parts of
Asia adjoining, and in great plenty about the Cape of Good
Hope. The female is larger than the male.
From its scanty plumage and its great weight it cannot rise
in the air ; the covering of the body of this bird is composed of
downy hairs ; the thighs are large and muscular; the legs scaly ;
the toes thick, having a striking similarity to those of a goat ;
the inner toe, including the claw, is seven inches; the other,
which is without a claw, is about four inches long ; the eyelids
are furnished with hairs; on the breast is a callous, bare, and
hard substance, serving the bird to rest on when it bends for-
ward to sit on the ground ; on each wing are two spurs, about
an inch in length,
378 FOREIGN BIRDS.
Their structure — their manners from fable apart.
Are wondrous — then wherefore embellish with art ?
It is said that it never drinks. In its natural state grains
and fruit are its principal food ; but it will swallow, in confine-
ment, almost every thing, and that with greediness, such
as bits of iron, copper, glass, lead, &c, which sometimes
prove fatal to it; it swallows pebbles in its natural state,
most probably to assist the comminution of its food, like many
other birds, although its interior structure has, it is said, a great
affinity to that of quadrupeds. In some of our books of natural
history it is stated that the heart and lungs of this bird are
separated by a diaphragm; but Mr. Brookes, in a lecture at
the Zoological Society, April 25, 1827, on the Ostrich which
was lately dissected there, stated that the thorax and abdomen
were not separated by a diaphragm ; and the drawing which he
exhibited of the bird confirmed his statement. He also stated,
as a remarkable fact, that the intestinal canal of the Ostrich
was generally about eighty feet in length, while that of the
Cassowary was considerably shorter* The rings in the trachea
of this bird exceeded 200 in number •, its height was more than
nine feet. See page 51.
This bird was a female, Which had been in the possession of
his Majesty for about two years; it died of obesity, and, from
its appearance, its weight must have been, it is presumed, more
than 150 pounds. Many gentlemen partook of the flesh. The
sexual organs and the kidneys differ, it is said, materially from
other birds ; it has also two stomachs ; the first is muscular,
and appears to act by trituration, in the other there is a gastric
liquor.
This bird prefers for its residence those mountainous and
parched deserts which are never refreshed by rain. In those
solitary regions they are seen in vast flocks, and are there
hunted on fleet Arabian horses, for their blood, their fat, and the
feathers found in the wings and tail ; these last have been sought
after more or less in all ages; it is said, however, that this bird
THE AFRICAN-OSTRICH. 379
But whether the timid, tall Rhea was there,
As faithful historian, I cannot declare.
Still, still doth the hunter, and thinks it no crime,
This tribe closely pursue. — Oh, when come shall the
time,
is occasionally domesticated, and that the finest feathers are
those obtained from the domesticated bird, from which they
are cut about thrice in two years. The skin is substituted for
leather by the Arabians. The flesh is said to be but indifferent
food, and eaten only by the Africans. The cry of this bird is
similar to that of a lion, but shorter.
Various accounts of the eggs and incubation of this bird have
been published ; the following is the most authentic, for which
I am indebted to Dr. Latham's work. The male is polyga-
mous, and, as has been stated, most probably highly salacious,
he being frequently found with two or three, or even five, fe-
males, who lay their eggs, which are white, in concert, to the
number of ten or twelve each, which they all hatch together,
the male taking his turn of sitting among them ; between
sixty and seventy eggs have been found in one nest. The egg
holds five pints and a quarter of liquid. Small oval pebbles,
the size of a pea, of a pale yellow colour, are often found in the
eggs ; from nine to twelve of these have been found, according
to Mr. Barrow, in one egg. The time of incubation is six weeks.
This takes place, it is said, at different times of the year, de-
pending upon the climate and latitude, whether north or south ;
it is also said that the mode of incubation is different in different
places ; thus, in very warm climates, the bird scarcely sits
upon her eggs at all, the heat of the sun being sufficient to
bring the young bird to maturity ; that, as the climate increases
in coldness, the female is more assiduous in her attentions.
Notwithstanding its size, it is generally considered, and
indeed is, a very stupid bird, displaying little intelligence or
ingenuity of any kind ; and, although it is occasionally ridden
380 FOREIGN BIRDS.
That man, with superior intelligence fraught,
On such occupation shall not waste a thought :
When death, if the animal for him must die,
Shall be sudden and safe, and escape in a sigh?*
like a horse in its native climate, it is said to be very unma-
nageable and untractable.
" O'er the wild waste the stnpid ostrich strays,
In devious search to pick her scanty meal,
Whose fierce digestion gnaws the temper'd stee!.' :
Mickle's Lusiad, Book v.
Such statements, often made, that this bird can digest steel
or iron, are founded in mistake ; it is true the bird will swallow
pieces of iron, but there is no evidence whatever that they are
digested.
The Rhea, Eintu, Rhea, American-Emeu, or American-
Osthich, is grey above, beneath white; it has three toes on
each foot, and a round callus behind. It is by far the largest
bird found in the American continent, it being about six feet
high; the neck is long, head small, beak flat; but, in other
respects, resembles the Cassowary. Its voracity ancr speed are
similar to the Ostrich. Found in almost every part of South
America.
The nest is in a large hole in the ground, often with a little
* The hunting of Birds with dogs, except as setters, is, in
this country, not now, I believe, practised ; it is devoutly to be
hoped that the hunting of other animals will ultimately give way
to a superior intelligence and the benevolent affections. The
author, when a school-boy, remembers being once on a hunting
excursion, and never but once ; that once was, for him, sufficient :
the hare was eaten up alive by the dogs ! he will never forget the
horror with which he beheld one of the gentlemen hunters exhibit
a leg, the only part left, with the fibres still quivering. See the
House-Sparrow's Speech,
THE EMEU — THE CASSOWARY. 381
The Parrots, too, came, not of Afric or Ind ;
Yet loth their description the muse to rescind :
The Aterrimus, prince of the Psittacid tribe; —
The Scarlet rob'd Lory its name will describe; —
straw at the bottom, on which the eggs are laid ; from sixty to
eighty have been found in one nest, and hence it has been
supposed that several females contribute to produce them, and
that each female lays sixteen or seventeen eggs; the egg con-
tains about two pints of liquid. The flesh of the young is
reckoned good eating. It defends itself with its feet ; and
calls its young by a kind of hiss. They are exceedingly swift,
and with difficulty caught. This is a separate genus in Dr„
Latham's work, and there called Emeu.
The Casuarius, Emeu, Cassowary, or Galeated-Casso-
wary, is brownish-black; it has three toes on each foot; helmets
and dewlaps naked. From the shortness of the legs and neck,
it is not so tall as the Ostrich; but its body is more heavy and
clumsy. Its helmet is the most remarkable of its characteristics ;
it reaches from the base of the bill to the crown, is nearly three
inches in height, and at the root three in thickness. The wings
are still shorter than those of the Ostrich, and, of course, cannot
assist the bird to fly ; they are furnished with four hard pointed
feathers resembling darts; the feet are also armed with large
claws; it is, nevertheless, peaceable and inoffensive; never
attacking others; when attacked kicks like a horse; pushing
down its assailant by running against him, and grunting like
swine ; it is as voracious as the preceding species. Eggs nu-
merous, ash-coloured, or greenish spotted, some are white, about
fifteen inches in circumference one way, by twelve the other;
shells more thin and brittle than those of the Ostrich. Found in
the eastern parts of Asia towards the south, and the Molucca
Islands ; never met with out of the torrid zone.
The Nova Hollandice, New-Holland-Cassowary, Emm of
New South Wales, Southern Cassowary, or Emeu, is nearly as tall
382 FOREIGN BIRDS.
The Banksian, black, crested, and bold Cockatoo,
With side tail-feathers ting'd of a bright crimson hue,
'Midst the woods of Australia delighting to rove ; —
Have never been seen in an Occident grove.
Some few Absentees to be named remain still:
The uncouth Dodo( 43 ) came not, nor Jealous-Horn-
bill ;
as the black Ostrich, being not less than seven feet ten inches
high : like the rest of the genus, it runs with prodigious speed;
the bill is black ; head, neck, and body, covered with bristly fea-
thers, varied with brown and grey; throat nakedish, bluish;
wings hardly visible ; legs brown. Inhabits New Holland,
where it is hunted with dogs, the skull or the jaw of which, ac-
cording to Wentworth, it sometimes fractures by a single
kick ; the flesh is good ; its weight varies from sixty to one
hundred and twenty pounds. It abounds with oil, which is
used for leather and other purposes.
The Casuarius Diemenianus, (Lath.) or Van-Diemen's Land
Cassowary, is not so large as the preceding, but much exceeds
the bustard in size ; its general colour is dark brown, with a
tinge of blue or grey ; it has neither wings nor tail ; legs
stout, dirty bluish ; toes three, all placed forwards ; flesh said
to be well tasted ; eggs numerous, and very delicate ; inhabits
Van Diemen's Land.
The three last species are arranged under one genus by Dr.
Latham.
( +2 ) Order, Galling, (Linn.) Dodo, the Hooded, the
Solitary, the Nazarene.
The genus Didus, (Linn.) or Dodo, consists of three species
only ; they have the bill narrowed in the middle, with two
transverse wrinkles, each mandible bent in at the tip ; nostrils
oblique ; face naked beyond the eyes; legs short, thick; feet
cleft; wings unfit for flight; tailless. They are arranged by
THE DODO — THE HORN-BILL. 383
As cruel as jealous, fierce conirost he;
Woe, woe to the lady, if foot mark should be ! ( +4 )
Dr. Latham among the struthious tribe. Their specific cha-
racters are as follow :
The Lieptus, Dronte, or Hooded-Dodo, has the head
hooded ; bill strong, large, and bluish, with a red spot; plumage
black, waved with whitish; feathers of the rump curled, in-
clining to yellow; clawless; three feet long; inhabits the Isles
of France and Bourbon.
The Solitarius, or Solitary-Dodo, is varied with grey and
brown; feet four-toed ; spurious wings, terminating in a round
protuberance. Female with a white protuberance each side
the breast resembling a teat ; size of a turkey ; never found in
flocks ; egg one, larger than that of a goose ; time of incubation
seven weeks, at which process the male and female assist in turn;
the young are delicious food, for which they are hunted between
March and September; inhabits the island of Rodrique.
The Nazarenus, or Nazarene Dodo, is larger than the Swan ;
colour black, downy ; lays on the ground, in a nest made of
dry leaves and grass, one large egg ; inhabits the Isle of France-
(* 4 ) Order, Pice, (Linn.) Horn-bill, the Philippine.
the Indian, the Undulate.
The genus Buceros, (Linn.) or Horn-bill, consists of
twenty-seven species, chiefly inhabitants of Asia and Africa.
They have a convex, curved, sharp-edged, large bill, seriate
outwardly, with a horny protuberance on the upper mandible
near the base ; tongue short, sharp-pointed ; feet gressorial.
Besides feeding on fruit, they are said also to devour mice, small
birds, reptiles, and even carcasses. The chief are the following :
The Bicornis, or Piiilippine-Hornbill, of which there are
two varieties. The first, is above black, beneath white, quill
feathers with a white spot ; double horned at the fore part ; size
of a common hen ; inhabits the Philippine isles. The second,
384 FOREIGN BIRDS.
The Wattle -Bird ( 4S ) hiss'd in Australian groves ;
And the Sheath-bill ( 46 ) was seeking for shell-fish
he loves.
has the bill vermilion, hack and rump ash-brown ; belly black ;
feeds on fruit, which it swallows whole, and, after digesting the
bulk, casts up the stones ; has a voice resembling the grunting
of a swine, or the bellowing of a calf ; said to be worshipped by
the Indians.
The Hydrocorax, or Indian-Hornbill, inhabiting the Mo-
lucca Islands, has the protuberance flattened forwards; it is
two feet four inches long ; frequently tamed to destroy rats
and mice ; it feeds on the wild nutmeg, which renders its flesh
peculiarly aromatic.
The Undulata, or Undulate-Hornbill, called by the na-
tives of Java, the Jealotjs-Hornbill, feeds the female du-
ring her incubation ; and, during his absence in search of food,
should he find, on his return, the marks of another hird near the
nest, he will, it is said, inclose the female in the nest, and leave
her to perish. — Horsfield.
( 4S ) Order, Pic^;, (Lath) Wattle-Bird.
The genus Callgeus, (Luih.) or Wattle-Bird, consists of
one species only, the Cinerea, or Cinereous-Wattle-Bird ; it
has an incurvate arched bill, the lower mandible shorter and
carunculate beneath at the base ; nostrils depressed, half co-
vered with a subcartilaginous membrane ; tongue subcartilagi-
nous, split and fringed at the top ; feet ambulatory ; length
fifteen inches; walks on the ground, seldom perches on trees;
feeds on berries, insects, and small birds ; makes a hissing and
murmuring noise ; flesh good ; inhabits New Zealand and
Australasia.
( 46 ) Order, Grallje, (Lath.) Sheath- bill.
The genus Vaginalis, (Lath.) or Sheath-bill, consists of
one species only, the Alba, or White_-Sheath-eill. It is
SHEATH-BILL — MENURA. 385
The New-Holland Menura ( 47 ) in meadow or wood,
Or on Van Diemen mountains, was seeking its food ;
And, perchance, even now, undiscovered remain,
On that Continent-Isle* — some Australian plain; —
Or where bursts the huge stream from the mountain's
cleft side ; —
Where, through woodlands and meadows its waters
may glide; —
Unable to swim, and unable to fly,
Many groups that description at present defy.
distinguished by a short, thick, conic, compressed bill, the upper
mandible covered above with a moveable horny sheath ; nostrils
small, placed before the sheath 5 tongue above round, beneath
flattened, pointed at the tip; face naked, papillous; wings
with an obtuse excrescence under the flexure ; legs strong ;
four toed ; from fifteen to eighteen inches long; feeds on shell-
fish and carcasses; inhabits New Zealand and the South Sea
Islands.
( 47 ) Order, Galling, (Lath.) New-Holland Menura.
The genus Menura, (Lath.) consists of one species only, the
Novcb Hollandice, New-Holland Menura, or Mountain- Phea-
sant. It has a stout conico-convex black bill, and oval nostrils ;
legs long, black, very strong, formed for walking, and covered
with large scales ; a long tail, consisting of sixteen loose webbed
feathers, the two middle ones narrow, and greatly exceeding
the others in length; the outer one on each side broader
and curved at the end; size of a hen pheasant; the whole
length more than three feet and a half; plumage above brown,
fore part of the neck rufous, beneath brownish-ash. The female,
in colour, resembles the male, but is much smaller. Found in
the mountainous districts of New Holland, where it is said to be
* New Holland, or Australia.
S
386 FOREIGN BIRDS.
Yet the Channel-Bill ( 48 ) came from a region as far %
And that scansor too came,thelong-bili'dJACAMAR.( 49 )
rare ; flesh supposed to be good ; but we want more information
concerning this, most probably valuable, bird.
( 48 ) Order, Pice, (Lath.) Channel-bill.
The genus Scythrops, (Lath.) or Channel-bill, consists
of one species only, the Psittacus, which is found in New South
Wales. It has a large, convex, sharp-edged, pale-brown bill,
tipt with yellowish and channeled at the sides, point hooked ;
nostrils naked, rounded at the base; tongue cartilaginous, split
at the point ; feet scansile ; head, neck, and upper parts of the
body pale bluish-grey ; back, wings, and tail, cinereous ; size of
a crow, but, from its long tail, its whole length is two feet two
inches.
( 49 ) Order, Pic^e, (Lath.) Jacamar.
Of the genus Galbula, (Lath.) or Jacamar, five species
have been described ; inhabitants of South America. They
have a straight, very long, quadrangular bill ; tongue short,,
sharp-pointed; thighs downy on the fore part; feet scansile.
They are generally about the size of a lark, and feed on insects ;
some of them fly in pairs.
( s °) Order, Passeres, (Lath.) Coly.
The genus Colius, (Lath.) or Coly, consists of eleven spe-
cies ; they have a short thick bill, convex above and flat be-
neath, upper mandible bent down at the tip ; tail long, wedged;
toes three before, one behind, but capable of being occasionally
varied so as to have all in front. These birds live universally
on fruits, not feeding on grains or insects; they are gregariou
even during incubation, their nests being made in society;
they do not perch like other birds, or leap from branch to
branch ; nor do they even walk nimbly ; for, resting on the
whole length of the leg, they drag the belly after them.
They grow very fat, are well flavoured, and much sought aftei
THE UMBRE — THE PINGUIX. 387
But nor Coly( 50 ) nor Umbre ( 5i ) would daringly brave
The breeze of the west, and Atlantic's high wave.
Nor could come from the south, with his rudiment wing,
The Pinguin ( 52 ) unwieldy, to honour the king.
as food. They are inhabitants of the Cape of Good Hope,
Senegal, and India. These birds are called at the Cape, Mouse
Birds, from their soft plumage and their frequently creeping
about the roots of trees. The Leuconotus, or White-backed-
Coi.y, is twelve inches long; its general plumage bluish-ash;
eggs five or six, rose-coloured ; inhabits the Cape of Good Hope.
( 5I ) Order, Grall^e, (Lath.) Umbre.
The genus Scopus, (Lath.) or Umbre, consists of one species
only, the Umbrella, or Tufted-Umbre ; it has a long, thick,
compressed hill, a little hooked ; nostrils linear, oblique; feet
four-toed, deft; a thick, tufted, lax crest; body brown; tail
obscurely barred ; twenty inches long ; legs longish ; female
not crested ; inhabits Africa.
( 52 ) Order, Palmipedes, (Lath.) Pinguin.
The genus Aptenodytes, (L«£/i. JPinguin, or Penguin, which
consists of fifteen species, is distinguished by a straight bill, wings
fin-shaped, without quill feathers; feet fettered, four-toed ; tail
short, wedged; feathers very rigid ; is seen only in the temperate
and frigid zones of the southern hemisphere ; the same as may be
said of the auk in the northern hemisphere : none of either of these
genera of birds has been, it is said, observed within the tropics.
Notwithstanding there is a great similarity between this genus and
the alca, or auk, there is, nevertheless, one peculiarity which
decidedly distinguishes the Pinguin from the last-named bird :
the Pinguin, while swimming, sinks quite above the breast, the
head and neck only appearing, while the auk, in common with
other aquatic birds, swims on the surface. It is remarkably
dexterous in the water, yet it is a stupid race of birds,
and, vi hen on land, easily taken. Seme of this tribe lay
their eggs in the deserted nest of the Albatross; see note (14).
The following deserve noiice:
s 2
388 FOREIGN BIRDS.
Nor that tiny Hirundinid, he of the east,
Of his tribe the most singular, while, too, the least ;
Not, like martins or swallows, with clay or with loam^
Such vulgar materials ! constructs he his dome :
Within walls of pure gelatine, little beside.
The Esculent-Swallow* delights to reside ;
The Demersa, or Cape-Pinguin, is twenty-one inches long;
plumage above black, of the head and throat dirty grey ;
breast, belly, and tail, white ; the two short appendages in
place of wings black above, white on the lower edge, white
varied with black beneath. Swims and dives well, but hops
and flutters in a strange awkward manner on land, and, if
hurried, stumbles perpetually ; will frequently run for some dis-
tance like a quadruped, making use of the finny wings instead
of legs, crying out like a goose, but in a much hoarser voice.
Said to clamber some way up the rocks to make a nest, in doing
which it assists with the bill. Eggs two, white, size of a duck,
very good ; these birds are sometimes kept tamo, but do not
survive the confinement many months. Inhabits the Cape of
Good Hope.
The Magellanica, or Magellanic-Pinguin, is two feet or
more long, and weighs eleven pounds ; voice not unlike the
braying of an ass ; flesh not unpalatable, but of a musky
flavour. Eggs size of a goose, and laid in pairs, are good ;
they are deposited in places where many of the tribe associate.
Inhabits Falkland Islands.
The Chrysocome, Crested-Pi nguin, or Hopping-Pinguin,
is a beautiful bird, twenty-three inches long, inhabiting the
Falkland Islands, the Isle of Desolation, New Holland, &c.
Called Hopping from its habit of leaping quite out of the water
on meeting with the least resistance.
* For an account of this bird, see page 158 ; for its nest, see
the Introduction, page 23.
THE PINGUIN— THE WEAVER-BIRD. 389
While mandarins, monarchs, demand oft his nest,
Which to luxury ministers many a zest.
Nor whispers report that those textors were there,
Who richjbombycme filaments, choose with much care:
Those Weaver-birds ( $3 ) that, with a tapestry select,
The walls of their prisons have often bedeck'd.
The Patachonica, or Patagonian-Pinguin, is the largest of
the genus, being above four feet long, and weighs forty pounds.
Back of a deep ash colour, each feather bluish at the tip ; be-
neath pure white ; on each side of the head, beginning und<er
the eye, and behind it, is a broad stripe of fine yellow ; usually
found very fat ; flesh black, though not very unpalatable.
Found in the Falkland Islands, New Georgia, &c.
The Australis, or Apterous-Pinguin, (called Apterix- Au$'
tralis in Shaw's Zoology,) is the size of a goose; the rudiments
of wings quite hid in the plumage. Inhabits New Zealand.
( 53 ) The Oriolus text or, (Lath.) Weaver, or Weever Oriole,
is the size of the Golden-oriole ; body orange-yellow ; quills
and tail dusky, edged with orange ; legs flesh colour. Inhabits
Senegal. Works silk between the wires of its cage ; it prefers
green and yellow to any other colour.
The Emberiza textrix, {Lath.) Weaver-Bunting, or Wea-
ver-bird, is the size of a house-sparrow; bill and legs horn-
colour ; over each eye and down the middle of the crown
a streak of yellow ; sides of the head mottled yellow and black ;
rump and under parts yellow : on the middle of the breast a
broad black streak, a little divaricated at the sides ; tail dusky.
In the winter the yellow disappears and the bird becomes very
like a common sparrow. Supposed to be a native of Africa,
This bird, like the Weaver-oriole, weaves silk in a curious manner
between the wires of its cage, whence it has obtained, as well
as the Oriole, its specific name. It is occasionally to be seen in
cages in this country, I have not been able to acquire any in-
formation concerning its nest, eggs, nor any other of its habits-
390 FOREIGN BIRDS.
Still remains a small niche in the temple of fame,
For a few whom we here seek permission to name.
The rare Plantain-Eater ( 54 ) of beautiful hues,
Consisting of purple and violet-blues ; —
The Cream-coloured Courser, ( 5S ) of Europe the
guest ;-—
And the African Fin-foot ; ( 5<5 ) one too of the west ;
( 54 ) Order, Pic^e, (Lath.) Plantain-Eater.
Of the genus Musophaga, (Lath.) or Plantain-Eater,
two species have been described. One, the Violacea, or Violet-
Plantan-Eater, is a beautiful bird, distinguished by a short,,
triangular, yellow bill; tongue entire, stout; toes three before,
one behind ; length nineteen inches, of which the tail makes
more than six; the top of the head purple; neck, breast, body,
and wings, violet ; prime quill feathers purple in the middle-
Found in Guinea, and said to live principally on the plantain j
it is a very rare bird.
(55) Order, Grall/e, (Lath.) Plover, the Cream-Co-
loured, &c.
The genus Cursoritjs, (Lath.) or Courser, consists of
four species; they differ chiefly from the genus Charadrius, or
Plover, in the shape of the bill, which is sharp, bent at the
point, and slender. The Europxus, or Cream-coloured
Plover, is ten inches long, the general plumage cream-colour,
palest beneath; inhabits. Europe, though a rare bird; once
taken hi France. The Asiaticus, or Coromandel-Plover, is
the size of the preceding. The head and fore parts, as far-as
the breast, a reddish-chesnut ; chin white ; back, wings, and
tail brown, upper part of the belly dusky, the rest, beneath,
rump, and tip of the tail, white ; cpuills black. Inhabits
Coromandel.
( s6 ) Order, Pinnatipedes,(L^/i.) Fin-foot, the African,
the American.
The genus Pteropus, or Fin-foot, of Dr. Latham, coi>
THE FIN-FOOT— THE COUCAL. 391
The Coucal Gigantic, ( 57 ) Australia's own; —
The ash-grey Cereopsis; ( 5S ) there also well known;
sists of two species ; the bill is moderately curved and
elongated ; nostrils linear ; body depressed ; tail somewhat
cuneiform; legs short; toes four, three before, one behind,
and furnished with an indented or scolloped membrane. They
areas follow: The Africanus, or African Fin-foot, is the
size of a coot; length eighteen inches ; bill formed like that of
a diver ; plumage above brown, with several burf coloured
spots, margined with black, chin and throat white, beneath
rufous; inhabits Africa. The Surinamensis, or American Fin-
foot, Surinam- Darter, Surinam-Tern, or Sun-bird, is the size of
a teal ; inhabits Surinam ; known there by the name of Sun-bird ;
from its frequently expanding the tail and wings, at the same
time, it has been thought to resemble that luminary. See a
further description of this bird under Darter, note (21), page 343.
( 57 ) Order, Vicm, (Lath. )Cov cm, the Giant, the Pheasant.
The genus Polophilus, or Coucal, of Dr. Latham, is allied
to the cuckoo tribe, and consists of seventeen species ; the beak
is strong and slightly curved ; nostrils straight, elongated ; toes
two forwards, two behind, the interior furnished with a long claw.
The G'gas, Giant, or Gigantic Coucal, is thirty inches long;
inhabits New Holland. The Phasianus, Pheasant-Colcal,
Pheasant-Cuckoo, or Pheasant, inhabits also New Holland ; it is
about eighteen inches long.
( 58 ) Order, Grall^e, (Lath,) Cereopsis.
The genus Cereopsis, (Lath.) consists of one species only,
the Novcb Hollundirz, or New Holla nd-Cereopsis ; it has a
short convex bill, bent at the tip ; head wholly covered beyond
the ears with a rough yellow skin or cere ; at the bent of the
392 FOREIGN BIRDS,
In his crimson and black too the Barbican( 59 ) bright ;
The Erodia,( 6 °) both active and handsome, in white ;
wing a blunt knob; tail short, legs stout; toes cloven; size of
a small goose ; length nearly three feet ; plumage ash-grey, be-
neath paler ; legs orange colour. Inhabits New Holland.
Flesh good.
( 59 ) Order, Picje, (Lath.) Barbican, the Abyssinian,,
The genus Pogonius, or Barbican, of Dr. Latham, consists
of six species, distinguished by a very stout and bent bill ; toes,
two before, two behind. Most of these were formerly arranged
under the genus Barbet. The Saltii(BuceoSaltii>) Abyssinian-
Barbican, or Abyssinian -Barbet , is the most worthy of notice.
The general colour is a fine glossy black; forehead, as far as the
crown, sides, including the eyes, chin, and throat, fine crimson ;
upper wing coverts black, edged with white, quills dusky, the
outer margin fringed for the most part with yellow ; length
seveu inches ; observed to cling about branches of trees like
the woodpecker. Brought from Abyssinia by Mr. Salt.
( 5 °) Order, Gra.lj.je, (Lath.) Erody, the Abyssinian, the
PONDICHERRY.
The genus Erodia, or Erody, (Lath.) consists of three species ;
they have a bill nearly straight ; sharp at the end, the two man-
dibles not closing the whole of their length ; face covered with
feathers ; legs long ; middle toe connected to the inner by a mem-
brane as the first, and to the outer to the second joint ; hind
toe long.
The Amphilensis, or Abyssinian-Erody, is the size of
the Avoset ; length fifteen inches ; the plumage generally
white, but the back, as far as the middle, is black. Found
THE ER0DY — THE MALKOHA. 393
The Scansor Malkoha, ( 6i ) beneath the fierce sun,
Indigenous found in the isle of Ceylon :
Unknown whether all, whether any were seen
O'er the dell's winding course, on its trees' shady green.
In such an assembly — birds various and rare,
Various habits and manners, of course, too, were there ;
There was kindness and gentleness — insolence loud ;
There was pert, noisy ignorance — sullenness proud ;
There was elegance graceful, and airiness light ;
And affection in robes neither splendid nor bright ;
in the Bay of Amphila in Abyssinia ; feeds on marine produc-
tions. They are handsome active birds.
The Pondiceriana, Pondicherr y-Erody, or Pondicherry-
HER0N, 4 and the Indian-Erody, twenty-two inches long,
with plumage dusky-white; lower part of the back, quills,
outer edge of the wings, and tail, black ; inhabit India.
( 6I ) Order, Pic^e, {Lath.) Malkoha.
The genus Phcenicophaus, or Malkoha, of Dr.LATHAM ^consists
of five species ; they have a stout bill, longer than the head, curved
from the base and smooth edged ; nostrils linear near the margin •
wings short j toes two before, two behind. The following is
the chief:
The Pyrrhocephalus, Red-headed-Malkoha, or Red-
headed-Cuckoo, is sixteen inches long ; sides of the head and
round the eyes wholly bare of feathers, appearing rough or
granulated, and of a reddish-orange colour ; plumage above
greenish-black, beneath white; tail very long; the feathers,
for some length towards the tip, white. Inhabits Ceylon, where
it is called Malkoha.
394 FOREIGN BIRDS.
There was gallantry, too, that the soul might entrance ;
And love shot his bright and his heart-thrilling glance.
The great lord himself, who was quite at his ease,
Seem'd to say to his Vassals " now do as you please 1''
The signal thus given, many Birds of the throng
Sought various diversion the cool shades among.
Some flew in high circles ; some leap'd ; others sang ;
And the Bell-birds repeated their loud and harsh
clang.
To the wood pensive lovers in silence retir'd,
To hear the warm vows long and often desir'd.
The Parrots ( 6z ) were prating, of what who may
know ?
The Macaws on the palms made a beautiful show :
( 62 ) Order, Pice, (Linn.) Parrot, Cockatoo, Lory,
Paroquet, Macaw, &c.
The genus Psittacus, {Linn.) or Parrot, comprehends
nearly tivo hundred and forty species; the distinguishing cha-
racteristics of the tribe are a hooked bill, tiie upper mandible
as well as the lower moveable and not connected, and in one
piece with the skull, as in most other birds, but is joined to
the head by a strong membrane on each side, which lifts and
depresses it at pleasure; feet formed for climbing. The
genus may also be subdivided into those having a long
wedge-shaped tail; and those with a short tail equal at the
end, including the Cockatoos and Lories, generally, but not
altogether.
The Parrot is an intratropical bird, and generally found within
from twenty-four to twenty-five degrees of latitude on each side
of the equator. Yet there are some exceptions to this : ;t is oc-
casionally seen as far south as the straights of Magellan, in Van
THE PARROT.
395
One in robes of rich purple, of azure, and gold-
Such, the eye became dazzled its tints to behold ;
Diemeu's Land, and on the Ohio. Although it lives in temperate
climates it does not frequently breed there. It is remarkable
too in this race of birds, that those in the new world are totally
distinct from those of the old ; a proof that the Parrot has not
great powers of flight; indeed, it is said, that several islands in
the West Indies have their peculiar Parrots, they not being
able to fly from one island to another. They are, in their na-
tive climates, the most numerous of the feathered tribes.
It will be impossible in this note to do justice to the genus; I must,
therefore, content myself with a summary of their most striking
characteristics ; parrots are, besides, so extremely well known
in this country, that a long description of them is rendered for
this reason much less necessary ; their power of imitating the
human voice, and other sounds, is well known ; but it may be
observed that almost all the sounds which they utter, at least
those which they utter in this countiy, are extremely harsh and
discordant ; and for a long continuance very disagreeable.
The beauty of their plumage has always and deservedly been
much admired. They are, however, so various in size as well as
in colours, that it would be endless to recount their numerous
gradations.
" The Parrots swung like blossoms on the trees."
Montgomery's Pelican Island.
In its wild state, the parrot feeds on almost every kind of fruit
and grain; but, of all food, it is said to be the fondest of carthamus,
or bastard saffron, which, though strongly purgative to man,
agrees with it very well. It is liable to various diseases ; many of
them are said to die of epilepsy ; it is, nevertheless, very long
lived ; some have attained the age of sixty years, or more; from
twenty to thirty years is their more common period of existence,
396 FOREIGN BIRDS.
The Illinois-Parrot, in bright silky green,
With fine yellow tints, blue reflections was seen ;
after which the bill, it is said, becomes so much hooked that
they lose the power of taking food.
Parrots build, for the most part, in the hollow of rotten
trees; when the tree is not fully rotten, and the hole not large
enough for their reception, they widen it with their bills ; the
nest is lined with feathers. They can only be successfully
tamed when taken young. The flesh of parrots, it is said,
always partakes of the peculiar taste of their food ; some
of the small tribes of Paroquets are occasionally sought after by
the savages (at the time they feed upon the ripe gmva) as deli-
cate food.
An account has lately appeared in the newspapers of a
Parrot that died in this country at the age of seventy-seven.
The taste of parrots appears to be more acute than that oi
most other birds, they being more ch/)ice in the selection of
parts of the food which is given them, than the generality of
birds.
Parrots have, from the splendour of their colourg, and from
their loquacity, much excited the attention of mankind. A
poem entitled Ver-Vert, or the Nunnery Parrot, written in French,
by Gresset, has also numerous admirers; it was translated
into easy verse by Cooper, and since by Dr. Geddes ; the first
translation is to be preferred :
" Beauteous he was, and debonnair,
Light, spruce, inconstant, gay, and free,
And unreserved as youngsters are,
Ere age brings on hypocrisy ;
In short a bird from prattling merit,
Worthy a convent to inherit."
Canto 1,
THE COCKATOO — THE LORY — THE MACAW. 397
The Paradise-Parrot in splendour was bright;
Paroquets, Popinjay3, wore the plumes of delight,
The following summary will complete this notice of the
Parrot tribe :
The common names of Parrots are very various j they are
known as Cockatoos, Lories, Paroquets t Macaws, Amazons, Criks?
Popinjays, Parrots, fyc.
The Cristatus, or Yellow-Crested-Cockatoo, is white,
with a yellow crest; eighteen inches long; crest five; the
gentlest and the most docile of the tribe. Found in all the
tropical regions of India. The Cockatoos are the largest
Parrots of the old continent. The Aterrimus, Black-Cockatoo,
or Indian-Crow, is more than three feet long; whole body black,,
Found chiefly in New Holland. The Erythacus, Hoary -
Parrot, or Jaco, of which there are several varieties, is most
frequently imported into Europe at present, and, when properly
taught, is a good adept at language. The body is a beantiful
grey ; length twenty inches. It is a native of Africa.
The Garrulus, Ceram, or Scarlet-Lory, of which there are many
varieties, is a native of the Moluccas ; its general colour is red ;
it is the most spirited and gay of the whole race : the name
Lory is given to it from such sounds being frequently repeated by
this bird. The Guineensis, or Yellow-breasted-Lory, is
found chiefly in New Guinea and the Molucca Islands ; ten
inches long; from its beautiful plumage, and the ease with
which it may be taught to speak, it generally obtains in Europe
a great price ; a single bird has, it is said, been sold for twenty
guineas ! The Alexandria or Alexandrine-Parrot, is green J
found in the South of Asia and Ceylon : this bird was well
known to the Romans in the time of Pliny.
The Macao, or RED-and-BLUE-MACAW, is one of the most
superb of the Parrot tribe : the purple, the gold and the azure,
excite no ordinary interest; it is nearly three feet long. Eggs
398 FOREIGN BIRDS.
The Goatsuckers' notes, too, were now heard again;
And the Woodpeckers uttered their dissonant
strain.
two, which it lays twice a year, about the size of a pigeon's;
the male and female share alternately the office of incubation.
Found within the tropics in America and the West Indies.
The JEstivus, Amazon, or Common-Parrot, is green, slightly
spotted with yellow ; there are many varieties. The Ochroce'
phalus, or Yellow-headed-Parrot, belongs to the class
called Criks by the French writers ; this, and the Amazon, or
Common Parrot, are, of all the American Parrots, most easily
taught to speak.
The Popinjays are distinguished from all the preceding by
having no red on their wings. The Paradisi, or Paradise-
Parrot, is a very beautiful species of Popinjay; the whole body
is yellow, and all the feathers bordered with a sort of gilding.
The Paroquets are extremely numerous and diversified ; when
properly tamed they are good speakers ; one of this tribe laid
once in England five or six small white eggs. The Aureus, or
Golden-Paroquet, is a beautiful bird.
The Carolinensis, Carolina-Parrot, Illinois-Parrot, or Caro-
lina-Parakeet, is said by Wilson to be the only one of this nume-
rous tribe of birds found native within the territory of the United
States ; it is a very hardy bird ; enduring cold much better than
the generality of the tribe; it is found, however, chiefly in the
states west of the Alleghany mountains. It is said to build in
companies in hollow trees. This bird is thirteen inches long,
and twenty-one in extent. The general colour of the plumage
is a bright, yellowish, silky green, with light blue reflections;
lightest and most diluted with yellow below.
The Cookii, or Cook's-Cockatoo, (Temminck, Linn.
Transact, vol. xiii.) is a fine bird, a native of New Holland,
a dried specimen of which is to be seen in the museum
cookVcockatoo. 399
Some Warblers were eager their carols to sing,
And thus they delighted the Vulturid King.
of" the Linnean Society ; it is about twenty-two inches
long ; the general plumage is black ; the feathers of the head
long, and forming a fine crest ; tail long, the two middle fea-
thers of which are black, the others the same at the base and
endy, but the middle, for more than one third of their length, a
fine crimson.
This bird has been called, by some authors, Banksian-
Cockatoo, but very improperly as another, the Psittacus
Banksii, is distinguished by that name. The Banksian Cockatoo
mentioned in page 382 is the Cookii described above, and not
the Banksii ; this last is by no means so striking or splendid a
bird as the former, and, therefore, it has not been deemed
necessary to describe it.
It is to be regretted that those to whom the opportunity is
given of bestowing names do not bestow them with more sci-
entific discrimination. How much soever we may respect the
names of Cook and Banks, surely this bird might have a much
more appropriate and discriminating specific terms applied
to it: for example, Psittacus niger ; or, if this name be already
engaged, some other, equally discriminating and appropriate,
should be given. In science, the practice of distinguishing persons
rather than facts ought to be discarded. It was this mode of
giving names that contributed to retard and obscure, for ages,
the science of chemistry.
400
THE CANARY-BIRD'S SONG.
Fringilla Canaria. — (Linn.)
Let city birds in cages sing,
Such, such are not for me ;
I love the freedom of the wing ;
I love my liberty.
Be city birds, like monks immur'd,
Such life is not for me;
It cannot, will not be endur'd,
By love or liberty.
Let city birds luxurious live-
Do nothing — yet to me
No charm hath idleness to give;—
No charm hath luxury.
The pleasure of pursuit is much — ■
I love to seek my food ;
I love to hear my neighbours touch
Their flutes in grove or wood.
Besides, I love to meet my fair
Within the shady dell,
At noontide eve or morning rare,
My tender tale to tell.
THE CANARY-BIRD'S SONG. 401
Of city birds then tell me not —
Their lives, their luxury ;
I much prefer my country cot,
With love and liberty.
To pick seeds out of glass or gold,
To sing in marble hall,
Is what some birds, I have been told,
The highest pleasure call.
Give me, I have no other wish,
The freedom nature gave —
Her water and her simplest dish,
But make me not a slave.* ( 63 )
* Beattie has touch'd similar chords :
" Rise sons of harmony and hail the morn,
While warbling larks on russet pinions float
Or seek, at noon, the woodland scene remote,
Where the grey linnets carol from the hill.
O let them ne'er, with artificial note,
To please a tyrant, strain the little bill,
But sing what heaven inspires and wander where they will,"
Minstrel, Book 1.
( 63 ) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Canary-Bird.
The Fringilla Canaria, (Linn.) Canary, Canary-Bird, or
Canary-Finch, consists of two varieties ; one having the bill and
body straw-colour ; quill and tail feathers greenish ; the other
with body above brown ; eye-brows yellow. The prevailing
colour of this bird is, however, yellow, mixed with grey ; but, in a
state of nature, it is said that it is chiefly grey. Other varieties,
402 FOREIGN BIRDS.
or lather, perhaps, sub-varieties, have been described to the
number of nearly thirty, arising doubtless from domestication
and admixture with other birds of the Finch and Bunting tribe.
It is about the size of a goldfinch. The first variety inhabits
the Canary islands, whence its name ; the second variety,
Africa, and it is said also St. Helena, where it sings much
better than the common canary found in cages in this country.
It is also found at Palma, Fayal, Cape Verd, and Madeira, as
well as at the Canaries.
This bird is supposed to have been first brought into Europe
in the thirteenth or fourteenth century ; Gesner, who flourished
in the sixteenth, is the first naturalist who mentions it ; and
when Aldrovandus published his work on birds in 1599, it was
esteemed a great rarity. It is easily tamed, and is domesticated
almost every where for its delicate plumage and beautiful song.
It feeds on various seeds, chiefly on those of hemp and canary
grass j it is prolific with most of the other species of the finch,
and even with some which are usually considered as belonging
to a different genus, such as the yellow-hammer, Emberiza
Citrinella. The canary male is, however, more shy than the
female, and will associate with no female but his own species.
The age of this bird extends to fourteen or fifteen years. Of the
eggs and incubation of this bird in its natural state I have not
been able to obtain any account. In its domestic state it
doubtless partakes of the nature of those birds with which it
might happen to be associated. The eggs of the finch tribe are
generally about five in number, and whitish, with rufous spots.
For others of the finch tribe, see pages 252, 262, and 280.
They breed without difficulty in confinement in this and many
other countries ; the male and female both assist in forming
the nest.
It is said, too, that the song of the Canary-birds bred in this
country is usually composed of the notes of the Titlark and the
Nightingale; but, although this may be occasionally true, it is
THE CANARY-BIRD. 403
not, I suspect, a general truth. There is, surely, probability
that the Canary has a song of its own.
1 am, however, indebted to Mr. Yarrel for the following
particulars of the domesticated Canary-Bird, of which he has
several eggs, produced by the genuine species, without any ad-
mixture.
* "Whatever the materials are of which the Canary forms its
nest, or what the colour of its eggs in its native islands, I do
not know ; but, in this country (having bred them myself), they
make a compact nest of moss and wool closely interwoven, very
similar to the nest of the Linnet and the Redpole ; the egg is also
very like that of the Linnet, but somewhat smaller, the ground
colour white, slightly tinged with green, spotted and streaked
with dark red at the larger end ; in number four or five.
*' However domestication may change the feather, I have no
reason to believe that it produces any alteration in the colour
of the egg; and, in this instance, both the nest and eggs agree
closely with the other species of the genus to which the Canary
belongs.
-" Domestication, though continued for years, produces no
change in the eggs of pheasants, &c. &c."
The Canary has been known to breed in confinement in this
country six or eight times a year !
While the Man akin murmur'd a tremulous song,
The Mocking-bird followed with music along.
404
THE MANAKIN'S SONG.
Pipra Musica.— {Linn.)
I would sing with much pleasure, but oh! its so shocking,
The instant I open my bill and begin,
That insolent bird, which some call, I think, mocking,
Repeats all my notes in unmannerly din.
Already you hear him ! I can't go on singing :
You, I know, will excuse me : indeed I'm unwell.
Whoe'er can endure, for a moment, such ringing
Of changes ? — his voice is just like a crack'd bell.
Alas ! he'll not suffer me even to utter
A word of complaint ! I beseech you to hear :
Be my notes high or low, or a warble, a mutter,
Be they loud, be they soft, be they distant or near,
What then is this mockery ? weapon of witlings,
To whom wisdom and truth are both often un-
known ?
Who, in order to shine like some little Tomtitlings,
Sport the bright thoughts of others, and call them
their own. ( 64 )
( 64 ) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Manakin, the Tuneful,
the Rock.
The genus Pipra, (Linn.) or Manakin, comprehends more
than forty species, inhabitants of the warm climates of Asia,
Africa, and America; they have the bill shorter than the head,
strong, hard, nearly triangular at the base, and slightly incurved
405
THE MOCKING-BIRD'S SONG,
Turdus Polyglottus.— (Linn.)
I now sing with much pleasure, my notes never shocking;
Know ye not that, before I look round and begin,
I'm that musical bird, which some choose to call
MOCKING,
And my notes oft respond in melodious din.
Already you hear me ! I must go on singing :
You, I know, will excuse me ; I'll try to sing well :
You all will be pleas'd, I doubt not, with my ringing
Of changes,— much better than those on a bell.
Delightful! permit me my feelings to utter ;
Not a word of complaint shall you now from me hear :
Be my notes low or high, or but merely a mutter ;
Be they soft, be they loud, or far distant, or near.
Then welcome, dear mockery! charmer of witlings,
To whom wit, if not wisdom, hath long time been
known ;
Who, to shine like bright stars, not as silly Tomtitlings,
Sport of others the thoughts much improv'd by their
own.
at the tip ; nostrils naked : feet gressorial ; tail short. The fol-
lowing are the chief:—
The Musica, or Tuneful-Man akin, is black, beneath orange;
front and rump yellow ; crown and nape blue ; chin, throat,
406 FOREIGN BIRDS.
and legs, black ; four inches long ; inhabits St. Domingo ; is very
shy, and easily eludes the vigilance of those who attempt to
take it, by perpetually skipping, like the creeper, to the oppo-
site branches of the tree : its note is musical, and forms a com-
plete octave, one note regularly succeeding another.
The Rupicola, Rock or Crested -Man akin, Cock-of -the- Rock,
or Hoopoe-Hen, is a showy and elegant bird ; the crest is erect,
very large for the size of the animal, and edged with purple;
bill yellowish ; body bright, reddish orange, varied in the wings
with white and brown; legs yellow, size of a pigeon ; length
from ten to twelve inches ; eggs two, white; builds in the clefts
of remotest rocks; shy, but may be tamed if taken young; feeds
on small wild fruit. Female and young birds brown ; inhabits
the rocky parts of South America.
The Manucus, or Black-capped-Manakin, is black above,
beneath white; spot on the neck, above, and on the wings,
white; bill black, legs yellow; it is a restless bird; gregarious ;
and inhabits the woods of Guiana.
The Minuta, or Little-Man a kin, is grey; head black,
speckled with white ; size of a small wren ; inhabits India.
For an account of the Mocking-bird, see page 373; but it
may be stated here that its day~song consists generally of the imi-
tations of the notes of other birds; its night- song, (see forward,)
is its own.
407
THE ORIOLE'S SONG.
Oriolus Nidipenduhis. — (Linn.)
" He who'd live a happy life,
Let him live as we;
We defy both care and strife, —
Are from sorrow free."
The Lark's Song
You may sing of your dells,
Of your groves and your trees,
Of your vallies and fells,
Of vour cool mountain breeze :
You may prattle to solitude
All the day long ;
And let none but the wood
Hear your voice or your song :
You may sing of the sorrow
Of love-dying swain ;
Or of maidens who sigh
For their charmers in vain :
You may sing of Savannahs,
And swamps, and the fall
Of the fam'd Niagara ; —
Sublime may it call.
408 FOREIGN lilRDS.
Give me a rich field
Heavy laden with corn,
Just before its consign'd
To the planter's strong barn.
Give me too, — its the zest
Of the Oriole's life,—
A crowd of companions
Without care or strife.
Be monkish who may,
I no monk e'er will be ;
I like j oily fellows
Around me to see.
Ah, its all very well
Now and then to retire
To the mountain or moor,
And pure Nature admire ;
But, what fancy may prompt us,
What ardour may burn,
To society's smiles,
Soon or late, we return. ( 6S )
( 6s ) Order, Pice, (Linn.) Hangnest-Oriole.
The Oriolus Jiidipendulus, Hangnest-Oriole, Spanish"
Nightingale, Watchy- Picket, or American- Hangnest, has the
frontlet and wreath black ; crown, neck, back, and tail, reddish
brown ; breast and belly tawny yellow; length seven inches;
sings charmingly; builds a pendulous nest on the extreme
branches of a high tree ; inhabits the woods of Jamaica, and ,
most probably, many other of the West India islands.
For an account of other Orioles, see note (32).
409
THE TANAGER'S SONG.
Tanagra Mexicana. — (Linn.)
I envy not, I ask not,
A gay or gaudy life;
I wish not, I seek not,
The haunts of noisy strife*
I love not, I hope not,
To dwell amid the crowd,
Where think not, where care not,
The haughty and the proud.
I should not, I could not,
Behold without much pain
The reckless, the heedless
O'erbearings of the vain.
I should not, I could not,
Behold the poor oppress'd,
Without some poignant anguish
Arising in my breast.
T
410 FOREIGN BIRDS.
Then give me not, I ask not,
A gay or gaudy life ;
I wish not, I seek not,
The haunts of noisy strife.* ( 66 )
( 66 ) Order, Passeres, (Linn.) Tanager the Black and
Blue, the Red-breasted, the Golden.
The genus Tanagra, (Linn.) or Tanager, consists of more
than sixty species, nearly all found in the West Indies and
America. They have been considered as similar to the sparrows
of Europe, to which they approach in almost every particular,
except colour and the small grooves hollowed out at the sides
of the upper mandible, towards the point. They are also, like
the sparrows, gregarious; but lay only two eggs at a brood.
They, however, as well as most birds in warm climates, breed
very often. The following are deserving notice : —
The Mexicana, or BLACK-and-BLUE Tanager, is black
beneath yellowish; breast and rump blue. Another variety,
with tail coverts green, body beneath white ; five inches long ;
sings very finely; inhabits South America.
The Jacapa, or Red-breasted Tanager, is black ; front,
throat, and breast scarlet; female purplish brown, beneath
reddish, wings and tail brown ; six and a half inches long; builds
a pendulous, cylindrical, and somewhat-curved nest ; feeds on
fruit; eggs white, with reddish spots. Inhabits South America.
The Violacea, or Golden Tanager, is violet; beneatii and
hind head fine yellow ; another variety black instead of violet ;
female olive brown ; young bird blue olive ; three and a half
inches long ; variable in its colours ; very destructive to rice
plantations. Inhabits Brazil and Cayenne.
* This song has been set to music by my friend, W. Jacob,
Esq. It will, most probably, be published in a separate form.
l
411
A STORM.*
Ipse Pater, media nimborum in node, corusca
Fulmlnu molitur dextra .- quo maxima motu
Terra tremit ; fugere fera ; et morialiu corda
Per gentes humilis stravit pnvor.
Virgil, Georgic I.
Now the sun with his steeds, that no mortal may tame,
In his chariot descending, and rob'd in bright flame,
O'er the west shed a radiance, when suddenly grew
A blackness in air, that a gloom around threw.
Oppressive, hot stillness, an ominous sign,
With fear that astounds, seem'd in league to combine.
With clouds, dark, portentous, deep stain'd was the
sky;
The sea-winds rose suddenly howling on high :
The sea, black and stormy, with white foam boil'd o'er;
Ships, torn from their moorings, were toss'd on the
shore :
The wild curling breakers, like wolves, fierce and
strong,
Ran yelling and dashing in fury along :
Round the mountainous rocks numerous sea-birds
scream'd loud,
As they, terror-struck, flew in a dark wavy cloud :
* For some of the thoughts in this Poem the author is indebted
to Hall's South America: see vol. ii. page 317.
T2
412 FOREIGN BIRDS.
From the earth, borne aloft by the maniac gust,
Arose in wild whirlwinds the darkening dust.
Now the isle shook with strange trepidation, and high
The sea heav'd her billowy mountains ; the sky
Look'd a concave of horror, what time from the shore
The winds up the dell wound in deep hollow roar :
The lightning, at distance, leap'd over the hill;
No more now was heard the soft roll of the rill ;
No more heard of warblers, — of parrots the note;
No more on the breeze was heard music to float:
For Thunder, approaching in haste from the west,
With his voice loud, appalling, shook many a breast.
From the sea came the Storm-birds, with screams
up the dell ;
And rain, mix'd with hail, now in torrents down fell.
The Birds all sought shelter, — the Vulture his rock
Forsook for a place more secure from the shock :
The Tornado grew furious, and, lashing the trees,
Twisted some off their trunks, — their limbs swam on
the breeze.
The din and destruction now thicken'd apace ;
It seem'd as though Uproar with Storm had a race ;
Or, rather, that Nature (maniacal joy)
Sought, by one crashing stroke, her own works to
destroy.
The palms were uptorn, and borne far in the air;
The birds, on their leaves, became stunn'd with despair:
The rock, where the Vulture had sat, at one stroke
Of the lightning's hot shaft, into two at once broke:
6
A STORM. 413
One roll'd crashing, overwhelming afar down the dell,
The other stood still the disaster to tell ;
Around which the thunder oft rattled and rang,
While the light'ning from crag unto crag swiftly sprang.
In the dell roar'd a torrent, where many a tree
Floated down with dead birds and dead beasts, to the
sea.
Not a note now was heard from a chorister's lute;
All the birds, still alive, struck by fear, became mute :
They, closely impacted in groups, might be seen
Beneath a scath'd palm, or uptorn evergreen.
Again the isle shook, and the sea on the shore
Still roll'd in tumultuous and deafening roar ;
O'er the dark vault of heav'n the fierce light'ning still
flew,
And the clouds rais'd their heads in terrific review.
A moment of silence, — of calm, — came at length,
And proclaim'd that the giants had wasted their
strength :
While the sun shot a beam of bright light from a cloud,
A token he meant, ere he slept, to unshroud ;
The thunder retir'd with a muttering growl,
And the wind flew away in an ominous howl.
The rain ceas'd ; the clouds, too, soon hurried away ;
And the birds now look'd out from the house of
dismay.
At length, in his splendour, the sun in the west
Rode forth, and lit hope up again in the breast.
414 FOREIGN BIRDS.
The Vulture first rose : on the havoc profound
He glanc'd ; it might even a monarch astound :
Nought abash'd, he flew over the desolate dell,
Then, stooping, he swept o'er the water's deep swell ;
A favourite morsel roll'd down in the tide,—
Its possession an instant enough to decide.
The Grallators dipp'd, too, their long beaks in the
flood;
At times they were stain'd or with gore or with blood.
The Goatsuckers, Scansors, the Parrots, a few,
Their clamorous notes chose again to renew ;
But the powerful impression the hurricane made
The birds of fine feeling detain'd in the shade :
Yet the musical Wood-thrush, torn laurels among,
As ev'ning approach'd, warbled forth a sweet song :
The sad and the sombre become him the best :
Thus he sang, as he perch'd on his leafy beech nest : —
415
'I HE WOOD-THRUSH'S EVENING SONG.
Turdus Mtlodus. — (Wilson.)
Still Memory culls, O, Happiness !
For thee her sweetest flowers ; —
The violet, the pink, the rose,
And woodbine, from her bowers.
When earth becomes a dreary void,
For thee her magic wand
She waves, and lo! in colours bright,
A wondrous fairy land !
When friends forsake us — when the fates
The dearest friends divide,
For thee still Memory hovers near,
Thy long affianc'd bride*
The tender look — the dying word
She holds for ever dear;
And, while affection prompts the sigh,
And sorrow sheds the tear,
She beckons Hope, in misty robe,
And thee to deck the urn ;
And dwells with sad delight, on hours
That never can return.
416 FOREIGN BIRDS.
Ye victims of the Storm! for you
This requiem I sing :
And for your shroud pimenta leaves
Abundant I shall bring ;
Here, wrapt in fragrance, you shall lie ;
Oft from the giddy throng
I'll steal apart and warble here
For you, my saddest song.
'Tis said that Man, a monarch here,
Though he like us, too, dies,
In other worlds for ever lives
Amidst unclouded skies.
Then why not we — why should the gates
Of death affections sever-
Why might not we, as well as man,
Live too, and love for ever ?
Ecstatic thought ! midst laurel shades
For ever thus to sing; —
Our long lost friends to find again
In everliving spring !
Still Memory culls, O, Happiness!
For thee her choicest flowers : —
The violet, jasmine, pink, the rose,
And woodbines, from her bowers. ( 6? )
( 67 ) Order, Passeres ; Thrush, the Wood, the Red-
EREASTED.
The Turdus Melodus, Wood-Thrush, Wood-Robin, or Ground-
Robin, inhabits the whole of North America, from Hudson's Bay
THE RED-BREASTED-THRUSH. 417
io-Florida. Arrives in Pennsylvania about the 20th of April, and
returns to the south in October. Length eight inches ; the
whole upper parts are a fulvous brown, brightening into
reddish on the head, and inclining to olive on the rump and
tail ; throat and breast white, tinged with light buff colour, and
beautifully marked with dark spots running all over the belly,
which is white. Frequents solitary woods; sings finely in the
morning and evening, and also in moist and gloomy weather :
the sadder the day the sweeter its song. Eggs four or five,
light blue, without spots ; nest, in a laurel or elder bush, com-
posed of beech leaves exteriorly, lined with mud, over which is
laid fine black fibrous roots of plants; the nest is found in
moist situations and the neighbourhood of brooks. This bird
is often heard, but rarely seen. For its Morning Song; see
page 551.
The Turdus A%ra£onws, Red-breasted-Thrush, or Robin,
of Wilson, is nine and a half inches long ; sings very pleasantly ;
frequently seen in America in cages, in one of which it has been
kept for seventeen years; inhabits the whole of North America,
from Hudson's Bay to Nootka Sound and Georgia; rarely
breeds on the east side of the mountains south of Virginia. See
page 350.
Eve at length came, in mantle of purple array'd,
While the moon o'er the mountains her radiance dis-
play'd.
The birds sought repose — who had journeys to take,
Deferr'd their return till the morning should wake ;
Meantime, the sweet Mocking-Bird, true to his lay,
Thus welcom'd the Night, thus took leave of the Day:
t3
418
THE MOCKING-BIRD'S NIGHT SONG.
Tardus Pohiglottvs. — (Linn.)
The garish day is gone to rest,
Then welcome gentle Night!
I love thy solemn silent hours
When moon and stars are bright.
I love, O night ! to hear repose
In breathing slumbers sweet ;
I love to hear thy crystal rills
Flow murmuring at thy feet.
Sweet night ! of love the tender nurse,
I offer unto thee
The holiest and the purest vows
That e'er can offered be.
Hast thou, sweet night ! a maiden seen
Array 'd like seraph bright ?
She wanders oft in yonder grove ;
Oh tell me, gentle night !
THE MOCKING-BIRD'S NIGHT SONG. 419
Awake, O, breeze ! and bear my song
To that fair seraph bright ;
Tell her that love awaits her steps
In the bower of moonlight.
Then welcome be thy silent hours,
Thy moon and thy starlight ; —
Thy deep repose, thy bowers of bliss —
Thrice welcome gentle night !
For an account of the Mocking-bird, see note (41), page 373 ;
but it may be stated here, in regard to its song, that during the
day its chief notes consist of the imitations of the songs of its neigh-
bours ; at night its song is more peculiarly its own.
END OF THE SECOND PART.
421
THE VALLEY OF NIGHTINGALES.
A SCENE
Near the Hotwells, Bristol.
"Then, said T, master, pleasant is this place,
And sweet are those melodious notes I hear;
And happy they, among man's toiling race,
Who, of their cares forgetful, wander near."
Bowj.es.
[To those who might not happen to know St. Vincent's
Rocks, Clifton, and the very beautiful scenery near the
Hotwells, Bristol, it might be desirable to state that the
river Avon winds here through a sinuous defile, on one side of
which the Rocks rise perpendicularly in a hold yet irregular
manner to the height of many hundred feet ; the opposite side
is not so bold, but it is, nevertheless, extremely beautiful, being
clothed, in many places, with wood, and has, besides, a Valley
through which you may ascend to Leigh Down. This valley has
been named the Valley of Nightingales, no doubt, in consequence
of those birds making it their resort.
u "Where foliag'd full in vernalpride,
Retiring winds thy favourite vale j
And faint the moan of Avon's tide
Remurmurs to the nightingale."
C. A. Elton, Poems, Disappointment.
In a note Mr. Elton informs us that this stanza alludes to
the "Valley of Nightingales opposite St, Vincent's Rocks at
Clifton." The lovers of the picturesque will here find ample
gratification. If, in the following poem, the truth in Natural
History be a little exceeded in reference to a troop of nightin-
gales, it is hoped that the poetical licence will be pardoned.
The vicinity of the Hotwells has been lately much improved by
a carriage drive beneath and around these rocks.]
422
THE VALLEY OF NIGHTINGALES.
Seest thou yon tall Rocks, where, 'midst sunny light
beaming,
They lift up their heads and look proudly around;—
While numerous Choughs, with their cries shrill and
screaming,
Wheel from crag unto crag, and now oe'r the pro-
found ?
Seest thou yonder Valley where gushes the fountain ;
Where the Nightingales nestling harmoniously sing;
Where the Mavis and Merle, and the merry Lark
mounting,
In notes of wild music, now welcome the spring ?
Seest thou yonder shade where the woodbine as-
cending,
Encircles the hawthorn with amorous twine,
With the bryony scandent in gracefulness blending ;
What sweet mingled odours—- scarce less than di-
vine
THE VALLEY OF NIGHTINGALES. 423
Hearest thou the blue Ring-Dove in yonder tree cooing ;
The Red.breast — the Hedge-Sparrow, warble their
song;
The Cuckoo, with sameness of note ever wooing;
Yet ever to pleasure such notes will belong ?
And this is the Valley of Nightingales? — listen
To those full swelling sounds — with those pauses
between ;
Where the bright waving shrubs 'midst the pale hazels
glisten,
There oft may a troop of the songsters be seen.
Seest thou yon proud Ship on the stream adown sailing,
O'er ocean her course to strange climes she now
bends ;
Oh ! who may describe the deep sobs or heart wailing,
Her departure hath wrought amongst lovers and
friends ?
The rocks now re-echo the songs of the sailor,
As he chearfully bounds on his watery way ;
But the Maiden ! — ah what shall that echo avail her,
When absence and sorrow have worn out the day ?
Behold her all breathless, still gazing, pursuing,
And waving at times, with her white hand, adieu ;
On the rock now she sits, with fix'd eye the ship viewing,
No picture of fancy — but often too true !
424 THE VALLEY OF NIGHTINGALES.
Dost thou see yon flush'd Hectic, of health poor re-
mainder,
With a dark hollow eye and a thin sunken cheek ;
While Affection hangs o'er him with thoughts that
have pain'd her,
And that comfort and hope still forbid her to speak?*
Yes, Friendships ! Affections! ye ties the most
tender !
Fate, merciless Fate, your connexion will sever ;•—
To that tyrant remorseless, all — all must surrender !
I once had a Son — here we parted for ever !f
Now the sun o'er the earth rides in glory unclouded ;
The Rocks and the Valleys delightedly sing ;
The Birds in wild concert, in yonder wood shrouded.
Awake a loud chorus to welcome the spring.
And this is the Valley of Nightingales; — listen
To those full-swelling sounds — with those pauses
between,
Where the bright waving shrubs midst the pale hazels
glisten,
There oft may a troop of the songsters be seen.
May, 1826.
* The Hotwells are, unfortunately, too often the last resort
of the consumptive.
t A promising youth who died some years since at Berbice.
m
THE HILL OF FREEDOM.
" Approach ! thou delight of the children of men,
Fair Freedom! approach!"
See Part I. page 170.
The questions as to the justice of buying or selling any
of our fellow men, of whatever colour or condition, or of
retaining them, as Slaves, have been, it is presumed, long
ago decided. The emancipation of such unfortunate beings
must, therefore, sooner or later take place. The only
questions which remain appear to be those relative to the
manner and the time.
The ignorance and prejudices of the Slaves on the one
hand, and the immediate interests and prejudices of the
Planters on the other, are, it must be admitted, difficulties
of no ordinary kind. While some of our benevolent enthu-
siasts have advocated early, or even immediate, emancipa-
tion, the planters have, in too many instances, done all
they could to prevent the diffusion of knowledge amongst
the slaves, and, by such and other obstructions, have,
doubtless, retarded the desired consummation. Both pro-
ceed injudiciously and unwisely. To expect the Slaves
to be at once capable of rational freedom is not less absurd
than to expect ignorance to produce rational obedience.
The only safe course is by enlightening their understand-
ing, shewing them their true interests, and teaching them the
arts, conveniencies, and decencies of civilized society; and
also by shewing them that humanity to which they, as well as
the whites, are equally entitled. Vindictiveness, on either
426 THE HILL OF FREEDOM.
side, will be, most certainly, productive of a retaliation
greatly to be deplored.
The anomaly which is found in some of the United Stales
of America, where the Negro is still bought, sold, and
treated as a Slave by the white Proprietor, who, at the
same lime, is loud in his demands of Liberty for himself,
furnishes a lesson that will, it is to be hoped, have, in time,
a proper influence on the manners and councils of that
otherwise highly favoured and happy country.
The existence of Slavery, however, in the United States
of America, it is evident, is tolerated, not encouraged, by the
intelligent portion of their social community. From some
efforts which have been lately made by those states where
Slavery is not tolerated, we learn that the state of
Mississipi, where, of course, Slavery is tolerated, has
transmitted a report and resolution in which the proposal
of the state of Ohio relative to the emancipation of Slaves is
disapproved ; and in which, also, complaint is made of the
interference of non-slaveholding states. The report, in
effect, declares that the right of property in Slaves is as
sacred and inviolable as that of any other personal property ;
that, however great the national evil of Slavery may be,
and however much it may be regretted, circumstances have
rendered it inevitable, and placed it without the pale of
legislative authority ; that the state cannot concur in any
arrangement for emancipating Slaves; that any interference
by non-slaveholding states on subjects of this nature may
produce deplorable consequences, excite prejudices, and
weaken the union of the states ; and, instead of ameliorating
the condition, can only aggravate the misfortunes of the
Slaves; that, by a gradual emancipation, the hopes of those
who remained in slavery would be excited to insurrection,
and the lives of the citizens endangered; the state, for
THE HILL OF PREEDOM. 427
these reasons it seems, determined to participate in no
such measure.
In conclusion, this right, hearty, and determined Slave-
holding state, claims the right, in concert with the southern
states, whose situation is similar, of moving this question
when an enlarged system of benevolence shall, in consistency
with their rights and interests, render it practicable. Most
excellent morality certainly ! Which enlarged system of
benevolence it is not difficult to prophesy will never, under
the direction of these Slave-holders, unless continually
stimulated and prompted by their neighbours, arrive. And,
notwithstanding the high tone of such moral professors, it
is devoutly to be hoped that their neighbours will continue
to remind them of their Duties, in temper and conciliation
of course. The haughtiness of these worthies, among their
other qualities, is not a little remarkable : you must not
meddle in their concems t although their bad example may
contaminate all their neighbours ! It is to be hoped,
however, that, notwithstanding the peculiar sensitiveness
of the Legislators of Mississipi, their Intelligent Neigh-
bours will not fail to keep a watchful eye over them, and
WizXpublic opinion will ultimately operate beneficially upon
the obliquity of their morals and their understandings.
We now come to legislators of a higher grade ; and here
it is impossible to observe, without regret, that a Resolu-
tion concerning Slavery in the district of Columbia was
offered, among others, by Mr. Miner, of Pennsylvania, to
the Congress of the United States, a short time since,
and negatived by an apparently large majority ; this reso-
lution was as follows :
Resolved,
That the district of Columbia being placed under
the exclusive regulation of the United States, ought to exhibit
428 THE HILL Of FREEDOM*
to the nation, and to the world, the purest specimen of govern*
ment, vindicating the superior excellence of free institutions ;
that, as we are here establishing a city, ( Washington,) in-
tended as the perpetual Capital of a great Republic, it is due
to Ourselves, and to Posterity, that the foundations thereof be
laid in wisdom, and that no fundamental evils in the structure
of its policy be permitted to take root, which might become
inveterate by time, but which prudent and timely policy may
eradicate.
We turn from the unfruitful efforts of the intelli-
gent and benevolent in America to the speech of Don
Manuel Lorenzo de Vidaurre^ Minister from Peru at the
opening of the American Congress at Panama, on the 22d
of June, 1826. Here shall we find sentiments in accordance
with the times and with truth; after expatiating on various
interesting topics, he thus alludes to the Slave.
" Let," said he, "the sad and abject countenance of the
poor African, bending under the chains of rapacity and
oppression, no longer be seen in these climes; let him be
endowed with equal privileges with the white man, whose
colour he has been taught to regard as a badge of su-
periority; let him, in learning that he is not distinct from
other men, learn to become a rational being."
To such efforts and such sentiments as these, who does
not wish success?
429
THE HILL OF FREEDOM.
Shall Birds and their Freedom engross all the
Song ?
Forbid it, O ye! Jthat to music belong.
Awake Harp ! once more with thy melody wake !
Let the Freedom of Man of the Song now partake ;
Let the chords from thy strings in loud energy roll;
And let Truth and let Justice the cadence control.
Who hath not heard of Freedom ? — delightful the
sound !
Wherever she dwells may be deemed holy ground.
In cities she, sometimes, is pleas'd to reside;
And. sometimes, the hermit's lone cottage beside ;
But the country, for ever, abode of her choice :
In woods, meadows, on mountains, her footsteps rejoice.
.She hath long had, in Britain, a high chosen seat;
And Columbia, for her, is a sacred retreat.
O'er the South — o'er Peru — to the Andes — the Shore,
Where Tezcalipoca* the natives adore,
* One of the imaginary Gods of the Mexican Indians, of whom
thus sings South ev in his Madoc
" Among the Gods of yon unhappy race,
Ttzculiboca as the chief they rank,
Or with their chief co-equai ; maker he
And master of created things esteem'd.
He sits upon a throne of trophied skulls
Hideous and huge."
Part II. Seel. II.
430 THE HILL < F FREEDOM.
She now stretches her arm with glad tidings for all
Who on her may choose for assistance to call.
Her permanent palace an undulate Hill,
At whose feet gushes forth, in sweet warble, the rill ;
On whose top looking round you all nations behold —
Their valleys of verdure — their rivers of gold.
That ocean of isles looking far to the west,
Hath nature with plenty abundantly bless'd.
There the swart Sons of Africa labour and sigh ;
And oft, too, for Freedom, are willing to die.
On that Hill top, in vision, enraptur'd I saw,
Fair Freedom unfetter'd by Custom or Law ;
Her form the most graceful — step airy and light ;
And her robes gave to splendour intensity bright ;
Her countenance shone ; and her look was benign ; —
Her contour and movement bespake her divine.
Beside her walk'd Knowledge, like vestal sedate,
Nor airs of importance surround her, nor state ;
Her language was simple, yet touching the grand,
And such as the simplest could well understand;' —
No sentence involv'd, nor terms learned, abtruse, —
Nor pride to exhibit what is of no use.
She, the punning of pedants — the play upon names —
With the lumber of learning, consigns to the flames.
To Teach, her sole object, the Useful and True ; —
By the aid of enquiry examines the new :
To Progression pays homage, and, as the Time flies,
Collects from his passage the words of the wise.
Content, too, awaited in Freedom's fair train ;
And Happiness smil'd, in robes homely and plain.
THE HILL OF FREEDOM. 431
Innumerous the sylphids who wander among
The groves and the glades, while the Birds, in full
song,
Sent o'er hill and o'er valley the notes of delight,
As the sun of the morning in splendour rose bright.
The Children of Africa, groaning and sore
With the chains of oppression, will bear them no
more.
On her hill top fair Freedom they ken from afar,
And indignantly threaten their Masters with war:
They to her look for succour — to her they appeal —
That she the deep wounds of oppression will heal.
She, in accents benignant, bright hope by her side,
To the tale of their sorrows thus kindly replied :
" Ye Children of Afric! your manifold wrongs
" Long by me have been heard in your prayers and
songs ;
" Nor have heard I in vain : for gone forth is a sound
" That will your oppression abash and confound :
"That sound is of Knowledge the mild and still
voice,
" At whose bidding all nations shall sing and rejoice.
" My handmaid is she — will my fiat attend,
" And ever will prove your inflexible friend.
" O seek her, pursue her by day and by night ;
" All her paths are of peace and are strew'd with de-
light.
;i Without her what aid can I, Freedom, impart?
" It is Knowledge with me that must govern the
heart.
432 THE HILL OF FREEDOM.
" Be patient then Children of Afric ! your sun
" Hath his glorious career o'er the mountains begun ; —
■ l You, my Children of Britain will never for-
sake ; —
" For You, they will efforts incessantly make !
" Ye days of bright promise, O hasten ! speed !
u When Knowledge shall make all, at length, free
indeed/'
She ceas'd for a moment; then turn'd unto those
Whom the Africans deem, at once, masters and
foes.
"You, who hold in your hands all the issues of life —
" Of the Negro —his children — son — daughter, and
wife ;
" Who transfer, when you please, be they blind, be
they lame,
" Their persons for gold unto whom you may name ;
" You, whose ships float along on the tide of success ;
" You, whom power enables to curse or to bless ; —
" Oh fail not in duty's imperious commands ;
" Be a blessing to those whom you have in your hands ;
" Smooth the pillow of age — and to youth be e'er
kind —
" And thus lead, not administer ybrce to, the mind.
" Consult too the feelings, — affections, — nay, pride ;
" Nor mother from daughter, son, father, divide ;
" Nor wife from the husband, nor friend from the
friend ;
" And thus o'er your Slaves benign influence extend.
THE HILL OF FREEDOM. 433
"Teach them lessons of love by the pure Gospel
taught,
" Apart from the webs superstition hath wrought.
" Diffuse, too, the wisdom which knowledge im-
parts ;
; ' Teach them foresight, and prudence, the useful in
arts.
" Be, in your own persons, the picture I draw,
" And soon shall you need not the terrors of law.
'* This do, and your Slaves will, aye, maugre your
creed,
" Soon become all well fitted for freedom indeed.
" My realm they may enter with dance and with song",
" While happiness leads them, in triumph, along!"
She said, — a dark cloud now arose on the hill ;
No more she was seen ; aloud warbled the rilh
U
434
VALEDICTORY LINES.
"O reminiscences of youth! ye charm
The years of manhood, soothe the aches of age ;
Your pencil paints the pleasures of the past
In liveliest hues, while many a rueful pain
Ye darken o'er with shade."
From an unpublished Poem,
Ye minstrels of melody ! children of song !
A moment yet more I the strain must prolong.
Yes, lovely enchanters of wood and of deli !
One moment yet grant me to bid you farewell.-/*
One moment to thank you for much of delight ; —
For much ting'd with rapture, by hope colour'd bright ; —
What time I have listened, in glens and in groves,
In moorlands, in meadows, to songs of your loves; —
How often the Lapwings have heard on North-moor !
How often the Rooks, at my natal cot's door \
And both those and the Ring-Doves, %XP ether ton- Park,
While o'er the rich meadow sang sweetly the Lark !
And the Thrush's, the Black-bird's, and Red-breast's
soft note,
Seem'd, buoyant like bubbles, on ether to float ; —
The Cuckoo's loud monotone spake of delight ; —
Of May time the Nightingale sang at midnight ; —
6
VALEDICTORY LINES. 435
Or, while the tenth wave* rising roll'd on the shore,
And, lifting his head, gave a loud hollow roar,
Have heard the wild sea-bird's loud screaming, not
song,
As I wander'd with pleasure the sea marge along.
In youth, ere Experience, with look sedate, chill,
Fix'd on Feeling the rein, there I wander'd at will,
While the young laughing Love, with his sinuous art,
Threw his magical sympathies over my heart.
In manhood less rapture, more pleasure, my share :
For reason had taught me your feelings to spare ;
* The tenth wave has excited the attention of the poets.
Maturin somewhere speaks of the "tenth wave of human
misery." In turning over lately some of our older poets, I met
with an allusion to the ninth wave : in whose works I do not.
now recollect. Ovid has the following passages relative to this
subject :
Qui veuit hie fluctus, fiuctus supereminet omnes;
Posterior nono est, undechnoque prior,
Trislia Elegia, 2.
Vastius insurgens declines riiit impetus nndce.
Metamor-ph. Lib. xi.
This notion concerning the tenth wave has also been long
entertained by many persons conversant with the sea-shore : I
often heard it when I was a boy, and have repeatedly-
watched the waves of the sea when breaking vn the shore,
(for it is to this particular motion that the tenth wave, as far as
I know, applies,) and can state that, when the tide is ebbing, xm
such phenomenon as the tenth wave occurs; but that, when the
tide is flowing, some such is often observable; it is not, however,
invariably the tenth wave : after several smaller undulations, a
larger one follows, and the water rises. This is more distinctly
V2
436 VALEDICTORY LINES.
Of your homes and your little'ones often I thought;
For your pleasures, your wrongs, too, I manfully
fought ;
And, now I am come to the threshold of age,
For you I a war still am willing to wage.
But no more ! of your songs — of the meadow, or dell —
No more — ye wild Warblers! I bid you farewell !
And farewell, too, to song I — for your minstrel
grows old,
And the world, frowning o'er him, looks callous and
cold.
No more he, perchance, shall awaken the lyre,
But in this, his last song, his last thoughts may
transpire.
When he sleeps in yon woodland, will you, in the spring,
O'er his sod, in remembrance, a requiem sing ; —
Will you visit the woods where he once touch'd his
shell ?—
Ye Minstrels of Melody! hail! andFAREWEti!
seen on a sandy, or smooth muddy shore of more or less
flatness.
I take occasion to observe here that the Sea is a subject of
intense interest, solemnity, sublimity, at all times; but, per-
haps, most so on a still evening about high water, when it makes
no noise except at intervals, as its wavy yet smootli undulations
break with a peculiar and indescribable hollow sound as they
roll over on the shore, reminding us of
" Eternity, eternity, and power."
Procter.
A GLOSSARY OF TERMS
USED IN T THIS WORK.
^* A few other words of rather uncommon occurrence mill also be
found in the preceding pages, but, as they hive a place in Todd's
Johnson's Dictionary, it lias been thought unnecessary to
explain them in this glossary. The anglicized words are
accented.
Birds of the Duck
A bird of the Heron
Birds of the Heron
Al'cad. A bird of the auk tribe.
Alcada. Birds of the (tuft tribe.
Alerabical. Having the shape
of an alembic.
Anat/id. AbirdoftheDi/c/ctribe,
Anatidee.
iribe.
Ai'deid.
tribe. .
Ardeida.
trilre.
Aves. Birds.
Bombyelne. Silky, formed of
siik.
Bu'cerid. A bird of the Horn-
bill tribe.
Buceridte. Birds of the Horn-
bill tribe.
Capistrum. The face.
Caprimul'^id. A bird of the
Goat-sucker tribe.
Caprimulgidce. Birds of the
Goatsucker tribe.
Carinate. Formed like a keel.
Caruncnlate. Having caruncles.
Cere. The membrane covering
the base of the bill ; the wax.
Cereless. Without a cere.
Cer'thiaii. A bird of the Creeper
tribe.
Certhindce. Birds of the Creeper
tribe.
Cm-
Cin-
Charad'riad A bird of the Pto-
vei- tribe.
Charadriadee- . Birds of the Plo-
ver tribe.
Cin'nyrid. A bird of the
nyris or Sun bird tribe.
Cinnyridce. Birds of the
nyris or Sun-bird tribe.
Colunvbid. A bird of the Pi-
geon tribe.
ColumbidcE. Birds of the Pi-
geon tribe.
Colym'bid. A bird of the Diver
tribe.
Colymbidce,
tiibe.
Con'irost.
conic biH',
Conirostres,
nic bills.
Coi'vid. A bird of the Crow 'tribe.
Corvida. Birds of the Crow tribe.
Cra'cid. A bird of the Cur as-
sou? and Penelope tribp.
Cracidee. Birds of the Curassow
and Penelope tribe.
Cn'culid. A bird of the Cuckoo
tribe.
CuculidcE. Birds of the Cackw
tribe.
Den'tirost. A bird havin-: a
toothed bill.
Birds of the Diver
A bird having a
Birds having co-
438
GLOSSARY OF TERMS*
Dentirostres. Birds having
toothed bills.
Expansile. Capable of being
expanded.
Fal'conid. A bird of the Eagle
or Falcon tribe.
Falconides. Birds of the Eagle
or Falcon tribe.
Farinacea. Those vegetables,
particularly corn, which are
mealy.
Ferruginous. Having the co-
lour of rusty iron.
Filiform. Having the shape of
threads.
Fis'sirost. A bird with a deft
or notched bill.
Fissirostres. Birds with cleft
or notched bills.
Frin'gillid. A bird of the
Finch tribe.
Fringillidce. Birds of the Finch
tribe.
Autescent. Shrubby.
Fulvous. Tawny, mixed with
red and yellow.
Gape. The whole extent or
cavity of the mouth.
Genera. The plural of genus.
Gralla'tor. A wading bird.
Grallatores. Wading birds.
Gressorial. (Gressorius.) Form-
ed (literalhj) for stepping;
but used by Lvvkeus, and
some other naturalists, for
hopping or leaping.
Gru'id. A. bird of the Crane
tribe.
Gruidas. Birds of the Crane
tribe.
Gular. Belonging or attached
to the throat.
Halcyon'id. A bird of the King-
fisher or Halcyon tribe.
HalcyonidcE. Birds of the King-
fisher or Halcyon tribe.
Hirun'dinid. A bird of the
Swallow tribe.
Hirundinidce. Birds of the
Swallow tribe.
Ingluvies. The crop.
Inses'sor. A perching bird.
Insessores. Perching birds.
Intratropicah Being within
the tropics.
Irids. The plural of Iris. The
coloured circles in the globes
of the eyes surrounding the
pupil.
La'niad. A bird of the Shrike
tribe.
Laniades. Birds of the Shrike
tribe.
Lar'id. A bird of the Gull tribe.
Laridce. Birds of the Gull tribe.
Leguminous. Bearing pods.
Liddcn. A song ; a note.
Lobate. Divided into lobes.
Lore. A naked skin between
the eye and bill.
Lox'iad. A bird of the Gros
beak and Crossbill tribe.
T,oxiad(B. Birds of the Gros-
beak and Crossbill tribe.
Lunula. ) A small crescent like
Lunule. 5 the increasing moon.
Magnates. The great people ;
the nobility.
Mammalia, s. pi. Those ani-
mals which suckle their
young, consisting chiefly of
Quadrupeds and Man.
Meliphag'id. A bird of the
Honey-eater tribe.
MeliphagidcE. Birds of the
Honey-eater tribe.
Mer'opid. A bird of the Bee-
eater tribe.
Meropidce. Birds of the Bee'
eater tribe.
Mer'ulid. A bird of the Thrush
tribe.
Merulidoe. Birds of the Thrush
tribe.
Mongamous. Confined to one
sexual association.
Muscicap'id. A bird of the
Fly-catcher tribe.
Muscicapidee* Birds of the Fly-
catcher tribe.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS.
439
Nata'tor. A swimming bird.
Natatores. Swimming birds.
Natatorial. Having the quality
of a natator ; swimming.
Naive. Natural, simple.
Nectarin'iad. A bird of the
Honey-eating tribe.
Nectariniadce. Birds of the
Honey-eating tribe.
Ochraceous. Of the colour of
ochre, dull yellow.
Olivaceous. Of an olive colour,
somewhat olive.
Orbit. The ring or circle sur-
rounding the eye.
Palmate. > „ • u
Palmated. J Having webs.
Pelecan'id. A bird of the Pe-
lican tribe.
Pelecanidts. Birds of the Pe-
lican tribe.
Peaduline. Pendulous, not
supported below.
Phasian'id. A bird of the
Pheasant tribe.
Phasianidce. Birds of the Phea-
sant tribe.
Pfcid. A bird of the Wood-
pecker tribe.
Picidce. Birds of the Wood-
pecker tribe.
Pinnate. Furnished with little
webs.
Pip'rid . A bird of the Manakin
tribe.
Pipridce. Birds of the Manakin
tribe.
Polygamous. Not confined to
one sexual association.
Prairie. An extensive plain
in the back settlements of
America, covered chiefly
with grass.
Primaries. The chief quill fea-
thers of the wing.
Promer'opid. A bird of the
Hoopoe tribe.
Promeropidce. Birds of the
Hoopoe tribe.
Psit'tacid. A bird of the Par-
rot tribe.
PsittacidcB. Birds of the Par-
rot tribe.
Ral'lid. A bird efihe Rail tribe.
Rallidee, Birdsof the Rail tribe.
Ramphas'tid. A bird of the
Toucan tribe.
Ramphastidce. Birds off the
Toucan tribe.
Rap'tor. A bird of the rapto-
rial tribe.
Raptores. Birds of prey, or
raptorial birds.
Raptorial. Having the quality
of snatching — rapacious.
Ra'sor. One of the gallinaceous
or scratching birds.
Rasores. Birds whose cha-
racteristic is scratching : gal-
linaceous birds.
Recurvate. Curved backwards,
Reniform. Kidney shaped.
Retractile. Capable of being
drawn backward or inwards.
Revolute. Rolled or turned
back.
Rufous. Reddish yellow, some-
what red.
Scandent. Climbing.
Scansile. Formed for climbing.
Scan'sor. A climbing bird.
Scansores. Climbing birds.
Scansorial. Formed for climb-
ing.
Scapular. Belonging to the
shoulder blade.
Scapulars. Feathers covering
the back part of the shoulder.
Scolopa'cid. A bird of the
Snipe tribe.
ScolopacidcB. Birds of the Snipe
tribe.
Scratcher. A bird that scratches
the ground to obtain its food.
Secondaries. The quill feathers
of the second size in the wing.
Semipalmate. 1 Half or parti-
Semipalmated. > ally webbed.
440
GLOSSARY OP TERMS,
Snatcher. A bird of prey : a
raptorial bird*
Sqnamiform* Shaped like
scale?.
Sternum* The breast bone*
Stri'gid. A bird of the Owl
tribe.
Strigidts. Birds of the Owl tribe,
Struthiones. Ostriches:
birds of the Ostrich tribe,
Struthion'id* A bird of the
Ostrich tribe.
Strut hionidee. Birds of the
Ostrich tribe*
Stmthious. Having tiie quali-
ties of the Ostrich tribe.
Stur'nid. A bird of the Starl-
ing tribe.
Sturnidce. Birds of the Starling
tribe.
Subarched. Somewhat arched.
Subconic. Somewhat conic.
Subcrested. Somewhat crested.
Subcylindric. Somewhat cy-
lindrical.
Subincurved. Somewhat in-
curved.
Subulate. Awl=.shaped~
Syl'viad. A bird of the Warbler
tribe.
Sylviadce. Birds of the Warbler
tribe.
Tenu'irost. A bird having a
slender bill.
Tenuirostres. Birds having
slender bills.
Tertials. The .smallest quill
feathers of the wing*
Tetraon'id. A bird of the
Partridge and Grouse tribe.
TetraomdtE . Birds of the Par-
tridge and Grouse tribe.
Textor. A weaver,
Thoiacic duct. That tube or
vessel which conveys the nu-
triment from the absorbents
to the blood.
To'did. A bird of the Tody
tribe.
TodidfB. Birds of the Tody
tribe.
Tro'chilid. A humming-bird,
Trochilidee* Humming-birds.
Truncate* Appearing lopped
or shortened*
Vertebrce, The bones of the
back and neck.
Vinaceous. Having the colour
of grape leaves, pale dull
green.
Viscera. The plural of Viscus.
Viscus. A bowel or entrail : it
is, however, used by auato-
mists in a more extensive
signification than this ; the
heart is called a viscus ; and
we frequently hear of the
thoracic, as well as abdominal
viscera.
Vul'turid. A bird of the Vul-
ture tribe.
Vulturidee. Birds of the Vul-
ture tribe.
Wax. The membrane covering
the base of the bill ; the ceve~
INDEX,
( * The Scientific names are distinguished thus: the ordinal
and generic by capitals; the specific by Italics; the
English, names by Roman letters.
A.
Aberdevine
253 J
Alca Alle
213
Accipitres 32, 37,
100
Arctica
ib.
Address to the Blue-Bird
334
Impennis
ib.
Cuckoo
137
Pica
212
Freedom
170
Turda
ib.
theHedge-Sparrow 267
Alcad
43
Mrs. Kay
1
Alcad^e
41
theMocking-Birc
1,372
Alcbdo
171
Nightingale,
132
Alcyon
172
Rook
148
Chlorocephala
ib.
Spring
298
Cristata
ib.
WarbJers
297
Formosa
ib.
Wood-Robin
352
Ispida
171
to a Wren
243
Purpurea
172
Adjutant
201
Alp
269
African Beef-Eater
329
Amazons
397
Ahinga
342
American Hang-nest
408
Alauda
112
Ampelis
340
Arborea
113
Carnifex
341
Arvensis ib
250
Carunculata
342
Cristata
114
Coccinea
341
Magna
113
Garrulus
ib.
Minor
114
Militaris
ib.
Nemorosa
ib.
Pompadora
ib.
Obscura
114
Variegata
ib.
Pratensis
113
Amsel 259
,264
Rubra
114
Anas
123
Trivialis
if>.
Anser (Ferus)
129
Albatross
336
(Mansuetus)
ib.
the Chocolate,
ib.
Atrata
125
Sooty
337
Bernicla
127
Wandering,
336
Boschas
130
Yello\v-r.osed,337
Clangula
128
Alca
212
Clijpeata
u3
ib,
442
l^DEX.
Anas Crecca
128
A ptenod yt es Patachoniea
,389
Cygnoides
126
Apterix Australis
ib.
Cygnus (Olur)
124
Ardeid
43
(Ferus)
125
Ardeid^e
41
Erythropus
127
Ardea
196
Ferina
128
Ciconia
ib.
Gambensis ,
126
Egretta
201
Grandis
ib.
Gardeni
199
Hyperhorea
126
Garzetta
201
Indica
ib.
Gigantea
ib.
Lieucoptera
ib.
Grus
197
Melanotus
ib.
Major
198
Mollissima
127
Minuta
199
Moschata
130
Nycticorax
ib.
Nigricollis
12.5
Stellaris
200
Penelope
128
Virgo
197
Querquedula
129
Argala
201
Segetwn
127
Argill
ib.
Tadorna
126
Arrangement of Brisson
, 31
Valisineria
131
Latham,
ib.
Anatid
43
Linnaeus,
27
AnatidjE
41
Pennant,
30
Anatomy of Birds
47
Vigors,
38
Angling, Lord Byron, on
6
Arse-foot 189
, 190
Anhinga
'342
Auer-Calze
222
Ani
347
Auk
212,
the Greater
ib.
the Black-billed,
ib
Lesser
ib.
Common
ib'
Varied
ib.
Great
213
Walking
ib.
Little
ib.
Anser Ferus
129
Razor-bill
212
Mansuetus
ib.
Austrian Kite
105
Anseres
27
Pratincole
211
Anthophagus
329
Aves
41
Cincinnatus, ib.
Aquaticcs
35
Olivaceus,
320
Terreslres
32
Aptenodytes
387
Avoset
227
Ausiralis
389
The American,
ib.
Chrysocome,
388
Scooping,
ib.
Demersa,
387
White
ib.
Magellanica
,388
Awl-Bird
165
B.
Bald Buzzard
105
Banana Bird
363
Coot
216
Bananiste
367
Eagle
103
Bank-Martin
159
Baltimore Bird
361
Banquet, the
276
Oriole
ib.
Bantam-Cock
146
INDEX.
443
Barbauld, Mrs., Lines on
the Quinary Arrangement,40
Barbet
324
the Abyssinian
392
Beautiful
325
Spotted-bellied, ib.
Yellow-cheeked, ib.
Barbican, the Abyssinian,
392
Bargander
126
Barley-Bird
253
Barra-Duck
ib.
Barrel-Tit
218
Barren-Ken
224
Barrington, Hon. [>., on
the Songs of Birds
65
Bat
315
Beam-Bird
246
Bean-Crake
186
Bearded-Eagle
104
Beckenham
12
Bee-bird
370
Bee-Eater
328
the Common
ib.
Indian
329
Poe
ib.
Rufous
329
Beech-Finch
252
Beef-Eater
329
the African
ib.
Striped
ib.
Bell-bird 312, 341,
342
Bernacle
127
Bilcock
186
Billy-biter
247
Birds of London
74
Bird of Paradise
320
the Greater, ib.
King of the, 321
Bittern 200
the Little 199
Bittour ^00
Black-bird 126, 264
the Crow 357
Michaelmas, 259
's Song 263 j
Black-Cap, 180, 219,220,273 j
's Song 272 ]
Cock 223 j
Eagle 103 !
Game . 223
Black Swan 125,344
Black-necked Swan 125
Blacky-Top 248
Bloodof Birds 51
Blow-pipe, the Indian 294
Blue- bird 332
Address to the, 334
's Song 333
Jay 154
Boat-bill 340
the Crested ib.
White-bellied, ib.
Bohemian Wax-wing 341
Bone-Taker 20l
Bones of Birds 48
Booby 355
Boonk 199
Bottle-nose 213
Bottle-Tom 218
Bramble 253
Brambling 193, 253
Brantail 246
Breaker 324
Brisson's Arrangement, 30
British and European
Birds 97
British Museum 94
Bucco 324
Elegans 325
Philippensis, ib.
Saltii 392
Tamatia 325
Zeylonicus ib.
Bucerid 42
BuCERIDiE ib.
Buceros 383
Bicornis ib.
Hydrocorax, 384
Undulata ib.
Bulfinch 269
the Greatest, 175
's Sonnet 268
Bum-barrel 218
Bumpy-Coss 200
Bunting 191, 192
the Cirl 193
Common 192
Cow 337
Green-headed, 193
Mountain ib.
444
INDEX.
Banting, the Reed
rise
Bnting-Crow
153
Rice
ib.
Butcher- bird
195
Snow
191
Another sort
of, ib.
Tawny
193
the Greater,
194
Weaver
389
Least
220
Yellow
192
Lesser
195
Bunting-Lark
ib.
Buuer-Buinp
200
Buphaga, Africana
329
Flip
227
Burrow Duck
126
173
Buzzard, the Bald
105
Bustard
20.3
Moor
106
the Field
206
Turkey
309
Great
ib.
By ros, Lord, on Angling, 6
Little
ib.
theNightingale'sSong,72
Thick-kneed
267
[
341
384
342
401
400
401
252
340
/ib.
ib.
137,303
169
Callgels Cinerea
Campanero
Canary-Bird
's Song
Finch
Goldfinch
Cancroma
Cancrophaga
Cochleuria,
Canorous Cuculid,
Cape-Starling
Caper-Calze 222
Caper-Cally ib.
Caprimulgid 41
Caprimulgid^e 42
Caprimulgus 310
Americanns 3J5
Asiaticus 313
Carolinensis 315
Europceus 311
Grandis 313
Indie us ib.
Longipennis ib.
Novte HollandicB i b .
Virgini anus
Vociferus
Car-Goose
Cariama
Carolina-Pigeon
Carpenter's- Bird
Cassowary, theGaleatcd,
314
189
S59
120
166
381
New Holland, ib.
Southern, ib.
Cassowary, the Van Die-
men's Land
382
Ca-tri!
107
Casuarius Dicmenianus
382
Cat-Bird
371
Cereopsis
391
Novte Hollands,
392
the New Hollant
!, ib.
Certhia
193
Familiaris
ib.
JLoyigirostra
319
Obscura
330
Pacifica
ib.
Sannis
193
Certhiad
43
Certhiad^e
ib.
Chaffinch
252
the Pied
191
Chanchider
370
Channel-Bill
386
Chanticleer
147
Character, on the Forma-
tion of,
25
Charadriad
43
Charadriad^e
41
Charadrius
172
Calidris
174
Hiaticula
172
Himatopus
174
Morinellus
172
Pluvialis
ib.
Chatham, the first Loid,
14
Chatterer
340
IttDfcX.
445
Chatterer, the Bohemian 341
Carunculated 342
European
341
Murasing
342
Pompadour
341
Red
ib.
Scarlet
ib.
Variegated
ib,
Waxen
ib.
Chepster
168
Chep-starling
ib.
Cherry-Finch
175
Sucker
370
Chough
153
the Cornish
156
Chuck-Will's- Widow
315
Churn-Owl
311
Citrinel
226
Ciunyrid
318
ClNNYRIDJE
427
CliNNYRIS
318
Affinis
319
l^ongirostra
ib.
Clakis
127
Cobb
179
Cobble
188
Cobler's Awl
227
Cobweb
370
Cock and Hen,theCommon
j 146
ofihe Mountain
222
Rock
406
Wood
222
the Indian
345
Pheasant
ib.
Cockatoo, tlieBanksian
398
Black
397
Yellow-crested ib.
Cook's
398
Coddy-moddy
181
Cold- Finch
370
Colemouse
220
Coleridge, Mr., on the
Nightingale's Song
68
Colius, Leuconotus
386
Colk
127
Colly
264
COLUMBA 34
115
Bantamensis
121
Carolinensis
120
Coronata
121
Columba Domestica
JLima
Migrutwia
CEnas
Palumbas
Pas serin a
Twtur
Columbid
Columbid^e
Columbine Birds
Colv, the White-backed
Colymbid
COLYMBID^
COLYMBUS
Arcticus
Auritus
Cristatus
Fluviatilis
G lac talis
Grylle
Immer
Minor
Obscura
Septentrionalis
Troile
Conclusion
Condor
Condur
Coni rost
CONIROSTRES
Coot
the Bald
Common
Greater
Moor
Weasel
CORACIAS
Garrula
Cormorant
Corn-Crake
Corn-Drake
Cornish -Chough
Daw
Cornwall-Kee
Corrira Jtalica
Corvid
Corvid^e
Corvorant
Corvus
Caryocatactes
116,
07,
116,
210,
116
118
120
116
271
120
119
43
41
34
387
43
41
187
188
189
ib.
ib.
188
187
188
ib.
139
ib.
18'
417
313
ib.
43
42
21?
ib.
ib.
218
216
210
204
ib.
354
186
ib.
156
ib.
ib.
365
42
ib.
354
149
155
446
INDEX,
Corvus Cristatus 154
Cor ax 150
Comix 153
Corona ib.
Frugilegus 148, 149
Graculus 156
Glandarius 154
Monedula 153
P^ca 155
Cotiuga, the Scarlet 341
Coucal 391
the Gigantic ib.
Pheasant ib.
Coulternal 213
Courser 390
Courier, the Italian 265
Cow-Bunting 337
Blackbird ib.
Cowpen ib,
Bird ib.
Oriole ib.
Coy-Pools 130
Coystrel 107
Cracid 41
Cracid^e ib.
Cracker 186
Crake 169
the Corn 186
Bean ib.
Gallinuie ib.
Water 169
Crane 196,197,201,355
the Common 197,198,201
Dancing 202, ib.
Gigantic 201
Numidian 197
Cranerv 198, 199
Crank -Bird 167
Crax 344
A lector 345
Galeata ib,
Globicera ib.
Pauxi ib.
Vociferuns ib.
Creeper 193
the Common ib.
Great Hooked-
billed 330
Long-billed 319
Mocking 193
Creeper, the Olive 320
Tree 193
Crek 186
Criks 397
Crocker 180
Crooked-Bill 227
Crop of Birds 52
Cross-bill 174, 175
Titmouse 219
Crotophaga 326
Ambulatoria ib.
Ani ib.
Major ib.
Varia ib.
Crow, the Buting 153
Carrion ib.
Common 161, ib.
Dun ib.
Gor ib.
Hooded ib.
Indian 397
Mire 180
Pease 344
Red-Leeged 156
Royston 153
Scare ib.
Sea 180, 354
Crowned Vulture 104
Cruelty to Animals, on,
281, 282, 283
Cuckoo 133, 137
the Common ib.
Honey-Guide 143
Long-billed-Rain 144
Pheasant 391
Red-headed 393
Sacred 144
Address to the, 137
Cuckoo's Maiden 208, 209
Cuculid 42
the Canorous 137, 303
Cuculid^e 42
Cucultjs 137
Canorus ib.
Flavus 144
Honor atus ib.
Indicator 1 43
Orient alis 144
Phasianns 391
Vetula 144
INDEX.
447
Cuddy
216
Currakeel
198
Culver
119
Cursoiuus
390
CURAgOA
344
Asiaticus
ib.
the Cashew
345
Europ&us
ib.
Crested
ib.
Curucui
364
Crying
ib.
the Fasciated
365
Galeated
ib.
Indian
ib.
Globose
ib.
Red-bellied
ib.
Curasso
344
Yellow-bellied
ib.
Curassow
ib.
Curwillet
174
the Piping
339
Cushat
271
Curcuma
198
Cuthbert-Duck
127
Curlew, the Common
161, 163
Cntter
324
Half
ib.
Cutty
242
Jack
ib.
Wran
ib.
Knot
ib.
Wren
ib.
Pigmy
164
Cygnet
124
Red
326
Cygnus Ferus
125
Scarlet
ib.
Olor
124
Stone
163, 20?
D.
Dabchick
189
Divedopper
189
Daker-Hen
186
Diver
187
Darter
342
the Black- throated
188
the Black-bellied
ib.
Dun
210
Surinam 343
,391
Greater-Speckled
187
White-bellied
342
Imber
ib.
Daw
153
Lesser-Toothed
210
Decoy-Pools
131
Lough
ib.
Demoiselle-Heron 197
, 202
Northern
188
Dentirost
43
Red-throated
189
Dentirostres
42
Dobchick
ib.
Dermody, a note on
4
the Black and White, ib.
Didapper
189
Eared
ib.
DlDUS
382
Dodo
382
Ineptus
383
the Hooded
383
Nazarenus
ib.
Nazarene
ib.
Solitarius
ib.
Solitary
ib.
DlOMEDEA
336
Domesticated Birds
89
Chlororhyncos
337
Dorr-Hawk
311
Exulans
336
Dotterel
173
Fuliginosus
337
the Sea
184
Spadicea
336
Doucker, the Great
188
Dipper
189
Northern
188
Dirsh
257
Small
189
the Whinnle
260
Dove
119
Dish-Washer
247
the Greenland. 187
20?
448
INDEX.
Dove, the Mountain
120
Duck, the Edder
127
Ring 118,
271
Eider
ib.
's Lament
270
Muscovy
130
Rock
120
St. George's
126
Stock
116
Tame
130
Turtle
119
Wild
ib.
of the Uni-
Ducker, the Greater,
ted States
>120
Crested, and Horned
189
Wild
118
Duck-Hawk
110
Dronte
383
Dnlwich
11
Duck
123
Dulwilly
173
the Barra
126
Dun-bird
128
Burrow
ib.
Dun-Crow
153
Canvass-Back
131
Dung- Hunter
180
Cuthbert
127
Dunnock
266
E,
Eagle
100,
123
E m b l R i Z a Chlorocephala
193
the Bald
103
Cirlus
ib.
Bearded
104
Citrinella
19*
Black
103
Hortulana
191
Crested
104
Miliaria
192
Fishing
105
Montana
193
French
104
Muslelina
ib.
Golden
101
Nivatis
191
Oronookoo
104
Oryzivora
192
Ring-tailed
103
Pecoris
337
Sea
102
Schtfnichus
192
East India House Museum
94
Textrix
389
Ebb
192
Emeu
381
Edder-Duck
127
A
merican
380
Education, notice concern-
of New South Wales
381
ing
17
Emme
-Hunter
208
Eggs of Birds
61
English Lady
364
Egret, the Great
201
Erodi
A
392
Little
ib.
Amphilensis
ib.
Eider-Duck
127,
179
Pondiceriana
393
Down
128,
171
Erody,
the Abyssinian
392
Goose
127
Pondicherry
393
Elk
125
Esculent Swallow 158
,388
Ember Goose
188
Exeter
Change, Birds ar,
95
Emberiza.
191
1KD£Xi
449
K.
Falco ioo
JEruginosus 106
Antillarum J 07
Austriacus 105
Burbatus 1 04
B«<eo 106
Coerulescens 109
Chrysa'etos 101
Communis 109
Cyaneas 104
Fulvus 1 03
Gallicus 104
Gyr falco 109
Halia'etos 105
Harpyia 104
Lunnarius 109
Leucocephalus 103
Milvus 105
A'isas 108
(Esolon 109
Orient alls 10?
Ossifragus 102
Palumbarius 108
Peregrinus 110
Pumilius 109
Pygargus 1 04
Seipentarius ib.
Subbuteo 109
Tinnunculus 107
Vespertinus 109
Falcon, the Aged 109
Common ib.
Gentle ib.
Ingrian ib.
Kestril 107
Peregrine 110
Tiny 109
Yearly ib.
Falconid 43
Falconid^ 41
Fallow Smich 247
Finch ib.
Feathers of Birds 46
Feldef'are 258
Fieldefare ib.
Fieldfare 258
the Pigeon ib.
Fig-Eater 248
Finch 252
the Beech ib.
Canary 401
Cold 370
Cherry 175
Fallow 217
Gold 252
Great Pied
Mountain 193
Green 175
Haw 175, 176
Lesser Mountain, 193
Mountain
Pied
Pied Mountain
Storm
Thistle
Fin-Foot
the African
American
Fire- Bird
Fish-Hawk
Fishing-Hawk
Fissirost 43j
Fissirostres
Flamingo
the Chilese
Red
Flicker
Fluder
Fly -Catcher
the Cat
Fan-tailed
Pied
Purple-
throated 371
Spotted 370
Food of Birds, on the, 53,55,276
Foreign Birds 201
Forest-Hill 9
French Eagle 104
Pie 194
253
252
191
214
252
390
391
ib.
361
105
ib.
159
42
322
323
322
167
188
370
371
ib.
370
450
INI
>EX.
Frigate- Bird
355
Fringilla Spinus
253
Pelican
ib.
Xunthorea
ib.
the Great
ib.
Fringillid
42
Frincilla
252
FRINGILLIDiE
ib.
Canaria
401
FULICA
216
Cannabina
253
Aterrima
218
Carduelis
252
Atra
217
Calebs
ib.
Chloropus
216
Domestica
280
Porphyrio
218
Linaria
253
Purpurea
ib.
Linota
262
Fulmar
215
Montifringiila
253
Furze-Chat
248
Montium
ib.
G.
GrALBULA 386
Galeny 230
Gallina ib.
Galling 34
Gallinaceous Birds ib.
Gallinula 36
Galunule 216, 217
the Common 216
Crake 186
Crowing 218
Purple ib.
Spotted 187
Gambet 183
Game, what, 207
Black 223
Moor 207
Red 224
White 222
Gannet 227,356
Garganey 129
Gaunt 189
Geese, on the Plucking of, 287
Gid 162
Gillihowter 235
Glareola 211
Austriaca ib.
Navia ib.
Senegalensis ib.
Glead 105
Glee 275
Glossary 437
Goat-Owl 311
Goat-Sucker 156, 310
311
the Bombay
313
Crested
ib.
European
311
Grand
313
Leona
313
Nocturnal 311
Short-winged 313
Virginian
ib.
Whip-poor-
Will 313
,314
Goderich, Lord Viscount
)
a Note
13
Godwit, the Cambridge
162
Cinereous
ib.
Common
ib.
Grey
ib.
Leaser
ib.
Golden-Eagle
101
Eye
128
Robin
361
Thrush
362
Wren
245
Goldfinch 174,
252
's Song
251
Gookoo
137
Goose, the Barrel Headed 126
Bean
ib.
Bernacle
127
Black-Headed
126
Brand
127
Brent
ib.
IKDEX.
451
Goose, the Bustard 126
Canada 12?
Chinese 126
Clatter 12?
Ember 188
Eider 12?
Fen 129
Great, of Siberia 126
Grey-Lag 129
Imber 188
Muscovy 126
Rat 127
Road ib.
Sly 126
Small Grey 127
Snow 126
Soland 356
Spar-winged 126
Swan ib.
Tame 129
Wild 213, ib.
Goosander 209
the Imperial 210
Red-Breasted ib.
Gor-Cock 224
Gor-Crow 153
Goshawk 108
Gracula 357
Barita ib.
Crist ellaia 353
Quiscala 357
Religiosa ib.
Sturvina ib.
Grakle ib.
ib.
358
357
ib.
43,99
41
28,35
the Boat-tailed
Crested
Minor
Purple
Grallator
Grallatores
Grall^e
Grall^s; Pinnatipedes 36
Greatest Buifinch 175
Grebe 187
the Crested 189
Dusky ib.
Eared ib.
Little ib.
Tippet ib.
Green-Finch 175
Green Humming-Bird 350
Linnet 175
Legged-Horseman, 163
Sparrow 349
Greenshank ib.
Greenland-Dove 187, 213
Gregariousness of Birds, on
the, 85
Grey-Pate 252
Skit 186
Grigi 347
Grosbeak 174, 175
the Abyssinian 177
Brimstone 176
Cardinal ib.
Green 175
Haw ib.
Pensile 177
Philippine 176
Pine 175
Sociable 177
Three- toed 364
Ground-Pigeon 120
Huck-muck 246
Parakeet 350
Grouse 221, 222
the Black 223
Great 222
Pinnated 224
Red ib.
Wood 222
Gruid 43
GRUIDiE 41
Guan 339
the Crested ib.
Guillemot 187
the Black ib.
Foolish ib.
Lesser 188
Winter ib.
Guinea-Fowl 58, 230
Hen ib.
Guira-Guainumbi 368
Gull 178
the Arctic 180
Black-Cap ib.
Headed ib.
Toed 131
Brown ib.
Headed 180
452
ItfDfiX,
Gull, the Cloven-Footed 344
Common 178
GreatBlack-backed 179
and White ib.
Herring ib.
Laughing 180
of Montagu 181
Less Black-blacked 180
Gull, the Pewit 180
Sea 178
Skua 181
Wagel ib.
White- Web-footed, 178
Winter 18 1
Teazer 180. 343
Gyr-falcon, the Brown 109
H.
Hagister
155
H^ematopus ostrulgeus
211
Halcyon
171
Halcyonid
42
Halcyonid^e
ib.
Half-Curlew
163
Hanging-Bird
361
Hangnest
ib.
the American
408
Banner's Cottage
1
Hawfinch 175
,176
Haw-Grosbeak
175
Hawk
107
the Duck
110
Fish
105
Fishing
ib.
Hover 107,140
Oriental
107
Spar
108
Sparrow
ib.
Hawks
27
Hay-Bird
246
Hayes
14
Hayes-Common
15
Heath-Cock
223
Fowl
ib.
Hen
224
Poult
223
Hecco
195
Hedge-Sparrow
266
's Complaint
265
Lines to a,
267
Warbler
266
Hen and Cock, theCommon 146
Hen-Hairier
104
Hem
198
Hernsew
ib.
Heinshaw
ib.
Heron ib
. 200
Heron, the Common
Crested
Demoiselle 197,
Gardenian
Great White
Lesser Ash-Co-
loured
Night
Spotted
Heronry
Heronshaw
Herring-Gull
Hew-Hole
Hick-Mall
Hick- Wall
High-Hoe
Hill of Freedom
Hirundinid
HlRUNDINlDJE
HlRUNUO
Apus
Cayennensis
198
ib.
202
199
201
200
199
ib.
ib.
198
179
165
219
167
165
425
388
42
157
158
ib.
ib. 388
44,
Esculenta
Pelasgica 159
Purpurea 158
Riparia 159
Rufa 158
Rustica 157
Vrbica 158
Hobby 109
Hocco 345
Home-Screech 258
Holm-Thrush ib.
Honey-Eater 329
the Great-Hook-
ed-billed 330
Hooked-billed ib.
Olive 320
Foe 329
INDEX.
453
Honey-Eating Birds 42
Hooded-Crow 153
Hoop 202, 269
Hooper 125
Hoopoe 202
tiie Common ib.
Crested 203
Hoopoe-Hen 406
Horn-Pill 383
the Indian 384
Jealous ib.
Philippine 383
Undulate 384
Horse-Finch 252
Horse of the Woods 222
House-Sparrow 280
's Speech 279
Hover-Hawk 107, 140
Hovvlet 235
Huck-Muck 218
Hamming-Bird 316
the Green 349
Least 318
Red-throated 317
Ruby-necked 318
Supercilious ib.
Hurgill 201
Ibis 325
the Egyptian ib.
Glossy 327
Scarlet 326
White-headed
Wood ib.
Imbei-Diver 188
Goose ib.
Immer
Incubation of Birds
Indian-Crow
Ingrian-Falcon
ib. I Insessor
188
59
397
109
43,99
Insessores 41, 42
Instinct, on, 289, 290, 291, 292
Introduction i
J.
Jabirn
369
Jacana, the Faithful,
369
the American
ib.
Jack-Daw
153
Indian
ib.
Jack-Nicker
252
New Holland
370
Jam
339
Jaeamar
386
Jay
164
Jacana
368
the Blue
ib.
the Chesnnt
ib.
Judcock
162
Chilese
ib.
K.
Kakelik
226
King-Fishe
', the Common 171
Kamichi
359
Crested 172
Kate
253
Green-Headed ib.
Kastril
107
Purple ib.
Kestril
ib.
Splendid ib.
Kiddaw
18?
Kite
108
Kidneys of Birds
56
the Austrian, ib.
Killigrew
156
Kittiwake
180
King-Fisher
171
Koiio
329
the Belted
172
Kurki
198
454
INDEX.
L.
Lady's Hen
Ladywell
Laud-Birds
Land -Hen
Laniad
Laniad^;
Lantus
Collurio
Excubitor
Rutilus
Tyrannus
Land-Rail
Lanner
Lapwing
Large-Throat
Larid
LARIDiE
Lark
the Bunting
242
1,7
32
18
42
ib.
194
195
194
195
196
186
109
177, 183
201
43, 343
41
112,250
192
Crested" 114
Common Field, 112,250
Dusky 114
Field ib.
Lesser Crested ib.
Field ib.
Meadow 113, 114
Mounting 112,250
Old Field 113
Pennsylvania 114
Pipit* 112
Red 114
Rock ib.
Sea ib. 473, 192
Short-heeled Field, 114
Sky 112,250
Tit 113
Willow 248
Wood 113,114
's Song 249
Larus 178
Argent at us 180
Atricillu 181
Carnts 178
Caturractes 181
Crepidatas ib.
Fuscus 179
Larus Marinus 179
N&vius 181
Parasiticus 180
Ridibundus ib.
Rissa ib.
Latham's Arrangement 31
Laverock 250
Lavy 187
Lee 8
Lewisham 1, 8
Linnean Arrangement 27
Society 97
Linnet, the Brown 262
Common ib.
Greater Red-
headed 253
Green 175
Grey 262
Lesser Red-
headed 253
Mountain ib.
's Song 261
Liver of Birds 55
Locust -Bird 260
Long-Legs 174
Neck 199
Tongue 208
Long-tail-Mag 218
Pie 219
Long-tailed Capon 218
Titmouse ib.
Loon 187, 188
the Ash-coloured, 189
Greater ib.
Grey ib.
Speckled ib.
Lory, the Ceram 397
Scarlet ib.
Yellow-breasted ib.
Louisine Starling 169
Loxia 174
Abyssinica 1 77
Cardinalis 176
Chloris 175
Coccothraustes ib.
Curvirostra ib.
INDEX.
15b
Loxia Enuclealor
175
Loxiad
42
Pens His
177
LOXIAD^E
ib.
Pyrrhula
177,269
Lunda Bouger
213
Philippina
176
Lungs of Birds
50
Socio.
177 1 Lnscinian Sylvia
132, 303
Sulphurata
176 J Sylviad
272
Tndactyla
364
Lyre
215
M.
Macaw, the Red and Bine
397
Meliphagidee
42
Madge
155
Menura
385
Howlet
235
Novce Hollandids
ib.
Mag
155
the New Holland
ib.
Magpie
ib.
Merganser
209
the Mountain
194
the Minute
210
Male and Female, differ-
Red-breasted ib.
ence between, 58, 64
Mergus
209
Malkoha, the Red-headed
393
Albellus
210
Mallard
130
Castor
ib.
Man-of-War Bird, 336
, 355
Imperialis
ib.
Manakin
404
Merganser
209
theBlack-capped 406
Minutus
210
Crested
ib.
Serrator
ib.
Little
ib.
MerJe
264
Rock
ib.
Merlin
109
Tuneful
405
Meropid
42
's Song
404
Meropid^e
ib.
Manks-Puffin
215
Merops
328
Mansfenny
107
Apiaster
ib.
Ma rail
339
Rufus
ib.
Marrot
213
Viridis
329
Marsh-Hen
216
Merulid 42
,272
xMartin, the Bank
159
Merulid^e
42
Black
158
Mew, the Sea,
178
Ground
159
Winter
181
House
158
Migration of Birds
82
Sand
159
Migratory Summer Birds
84
Martin-Fisher
171
Winter Birds
ib.
Martinet
158
Mimic Thrush
373
Martlet
ib.
Mire-Drum
200
Mattages
3 94
Mire-Crow
180
Mavis
257
Missel
258
Maw, the Sea
178
Missel-Bird
ib.
Meleagris
228
Thrush
ib.
Gallipuvo
ib.
Misseltoe-Thrush
ib.
Satyra
229
Mocking-Bird
373
Meliphagid
42
to the,
372
456
INDEX.
Mocking-bird's Song 405
\s Night Sortg 418
the English
273, 375
French 375
Mock-Nightingale 373
Momotus 567
Brasiliensis 368
Moor Buzzard 106
Cock 224
Coot 216
Hen ib.
Titling 248
More- Hen 216
Morrot 188
MoTAcn.LA 241,365
Africana 366
Alba 247
Arundinacea 246
Atricapilla 273
^Estiva 366
Bananivora 367
Boarula 247
Calendula 367
Curolinensis ib.
Curruca 366
Cyanea ib.
Dartfordiensis 248
Flava ib.
Hippolais 246
Ilortensis ib.
Luscinia 132
Nodularis 266
iSWiu 248
CEnanthe 247
Palmarum 366
Pensilis 367
Phixnicurm 246
Regulus 254
Nubecula 241
Rubetra 248
Rubkolu ib.
Motacilla Salicaria 243
Sphiicauda 366
Sutoria 323
%/fia 248
Sijlriella 248
Sylvicola 246
Troch'rius ib.
Troglodytes C M°2
Mother Cary's Chicken 214
Goose ib.
Motmot 367
the Brazilian 368
Moulting of Birds 46
Mountain Dove 120
Finch 253
Cock 224
Linnet 253
Magpie 194
Mounting-Lark 250
Mouse-Hawk 236
Birds 286
Mullet 213
Mumruffin 219
Murdering-Bird 194
Murre 187,212
Musclcapa 370
A'edon 371
Atricapilla 370
Carolhiensis 371
Flabellifera ib.
Grisola 370
Rubicollis 37 1
Musicapid 42
Muscicapid-*; ib.
Muscovy-Duck 130
Muskef 107
Musophaga Violncea 390
Musquet ib.
Mycteria 369
Americana ib.
Asiatica ib.
RovceHoUandice 370
N.
Na?ator 43, 99
Natatohes 41
Nectariniad 42
Nectariniad^e ib.
Nest of the Blackbird 19
Nest of the Chaffinch 19
Escuient-Swal-
lovv 23
Goldfinch 19
House-Sparrow 20
INDEX.
457
Nest of the Humming-
Birc
, 81
Night Heron
199
Long-tailed-
Jar 194,
311
Titmouse
18
Raven
199
Magpie
ib.
Nightingale 128
,132
Martin
21
Address to the
, ib.
Oriole
23
's Notes, on the
!, 68
Philippine
■Gros-
's Song
274
beak
ib.
the Mock
273
Rnfous Bee-
Spanish
408
Eater
ib.
Noddy
344
Swallow
21
Nomenclature of Ornitho-
Tailor-Bird
22
logy
43
Thrush
18
Nope
269
Wood-Pigeon
21
Numenius
164
Peck
er
ib.
Numida Meleagris
230
Wren
18,
243
Nun
219
Nettle-Creeper
248,
273
the White
210
Monger
273
Nutcracker
155
Nullification of Birds
79
Nuthatch
205
Night Hawk
311,
313
C
211
Nutjobber
ib.
Olive
Oriolus Textor
389
Oriental Hawk
107
Ornithologia, Part I.
97
Oriole
219,
361
Part II.
299
the Baltimore
361
Ortolan
191
Banana
363
the English
247
Black and Yellow ib.
Osprey 102, 105,
312
Bonana
ib.
Ostrich
377
Cowpen
337
the Black
ib.
Golden
362
African
ib.
Hang-nest
361,
408
American
380
Icteric
362
Otis
205
Red-winged
ib.
CEdicnemus
207
Weaver
389
Tarda
206
Weever
ib.
Telrax
ib.
's Song
407
Ourah, what
294
Onior.us
361
Ouzel
259
Banana
363
the Brook
186
Baltimore
361
Carnation
259
Bonana
363
Mountain
ib.
Galbula
362
Ring
ib.
Icterus
ib.
Rock
ib.
Nidipendulus
361
,408
Rose-coloured
ib.
Niger
363
Tor
ib.
Pecoris
337
Water
169
Persicus
S63
Owl
232
Phoznic&us
362
the Aluco
X
234
458
INDEX.
Owl, the Black
234
Owl, the
Little
237
Burrowing
237
Horned
ib.
Church
235
Long-eared
234
Common Barn
ib.
Nyctea
237
Brown
234
Screech
234
235
Coqnimbo
237
Short-eared
236
Eagle
233
Tawny
234
Great
ib.
White
235
Horned
ib.
Wood
234
Eared
ib.
Woodcock
236
Hawk
236
Ox-
Bird
185
Hissing
235
Ox-
Eye
ib
219
Horn
234
Oy;
>ter-Catcher, the Pied
211
Ivy
ib.
P.
Pairing of Birds
59
Partridge, the Perching
222
Pala MEDEA
358
Red
ib.
Chaju
359
Learged
ib.
Cornuta
358
White
ib.
Crist at a
359
Pa u us
218
Palmipedes
36
Amatorius
220
Paradisea
320
Ater
ib.
Apoda
ib.
Biarmicus
ib.
Regia
321
Caudatus
218
Parakeet, the Caroline
398
Cceruleus
219
Ground
350
Cristatus
220
Paroquet, the Golden
398
Major
219
Paroquets
397
Pulustris
220
Parra
368
Pendnlinus
ib.
Chavuria
Sfc9
Passenger Pigeon
120
Chiknsis
368
Pass ekes 29, 33
Jacana
ib.
Passerine Birds
ib.
Parrot
391
PaVO
'231
the Alexandrine
397
Bicalcaratus
232
Caroline
398
Cristatus
231
Common
ib.
Muiicus
pg
Hoary
397
Thibet anus
ib.
Illinois
398
Peacock
231
Paradise
ib.
the Crested
ib.
Yellcw-headec
ib.
Iris
232
Partridge
221
Japan
ib.
the Barbary
222
Thibet
232
Common
221
Pease-Crow
344
French
222
Peewit
183
Great
226
Pelecanus
353
Greek
222
Aquilus
355
Guernsey
ib.
Bassanus
356
INDEX.
459
Pel ec an us Carbo 354
Graculus 355
Onocratalus 353
Sula 355
Peiecanid 43
Pelecanid^; 41
Pelican 348, 353
the Frigate 355
White 353
Penelope c3§
Cristata ib.
Cumunensis ib.
Maril ib.
Pi-pile ib.
Penge-Wood 12
Penguin (see Pinguin)
213, 387
Pennant's Arrangement 30
Perchers 42
Persic 36y
Petrel 214
the Broad-billed 215
Fulmar ib.
Giant 214
Little ib.
Shear-Water 215
Stormy 214
Petty-chaps, the Greater, 246
Lesser ib.
Pewit 183
Fhalaiope 184
the Grey ib.
Red ib.
Phalaropus 36, ib.
Pharoah's Chicken 310
Phasianid 43
Phasianid^e 41
PR ASIAN us 144,391
Argus 147
Colchicus 144
Cristatus 147
Gullus 146
Mexicanus 147
Super bus ib.
Phaeton 348
JEthereus i 349
Meianorynchos ib.
Pha;nicuru8 ib.
Pheasant 144
the Arjrus 147
Pheasant, Cock 345
the Common 144
Courier 147
Crested ib.
Golden ib.
Mountain 385
of Guiana 345
Philomel 132
Philomela jb.
Phcenicophaus Pyrrhoce-
phalus 393
Phcenicopterus 322
Chilensis 313
Ruber 322
Phytotoma Rara 354
Picarini 227
Pic^e n f 33
Picid 43
Picid^; 42
Picus 164
Auratus 167
Erythrucephalus 166
Major 16?
Martins 165
Minor ±67
Principalis 166
Pubescens 167
Villa sus jb.
Viridis 16 5
Pie 155
the French 394
Pienet gjj_
Pies 27," 33
Piet i69
Pigeon 34,115
the Carolina 120
Carrier 1 16
Common ib.
Domestic ib.
Fan-tail ib.
Great Crowned
Indian 121
Ground 120
Horseman 1 1 6
Passenger 120
Ring 271
Rock ii 8
Hough-footed 116
Stock ib.
Tumbler ib.
x 2
4bU
INDEX.
Pigeon, the White-Rumped 118
J Plover, the Stone
162
Wood 115,118,271
Whistling
173
Pigeon-Fieldfare
258
Pochard
128
Pine-Grosbeak
175
Podiceps
36
Pinguiu
387
Poe-Bird
329
the Apterous
389
Bee-Eater
ib.
Cape
387
Honey -Eater
ib.
Crested
388
Bird's Song
331
Hopping
ib.
Pogonius Saltii
392
Magellanic
ib.
Poker
128
Patagonian
389
Polophilus
391
Pink
252
Gigas
ib.
PlNNATIPEDES
36
Phasianus
392
Pintado
230
Pope on Instinct
290
Pip, the
48
Pope
213
Pipet-Lark
114
Popinjays
398
Pippet
ib.
Poppinjay
165
PlPRA
404
Powese
345
Manacus
406
Prairie-Hen
224
Minuta
ib.
Pratincole
211
Musica
405
the Austrian
ib.
Rupicolu
406
Senegal
ib.
Piprid
42
Spotted
ib.
PlPRlD^
ib.
Prior on Reason and In
Pirennet
126
stinct
292
Pitt, Mr.
16
Prist Andun
319
Plant-Cutter
364
Procellaria
214
the Abyssinian ib.
Gigantea
ib.
Chili
ib.
Glacialis
215
Plantain-Eater, the Violet
390
Pelagica
214
Platalea
374
Puffinus
215
Ajaja
348
Vrinatrix
ib.
Leucorodia
ib.
Vittata
ib.
Pygmcea
ib.
Promeropid
42
Plotus
342
Promeropid^e
ib.
Anhinga
ib.
Pi omerops, the Grand
203
Melanogaster
ib.
Mexican
ib.
Surinamensis
343
New Guinea,
Plough Boy's Song
3
Brown
ih.
Plover
172
Proventriculus of Birds
54
the Bastard
185
Psittacid
42
Coromandel
390
Psittucidee
ib.
Cream-coloured ib.
PsiTTACUS
394
Golden
173
JEstivus
398
Greater
163
Alexandri
397
Green 173,
183
Aterrimus
ib.
Grey
173
Aureus
398
Long-Legged
174
Banksii
399
Norfolk
207
Carolinensis
ib.
Kinged
173
Cookii
ib.
INDEX.
40 i
Psittaccs Crist atus
397
Pteropus
390
Eyythacus
ib.
Africanus
391
Garrulus
ib.
Surinutnensis
ib.
Guineensis
ib.
Pudding-Poke
219
Macao
ib.
Puffin
215
Ochrocephalus
398
Pnit
180
Paradisi
ib.
Pulse of Birds
51
Psophia
360
Pur
174,
Crepitans
ib.
Purre
185
Undulata
ib.
Puttcck
106
Ptarmigan
222
Q.
Qua- Bird
200
Queeze
27 1
Quail
225
Querkey
198
the Virginian
226
Quest
271
Quebrada, what
314
Quinary Arrangement
41
Rafter
R
370
RECURViRosTRA^lmencawas ib.
Rail
186
Avocetta
ib.
the Land
ib.
Redbreast
241
Water
ib.
's Song
239
Rain-Bird
165
Red-Game
224
Cuckoo
144
Hoop
269
Fowl
165
Legged -Crow
156
Rallid
43
Pole
253
Rallid^e
41
the Greater
ib.
Rallus
186
Stone
ib.
Aquaticus
ib.
Shank, the Spotted
162
Crex
ib.
Start
246
Porzana
187
Steert
ib.
Ram plies tid
42
Tail
ib.
RAMPHASTIDjE
ib.
Wing
260
Ramphastos
346
Red-Headed- Widgeon
128
Tucanus
ib.
Reed- Bunting
192
Viridis
347
Sparrow
ib.
Raptor
43, 99
the Lesser
246
Raptores
41
Wren
ib.
Rasor
43, 99
Reeve
182
Rasores
41
Rhea
380
Raven
150
Rhynchops nigra
324
the Night
199
Rice-Bird
192
Razor-Bill
212
Bunting
ib.
Reason, what
290
Richel-Bird
344
Recurvirostra
227
Ring-Dove 115
, 271
Alba
ib.
'8 Lament
270
4b'2
INDEX,
Ring-Pigeon
115
,271
Roller, the Brazilian Saw-
Ring-tail
104
billed
368
Ring-tailed- Eagle
103
Common
204
Robin
241
Garrulous
ib.
the Golden
361
Rook '
144
,149
Redbreast
241
Address to the,
148
Riddic
k
ib.
Rookeries
75
the Wood
416
Roysfon-Crow
153
Robin et
241
Ruddock
241
Rock-Dove
113
Ruff
182
Rockier
ib.
Runner
186
Roller
204
Sanderling
174
185
Scolopax CEgocephala
162
Sand-Martin
158
PhcBopus
163
Sand-Piper
182
Pigmcea
164
the Aberdeen
184
Rusticola
160
Ash-coloured ib.
Totanus
162
Black
ib.
Scooper
227
Brown
ib.
Scopus Umbretta
387
Common
185
Scout
187
Green
184
Scraber
ib.
Greenwich
ib.
SCUATCHERS
123
Grey
ib.
Screamer
358
Little
ib.
the Chaja
359
Purple
ib.
Crested
ib.
Red
ib.
Horned
358
Necked
185
Scytiirops Psittacus
386
Sea
184
Sea-Crow
J 80,
354
Selniger
185
Dotterel
184
Spotted
ib.
Eagle
102
Wood
ib.
Gull
178
Sawing-Bird
364
Hen
187
Scansor
43
Lark
114
Scansores
42
Mall
178
Scare-Crow
153
Maw
ib.'
Schelt-Drake
ib.
Mew
ib.
Scientific Terras
9a
Bal tner's Great
Scolopacid
43
Ash-colou
red
181
ScOLOPACIDuE
41
Parrot
213
SCOLOPAX
160
Pie
211
Arquata
163
Sand-Piper
184
Canescens
162
Swallow
214,
343
Cantabrigiensis
ib.
the Lesser
344
Gallinago
161
Turtle
187
Gallinuta
162
Woodcock
162
Glottis
163
Secretarius
33,
104
Limosa
162
Secretary
ib.
Major
161 j
Vulture
ib.
INDEX.
463
Sedge-Bird 243
Warbler ib.
Wren ib.
Selby's British Birds 92
Senses of Birds 49
Serpent-Vulture 104
Serula 210
Seven-Sleepers 82
Shag 355
Shear- Water 215
Sheath-bill, the White 384
Sheldrake 126
Sheld-Apple 175
Shepster 168
Shieldrake 126
Shore-Bird 159
Shoveler 128
Shovelards v 207
Slireek 194
Shrike ib.
the Cinereous ib.
Great ib.
Cinereous ib.
Red-Backed 195
Tyrant 196
Silk-tail 341
Siskin 253
Sitta Europcea 205
Skeer-Devil 158
S kiddy-Cock 186
Skimmer, the Black 324
Skippog ib.
Skir-Devil 158
Skreech 258
Thrush ib.
Sky-Lark 250
's Song 249
Sleep of Birds 56
Smew 210
the Minute ib.
Red-Headed ib.
Snake-Eater 104
Bird -342
Snatchers 123
Snipe, the Common 16 1
Great ib.
Jack 162
Jadreka ib.
Least 185
Spotted 162
Snipe, the Summer 185
Suite 161
Snorter 247
Snow-Bird 191
Bunting ib.
Flake ~ ib,
Soland Goose 356
Song of the Blackbird 263
Black-Cap 272
Blue-Bird 333
Bulfinch (Son-
net) 268
Canary- Bird 400
Goldfinch 25 1
Hedge-Sparrow's
Complaint 265
Linnet 261
Manakin 404
Mocking-Bird 405
at
Night 418
Nightingale 69,274
Oriole 407
Plough-Boy 3
Poe-Bird 33l
Redbreast 239
Ring-Dove (La-
ment) 270
Skylark 249
Tan age r 409
Thrush 255
Woodlark (In-
vocation) 112
Wood-Robin
(Morning) 351
Wood-Thrush
(Evening) 415
Songs of Birds, on the 67
Song-Thrush 257
Sonnet of the Bulfinch 268
Spar-Hawk 108
Sparkling-Fowl 210
Sparrow 280
the Green 349
Hedge 266
House 280
House,Speech279
Hawk 108
Lesser-Reed 248
Sparrows 29
4t>4
INDEX.
i
Spoon-Bill
347,
STRVTHioCamelus
377
the Dwarf
348
Casuarius
381
Roseate
ib.
Nova Hollanditc
ib.
White
ib.
Rhea
380
Spring, Address to the
298
Struthiones
35
Stag
182
Struthionid
43
Stannel
107
Struthionid^e
41
Stare 167
, 168
Sturnid
42
Starling
ib.
Sturmdje
ib.
the Cape
167
Sturnus
167
Louisine
169
Capensis
169
Red-winged
362
Cinclus
ib.
Steingel
307
Ludovicianvs
ib.
Sterna
343
Vulgaris
168
Cantiaca
344
Sultana
218
Fissipes
ib.
Summer-Snipe
185
Hirundo
343
Sun-Bird
391
Minuta
344
Sun-Birds
318
Stolida
ib.
Swallow
157
Sterne's Starling
168
the Car
344
Stint
185
Chimney
157,
159
Stomach of Birds
51
Esculent
158,
388
Stock-Dove
116
Purple
ib.
Pigeon
ib.
Sea
214
,343
Stonegall
107
Lesser Sea
344
Stone-Chat
248
Swan, the Black
125,
344
Chatter
ib.
Necked
ib.
Curlew
163
Mute
124
Plover
162
Tame
ib.
Smich
248
Whistling
125
Smith
ib.
Wild
ib.
Stopping, what
47
Goose
126
Stork, the White
196
Sweet, Mr. on the Songs
Storm
411
of Birds
72
Storm-Cock
258
Swift
158
Finch
214
the White-Collared
ib.
Strigid
43
Swimmers
123
Strigid^e
41
Swine-Pipe
260
Strix
232
Sydenham
10
Brachyotos
236
Sylvia 239,
298
,365
Bubo
233
Africana
S66
Cunicularia
237
Atricapilla
272
Flaminca
235
Luscinia
132
,274
Nyctea
237
Modularls
265
Otus
234
Ttubecula
239
Passei ina
237
Sialis
332
Scops
ib.
Sutoria
323
Stridula
234
the Luscinian
303
Virginiana
ib.
Sylviad 42,
272
334
Structure of Birds
45
SyLVIADjE
42
Struthio
377
INDEX.
465
T.
Tailor-Bird
323
Tetrao Scoticus
224
's Nest
22
Tetrix
223
Warbler
323
Urogallus
222
Wren
ib.
Virginianus
226
Tanager
409
Tetraonid
43
the Black and Blue ib.
Tetraonid^e
41
Golden
ib.
Thistle-Finch
252
Red-Breasted
ib.
Throstle
257
's Song
409
Cock
258
Tanagra
410
Thrush 66, 67,
257
Jacapa
ib.
the Alarm
260
Mexicana
ib.
Holm
258
Violacea
ib.
Mimic
373
Tantalus
325
Missel
258
Ibis
ib.
Missel toe
ib.
Igneus
327
Polyglot
303
Leucocephalus
326
Red-Breasted
417
Loculator
ib.
Reed
260
Ruber
ib.
Rose-coloured
259
Tarrock
180
Song
257
Tassel
110
Whinnle
260
Taylor- Bird, see Tailor-
Wind
ib.
Bird
323
Windle
ib.
Teal, the Common
128
Wood 350
,416
Summer
J29
's Song
255
Teaser
180
Tidley Goldfinch
245
Tenuirost
43
Tinamou, the Great
226
Tenuirostres
42
Tinkershire
187
Tercelet
110
Tinta Negra
273
Tercell
110
Tiny Falcon
109
Tern
343
Tircelet
110
the Black
344
Titling
266
Smaller
ib.
Titmouse
218
Common
343
the Amorous
220
Greater
ib.
Bearded
ib.
Kamtschatka
344
Blue 162
, 219
Lesser
ib.
Crested
220
Sandwich
ib.
Cross-bill
219
Surinam
391
Great
ib.
Tetrao
221
Long-tailed
218
Coturnix
225
Marsh
220
Cupido
224
Penduline
ib.
Kukelik
226
Tod id
42
Lagopus
222
TODID^E
ib.
Major
226
Todus
349
Perdix
221
Viridis
350
Rufus
222
Regius
ib.
X 3
mm
INDEX.
To d us Platyrhynos
350
Troehilid 4S
i, 251
Obscurus
ib.
Trochjlid^e
42
Tody, the Green
ib.
Trochilus
316
King
ib.
Colubris
317
Broad-billed
ib.
Minimus
318
Obscure
ib.
Moschitus
ib.
Tomtit 162
,219
Superciliosus
ib;
the Great Black-
Trogon
364
headed
ib.
Curucui
365
Little Black-
Fasciata
ib.
headed
220
Indicus
ib.
Tony-Hoop
269
Viridis
ib.
Tor-Ouzel
259
Tropic Bird
348
Toucan
346
theBlack-bilied349
the Green
347
Common
ib.
Yellow-breasted
346
Red-tailed
ib.
Toucanet
347
Troupiale
364
Tout-voix
367
Tronpiole 340, 363
, 364
Tow-witty
174
Trumpeter
360
Trachea of Birds
54
the Gold- breasted ib.
Tree-Climber
193
Undulate
ib.
Tringa
182
TURDUS
236
Canutus
185
Arundinaceus
260
Cinerea
184
Curaus
260
Cinclus
185
lliacus
ib.
Fusca
184
LAvidus
371
Gambetta
183
Melodus 351,352
,416
Glareola
184
Merula
264
Grenovicensis
ib.
Migrutorius
417
Hyperborea
ib.
Mindanensis
260
Hypoleucos
185
Musicus
257
Interpretes
184
Piluris
258
Islandica
ib.
Polyglottus
373
Lirtcolniensis
ib.
Roseus
259
JLobata
ib.
Tinnicns
260
Maculuria
ib.
Torqualus
259
Nigricans
ib.
Viscivorus
258
Ochropus
ib.
Turkey
228
Pugnux
182
the Common
ib.
Pusilla
184
Horned
229
Squatarola
ib.
Wild
ib.
Vanellus
183
Turnstone
184
Tringa, the Cock-Coot-
Turtle-Dove
119
footed
184
of the United
Grey Coot-
States
120
footed
ib.
the Sea
187
Red Coot-
Twink
252
footed
ib.
Twite
253
Spotted
ib.
Tydy
196
INDEX.
467
u.
Umbre, the Tufted
387
Upupa Papuensis
203
Upupa
202
Paradisea
ib.
Epops
ib.
Superba
ib.
Mexicana
203
V
384
Uria
37
Vaginalis Alba
Vulture
306
Valedictory Lines
434
the Aquiline
310
Valley of Nightingales
421
Carrion
309
Vanellus Tricolor
183
Crested
310
Veelvare
258
Crowned
104
Velvet Runner
186
King
308
Vigor's Arrangement
38
Secretary
104
VULTUR
306
Serpent
ib.
Aura
309
Turkey
309
Crisiatus
310
Vultures, the King of the
308
Gryphus
307
Vultund
43
Papa
308
VULTVMDJE
41
Percnopterus
310
, 123
T
Waders 28, 35
Warbler, the Superb
366
Wagel-Gull
181
Tailor
323
Wagtail
185
Thorn-tailed
366
the Cinereous
248
Yeliow-poil
ib.
Collared
247
Warblers, Address to the
297
Green
ib.
Wash-Dish
247
Grev
247
Washerwoman
ib.
Pied
ib.
Watchy-Picket
408
Spring
248
Water-Birds
35
Summer
ib.
Water-Crake
169
Water
247
Water-Crow
ib.
White
ib.
Hen, the Common
216
Winter
ib.
Spotted
187
Yellow
248
Ouzel
169
Warbler
365
Rail
186
the African
366
Sparrow
192
Rabbling
ib.
Wagtail
247
Banana
367
Wattle Bird, the Cinereous 384
Blue
332
W T ave, the Tenth
435
Blue-eyed-
Weaver-Bird
389
Yellow
366
Bunting
ib.
Dartford
248
Oriole
ib.
Hedge
266
Web-footed Birds
36
Palm
366
Weesel-Coot
210
Pensile
367
Weever-Birds
389
Sedge
248
Wheap
163
468
INDEX.
Wheat-Ear 247
Wheel-Bird 311
Whewer 128
Whim ib.
Whimbrel 163
Whin-Chat 248
Whip-poor-Wili 313, 314
White-Game 222
Nun 210
Tail 247
Throat §48
the Lesser ib.
Wagtail 247
Widgeon 128
the Red-headed ib.
Wierangle 194
Wild-Geese 129, 213
Willock 187, 213
Willow-Lark 248
Wiliy-Wmky 192
Wilson, Alexander,
some Account of 90
Wind-Hover 107
Winter Gull 181
Mew ib.
Witch 214
Wit-wall 362
Wood-Chat 195
Woodcock 160
the Sea 1 62
Woodcracker 205
Woodlark 113
's Invocation 112
Wood-Pigeon 115, 118, 271
Quist ib. 274
Robin 350, 351
's Song ib.
Address to the, 352
Wood-Pigeon,Addresstothe352
Thrush 351
Titmouse 245
Woodpecker 164, 165, 166
the Downy 167
Gold en- winged ib.
Great-black 165
Greater-spottedl67
Green 165
Hairy 167
Ivory-billed 166
Lesser-spotted 167
Red-headed 166
White-billed ib,
Woodspite 165
Woodwall ib.
Wourali Poison, what 294
Wran 242
Wren ib.
the Caroline 367
Common 242
Cutty ib.
Golden 245
Crested ib.
Green 246
Ground ib.
Louisiane 367
Reed 246
Ruby-crowned 367
Scotch 246
Sedge 248
Tailor 323
Willow 246
Wood ib.
Yellow ib.
Wren, Lines to a 243
Wryneck 208
Yacou
Yaffle
Yaffler
Yappingale
Yar whelp
Yarwhip
Yearly-Falcon
Zoological Society
339
165
ib.
ib.
162
ib.
109
Yellow-Bird from Bengal 362
Bunling
Hammer
Pate
Yelper
Young Birds
Yunx Torquilla
Z.
99 I Zumbadore
192
ib. 226
^96
227
61
307, 315
THE FOLLOWING PETITION,
CONTAINING
A PROSPECTUS
FOR THE PUBLICATION OF
AN ENGLISH DICTIONARY,
Was designed to have been presented to the House
of Commons during the Session of 1827; but on its
being placed in the hands of one of the leading mem-
bers of the House, it was found, as it was in effect, a
Petition for a pecuniary grant, that it could not be pre-
sented without the sanction of the Crown. It is, therefore,
now made public, in the hope it may excite that attention
which it is believed the plan deserves.
To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland in Parliament assembled.
The humble Petition of James Jennings, of Dalby
Terrace, City Road, Gentleman,
Sheweth,
That your Petitioner has been for many
years engaged in the composition of several Literary
Works, among others, of the Family Cyclopedia; — Observa-
tions on the Dialects of the West of England, particularly
Somersetshire, with a Glossary of Words now in use there,
and Poems and other Pieces exemplifying the Dialect ; — and
of Ornithologia, or the Birds, a Poem, with an Introduction
to their Natural History, and copious Notes. That he has
also devoted much of his time to the study of Lexicography,
as his work on the Somerset Dialect will shew, and is de-
sirous of preparing a Dictionary of the English Language
that shall be at once the most copious in words, the most
6
2 PROSPECTUS OF AN ENGLISH DICTIONARY.
useful and the most convenient of any extant; and one which,
lie trusts, would do credit to the Country, to the Language,
and to himself.
That the deficiency of most, if not all, of our present
Dictionaries has been long acknowledged ; that the volumi-
nous work of Dr. Johnson, improved as it has been very
materially by Mr. Todd, is yet extremely deficient in many
words, particularly in those relative to, or used in the pro-
cesses connected with the arts, manufactures, and science.
That such words as are now commonly used in popular
treatises on Medicine, Chemistry, Botany, &c. ought to be
found in an English Dictionary ; and that many other
words in constant use, but which have not yet been fixed in
a Dictionary of the English Language, ought also to have
a place there.
That it will, no doubt, excite surprise to be told that
neither the word Brad, as a generic term for a nail without
a head (of which there are various sizes from half an inch
to three inches in length,) nor the compound word Brad-awl
will be found in Todd's Johnson. It is true the word
Brad is in that work, but is there defined " a sort of nail
to floor rooms with ;" thus only giving a specific definition
instead of a generic one, which ought to be given, and thus
misleading the reader as to the meaning of the word.
That in the Dictionary which your Petitioner contem-
plates, he will not servilely follow, as has been too commonly
the practice, either Dr. Johnson or any other writer, in
the Definition, Orthography, Etymology, or Pronunciation
of words. He will correct such Definitions as are ma-
nifestly erroneous ; and the Orthography and Pronunciation
will be regulated by the best usage : in a word, his Dic-
tionary shall be, if possible, what it ought to be, a complete
copy of our language as spoken and written at the present
time. l
PROSPECTUS OF AN ENGLISH DICTIONARY. 3
That such a Dictionary will be, therefore, not only more
correct in its definitions, but, it will be also the Petitioner's
peculiar care to make it, the most copious in words, of
any Dictionary extant; that he will avail himself of all
the knowledge which is abroad relaiive to Etymology in
addition to his own ; and that he will, besides, make it a
Pronouncing Dictionary. That it is by the Copious Ad-
dition of Words, and upon the combination of Pronunciation
with Etymology and Definition in one Volume, he
chiefly relies for the originality and utility of his work.
But this is not all. Your Petitioner will add, in a separate
Alphabetical arrangement, all our provincial words, as far
as they can be collected, either from his own knowledge or
from respectable Glossarists ; and also such terms of art,
words from foreign languages, &c. &c. which often occur
in English authors, but which are, nevertheless, not English
words ; such are Ennui, aufait, literati, andante, &c. &c.
That many words not now used, but found in our old
authors, usually termed obsolete words, would, in this last
arrangement, find an appropriate place; where also such
synonyms as Sarum for Salisbury, Barum for Barnstaple,
Salop for Shrewsbury, &c. &c. would appear, an explana-
tion of these being essential to a correct knowledge of
our Language by Foreigners, as well as, indeed, by the na^
tives of this country.
That, in order to render the Dictionary as complete as
possible, he should prepare an original and compendious
Grammar for it, in which a series of Lessons would be
given in which this part of the science of speech may be
more effectually and expeditiously acquired.
That it would also contain a History of the Language
itself, and a brief sketch of the principal Grammars and
Dictionaries relating to it which have appeared since the
invention of the art of printing.
4 PROSPECTUS OF AN ENGLISH DICTIONARY.
That such a Dictionary should be published in one
quarto volume of about one hundred sheets; and also
afterwards in octavo. That such a work is a Desideratum
in our Literature, and would, if published, obtain extensive
circulation, and greatly contribute to a correct knowledge
of our copious and excellent language.
That the work of your Petitioner on Birds, a work of
considerable labour, and, he hopes, of some merit, has been
for many months ready for the Press, and although, in other
times, it would most probably have met with a ready ac-
ceptance among the Booksellers, not one to whom it has
been offered will, in the present depressed state of trade,
undertake its publication.
That this circumstance is in itself greatly distressing to
your Petitioner with his scanty means of subsistence ; and
he cannot, therefore, however willing, afford to devote so
much time (at least three years of incessant assiduity) as
will be requisite to prepare such a Dictionary for the Press,
unless he can be assured of pecuniary remuneration ; and
he has no reason for believing that any bookseller would,
at the present time, be disposed to give an order for such
a work.
Your Petitioner, therefore, most humbly prays that your
Honourable House will be pleased to take the Premises into
your consideration ; and he solicits and hopes that, from the
desire which your Honourable House has evinced for the
encouragement of Literature, you will afford him such
assistance and in such a way as to your Honourable House
shall seem meet.
And your Petitioner shall ever pray.
JAMES JENNINGS.
London ;
No. 9, Dalby Terrace, City Road.
May 15, 1827.
THE FOLLOWING WORKS HAVE ALSO BEEN PUBLISHED BY
THE AUTHOR OF ORN ITHOLOGIA.
In two vols. 8vo. price 26s.
THE
FAMILY CYCLOPEDIA,
OR
MANUAL of USEFUL and NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE;
Second Edition,
WITH CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS.
This work is alphabetically arranged., and comprises all the
recent Inventions, Discoveries, and Improvements, in Domestic
Economy, Agriculture, and Chemistry; the most approved me-
thods of Curing Diseases ; with the Mode of Treatment in cases
of Drowning, other Accidents, and Poisons ; Observations on Diet
and Regimen; a comprehensive account of the most striking
objects in Natural History, animate and inanimate; and a detail
of various processes in the Arts and Manufactures; also a
concise view of the Human Mind and the Passions, with their
particular application to our Improvement in Education and
Morals.
For a character of this work see the Revue Encyclopedique
for March, 1821, and Jan. 1822 — the Monthly Magazine — the
Journal of Arts — the Taunton Courier, &c. &c.
London : Sherwood, Gilbert, and Piper.
In Svo. price 4s.
A
LECTURE ON THE HISTORY AND UTILITY
OF
LITERARY INSTITUTIONS,
DELIVERED AT THE
SURREY AND RUSSEL INSTITUTIONS, LONDON,
In December and November f 1822,
WITH COPIOUS NOTES.
For a character of this work see the Public Papers at the time
of its delivery — the Monthly Magazine, Literary Chronicle,
Journal of Arts, &c. &c.
London : Sherwood, Gilbert, and Piper.
In l2mo. price 7s.
OBSERVATIONS
ON SOME OF
THE DIALECTS OF THE WEST OF ENGLAND,
Particularly Somersetshire ;
WITH
A GLOSSARY OF WORDS NOW IN USE THERE,
AND
POEMS AND OTHER PIECES
EXEMPLIFYING THE DIALECT.
" We have read with much pleasure the above ingenious
work, and are persuaded that the curious etymologist and
philological inqtiirer will regard it as a literary gem."'
" The exemplifications of the dialect in verse and prose are
copious and judicious. Several of the poems will be admired
for their pathetical simplicity. If there be a man in the me-
tropolis who may have resigned the cottage for the warehouse,
the grove for the mart, and can read * Good bwije ta thee CotJ
without a sigh of regret, we sincerely congratulate him — London
agrees with him." — Gent Blag. Supp. for 1826.— See also the
Monthly Mag. for 1825.
London : Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy.
In the Press, and shortly will be published,
By the same Author,
AN ENQUIRY CONCERNING
THE NATURE AND OPERATIONS
OF THE
HUMAN MIND,
IN WHICH
The Science of Phrenology— the Doctrine of Necessity — Punish-
ment, and Education, are particularly considered,
(A Lecture delivered at the Mechanics' Institution, London,)
WITH
NUMEROUS ADDITIONS, CORRECTIONS, AND NOTES.
London: Poole and Edwards, Ave Maria Lane.
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