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S ] Fore I 2 3 4 5 rhe C Foi I 6 T 8 CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME. qreat bustard Little Budard Page I 34 Foreign Birds that are analogous to the Buf- tards — — 42 1. The Lohong, or Crefted Arabian BuftarJ ib, 2. The African Buftard — — 44 3. The Charge, or Middle Indian Buftard 47 4. The Houbara, or Little-Crcftcd African Buftard 50 5. The Rhaad, another SmalUCicfted African Buftard — — — 52 f The Cock — — Foreign Breeds ~ 1. The Common Cock — 2. The Crefted Cock — 3. The Wild Cock of Afia 4. The Acoho, or Madagafcar Cock 5. The D\^arf Hen of Java 6. The Hen of the Ifthmus of Daricn 7. Cambogia Hens — 8. The Bantam Cock — 9. The Half-Hen of Java A 2 54 102 ib. ib. 103 10+ ib. ib. ib. ÎOS 10. The i CONTENTS. 10. The Englifh Cock — ^ 11. The 1 urkifh Cock — ». 12. The Maniburgh Cock ... 13. The Frizzled Cock __ ^ 14. The Silky Hen of Japan .. 15. The Negro Cock — _« 16. 1 he Kumplcfs Cock, or the Perfian Cock 17. The Hen with five toes 1 8. The ficns of Sanfbvara 19. The Cock of Caux, or of Padua The Turkey The Guinea Piutado — , The Wood Crous — .^ The Black Grous __ Broad-tailed Black Grous _- The Black Grous ivith variable Plumage The Hazel Grous The Scotch Hazel Grous — . The Pin- tailed Grcus — The Red Grous — The White Attagas The Ptarmigan — .^ Hudjon s-hay Ptarmigan Foreign Birds that are related to the Grous 1. The Canada Hazel Grous 2. The Ru fFed Heath -Cock, or the Large Hazel Grous of Canada — .^ 3. The Long-tailed Grous — The Peacock — — «_ 1. The White Peacock 2. The Variegated Peacock — Page 106 ib. ib. ib. 107 ib. 108 109 ib. 110 115 144 169 184 199 202 204 211 213 22i 230 232 242 245 ib. 246 251 253 282 285 The The Co) I. 2. 3- FOREIC 1. ' 2. ' 3. ' 4. 1 5. 1 Fore IG> m he Red] 1. Th 2. Th 3. Th( Page 106 ib. ib. ib. 107 ib. 108 109 ib. no 115 144 169 184 199 202 204 211 213 221 230 23a 242 245 ib. 246 251 253 282 28s 7be CONTENTS. The Common Pheafant — — 1. The White Pheafant — — 2. The Variegated Pheafant — 3. The Cocquar, or Baftard Pheafant Foreign Birds analogous to the Pheafant 1. The Painted Pheafant — • 2. The Black-and-White China Pheafant 3. The Argus, or Liien — 4. The Napaul, or Horned Pheafant 5. The Katraca — — Foreign Birds thatjeem related to the Peacock and Pheafant — 1. The Chinquis — — 2. The Spicifere — — 3. The Eperonnier — — The Hoccos — — I. The Hocco, properly fo called 2. The Pauxi, or Stone 3- The Hoazin _ 4. The Yacou .1-. 5- The Marall — 6. The Caracara _- 7- The Chacamel ~ 8. The Parralca a nd Hoitlaliotl the Partridge ..1. I. The Gray Partridge 2' The Gray-VVh ite Partridge 3- The Damafcus Partridge 4. The Mountain Partridge Page 286 304 30s 306 307 308 3ÏI 314 315 3»7 319 ib. 320 323 ib. 335 337 340 342 344 346 347 349 352 36+ 366 368 jP^he Red Partridges — 1. The Greek Partridge 2. The European Red Partridge 3. The White-Red Partridge 369 ib. 378 383 4. The f CONTENTS. 4. The Francolin — » — 5. Double Spur — — 6. The Uare-neckcd and African Red Partridge Foreign Biiius that are related to the Partridge 1 . The Red Partridge of Barbary — 2. The- Rock Partridge, or Gambra Partridge 3. The Pearled Chinefe Paitridge 4. The New England Partridge — The ^lail — — 1. The Chrokiel, or the Great Polifh Quail 2. The White Quail — — 3. The Quail of the Malouine Iflands 4. The Ruff, or Chinefe Quail — 5. The Turnix, or Madagafcar Quail 6. The Noify Quail — — Other Birds 'which are related to the Partridges and the ^ails — The Colins — — 1. 2. 3- 4- 5 The Zonecolin — — The Great Colin — — The Cacolin — — The Coyolcos — — 6. The Coleniculi -nr — 7. The Ococolin, or Mountain Partridge of Mexico — — The Pigeon domejlica — — Page 384 388 3H9 39^ ib. 392 393 394 419 420 421 4*2 423 ib. 426 ib. 428 429 430 ib. m 431 433 435 i i 3' 4- 5- The Co FOREK I, 4. 5- 6. 7- 8. Foreign Birds which are related to the Pigeons 46J \ The Ring Pigeon — • — 469 Foreign Birds which are related to the Ring Pigeon — »— 475 J. The Ring Pigeon of the Moluccas, &c. ib. 2. The Founingo --- — • 47" 3- 'I'hc I ■■t Page 384 388 idge 38g ridge 391 ib. Ige 392 393 394 1 419 420 421 4*2 423 ib. ''Uges ge of 426 ib. 428 429 430 ib. 431 433 435 ? Ring CONTENTS. 3. The Scallop-necked Pigeon — 4. The Pigeon of the Nicobar Iflands 5. The Great Crowned Pigeon, &c. 7'he Common turtle — — • Foreign Birds which are related to the Turtle I. The Long-tailed Dove, &c. — a. The Senegal Turtle, &c. — 3. The Tourocco — — 4. The Turtlette — — 5. The Turvert — — 6. The Portugal Turtle, &c. — i 7. The Tourte — — 8. The Cocotzin — • •-■ Hgeons 463 \ 469 ^ 475 ib. J 477 1 3. The J Page 478 479 480 482 48S ib. 489 ib. 490 49 Ï 492 494 495 T l\ K I i i r ii:''.3û N THfiJBirSTARD. •M THE NATURAL HISTORY O F BIRDS. GREAT BUSTARD. VOutarde, BufF. O/// • /wv/a» All the Naturalifts, WHEN we undertake to clear up the hîf- tory of an animal, our firft bufmefs is to examine, with a critical eye, the various names which it has received in different lan- guages, and at different times ; and to endeavour, as much as pofîible, to diftinguifh the feveral fpe- cies to which thefe have been applied. This is the only way of reaping benefit from the know- ledge acquired by the ancients, and of con- ncâing it ufefully with the difcoveries of the moderns ; and confequently, the only way of * In Greek, nli? : In Latin, Avis tarda ; or Slow bird : and from this the Italian name ftarda is evidently formed. And may not the old French term biftarde, and the Englifli bujlard, be only a corruption of avis tarda ? The German appellation trappe, is of the fame origin with the Englifli verb to trape, and alludes to its heavy fluggilh pace. VOL. II. B moderns; r le 2 GREAT BUSTARD. making real progrefs in Natural Hiftory. For how could, I (hall not fay one man, but a whole generation, or even a fucceffion of generations, complete the hiftory oJF a fmgle animal ? Al- moft all animals fear man and fly from him. The charader of fupremacy, which the iVloft High has ftamped on his brow, infpires them with terror rather than refpedt. They fhrink from his eye; they fufpedt his fnares, and they dread his arms. Even thofe that are able to defend themfelves by their ftrength, or refift an attack by their bulk, retire in- to deferts for which we difdain to contend, or entrench in the faftnefTes of impenetrable forefts. The fmall animals, fecure in efcaping our vigilance by their diminutive fize, and em- boldened by their weaknefs itfelf, live in the midft of us, in fpite of our endeavours to extir- pate them, feed at our expence, and fometimes even prey on our own fubftance, though not on that account better known. Among the great number of intermediate claffes included between thefe two extremes, fome dig for themfelves fubterraneous retreats, fotne plunge into th» depths of the ocean, others difappear in the aerial expanfe, but all of them fly from the tyrant of Nature. How then is it poflTible, in a fhort fpace of time to view all the animals in all the fituations neceflàry for difcovering com- pletely their inftindls, their difpofitions, their habits, and in a word, the principal faâis of their GREAT BUSTARD. For whole ations, ? Al- 1 him. : Moft 5 them fhrink s, and lat are irength, ;tirc in- ;ontencl, netrable efcaping ma em- in the :o extir- metimes 1 not on he great between emfelves nto th» in the Tom the ble, in a Ûmals in ig com- iis, their fads of their .* their hiftory. It is well to collefl: at great ex- pence numerous feries of thefe animals, to pre- ferve carefully their external coat, to add their ikeletons artfully combined, to give each indi- vidual its proper attitude and native air, but all this only reprefents the furface of nature dead and inanimate. If fome monarch would adopt the truly grand idea, of contributing to the ad- vancement of this beautiful part of fcience, by forming vaft collerions, and aflembling, under the eyes of obfervers, a great number of living fpecies, we fhould ftill acquire but imperfefl: ideas. Mod: animals, intimidated by the pre- fence of man, teafed with his obfervations, and further tormented by the uneafmefs infeparable from captivity, would exhibit manners that are altered, conftrained, and hardly worthy the at- tention of a philofopher, who admires Nature only when free, independent, or even wild. To ftudy animals with accuracy then, we ought to obferve them in the favage ftate, to ac- company them into the retreats which they have chofen for themfelves, to follow them into the deep caverns, to attend them on the frightful precipices, where they enjoy unbounded liberty. Nor fliould we be perceived by them while we contemplate their habits ; for the eye of an obferver, if not concealed from their view, would, in fome mea- fure, difconcert their motions. But there are few animals, efpecially of the winged tribe, that B 2 can f GREAT BUSTARD. ■ ! I : ;{! I can be thus furveyed ; it requires a fucceffion of ages, and innumerable fortunate occurrences, to afcertain all the neceflary fadts; and it needs the clofeft attention to refer each obfervation to its proper fubjed, and confequently to avoid the • confufion of names. Without thefe precautions the moft profound ignorance ftiould be preferred to a pretended fcience, which at bottom is but a web of uncertainty and error. The Great Buf- tard is a ftriking inftance. The Greeks named it Oiis ; and Ariftotle mentions it by this name in three places * ; and his defcription perfectly agrees with our Great Buftard. But the Latins, deceived probably by the refemblance of the words, confounded it with otus^ which is a noc- turnal bird, Pliny, after properly faying that the bird named otis by the Greeks, is called avis tarda in Spain, which character applies to the Great Buftard, fubjoins, that its flefh has a rank taftef, which agrees with the otusy ac- cording to Ariftotle and to fad:, but has no reference to the Great Buftard ; and this mif- take can be the more eafily fuppofed, fmce • Hift. Anîm. lib. lu i-j. ; lib. v- 6, ; lib. ix. 33. t Pliny's words are : " Proximae eis funt, quas Hifpania aves *' tardas appcllat, Grxcia otidas, damnatas cibis. EmifTa enim »* oflibus medulla, cdoris tsedium fequitur." Next to thefe (he was fpeaking of the black grous) we may rank what are termed in Spain the Jloiu birds, and in Greece, the elides, which are re- jedled as food ; for as foon as the marrow is detached from the bones, a loathfome fmell is exhaled. Lib. x. 22. Pliny, eflîon of :nce8, to it needs iration to ivoid the "cautions preferred 1 is but a reat Buf- cs named his name perfeûly iie Latins, :e of the I is a noc- lying that :alled avis ies to the :fh has a otuSy ac- at has no this mif- èd, fince | 3- Hifpanla aves Emiffa enim to thefe (he lat are termed which are re- :hed from the Pliny, ;l GREAT BUSTARD. 5 Pliny, in the following chapter, evidently con- founds the oiis with the oius ; that is, the Great Buftard with the Eared Owi. Alexander the Myndian, as quoted by Athe- nseus *, falls into the fame error, afcribing to the otus or o//x, which he takes for the fame individual bird, the circumftance of having hairy feet ; which is true of the oius, or eared owl j in which, as m moft of the noâurnal birds, the legs and feet are covered with hair, or rather clothed to the nails with feathers, that are parted into threads ; and not to the o//V, which is our Great Buftard ; and in which, not only the foot, but the lower part of the leg, immediately over the tarfus, is quite bare. Sigifmundus Gelenius, having found in Hefy- chius the name of Patpcj-, the meaning of which was not afcertained, has beftowed it, from mere fancy, on the Great Buftard f ; and fmce his time, Maehring and Briflba have, without afiigning their reafons, applied it to the Dodo. The modern Jews have arbitrarily taken the Hebrew word anapha^ which denoted a kind of kite, to fignify the Great Buftard J. Briflbn gives the word ilr*? for the Greek name of the Great Buftard, according to Belon ; but afterwards adopts otiIo,, from Aldrovandus. He does not advert that ojilot, is the aecufativç \ * Hid. Nat. lib. ix. f In Lexico Symphoiio. X Paul Faagius, apud Gefnerutn, OÎ GREAT BUSTARD. of uTiç, and confeqiiently is the fame individual name. It is jiifl as if he had faid, that fome call it tar^^a, and others tardam, Schwenckfeld pretends that the tetrtXy noticed by Ariftotle *, and which was the otirax of the Athenians, is alfo our Great Buftard. But what little Ariftotle mentions with refpeû to the te- trix, does not apply to the Great Buftard. The tetrix builds its neft among low plants, and the Great Buftard among growing corn ; which Ariftotle probably did not mean to include in the general expreffion, " low plants." Secondly, This great philofopher explains nimfelf in this manner: " The birds which fly little, as the ** partridges and quails, do not conftrud; nefts, ** but lay their eggs on the ground, on fmall " heaps of leaves which they gather ; the lark ** and tetrix do the fame." The leaft attention to this paflage will convince us, that it alludes to thofe tardy birds which fly little ; and that the lark and tetrix are mentioned, becaufe they neftle on the ground like thefe, though apparently more agile, fmce the lark is of the number. If Ariftotle had meant our Great Buftard by the name tetrix^ he would certainly have ranged it as a fliiggifli bird with the partridges and quails, and not with the larks, which, from their lofty flight, have merited, according to Schwenckfeld himielf, the epithet of cielipetes. man. ♦ Hift. Anim. lib. vi. i. LongoUus GREAT BUSTARD. ivldual It fome noticed of the It what the te- . The and the which :lude in îcondly, in this , as the â; nefts, m fmall the lark attention alludes that the ey neftle parently iber. If by the anged it d quails, leir lofty enckfeld Longolius • and Gefner f are both of opi- nion, that the tetrax of the poet Nemefianus is nothing but the Great Buftard ; and it mud be allowed that thefe nearly refemble each other in fize X and in plumage §. But thefe analogies are not fuflScient to fix the identity of the fpe- cies ; and the lefs fo, as I find, by comparing what Nemefianus relates of his tetrax^ with what we know of our Great Buftard, two dif- tinâ differences: i. The tetrax appears tame from ftupidity, and heedlefsly falls into the very fnare which has been laid for it |{ ; but the Great Buftard is intimidated at the approach of man, and quickly flies out of his view ^f. 2. The tetrax built its neft at the foot of the Apennines ; whereas Aldrovandus, who was an Italian, aftures us pofitively, that the Great Buf- tards are never feen in Italy, except when they are driven thither by a guft of wind **. It is • Dialog, de Avibus. f De Avibus, lib. iii. X " Tarpeiae eft cuftos arcis non corpore major." — The fentinel of the Tarpeian rock (the goofe) is not larger. § " Perfimiles cineri dorfum maculofaque terga " Inficiunt pullae cacabantis imagine notaf." — A(h-coloured marks ftain the (houlders (perhaps the neck) and ipeckled back, as in the partridge. II '* Cum pedicas nefti fibi contemplaverit adftans ** Immemor ipfe fui tamen in difpendia currit." ^ *' Neque hominem ad fe appropinquantem fuftinent, fed " cum eum longinquo cemunt Ilatim fugam capeflîint." WiLLOUGHBV. ** Italia noftra has aves nifi forte ventorum turbine adveâas nonhabet. Aldrov. torn. ii. B 4 true, Î 8 GREAT BUSTARD. Hi ! f!, fi^ true, indeed, that Willoughby fufpeds they are not rare in that country ; becaufe, when he paflfed through Modena, he faw one in the mar- ket. But I fhould conceive that a fingle Great Buftard brought to market in fuch a city as Mo- dena, agrees better with the aflertion of Aldro- vandus than with the conjedure of Willoughby. Perrault imputes toAriftotle the ftory that the Otis of Scythia does not fit on its eggs like other birds, but covers them with a hare's or fox's fkin, concealing them at the root of a tree, on whofe top it is perched. Yet Ariftotle does not apply this at all to the Great Buftard, but only to a certain Scythian bird, probably a bird of prey, which could tear off the fkins of hares and foxes, and which was only of the fize of a Buftard, as Pliny and Gaza * tranflate it ; befides, however little Ariftotle was acquainted with the Buftard, he could not fail to know that it never perches. The compounded name trapp-gant%^ which the Germans have beftowed on this bird, has given rife to other miftakes. 'Trafpen fignifies to walk ; and cuftom has conneded to its derivatives the {icceflbry idea of tardinefs, in the fame manner as in the cafe of the Latin word gradatim and the Iiali^n andanH ; and hence the epithet trapp can, with propriety, be applied to the Buftard, which, when not purfued, walks flow- * In Scythîs avis magnitudine otidis binos parit, in leporina pelie Tj^mper i|i c^cuminit^us rnmcirum fufpenfa. Kifi. N(ft, lib. X. 33- GREAT BUSTARD. hey arc hen he he mar- e Great as Mo- : Aldro- oughby. that the ke other ix*s ikin, [1 whofe lot apply 3nly to a of prey, nd foxes, iftard, as however Buftard, perches. Arhich the las given , to walk ; atives the ; manner iatim and e epithet ed to the ilks flow- :, in leporina lib. X. 33- ly and heavily. The application would ftill be juft, though we did not affix the notion of flug- gilhnefs ; fince to defcribe a bird with the habit of walking, contains an implication that it feldom flies. ■•-' ■• , •.'—.;■ ■•■•,,■-». n* With refpedl to the'word gantz^ it may admit of a double acceptation. Here it ought perhaps to be written, as I have done, with a final % ; and then it fignifies mucb^ and marks the fuper- lative : but if it be written gans with an j, it means a goofe. Some authors, taking the word in the lad fenfe, have tranflated it by the Latin anfer trappus^ and mifled by this interpretation, have alleged that the Great Buftard is an aqua- tic bird which delights in marfhes*. Aldro- vandus himfelf, though informed by a Dutch phy- fician of the ambiguity of the word, and though inclined to give it the fame meaning that I do, has yet made Belon fay, in his Latin tranflation of the paflage, that the Great Buftard is fond of wet fituations ; and yet that naturalift affirms di- redly the contrary f. This error has produced another ; and they have applied the name of Great Buftard to a bird that is really aquatic, to the black and white goofe which is found in Canada, * Sylvaticus apud Ge/nerum, f <« The nature of the Buftard is to live in (pacious plains, like *' the oftrich, avoiding water above all things. It docs not haunt " wet places, fince it remains among the ridges after rain> or it *' viûts the pools only to drink.'* , . ; .... and r ly 10 GREAT BUSTARD. € I 5 : 1 I and in feveral parts of North America *. It was undoubtedly from the fame miftake, that Gefner received the figure of a palmipede bird from Scotland by the name of Guftard^ which is in that country the real name of Great Budard f» and which Gefner derives from tarde^ flow, and gufs or goofe^ which has the fame fignification in Dutch and Engliih. Here then is a bird which is entirely confined to the land, converted into an aquatic bird ; and this (Irange metamor- phofis has been occafioned by the equivocal meaning of words alone. Thofe who have ven- tured to juftify or palliate the name of anfer trap^ pus y or trappgansy have been obliged to fay, fome of them, that thefe fly in flocks like the geefe j: ; others, that they are of the fame fize || ; as if thefe circumflances were fuflicient to difcriminate a fpecies. For the fame reafon, the vultures and wood-grous might be clafl!ed together. But I need not infill on an abfurdity ; I haflen to cloiie this lid of errors and this criticifm, which may already be confidered as rather tedious, though I am convinced that it is neceffary. Belon pretends that the tétras alter of Pliny § was the Great Builard ; but there is no founda- tion for this opinion, fmce Pliny mentions the • Charlevoix, Lade, Theodat, and the Lettres Edifiantes, f Guftard in old Scotch, is the fame it would feem as bufiari» and was probably a corruption of that word. X LongoHus, apud Ge/nerum. || Frifch. ~ § Hill. Nat. lib. x. 22. avis avistù fuppoi avis ti Greek ed: I. tains, 2 eos ui/j^ all the cept B; Great by the of Otis ; contrar What 1 fnentio; birds ai Ion, is ihall fir times e fmce Pi tarda h better x with th have fu the Otis and tha lities of • Barrel only perfor The auth( mountains GREAT BUSTARD. it . It was t Gefncr ird from ich is in irdt,and ow, and nification is a bird :onvertcd netamor- equivocal bave ven- n/er trap'- fay, fome îgeefej; as if thefe iminate a tures and r. But I n to clofe lich may though I of Pliny § founda- itions the difiantes. :in as bufiardt avis avis tarda in the fame place. It is true, that Belon, fupporting this error by another, afferts, that the avis tarda of the Spaniards and the otis of the Greeks mean the owl. But he ought to have prov-» ed: i.ThattheGreatBuftard inhabits lofty moun- tains, as Pliny affirms of the tétras alter, (gignunt eos Alpes^) which contradidls the aflertions of all the naturalifts with refped to this bird, ex- cept Barrere *. 2. That the owl, and not the Great Buftard, has really been known in Spain by the name of avis tarda^ and in Greek by that oiotis; but this is totally inadmiffible, as it ià contrary to the teftimony of almoft all writers. What may have deceived Belon is, that Pliny fnentions his fécond tétras as one of the largeft birds after the oftrich, which, according to Be- lon, is true only of the Great Buftard. But w6 fhall find in the fequel, that the wood grous fome- times exceeds in bulk the Great Bustard ; and fmce Pliny fubjoins, that the flefti of this avis tarda has a rank tafte, which correfponds much better with the otus^ the long-eared owl, than with the otisy the Great Buftard, Belon (hould have fufpedled that the naturalift confounds here the Otis with the otus^ as I have before remarked ; and that he afcribes to the fame fpecies the qua- lities of two fpecies widely different from each * Barrere admits two forts of Buftards in Europe; but he i« the only perfon that has reprefented them as inhabitants of the Pyrennees. The author was born at Rouflillon, and referred to his native mountains all the animals bred in the adjacent provinces. 4 Other, I Il GREAT BUSTARD. 1 1 ill 11 other, though cxprefTed in his compilation by nearly fimilar names ; but he was not entitled to conclude that the avis tarda was really the long-eared owl. The fame Belon would believe, that his adic- nemus was an ojlardeatt^ ox Jlone- curlew ; and in- deed this bird has only three toes, all of them an- terior, like the Great Buflard ; but its bill is widely different, the tarfus thicker, the neck ihorter, and It feems to have more analogy to the plover than to the Great Buftard. But we (hall after- wards conlider this fubje£l more fully. Finally, We may obferve that fome authors, deceived probably by the refemblance of words, have confounded the name^jr^j, which in Ita- lian fignifies a buftard, with the name Jlarna^ which in the fame language fignifies a par- tridge. ' ;,.. ■^:f ;.:;.:. . From thefe difcuflions we may conclude, that the Otis of the Greeks, and not ottiSy is our Great Buftard ; that the name Pai^o; has been applied to it from inattention, as it has afterwards been to the dodo ; that that of anapha^ given by the modern Jews, belonged formerly to the kite ; that the avis tarda of Pliny, or rather of the Spaniards in the time of Pliny, was fo. called on account of its flownefs, and not as Nyphus would have it, becaufe it was late before it was known at Rome (tardus) ; that it is neither the tetrix of Ariftotle, nor the tctrax of the poet Neme- fianus, nor the Scytliian bird mentioned by Ariftotle I !lli 1 GREAT ÔUSTARD. »3 ation hy entitled tally the his adic' ; and in- them an- is widely »rter, and le plover lall after- authors, )f words, ch in Ita- e Jlarna^ \ a par- ude, that 3ur Great n applied irds been n by the he kite ; er of the called on LUS would IS known the tetrh :t Neme- ioned by Ariftotle Ariftotle in his Hiftory of Animals, nor the teîras alter of Pliny, nor an aquatic bird ; and laftly, that it is ihtjiarda^ and not the Jlarna^ of the Italians *. To perceive the importance of this invcftiga- tion, we need only figure in our imaginations the flrange and ridiculous idea which a beginner would form of the Great Buftard, who had col- lected indifcriminately and with blind confidence all that has been afcribed to this bird by authors, or rather to the different names by which it is • I (hall here collcft the various names bjftowcd on this bird by (ilftcrent authors : Otis, Tarda, Bijiarda, Gefn. and Charleton. Otis, finie Tarda, Johnfton. ' ' . ; ■ , , ^ Otis, feu Tarda avis, Aldrov. Otis, Grxcis ; Tarda, Ifiodoro ; Bifarda, Alberto, Rzacytki. Otis, Tarda, Sibbaldi Scotia Illudrata. Will, and Ray. Tarda Recentiarum, Schwen. ;' i , • •■ Tarda, Klein. Tarda Pyrenaica, maculis nigricantihut, marginihus pennarum tofeii, Barrere. Tetrax, feu Tarax Nemefiani, LongoHus. Tetraen, Schwenck. Charleton, and Klein. Tttrix, Ourax, AriAotelis, Schwenck. Erythrentaon, Olaï Magni. Schwenck, Charletoni and Klein. Jlnfer trappa, Rzacyn, In Hebrew, Àlhabari, Gefn. and Aldrov. Anapha, PauIusFa- gius. In Greek, OVk, nVjc, O'wo Gefn. In Italian, Starad. In German, Trapp, Gefn. Rzacyiki, & Frifch; Acker-trapp, Gefn. Trappe, Schwenck. and Rzacyn ; Acker-trappe» Schwenck. In Flemifli, Trap-ganfz, Gefn. Trapp-gans, Shwenck. In Swedilh, Trapp. In Polifli, Drop, or Trop, Rzacynlkl. diflin- I >â H GREAT BUSTARD. diftinguiflied in their works : at one time a diur- nal bird, at another a nodurnal ; fometimes an inhabitant of the mountains, at other times an inhabitant of the plains ; fometimes a native of Europe, at other times a native of America ; now a land bird, then an aquatic one ; fome- times granivorous, at other times carnivorous ; fometimes extremely large, at other times very fmall : in a v^rord, a monfter and a chimasra. But, to difcriminate the true qualities, it is neceffary, as we have done, to draw a critical comparifon between the defcriptions of former naturalifts. But we have dwelt long enough on words ; it is now time to proceed to things. Gefner exults in being the firll who perceived that the Great Buftard might be referred to the gallinaceous clafs. It is true indeed, that it refembles this clafs in its , bill and its weight j but it differs in its thick- nels ; in its legs, which have three toes ; in the fhape of its tail ; in the lower part of its legs be- ing naked ; in the great aperture of its ears; in the beards of feathers which hang under its chin, in place of thofe flefhy membranes with which the gallinaceous tribes are furniflied ; not to men- tion the difference of the internal ftruûure. Aldrovandus is not more fortunate in his con- jectures, when he takes the frugivorous eagle, mentioned by iElian *, for a Buftard, becaufe of • Lib. X. According to i$)lian, this eagle was called the Eagle ofjupitcr. It was Hill more a frugivorous bird than the Buftard, which eats earth-worms ; for the eagle dellroyed no living creature. its its (izi alone It app meant as wel 4 commi I cafes c which had pa and If I liquor, I age. We( I Great B I larger tl fome of has onl; ling on [deep cr of the o [in man) Inot be lAthenœi mtings ipeaks o We )artridgi \o the g( • " OtiJ I" gallinacc \' lingua of n GREAT BUSTARD. >S ^times an times an native of America ; : ; fome- nivorous ; mes very aéra. But, neceflary, omparifon uralifts. words ; it fner exults the Great ;eous clafs. clafs in its , its thick- 2s; in the its legs be- ars; in the r its chin, ^rith which ot to men- aure. in his con- :ous eagle, becaufe of died the Eagle .n the Buftard, living creature. it8 its fize : as if the attribute of magnitude were alone fufficient to conftitute the idea of an eagle. It appears to me much more probable, that -^lian meant the great vulture, which is a bird of prey, as well as the eagle, and eve.i ftronger than the t! common eagle, and which feeds on grain in I cafes of neceflity. I opened one of thele birds 1 which had been wounded by a fhot, and whicii :^ had pafled feveral days in fields of growing corn, I and I found nothing in the ftomach but a green I liquor, which was evidently half-digefted herb- age. We can more eafily trace the charaâers of the Great Buftard in the ieirax of Athenseus, which is larger than the biggeft cocks, (and we know that fome of thefe are of a prodigious fize in Afia,) has only three toes on the feet, has beards hang- ing on each fide of the bill, a mailed plumage, a deep cry, and whofe flefh has the tafte like that of the oftrich, which refembles the Great Buftard in many other refpeds *. But this telrûx can- jnot be the Great Buftard, fince, according to lAthenaeus, it is a bird nowhere mentioned in the ritings of Ariftotle ; whereas this philofopher peaks of the Great Buftard in feveral places. We might alfo fufpeA with Perrault, that thofe artridges of India mentioned by Strabo as equal 0 the goofe in fize, are a fpecies of Buftards. " • Iwhofe I ■were Û Ithem h\ lexamini Ifubjedls leach fid [colour, jthers, \ :ircumf )bfervei treat ï thofe in ind, by Terences )ill, &c VOL. ■*** GREAT BUSTARD. Ï7 le by the ifferently beards of the neck, lot men- ^properly ^ its fize, female, a narked in ; acquaint- Î dodo, or the Great itude, and ,t the peli- n, is much 8, however, all pelican; the fame rting wiui an indi- ing grofsly copied him, the Great m the point faa, thofe iree feet and The one t and a half | the point of .; of the bill to the extremity of the tail. In the ÂBritiJh Zoology^ it is ftated at four Englifti feet. , The expanfion of the wings varies more than one :half in different fubjedts. It is reckoned feven jfeet four inches by Edwards, nine feet by the Î authors of the Britijh Zoology^ and four French jfeet by Perrault, who declares that he never ex- "amined the males, which are always larger than the females. The weight of this bird admits of confiderable variations; fome are only ten pounds, others Itwenty-feven or even thirty. But it alfo varies in jits proportions ; and the individuals of the fpecies s feem not all formed after the fame model. Per- rault obferved fome whofe neck was longer, and others where it was fhorter, than the legs ; fome whofe bill was more pointed, others whofe ears were fhaded with longer feathers ; and all of them had a much longer neck and legs than thofe examined by Gefner and Aldrovandus. In the fubjeds defcribed by Edwards, there were on each fide of the neck two naked fpots, of a violet colour, but which appeared covered with fea- 1 [thers, when the neck was much extended ; a :ircumftance that has been remarked by no other Dbfervers. Finally, Klein mentions that the rreat Buftards in Poland are not exadly like to thofe in France and in England ; and indeed we ind, by comparing the defcriptions, fome dif- ferences in the colours of the plumage, in the )ill, &c. VOL. II. c In f i8 GREAT BUSTARD. ■' 'i In general, the Great Buftard is diftinguifhed from the oftrich, the caflbwary, the touyon, and the dodo, by the circumftance, that its wings, though little proportioned to its mafs, are yet able to raife it from the ground, and fupport it for fome time in the air ; whereas thefe four birds are totally incapable of flying. It is alfo difcriminated from all the others by its fize; its feet, which are furnifhed with three toes, that are parted and without membranes ; its bill re- fcmbling that of the dodo ; its rofe-coloured down, and the nakednefs of the lower part of the feet j not indeed by any one of thefe ,^cha- raâers, but by the conjunûion of them all. The wing confifts of twenty-fix quills, ac- cording to BriiTon ; and of thirty-two or thirty- three, according to Edwards, who perhaps in- cludes thofe of the falfe wing. The only thing I have to remark on thefe quills, and which can hardly be perceived from the infpeding of the figure, is that, at the third, fourth, fifth, and fixth feathers of each wing, the exterior webs become at once {liorter, and confequently thefe quills are narrower, where they projed from un- der the coverts. The quills of the tail amount to twenty, and the two middle ones differ from all the reft. Perrault * imputes to Belon the aflerting that the upper part of the wings of the Great Buftard * Mémoires pour fervir a rHIiloirc des Animaux. li whit éemic'ii en thefe the bell fhore bi »ay be :aaiy \ujiard nngs ; le wing lills of fhich ar id the \ [nfe the |e defcri :th qui] iirtieth, Perrau is, that kered ren at t featht :bs, is [no dow fwn at quills. Iproachi jmrnon le end ( li GREAT BUSTARD. 19 tinguiflied ^ white, contrary to the obfervations of the aca- uyon, and ijemicians, and to what is commonly remarked its wings, ^ thefe birds, in which there is more white on fs, are yet ^q belly and the under part of the body, and fupport it jtiore brown and other colours on the back and thefe four ^ings. But I am inclined to think, that Belon It is alio ^gy Ijg eafily juftified on this head ; for he fays its fize; Its ^adly what the academicians do, thsit the Great Mujîard is white under the belly and below the ings ; and when he defcribes the upper part of e wings as black, he undoubtedly means thofe ills of the wing which are next the body, and hich are really over the wing when it is clofed d the bird in an ereâ: pofture. But in this nfe the aflertion is true, and conformable to e defcription of Edwards, where the twenty- th quill, and thofe that follow, inclufive to the irtieth, are perfectly white. Perrault has made a more accurate obfervation. is, that fome feathers of the Great Buftard are vered with down, not only at their bafe, but en at their extremity ; fo that the middle of feather, which confifts of clofe connerane, wl It folk rreat Bi lachs, ai iminatin lort and furnifli ppinion ( lis bird ircumftat Albert, tl lat it fe * From th ^rved it. t Perrault GREAT BUSTARD. 23 gizzard*. 36 contra- ;e fuppofe were em- pofuion of ;n for the :h is really inds, is be- he gizzard, ) craw,) is hes broad; ; ; which ii lefs of the but to the ly bard ani various dl- ulk of tilt )t to be coil' to that c: :e, while tb yellow lik: lUt four fee: coat of ti; ;, and mai/;' finkles t il: The two caca take their rife about feven Inches from the anus^ and ftretch forwards. Ac- cording to Gefner, they are unequal in all their ^imenlions; the narrowefl: is the longeft, and jears to the others the ratio of fix to five. Per- rault fays only, that the right one, which mea- ires about a foot, is a little longer than the îft. Near an inch from the aniis^ the inteftine [ontraas and then expands, forming a bag, ;hich could admit an egg, and into which are iferted the ureters and the vas deferens. This iteftinal bag, called Fabricius's purfe *, has alfo ^s cacum^ two inches long and three inches iroad ; and the hole by which they communi- late is covered by a fold of the internal mem- brane, which ferves for a valve f . It follows from thefe obfervations, that the rreat Buftard, far from having feveral fto- lachs, and a great extent of inteftines, like the iminating animals, has, on the contrary, a very lort and narrow alimentary canal, and which furnifhed with only a fuigle ventricle. The [pinion of thofe, therefore, who pretend that lis bird ruminates, would be refuted by this Ircumftance alone %. Nor can we believe with klbert, that the Great Buftard is carnivorous, lat it feeds on dead bodies, and even wages * From the name of Fahricitts of Aquapendenfe, who firft ob- |rved it. t Perrault. J Athenseus, Euflachius, c 4 war 'îî I ■ t 2+ GREAT BUSTARD. fi^ war againft the feeble kinds of game ; and that it never eats herbage or grain but in cafes of extreme w.mt : far Icfs ought we to conclude from thefe fuppofitions, that the bill and claws are hooked. Thefe errors, coUeded by Albert from a paflage of Ariftotle which is mifundcr- ftood, have been admitted by Gefner, with fome modifications, but rejeded by all the other na- turalifts *. The Great Buftard is a granivorous bir^î ; it lives on herbs, grain, and every kind of iced ; on the leaves of coleworts, of dandelions, of turnips, of moufe-ear, of vetches, of fmallage, of carrots, and even on hay, and on thofe large worms which, during the fummer, fwarm be- fore fun-rife on downs. In the depth of winter, and when the ground is covered with fnow, they feed on the bark of trees ; and at all times, they fwallow fmall ftones, or even bits of metal, like the oftrich. The academicians, on open- ing the ftomach of one of the Great Buftards which they obferved, found it filled partly with ftones, fome of which were of the fize of a nut, and partly with doubloons^ to the number of ninety, all worn and polifhed where they were expofed to the attrition, but without the lead appearance of erofion, Willoughby found in the ftomach of thefe birds, which were killed in the harveft feafpn, wge. * Pennant, and others. three GREAT BUSTARD as ; and that in cafes of 0 conclude and claws 1 by Albert mifunder- , with Ibme e other na- ns bird Î it id of iced ; [idelions, of )f fmallage, I thofe large fwarm be- h of winter, with fnow, at all times, its of metal, p, on open- eat Buftards partly with ize of a nut, number of e they were out the leaft ch of thefe rveft fcafo") three or four grains of barley, with a large quantity of hemlock feed ; which indicates a decided preference, and (hews that thefe feeds would make the heft bait for enfnaring them. ;| The liver is very large ; the gall-bladder, the 1 pancreas, the number of pancreatic duds, their infertion, and that of the hepatic and cyftic duâs, are liable to fome variation in different [fubjedts. The tefticles are (haped like a fmall white al- Imond, and pretty firm ; the vas deferens is in- Jferted in the lower part of the lac of the reSium^ sas I have already mentioned ; and, on the upper Imargin of the anus^ we find a fmall appendix, [which fupplies the place of a yard. To thefe anatomical obfervations, Perrault ladds this remark : That among all the fubjeds Idifleded by the academicians, not a fingle fe- jmale occurred ; but we have already anticipated, [at the article of the oftrich, what refledions we lihould here make. In the pairing feafon, the male ftruts round [the female, and fpreads his tail into a fort of Iwheel *. The eggs are not fo large as thofe of a goofe ; they are of a pale olive brown, fprinkled with fmall dark fpots, in which refped their colour ïears a great refemblance to that of the plu- lage. ! three * Klein and G^fner. This Xf !■■: I • ■■■ A I, * 26 GREAT BUSTARD. This bird docs not build any neft, but only fcrapes a hole in the ground *', and drops into it two eggs, which it hatches for thirty days, as ufual with large birds, according to Ariftotle f . When the anxious mother dreads tlie vifits of the fportfmcn, (he takes her eggs under her wings, (it is not defcribed how,) and tranfports them to a fafe place f. She commonly choofes fields of corn in the ear, from an inftin£l which prompts all animals to bring forth their young in fitua- tions that fupply the proper food. Klein pre- tends, that Ihe prefers oats as having the fhorteft ilalks, and that while Ihe fits on her eggs, her head is fo elevated as to glance along the plain and notice what is going forward. But this aflertion agrees neither with the general opinion of naturalifts, nor with the inftinâ; of the Great Buftard, which, as it is wild and timid, muft feek for fafety rather by concealing itfelf in tall corn, than by over-topping it, in or- der to obferve the fportfmen at a diftance, and incur the danger of being itfelf difcovered. She fometimes leaves her eggs in queft of food, and if, during her Ihort abfence, one handle or even breathe on them, it is faid that fhe perceives it on her return, and abandons them. The Great Buftard, though a very large bird, is exceffively timorous, and feems neither f Hift. Anim. lib, vi. * Briti(h Zoology. J Klein. confcious GREAT BUSTARD. «7 but only into it two I, as ufual f. When Its of the ler wings, rts them to es fields of ;h prompts ig in fitua- Klein pre- :he fhorteft eggs, her g the plain But this le general inftindt of wild and concealing ig it, in or- ftance, and vered. in queft of jfence, one is faid that d abandons very large ems neither lim. lib. vi. confcious I confcious of its ftrcngth, nor animated by the proper fpirit of exerting it. Sometimes they aflemblc, to the number of fifty or fixty; but they gain as little confidence from their multi- tude, as from their ftrength or their fize ; the flighteft appearance of danger, or rather the leaft novelty, alarms them ; and they can hardly pro- vide for their fafety, but by flight. Dogs they dread moft, efpecially as thefe are generally ufed to hunt them ; but they are alfo afraid of the fox, the pole-cat, and every other animal, however fmall, which has courage to attack them. They fhrink from the fierce animals, and even the birds of prey. So daftardly they are, that, though only flightly hurt, they die through fear, rather than from the effeâ: of their wounds *. Yet Klein aflerts that they are fometimes irritated, and inflate a loofe fkin, which hangs below the neck. If we believe the ancients, the Great Buftard has no lefs afiedion to the horfe, than antipathy to the dog t. As foon as the timorous bird perceives that noble animal, it flies to meet him, and generally places itfelf under his feet |. If we admit this fym- pathy between fuch different animals, we might explain the fadl, by faying, that the Great Bu(^ tard finds in horfe-dung fome grains that are half-digefted, and which prove a refource when prefled by hunger. • Gcfner. f Oppian, de Aucupio. X Plmarch, de Sec. AnimaL I Wheq *■ ' 1 28 GEEAT BUSTARD. Wx When it is hunted it runs exceedingly faft, and fometimes proceeds feveral miles without the leaft interruption *. But as it with diffi- culty takes wing, and never unlefs affifted carried by a favourable wind, and as it can- not perch on account of its weight, or by rea- fon of the want of a hind toe, with which it might cling on a branch and fupport itfelf ; we may admit, on the teftimony of both the an- cients and moderns f , that it can be caug4it by grey-hounds. It is alfo chafed by a bird of prey J ; or nets are fpread, into which it iwill be decoyed by leading out a horfe, or by merely difguifmg one's felf in a horfe's fkin §. Every kind of fnare, how artlefs foever, muft fucceed, if it is true, as JEWan affirms, that in the kingdom of Pontus, the foxes attradt them by lying on the ground, raifing their tail, and moving it like the neck of a bird ; the Buftards, he fays, miftake this objed; for one of their own fpecies, advance to it without hefitation, and become the prey of the infidious animal. But this implies much fubtlety in the fox, much ftupidity in the Euftard, and perhaps more credulity in the writer. I have already mentioned, that thefe birds fometimes flock together, to the number of fifty or fixty : this happens in Great Britain, eljpe- * BritiQi Zoology. f Xcnophon, JEiÎM, Albin, Frifch, &c. I ^Idrovandus. $ Athcnxus. cially GREAT BUSTARD. 29 gly faft, without th diffi- affifted it can- ■ by rea- which it elf; we the an- i caught r a bird which it fe, or by ;'s fkin §. 'er, muft 5, that in 2LÙ. them tail, and Buftards, heir own ion, and lal. But much K ipS more efe birds ;r of fifty lin, efpe- cially daily in autumn ; they fpread over the turnip- fields and commit great havock*. In France, they are obferved to arrive and retire regularly in the fpring and autumn, but in fmaller flocks ; and they feldom halt, except on the moll ele- vated fpcts. They have alfo been remarked on their paffage through Burgundy, Champagne, and Lorraine. The Great Buftard is found in Lybia, near Alexandria, according to Plutarch f ; in Syria, in Greece, in Spain, in France, in the plains of Poitou and Champagne i ; in the open coun- tries fituated on the eaft and fouth of Great Britain, from Dorfetfliire to the Mers and Lo- thians in Scotland § ; in the Netherlands and Germany || ; in the Ukraine and Poland ; where, according to Rzacynflci, it paflTes the winter in the midft of the fnow. The authors of the Britifh Zoology affirm, that thefe ^irds feldom leave the place where they were bred, and that thei." greateft excurfions never exceed twenty or thirty miles; but Aldrovandus aflerts that, towards • Britifh Zoology. I,ongolius fays, that the gardeners have great antipathy to the Bullard, on account of their deftroy- ing the turnips. *' Nee ullam peftem odere magis olitores, " nan» rapis ventrem fulcit, nee mediocri praedâ contentas cfle " folct." Loti C01.IVS apitd AUrov. t Unlefs the otis be confounded witli otus, which happens fo frequently. X Salerne. § Britifh Zoology, Aldrovandus. II Frifch fays, that the Bullard is the largell of the native fovs'Is in Germany. the I if 3» GREAT BUSTARD. Itl u h Hi the end of autumn, they arrive in flocks in Hols- land, and limit their haunts to the iields remote from cities and inhabited places. Linnaeus fays, that they travel into Holland and England. Ariftotle alfo mentions their migrations * ; but this point requires to be elucidated by more ac- curate obfervations. Aldrovandus accufes Gefner of a kind of con- tradiction on this fubjed: ; that he affirms, that the Great Buftard migrates with the quails f, though he had mentioned before that they never leave Switzerland, and are fomc- times caught in that country during winter ij:. But thefe aflertions may be reconciled, if we admit, with the authors of the Britifli Zoology, that this bird onXy Jlits, Befides, thofe found in Switzerland are few and draggling, and fuch as by no means reprefent the fpecies ; and is there any proof that thofe which are fometimes caught at Zurich in the winter, are the fame individuals that lived in the country during the fummer ? What appears moft certain is, that the Great Buftard is but rarely found in mountainous or populous countries ; as in Switzerland, Tyrolj Italy, many provinces of Spain, France, Eng- • Hift. Anlrn. lib. viii. f " Otidem de qua fcribo avolare puto cum coturnicibus, kà *' corporis gravitate impeditum* perfeverare non poffe, & irt *' locis proximis remanerc." X " Otis magfta, fi ea eft quam viilgo Trappum vocant, nun «« avolat nifi fallor ex noftris regionibus (& fi Hdver)^ -nra eft,) *' if hieme etiam interdum capitur apud nos." Gesner, Hid. 8 land, "'■'te» in îîoî;- s remote EUS fays, England. s*; but more ac- d of con- affirms, with the fore that ire fome- winter J. ed, if we Zoology, 2 found in id fuch as id is there les caught ndividuals immer ? he Great ainous or id, Tyrolj nee, Eng- urnicibus, fed poflfej & in 1 vocant, iiort erj^e "nra eft,) SNER, »^'''/' land, GREAT BUSTARD. ^t •land, and Germany; and that when it does «occur, this happens generally in the winter*. ^ut though it can live in cold countries, and, ^according to fome authors, is a bird of paifage, 4t would feem that it has never migrated into lAmerica by the north ; for though the accounts )f travellers are filled with Buftards found in the New Continent, it is eafy to perceive that thefe pretended Buftards are aquatic birds, IS I have before remarked, and entirely dif- ferent from that which we at prefent confider. Jarrere mentions, indeed, in his Eflay oa )rnithology, a cinereous Buftard of America, ^hich he fays he obferved ; but in the firft )lace, it does not appear that he had feen it in Lmerica, fmce he takes no notice of it in his ac- )unt of Equinodial France ; in the fécond place, ie is the only one, except Klein, who fpeaks of ^n American Buftard j and that of Klein, the " Memjni ter quaterque apud nos captura. Se inRhietia cire» Curiam, Decembri & Januario mcnfibus, nee apud nos, nee illic a quoquam agnitum." Gesner. " The Buftard is fcldom feen in Orleanois, and only in winter during fnow." SALER.^•E, Orniihucgie. " A perfon of indifpntcd credit," fiibjoins Salerne, " told me, that one day, when the fields were covered with fnow, one of his fervants found, in the morning, thirty buftards half- frozen, which he brought into the huufe, and that they were taken for turkics that had been fhut out, and were not difco- vered till their warmthvvas recruited." I recoUeft to have feen two myfcif at two diiFerent times in a irt of Burgundy that is fertile in grain, but mountainous ; but kis was always in the winter feafon, and vvhiie fnovy was lying on ^e ground, V macucagtta I î» GkEAT BUSTARD. II i macucagua of Marcgrave, has not the charaâ:ers that belong to the genus, fince there are four toes on each foot, and the lower part of the leg is feathered to its articulation with the tarfus, it wants the tail, and bears fcarcely any relation to the Great Buftard, unlefs that it is heavy, and never flies or perches. With refpeâ: lo Barrere, his authority is not fo great in natural hiftory, that his teftimony can outweigh that of all others. And, finally, his cinereous Ame- rican- Buftard is probably the female of the African Buftard, which, according to Linnxus ^, is of an afti-colour. It will be perhaps afked, how a bird, whicli, though bulky, is furni(hed with wings, ad fometimes makes ufe of them, has never mi grated into America by the ftraits on tli!' north, as many quadrupeds have done ? I woul( anfwer, that though it flies, this is only when i is purfued ; that it never makes a diftant ex- curflon, and, accordir.g to the remark of Belon has an averfion to water, and therefore couli never venture to crofs the wide expanfe of tli: ocean; for, though the continents approac! each other towards the north, the interval i ftill prodigious, compared with the ftiort am tardy flight of the Buftard. The Great Buftard may then be confidere as a bird appropriated to the ancient continent * The Otis Afra of Linnteus. be VOL. GREAT BUSTARD. 33 B chara£lers re are foui t of the leg the tarjm] any relation it is heavy, L refpeâ: lo It in natural itweigh that îreous Ame- male of th{ 0 Linnseus * bird, whicb, . wings, and ais never m raits on tb )ne ? I woul( only when i a diftant ex- ark of Belon erefore couli xpanfe of tli nts approad he interval i :he fliort aft |it attached to no particular climate ; it inhabits 4^e burning fands of Lybia, and the frozen iH^ores of the Baltic, and occurs in all the inter- igediate countries. é Its flefh is excellent. That of the young es, after being kept a fhort time, is remark- ly delicate ; and if fome writers have main- ined the contrary, this arifes from their con- unding ot'ts with otusy as I have before ob- rved. I know not why Hippocrates forbids rfons fubjeâ: to the falling ficknefs to tafte Pliny recommends the fat of the Buftard allay the pain in the breafts after child-birth, e quills of this bird, like thofe of the goofe d the fwan, are ufed for writing ; and anglers é eager to fix them to their hooks, becaufe ey believe that the little black fpots with hich they are mottled, will appear to the fifli fo many little flies, and attrad them by this ception. [A] [[A] The fpecific chara£ler of the Great Buftard, Otis-tarda : The head and neck of the male is tufted on both fides." It ranged in the order of the Gallin.iklu(, from a, priv. 8c Aixljoijal couch, on account of its early crowing. In Latin, Gallus : in Spanifh and Italian, Gallo: in German,| Han : in Polifli, Kur, or Kcgut : in Swedifli, JHoe/is, or Tu/ii. hel lirjj scm:^ *?3ff^*-' yfc. ff^ itfoi») i ■^«1»». ■-n urr ,^*'^ ■ *v *» "^^ ..■^-Jggo-^ '^ ^ ir"v>___ r»r> 7;^ «^rsr C»/^ .^gg THK DOMESTIC COCK I he afîîg undoub I anciient time of rous brt I rate gen of its tai no rum mil belo that the j is a gen( cla/fing thered tc nefe Co( mils? L, birds to the numl inteftines grain anc count for earth-wo cooked ? the long try prov( would a their bill carnivoro tions ! S • " They THE COCK. 55 jhe afTign to the hen with five toes, which is undoubtedly of the gallinaceous tribe, and of an ancipnt family ; fince it can be traced to the time of Columella, who mentions it as a gene- I rous breed * ? If he forms the Cock into a fepa- rate genus, diftinguifhed by the fingular fliape of its tail, where will he place the Cock that has no rump, and confequently no tail, but which flill belongs to the fame family ? If he admits that the legs clothed with plumage to the heels, is a generic charader, will he not be puzzled in claffing the rough-footed Cock, which is fea- thered to the origin of the toes, and the Japa- nefe Cock, which is feathered as far as the nails ? Laftly, If he would refer the gallinaceous birds to the granivorous tribe, and infer, from the number and ftrudure of their ftomachs and inteRines, that they were deftined to feed on grain and vegetable fubftances, how will he ac- count for the fondnefs which they difcover for earth-worms and minced-meat, whether raw or cooked ? But perhaps, while he imagines that the long inteftines and double ftomachs in poul- try prove that they are granivorous birds, he would alfo conclude, from the hooked fhape of their bill, they are alfo vermivorous, or even carnivorous. What abfurdities and contradic- tions ! Such are the feeble efforts of a little F * " They are reckoned the moil noble which have five toes.'' Columella, lib. viii. 2. K 4 mind, ■il.: 56 THE COCK. [l^^ mind, which being unable to comprehend tîic extenfion and grandeur of the univerfe, endea- vours to confine it within the tramels of fyftem! And to what trifling and vague fpeculations do thefe attempts give rife ? For our parts, we fhali not attempt to conneâ: the birds by a fcien- tific chain ; we fhall only join thofe together that feem the moft analogous; but we fliall endeavour to mark their chara£leriftic features, and note particularly the leading fads in their biftory. The Cock is a heavy bird, whofe gait is com- pofed and flow. His wings are very fliort, and hence he flies feldom, and fometimes his fcreams indicate the violence of the effort. He crows either in the night or day, but not regularly at certain hours ; and his note differs widely from that of the female. Some hens make a kind of crowing, though fainter and not fo diftindly articuliùed. He fcrapes the ground to fcek his food, and Iwallows, with the grains, little peb'| bles, which rather afllfl; digeftion. He drinbJ by taking a little water into his bill, and raifing his head at each draught. He fleeps oftenetl with one foot in the air *, and his head covered by the wing on the fame fide. In its natural fituation, the body is nearly parallel to the * The thigh on which the body reds is commonly more Ri^h than the other; and o^r epicures know weUliow to diftinguiii^ then). ground, ground, fcally, th îefliy CO double lance ; l ne, bi h'ery thi in bot îither fidi )n either white p îommoni] jhree of t |vvo and Iharader, 1uralifl:s. ff a fmal jaliinaceoi ifts of foi ^0 uneqii [in, makit ■liat diflii: lers in thi lan the re fathers of |nd that th |eed true, t licly occij Ither point 'mb and 'itate the THE COCK. 57 rround, and fo is the bill ; the neck rlfes verti- cally, the forehead is ornamented with a red lefhy comb, and the under-part of the bill with double pendant of the fame colour and fub- tance ; this however is neither flefli nor mem- )rane, but of a peculiar nature, different from ^very thing elfe. In both fexes the noftrils are fituated on pither fide of the upper mandible, and the ears )n either fide of the head, and below each ear white piece of fkin is fpread. The feet have [ommonly four toes, fometimes five, but always jhree of them placed behind. The feathers rife Iwo and two from each (haft ; a remarkable iharadler, which has been noticed by few na- kiralifts. The tail is nearly ftraight, but admits If a fmall elevation and deprefiion. In thofe rallinaceous tribes where it is fingle, it con- ^fts of fourteen feathers, which are parted into ;o unequal planes that join at their upper mar- |in, making an angle more or lefs acute. But |ihat diftinguifhes the male is, that the two fea- rers in the middle of the tail are much longer um the reH:, and are bent into an arch ; that the gathers of the tail and rump are long and narrow^ Ind that the feet are armed with fpurs. It is in- |eed true, that fome hens alfo have fpurs, but this )icly occurs ; and in fuch hens there are many jther points cf refemblance to the male ; their )mb and tail are arched the fame way ; they litate the crowing of the cock, and would even attempt F 5» THE COCK. ■ ' , ' Ml attempt to perforin his oflice '^'". But we fliould be miftaken, were we to inier that they are lierinaphrodites j they are unlit for procreation, and averfc to the male embrace; we muft re- gard them as imperfe«fl degenerate individuals, wherein the fexual charader is obliterated. , A good Cock is one whole eyes fparkle witii fire, who has boldnefs in his demeanour, and! freedom in his motions, and all whole proportion<| difplay force. Such a bird would not indeec ilrike terror into a lion, as has often been fai and written, but would command the love o| the females, and place himfelf at the head of numerous flock of hens. To fpare him, hi ought not to be allowed more than twelve ci iifteen. Columella recommends that thefe lliouli not exceed live ; but, though the Cock fhouli have fifty a-day, it is faid f that he wouli not negleâ: one. Yet no one can be certaii that all his embraces are efficacious, and fufficij ent to fecundate the eggs of the female. Iii| luft feems to be as fiery as his gratifications a frequent. In the morning, the firft thing does, after he is let out from his rooft, is tread his hens. Food feems to him only a ftBormer animo condary want ; and if he is deprived for foni™ °"^ "^"'^ time of the company of his fiimily, he maki his addrefies to the firft female that he meeij ougli ourts tl s menti y an ol ention hat a ould b The h ould hi ary and rolTed. ients : C eft pouh f a foreij e find roved, a on hens In ever hich ha^ * Acrofs- idge, which t Having : ould have n< * Arid. Hift. Anim. lib. ix. 4g. •}• Aldrovandus. Î In his tr II Dc Re R, faflbciating 'i^iius. I am educated to tbcid THE COCK. 59 loiigli of a very difFerent fpecies *, and even Courts the firft male that occurs. The firft faâ: is mentioned by Ariftotle ; the fécond is proved )y an obfervation of Edwards f ; and by a law lentioned by Plutarch, in which it was enaded, ihat a Cock convided of this unnatural ad, lould be burnt alive J. The hens muft be feleded for the Cock, if we ^ould have a genuine race ; but if we want to ^ary and improve the fpecies, the breed muft be jroffed. This obfervation did not efcape the an- cients : Columella exprefsly mentions, that the )eft poultry is produced by the union of a Cock )f a foreign family with the ordinary hens ; and ,re find in Athenaeus, that this idea was im- jroved, a cock-pheafant being given to the com- lon hens j|. In every cafe we ought to chufe thofe hens /hich have a lively eye, a flowing red comb, and ^ • A crofs-breed is produced between a Cock and the hen-par- ridge, which through time grows like the female. Aristotle, lib. ix, 49. t Having Ihut up three or four Cocks in a place where they kould have no commerce with any hen, they foon laid afide their lormer animofity ; and, inftead of fighting, each tried the other, jiiough none feemed willing to fubmit. Preface to the Gleanings. X In his treatife on the queftion, " Whether brutes reafonî" II Di Re RiiJIica, lib. viii. 2. Longolius defcribes the method bf aflbciating the cock-pheafant with common hens. Gesner tie ivibus, 1 am allured that the Guinea Cock alfo treads the hens, 'e4ucated together, but that the breed arc rather barren. have !'? ■i.. (' 60 THE COCK. have no fpurs. The proportions of their body are in general more Ilender than the males ; yet their feathers are broader, and their legs fhorter. Sagacious farmers prefer black hens, becaufe they are more prolific than the white, and more eafily efcape the piercing fight of the birds of rapine which hover near the farm-yard. The Cock is extremely watchful of his fe- males, and even filled with inquietude and anxie- ty ; he hardly ever lofes fight of them ; he leads them, defends them, and threatens them with his menaces ; collects them together when they draggle, and never eats till he has the pleafure of feeing them feeding around him. To judge from the different inflexions of his voice, and the various fignificant geftures which he makes, we cannot doubt but thele are a fpecies of lan- guage that ferves to communicate his fentiments.^ When he lofes them, he utters his griefs. Thougli as jealous as he is amorous, he abufes not hisj wives, but turns his rage againft his rivals. Wbenf another Cock is prefented, he allows no time fbr| ledudion ; he inftantly rufhes forward, his eyess flafhing fire, and his feathers briftled, and makes 3 furious attack on his rival, and fights obftinately I till one or the orher fall, or the interloper leavei the field. The deiire of pofl!efiion, ever exceffive,; not only prompts him to drive away every rivalj but to remove the moft inoffenfive obftacles j he| beats off and fometimes kills the chickens, thati he may enjoy the mother more at his eafe. U thi this app( loufy? Il :an he ap iion? Bu THE COCK. 6i ufe they re eafily [■ rapine Ir body ^liis appetite the fole caufe of his furious jca- es ; yet - ■ |oufy ? In the midft of a fubmiflive feraglio, how {horter. Jtan he apprehend any bounds to his gratifica- Éion ? But how ardent fbever be his paillons, he eems to be more averfe to fliare the pleafures han eager to tafte them ; and as his powers are reater, fo his jealoul'y is more excufable and etter founded than that of other fultans. Like hem alfo, he has his favourite female, whom he ourts with greater afllduity, and on whom he eftows his favours as often nearly as on all the eft together. What proves that in Cocks jealoufy is a paf- lon founded on refledion is, that many of them re perpetually fighting with each other in the ourt-yard, while they never attack the capons, t leaft if thefe are not in the habit of following he hens. Man, who is dexterous in drawing amufe- his fe- d anxie- he leads ;m with tien they pleafuie fo judge Dice, and e makes, S of Ian- ntlments. Thougli.] s not his nent from every quarter, has learnt to fet into s. When:-^ idion that invincible antipathy which Nature ) time foi »as implanted in one Cock to another. So much his eyes ; lave they foftered this native hatred, that the d makes a? (attles of two domeftic birds have become fpec- )bftinately acles fit to attraâ: the curiofity of people even in Dper leavei )oli(hed fociety; and at the fame time, thefe exceffivel uive been confidered as the means of calling very rival| orth or maintaining that precious ferocity, which tacles ; H ^ 'bey fay, the fource of heroifm. Formerly, cens, that nd even at prefent in more than one country, 5 eafe. ^i ^^'^ of all ranks crowd to thefe grotefquc coa»- tliifl bats. F 62 THE COCK. Ril bats, divide into parties, grow heated for the for- tune of their favourite Cock, heighten the in- tereft of the exhibition by tlie moll extravagant bets ; and the fate of families is decided by the lafl: ftroke of the vidorious bird. Such was an- ciently the madnefs of the Rhodians, the Tan- grians, and the people of Pergamus *' ; and fuch at prefent is that of the Chinefe f , of the in- habitants of the Philippine illands, of Java, ct the ifthmus of America, and of fome other na-ï tions in both continents i]:. But Cocks are not the only birds that havcj been thus abufed : the Athenians, who allottedj one day in the year |j to cock-fighting, employed! quails likcwife for the fame diverfion j and evenj at prefent the Chinefe breed for that purpofej certain fmall birds refembling quails or linnetsl The mode of fighting varies according to the difj ferent fchools where they are formed, and thel different weapons, offenfive or defenfive, wltii which they arc armed ; but it is curious tha^ * Pliny, lib. x. '.I. •f Gemelli Careri, Ancient Accounts of India and China. i Navarette, DeJ'cription de la. Chine. t( When Themiftocles was about to give battle to the Perf^anii obferving his troops difpirited, he pointed to two Cocks that wert fighting : " See," iaid he, " the unlhaken courage of thefe anijl ** mais ; yet they have no i-ther motive than the love of viéloryj ** But you fight for your houfchold gods, the tombs of your m " thers, and your liberty." Theft few words revived the couJ rage of the army, and Themiftocles gained the viftory. It wii in. memory of this event that the Athenians inftituted a kind of fjllij val, v/hich was cslfbnited by cock-fighting. iELi an. thd THE cock:. 63 r the for- 1 the in- travagant ed by the h was an« the Tan"4 and fuch ^t" the in-g| )f Java, of| other na* that havci ho allotted , employed! ; and eveni iat purpofej or linnets.! to the dif' .1, and nfive, wit' urious thai nd China. to the PerDan:, Cocks that wer ïc of thefe anw ,ove of viéloryJ Tibs of your faj evived the couj nftory. h v.^ d a kind of hi the ic Rhodian Cocks, though larger, ftronger, and :tter fighters than the others, were not fo ar- )cnt for the females, and had only three hens, iftead of fifteen or twenty ; whether becaufe leir fire was cxtinguifhcd in the conftraincd fo- Itude in which they were accufiiomcd to live, ir becaufe their rage, being too often roufed, lad ftifled in them the fofter palTions, which, iowever, were at firfi. the principle of their cou- ige and the fource of their hoflilc difpofition. ^'he males of that breed were therefore lefs vi- [orous, and the females lefs prolific and more in- [olent, both in laying eggs and v^atching their lickens. — Sofuccefsful has Art been in degrading Jature ! and fo unfavourable are the talents for rar to the bufinefs of propagation ! Hens need not the embrace of the Cock to pro- ire eggs ; thefe are continually detached from the mch in the ovarium, which grows independent the union with the male. As they enlarge, they :quire maturity, feparate from their calyx and îdicle, pafs through the whole length of the ndu&us^ and in their road affimilate, by a cer- iin power that they pcHcfs, the lymph with [hich the duâ: is filled, and form it into their mite, their coats, and their fhell. There they [main till the fenfible and elaftic fibres being retched and ftimulated by thefe fubftances, which ive now become foreign, contraifl: and extrude [em, the large end being forcmofl according to riftotle. 8 Thefe 1^ H THE COCK. Thcfc eggs arc all that the prolific quality of the female can produce alone and unaflirtcd j flic exudes an organized body, indeed, fulccptible of a kind of life, but not a living animal fimilar to the mother, and in its turn capable of con- tinuing the race. This requires the union of the male, and intimate mixture of the feminal ii» quors of both fexes ; but when once this ha; | taken place, its effeds arc durable. Dr. Harvej obferved, that the egg of a hen, which bad bce^ feparated twenty days from the Cock, was nc; lefs prolific than one laid newly after treading, and that the embryo was not on that accoun: | more advanced, and required the fame length cij incubation ; a certain proof that heat alone can* not produce or promote the developement of th« chick, but that the egg muft be formed, or ai lead placed where it can perfpire, in order xhrk the embryo inclofed may be fufceptible of in cubation, otherwife all the eggs which remaio in the ovidudt twenty-one days after fecundaj tion would hatch, fince they would have thi proper time and heat ; and, in this cafe, henj would be fometimes oviparous, fometimes vivij parous *. The mean weight of the egg of an ordinal hen is one ounce fix grains. If we open it care] ully, V leli, a c f the hich h ernal wi ig; anc nd the ^ ercnt par ranej ai ;ether at iwo poles cle, calle s equatoi ce j. With re nown to 1 [Itered by * I know of no perfon, except Dr. Michael Lyzeruts, who liJ a viviparous hen. But the inftances would be frequent, it h;| were only required to hatch a fecundated egg. German Ephemeriâ Dec. ii. an. 4. Append, obf. aS. fulli THE COCK. 6S ully, we may perceive, immediately under the lell, a common membrane wliich lines the whole f the inner cavity ; then, the external white, hich has the form of this cavity ; next, the in- ernal white, which is rounder than the preced- ig ; and laftly, in the centre of this white, we nd the yolk, which is fpherical. All thefe dif- 'ercnt parts are inclofed, each in its proper mem- jrane ; and all the membranes are conncdled to- j;ether at the chalaza *, or cords, which form the [wo poles of the yolk. The little lenticular ve- icle, called the cicatricula f, appears very near ts equator, and is firmly attached to the fur- ice J. With refped to its external form, it is too well known to need any defcription ; but it is often lltered by accidents, which it is eafy to account ^ * So called from X«Aa^«, a hail-ftone, on account of the fimi- Irity of appearance. f i. e. a little fear. It is a yellowifli white round fpot, and len examined, it appears compofed of feveral different coloured tci:s. \\ Bdlini, mifled by his experiments, or rather by the confe- nences which he-drew from them, fancied, and made many bc- |ve, that if frefli eggs were hardened in boiling water, the cica- ■ula left the furface of the yolk, and retired to the centre; but ken eggs that had been fet under the hen were hardened in : fame way, the cicatricula remained confiant!/ attached to the fface. The philofophers at Turin repeated and varied the ex- Iriments, but found, that in all eggs, whether new-laid or fuch I had undergone a partial incubation, the cicatricula continued to jhere to the furface of the hardened yolk ; and that the white fub- : which Bclliin faw at the centre was quite different, and wa» bafioned by too much or too little boiling. VOL II, F for •T 66 THE COCK. ^ for from the hiftory of the egg itfelf and itj formation. It is not uncommon to find two yolks incUidcii in the fame fhell, This happens when two egg; alilce formed arc detached at the fame time from the ovarium and pafs together through tlii cvidudl, forming their white without parting, anil become inverted with the f me external coat. If by any accident, which may eafily be fup- pofed, an egg that has been fome time difengage; from the ovarium^ is checked in its growth, and when formed as much as it can be, comes withi.l the fphere of adion of another vigorous egg, i will coalefce with it, and form an egg withl an egg *. In the fame manner, we may conceive how pin, or any other fubftance, which has penetratei as far as the oviduâ:, will be found inclofed witli in t an egg. Some hens lay eggs that have no fhell ; whc' ther from the defedt of the proper fubftance fi forming the fhell, or becaufe they are extrud from the ovidudt before their complete maturity thefe never produce chickens; and this happen it is faid, to hens that are too fat. The oppoliij circumftances occafion the eggs to have tcj thick fhells, or even double fliells. Some n tain the pedicle by which they are fixed tvo rà ovarium : others are bent into the form of a crci * Collcdlion Académique. f Idem. cen] CoIIeaion ^P'lemeridcd Collediion a] THE COCK. «7 It ; others are fliaped like a pear ; fome have |d on ti\cir fliells the imprcfTions^even of a fun, :omet *, an eclipfe, or whatever has operated iwerfully on the imagination ; nay, fome have (pearcd luminous. What has been real in the [erations in thj Hiape of the egg, and the marks the furface, muft be afcribed to the different ^iïurcs which it receives while the fhell is ftill Ft and pliant, and yet of fuch a confiftcnce as retain the impreffions. It will be more difli- |lt to account for the luminous appearance f of le eggs. A German dodor obferved fuch un- a white hen which had been fecundated, he Is, by a very vigorous Cock. We cannot de- itly deny the pofTibility of the faâ: j but, as it is |gle, it would be prudent to repeat the obferva- In before we venture to explain it. [With regard to the pretended Cocks eggs that ^e no yolk, and include, as the vulgar imagine, arpent |, they are nothing elfe but the imma- [e produdlions of an infant hen, or the laft )rt of one exhaufted by excefllve fecundity ; fmally, they are imperfedl eggs that have loft ^ir yolks in the ovidudt, either from accident [from the wrong conformation of the parts, that have Hill retained their cords or chalaza^ |ich the lovers of the marvellous have fancied iverted into a ferpent. M. de la Peyronie has CoIIeftion Académique. Epliemerldes de Curieux de la Nature. Collodion Académique. F 2 F put 68 THE COCK. ti. "" >: -, It I 1 put this beyond all doubt, by the difiedlion of i hen which laid fuch eggs } but neither M. de h Peyronie nor Thomas Bartholin, who difl'edd thefe pretended oviparous Cocks, could difcovei eggs, or ovaria, or any thing analogous *. Hens lay through the whole year, except tl;; time of moulting, which generally lafts fix weel; or two months, about the end of autuinn an: the beginning of the winter. This moulting i. nothing but the Ihedding of the old feather, which are detached like the old leaves of tree and the antlers of ftags, being excluded by tl growth of the new. The Cocks alfo fuffer tlii renovation ; but it is remarkable that the ncv feathers fometimes affume a different colon: One of our obfervers has noticed this fadl in hen and a cock, and every perfon may remaii it in many other kinds of birds, particularly i: thofe that are brought from Bengal, w^hich chan their tints at almoft every moulting ; and, in gc neral, the colours of the firft feathers, in by laf the greateft: number of birds, arc different froi what they afterwards become. The ordinary fecundity of hens is limited t the laying an egg each day. There are fome, it laid, in Samogiiiaf , Malacca ||, and other placi. that lay twice a-day. Ariftotle mentions certai hens of Illyria, which laid fo often as thrice • Collcflion Acadrm'quc. t Rzat;ynfiii, Aai. ihj!. Fduftd. X Boutekoc, fojage aux Inc' Orieutnla. c I The youin Sons three eggs l'ai] built 300 y foat of mortar » ^e thickcll wal Wl U'ould not I! t Prtitifjiic d( THE COCK. 69 lor ay ; and it is probable that tliefe were the fame ith the Adrian or Adriatic hens, of which he leaks in another place, and which w^ere noted their prolific quality. Some add, that there a peculiar mode of feeding common hens» hich gives them this prodigious fecundity. Teat is very favourable ; hens can be brought :o lay in winter by keeping them in a ftable, here there is always warm dung on which they an fit. As foon as an egg is laid it begins to perfpire, nd lofes every day fome grains of its weight by |he evaporation of the more volatile juices in pro- crtlon, it thickens, liardens, and dries ; or it con- radls an offenfive fmell, and becomes totally un- t for hatching. The art of long preferving eggs nnfiftsin checking the perfpiration *, by cover- ng the flicll completely with a coat of any kind f greafe lliortly after it is laid. By this fingle rccaution we can preferve them for fcveral onths, and even years, in a condition for CiUing^ nd capable of being hatched, and, in a word, etaining all the properties cf frcfh eggs f. The nhabitants of Tonquin keep them in a kind of ^ The Journal Economique for the month of March 1755 meii- Eons three eggs, fit for eating, found in Italy, in the heart of a Vail buik 300 years ago. This fad is the more incredible, as a loat of mortar would not be fufficicnt to preferve an egg ; and as ftic thickcll walls dry in every part, the tranfpiration through the f,û\ would not be prevented, t Prniiijac dc l'art Je faire cclore le poulets. >'3 pafte 70 THE COCK. .1 |; _•• r pafte made of fifted aflies and brine; other In- dians in oil * ; varnifh is alfo proper, when tb eggs are intended for the table; but greafeii equally fit for this purpofe, and is much bettt' for preferving eggs that are to be hatched, be caufe it can be more eafily fepariited than t!i; varnifh, and the coating mufi: be completely di- tached in order that the incubation fucceed ; fl whatever obftruds the perfpiration prevents alii, the developement of the chick f. I have faid, that the union of the Cock wi neceffary to the fecundation of the eggs ; an, this fadt is founded on long and confiant expe | rience. But the details of this ad, fo efTentl in the hiftory of animals, have been too flight! obferved. It is indeed known, that the male c; gan is double, and is only the two paps whit terminate the fpermatic vefTels, where they ai inferted in the gut ; that the female vulva ; placed over the a?iusy and not under as in Û quadrupeds | : that he advances to his fema' with an oblique quickened pace, dropping li: wings, like the turkey, and even partly fpreadir^ his tail, uttering a certain exprefhve murinii' with a trembling motion, and with all the %! * Tavcrnler. f This affc: i;ûn feciiô to require fome modification. Theli ingenious Dr. M • :r-. of F. liiibuigh rubbed the obtufe ends of ck^ tesn e^g", and yet tb»y all futcccJ; d in hatcliing. (.(.ml'iirativc Juatcmj, p. 9f* ;|: Rhcdi. — ColkClvii Acadtii»i>'iU('. In the gi withers ;izcs wit if the fen [f kccpin: iart of hi |d, and a 1^ orifice Piorter tin le Cock i [lapping h if joy or 1 is femina uadrupedi ined, by *f the hen g, as til uc'ed in t lut I am u lie Cock, male orifî ibrtion o 'ntadl. recife con lation, noi n extenc finite nu lat have b I THE COCK. 7« ardent dcfire ; that he darts upon the hen, ho receives him, hending her legs, fquatting n the ground, and laying afide the two fans of athers which compofe her tail ; that then he izes with his hill the creft or tuft on the head f the female, either by way of carefTing her, or f keeping his balance; that he bends the hind art of his body, where his double yard is lodg- J, and applies it brifl:ly where the correfpond- cr orifice is placed j that this copulation lafts the lorter time the oftener it is repeated, and that e Cock fecms to boafi: of his performance by ilapping his wings, and by a kind of crowing f joy or vidory ; that he has tellicles, and that is feminal liquor is contained, like that of the ladrupeds, in fpermatic velTcls. I have afcer- ined, by my own obfervations, that the femeii f the lien is lodged in the ckatr'tcula of each g, as that of the female quadrupeds is in- uded in the glandular bodies of the tefticles ; ut I am uncertain whether the double penis of le Cock, or only one of them, penetrates the male orifice, and even whether there is a real fcrtion or only a ftrong comprefhon or mer»? ntaâ;. It is not yet known what muft be the rccife condition of an egg in order to its fecun- ation, nor to what diftance the male influence n extend. — In a word, notwithftanding the finite number of experiments and obfervations luuanj, r'94|Jiat havc been made on this fubjeâ:, we ftill re- V 4 main other In- when tht greafei: ich bettt' :ched, k than til; pletely de- :ceed ; fi events all.. Cock wa eggs ; aa Rant expe | fo elTenti. too flight! he male oi The l1 ufe endsof clji 7* THE COCK. J- main unacquainted with fome of the principal circumftances of the impregnation. Its firft known effedl is the dilation of tlie cicatricula^ and the formation of the chick in its cavity ; for it is this ckatricula which contains the true germ, and occurs in eggs whether fer- tile or not, and even in thofe pretended Cocks eggs which I have already fpoken of*; butii is fmaller in the eggs that are not fecundated Malpighi, having examined fertile eggs thai were newly laid and before they were covered, difcovered in the centre of the ckatricula a fped fwimming in a liquor, in the midft of which lit could trace the rudiments of a chick dlftindly formed ; but the ckatricula of barren eggs, pro- duced by the hen alone without the intercourlt j of the male, {hewed merely a fmall fhapelcl: globule, furniflied with appendices filled witlu thick juice, though furrounded with fevcral con centric circles ; and he could perceive no em bryo of an animal. The intimate and complett organization of a fhapelcis mafs is only tk inftantaneous cffed: of the mixture of the twi feminal liquors ; it requires but a moment k Nature to give the firft form to this tranfparer, * De la Peyronie obferved in one oi thefe eggs a round yelb fpct, of a line in diameter, but without any ienfible tjiickr.cl fituatc-d on the membrane tliat adheres to the flieli. It is probaï tbat the yellow colour was, in this caie, Gcc;ilioncd by the diipi: liou of the yolk, which was iVar.d in difTcdion ; the membr:.: v.'hich contained the yolk, perhaps, ftuck to that ntxt the flu glareo'j glareous ff life tl md conf :etch. Ihe moth jng the e felt as i\ Tgns as c )rder of tited by las juft I ^omniunii Tpedators glamorous len ceflati loco m pan lother th jeny. \ |hat when le delib( jhey be co laps lay f ^xhaulled jhe time a force of ir icr wants py certain If fhe can lily cover |lie female tone or c THE COCK. rlareous fubftancc, and to diffufe the principle )f life through all its points ; fhe requires time \nà confpiring circumftances to finifh the rude :etch. She has entrufted this charge chiefly to Ihe mother, by infpiring the inftindt of cover- ing the eggs. In moft hens this propenfity is Felt as ilrongly, and marked by as fignificant JTigns as copulation, to which it fucceeds in the )rder of nature, and even though it is not ex- bited by the prefence of an egg. A hen that las juft laid, is kindled with tranfports that are Communicated to others which are only mere [peûators, and they all join in the repeated glamorous burfts of joy ; either bccaufc the fud- len ceflation of the pains of delivery is always accompanied with a lively pleafure, or that the lother then anticipates all the delights of pro- reny. Whatever he the caufe, certain it is, Ihat when Ihe has laid twenty-five or thirty eggs, le deliberately prepares to fit on them. If Ihey be continually taken from her, fhe will per- laps lay twice or thrice as many, and become khaulled by the mere excefs of fecundity. But Ihe time at laft comes, when flie is driven by the Force of inftind; to feek to hatch, and exprefles icr wants by a particular fort of clucking, and j)y certain unambiguous motions and attitudes. If fhe cannot find her own eggs, (he will rea- lily cover thofe of any other hen, or thcfe of Ihe female of any other fpecies, or even balls of tone or chalk. She will continue dill to fit, after F 74 THE COCK, after every thing is removed, wafte herfelf ir, vain plaints and idle movements *. If fhc i; fuccefsful in her fearch, and finds eggs that p.rt either real or refembling fuch in a retired an- convenient fpot, flie immediately feats herfelf cr. them, covers them with her wings, fofters a gcnia! warmth, and conftantly changes them gently tc heat all the parts equally. She is ïo intent in her occupation, as to negled: food and drin!:, One would almod fay, that fiie perceives tlii importance of her employment ; fhe omits ii" care, overlooks no precaution, to complete tiii Mn the ce exigence of the little incipient beings, and tc ^ards th( guard againft the dangers tliit threaten j". i! may perhaps be worthy of remark, that th condition of a fitting hen, however inlipid i; appears to us, is perhaps not a tedious iituaticv but a ftate of continual joy, the more delicioui.Mjf the fp as it is the more choice ; fo much has Natiirrlpho beiri conneded raptures witn whatever relates to tlu multiplication of her creatures ! The effed: of incubation is ccnfmed merek to the developement of the embryo of tiif hick, y eady fc gg- T his dev( 0 the ol pretty "ubjeâ:, ircumft, At the hick is ( wimmin eady ber On th races of lobules c c Colour ; [he hca ■)f the e^ /ell as th he life d * A h?n may he put oft' the brooding by often dipping k poftcrinrs ;>• cold vv ucr. f Noiic 's fomeiimes injurions to the brood. A whole hate; mnde in ;• . :.~k-fmith's fliop w^a attacked hy vertiges. CdL'Jiiou Acadeiiùqui. A fingular circumftance lately came under my obfervatiun ;-.• brooding hen having perceived a hole made in one of her egr was filled with rage ; but afttr her pafîion was fomcwhat abaWrl file deliberatciv clofcd up the wound with mud and feathers. T,|S i.^ , ^ ^ m^ riilrhar chlcl;; nd the b On th( nd expar angs out ucceflion e blood THE COCK. 75 hick, which, as we have already faid, exifls al- eady formed in the cicatricula of the fecundated gg. The following is nearly the order in which his developement is made, or rather as it appears 0 the ohferver ; and as I have elfewhere given pretty full account of the fads relating to this ubjed, I fliall only repeat the more important ircumftances. At the end of five or fix hours, the head of the hick is diftindlly feen joined to the dorfal fpine, "wimming in the liquor, with which the fpeck n the centre of the cicatriada is filled ; and to- Arards the clofe of the firft day, the head is al- eady bent back by its enlargement. On the fécond day are perceived the firft: races of the vertshrcs^ which are like fmall jiobules difpofed on the two fides of the middle )re deliciûUï ; )f the fpine ; the wings and umbilical veifels 10 begin to appear, dillinguifhed by their dull :olour ; the neck and bread are unfolded, and he head conftantly increafcs ; the outlines )f the eyes, and the three encircling coats, a: cll as the fpine and membranes, are now fcen. he life of the foetus is decided; the heart beats, nd the blood circulates. On the third day, the whole is more diftindl nd expanded. It is remarkable, that the heart angs out of the breafl:, and beats three times in [ucceffion ; once, in receiving from the auricle e blood contained in the veins ; a fécond time. In cîifrharging it into the arteries j and a third herfelf ir, If Ihc 1; ;s that arc ctired anri herfelf en ;rs a genii 1 p-ently tc 3 intent \i and drink, rceives tliï le omits nr . .arplete tlit , ics, and tc aten "]". li \ :, that th I r infipid i; Us lituaticn has Natiu;: lates to tliï ned mereh iryo of tlii ten dipping k A whole haui IPOS. O on Acadeiniqui obfervatiun :-■ one of her c^r bmcwhat absw d feathers. '!■ chlcl:; r '3 time. 76 THE COCK. time, in forcing it into the umbilical veîTel^; and this motion continues for twenty-four hours after the embryo ha:, been feparated from the white of its egg. We alfo difcover the veins and arteries on the veficles of the brain, and the rudiments of the fpinal marrow beginning tn extend along the vertebra. Laftly, we fee the whole foetus enveloped in a part of the fur- rounding liquor which has acquired a greater confillenco than the reft. On the ^ourth day the eyes are c; nfiderably advanced ; we can diftinguifti the pupil, thi cryftalline lens, and the vitreous humour. \\V alfo perceive in the head five veficles filled wit!; a fluid which, approaching each other, aiic r;radually coalefcing on the following dayj,. form at laft the brain inverted with its coat The wings grow, the thighs begin to appear and the body to acquire bulk. On the lilV day tl^.e whole body is covered with an undu- ous llcfli ; the heart is confined by a very thi membrane, which rereads over the chcfl: ; n the umbilical vclfels rife out of the abdc men *. The fixth day the fpinal marrow, being m vided into two parts, continues to ftretch alori the trunk j the liver, which was before whitillj ■^ The vcHels which fpread in the yolk of the egg, and whi;| are confcquently without the abdomen, foon retire into the cavi;;| according to the remark of Steno. Cz!ltct::ii Académique. i|6 now b I'ith its I covere ^egin to It is ea îie bill ; llic legs, Ivvo vent Rubbles, jbftance ions are n the ai tiearts. About 1 [ppear, ar mth day petely foi jioot. It nve the a; rom the Î [ow perfec! The fol [xpanfion i hick breal lonly the Pi^hteenth, All this ^nts fo inl the effcd lan induft |cc to iraiti THE COCK. 77 now become of a duflcy colour ; the heart beats /ith its two ventricles ; the body of the chick covered with a Ikin, and even the feathers ^egin to fprout. It is eafy, on the feventh day, to diftinguifli Jie bill ; the brain, the wings, the thighs, and ic legs, have acquired their perfect (hape ; the |\vo ventricles of the heart appear like two Kibbles, contiguous and joined above to the ibftance of the auricles. Two fucceflive mo- tons are obferved in the ventricles, as well as f\ the auricles, which refemble two feparate jearts. About the end of the ninth day the lungs Ippear, and are of a whitifh colour. On the :nth day the mufcles of the wings are com- pletely formed, and the feathers continue to hoot. It is not till the eleventh day that we per- :;ive the arteries, which were before at a diftance rom the heart, cohere to it ; and this organ is [ow perfed: and united into two ventricles. The following days are i'pcnt in the farther [panfion of the parts, which continues till the hick breaks its fhell ; and this happens com- lonly the twenty- firft day, fometimcs the ^ghteenth, and at others, the twcnty-feventh. All this train of phsenomena, which pre- nais fo interefting a fpeclacle to the obferver, the effeâ: of incubation by a hen ; and hu- ian induftry has found it not beneath its no- |cc to imitate the procefs. Formerly, the rude peafcints r î !' •ir 78 THE COCK. ^ peafants of Egypt, and in our own times phi- lolbphers, have lucceedcd in hatching eggs, as well as the inoft careful fitter, and hivc given birth to amazing numbers at once. The whole lecret conflits in keeping the eggs at a tempera- ture which nearly correfponds to the warmth of the hen, and in preventing every kind of humi- dity and pernicious exhalations, fuch as thofc of charcoal, burning fuel, and even that of tainted, eggs. By obferving thefe tvi-o conditions, and being attentive in repeatedly fliifting the eggs, and varying the place of the oven or ftove where the balkets are placed, fo that not only each egg, but every part of it may enjoy alike the requilite heat, we (hall fucceed in hatching mil- i lions of chickens. Every kind of heat is favourable ; nor is the wrrmth of the hen better than that of any other animal, not even excepting man *, nor than the foiar or terreftrial fires, or the heat of a bed of i oak-bark or dung. The efTential point is to be able to regulate the heat ; to increafe or dimi* nifh at pleafure. We can always know the degree by means of good thermometers placed^ in difTereiit parts within the oven or ftove ; W| * When Livia was pregnant, flie cherifhei an egg in her"" bofom, with a. view of forctcllirg the fex of her cxpetted cliild^ from that of the chicken which would be hatched. It was Û cock, and fhe had a boy. The augurs turned the accident to! their advantage, and endeavoured to convince the incredulous of! the reality ot dicir art. But what was better proved is, that I'ltt heat of the human body is fufficient for the incubation of eggs. caoi THE COCK. 79 in prefcrve the heat, by flopping the openings id fîiUfting the rcgillcrs of the lid ; we can igment it with warm aflies, if it be an oven, ir by addiiig wood, if a (love ; or ufing chaling- lilhcs, if it be a bed ; and we can diminilh it, ly opening the regiflers to give accefs to the :rcrnal air, or at leail by introducing into je oven cold bodies, die. But, whatever attention be beftowed in regu- iting the furnace, it is hardly poffible to rnaii lin conftantly, and without interruption, the [2d * degree of heat, which is that of the hen, [ortunatcly, this limit is not very determined ; iul a heat varying from the 38th f to the |4th I degree, is found to occafion no incon- nVience. But it is to be obferved, that the ccel's is more to be dreaded than the defed:, id that a few hours at the ^Sth degree, or r'cn the 36° §, is more injurious than fome lys at 24^ And a proof that a dill lefs heat ^ould occafion no inconvenience is, that a par- [idge's neft being difcovered in a meadow that }as mowing, they were kept in the fhade for lirty-fix hours, (no hen being found during lat time to cover them,) and yet they all itched at the end of three days, except thofe [hich were opened to perceive what condition iey were in. They were indeed very far ad- i^ • 104°, Farenheit. I 86^ F. t "7'|. F. § ii3"> F. vanced, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 l.l UâlZS |2.5 ■^ 1^ Il 2.2 - ni us |||l.25 1.4 |||||L6 < 6" » Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WfST MAIN STMI7 WnSTIR,N.Y. 145t0 (716) 173-4903 \ K"^ 37 V <> <^^V ■y^^^ ^ ^ 8o THE COCK. 1'^ vanced, and it undoubtedly required a greater degree of heat at the beginning than near the clofe of the incubation, when the heat of the little chick was almoft alone fufficient for its de- velopement. With regard to humidity, as it is very hurt- ful to the progrefs of incubation, we muft bel furniflied with certain means of difcovering whether it has penetrated into the oven, and bej able to expel it, if it has penetrated, and pre- vent its return. The hygrometer, which is the fimpleft and! fitted for eftimating the humidity of the air inl thefe forts of ovens, is a cold egg introduced! and kept fome time, till it acquire a proper heat.| If, at the end of a quarter of an hour or more] the egg is covered with a light dew, luch as thati formed by the breath on poliûied glafs, or whatj falls on the outfide of a tumbler in which a freezj ing mixture is made, this is a proof that the aiti of the oven is too humid j and the more fo, thel longer time the moifture takes to diffipate. This] happens chiefly in a tan-bed, and in dung com-j polls inclofed in a confined place. The bellj way to remedy this inconvenience is to renetfl the air, where it is clofe, by means of current!! produced by oppolite windows ; or, inftead o| thefe, by fixing ventilators proportioned to thcj fpace. Sometimes the mere perfpiration of thi immenfe number of eggs occafions an excefl of humidity in the oven itfelf: in this caftj tM t FI E COCK. ffk [he bafkets with the eggs ought to be taken out, )r a few minuteSj every two or three days, and fanned with a hat, waving it in different di- ie£lions. But it is not enough that the moifture which [olleds within the oven he expelled ; we muft Wevent the entrance of humidity from without, ly lining the infide with fheet-iead, good ce- lent, plafter, a proper mixture of pitch and ir, or at lead by fpreading it over with fevcral )ats of oil, and allowing this to dry, and ghi- |ig on the interior furface ftripes of bladder or |f grey papeh To thefe few eafy pratSlical operations is re- |uced the whole art of artificial incubation ; id hence are deduced the fhuélure and di men- ons of the ovens or ifloves, the number, fliape, id diftribution of the bafkets, and all the little ianceuvres which the circumftances require, or ie occafion fuggefts, which have been defcribed jith a profufion of words, but which we fliall jmprife in a few lines, without omitting an^^ (ing eflential. The fimplefl: oven is a cafk lined within with |ued paper, and flopped at the head with a cover lich joins into it, and which is perforated in le middle by a large opening, that fliuts with grooved lid, to ailow an opportunity of exa- ining the oven. There are fcveral other fmall iles round this, which ferve as regifters to re- jlate the heat, and which can alfo be flopped VOL, II. O *" with r H THE COCK. i; If ■| with grooved covers. This cafk is buried three- fourths of its height in warm dung. In th; infide there are placed, one above another, a: J proper diftances, two or three wide-ribbed hal^| kets, in each of which two rows of eggs ar| piled, taking care that the upper layer be thiniiel than the lower, fo that this may be eafily Tee; through the other. Small holes may be mad if we chufc, in the centre of each balket ; an; well-graduated thermometers fufpended then and others placed in different parts of tin circumference. Thus the requifite heat ir be maintained, and the chickens ulhered in!: life. If we would be œconomical of heat, ar draw utility from what is commonly loft, vj may employ, for artificial incubation, that the ovens fcr bakers and paftry-cooks, of forgei and glafs-houfcs, and even that of a chambei ftove, or a kitchen-grate, conftantly keeping ii mind that the fuccefs will depend chiefly on equal diftrihution of heat, and the total exdi fion of humidity. When the ovens are large and well-managei they exclude thoufands of chickens at a tinii This profufion would be rather inconvenient a climate like ours, if we had not as well é covered a method of rearing the brood indepei dently of the affiftance of the hen, as of liatcB^ folicituc ing them without her incubation. This confiB"^ '^ ^e in a more or lefs perfcd imitation of the iriai«"&» ^e e nV defence. n THE COCK. 83 ]r In which the mother treats her young after ley have emerged from the fhell, \Ve fliall eafily conceive, that the mother lich fliews fo flrong an inclination to cover |r eggs, fits on them with fuch unre- Itting afliduity, and takes fo lively a con- m for embryos that have yet no being, will it cool in her attachment after her chickens hatched. Her affedion is heightened by the [ht of thefe little creatures, that owe to her sir exiftence j it is every day increafed by the Detition of cares which their feeblenefs re- lires. Continually employed in watching ;r them, flie feeks food, merely to fatisfy their [ving wants» If (he cannot find it, fhe ipes the earth with her nails to extract the irifliment concealed in its bofom, and freely bws it on her young. She recals them when |y wander, fpreads her wings over them to Mid them againft the inclemency of the wea- , and broods a fécond time. She enters thefe tender concerns with fo much ardour anxiety, that her health is vifihly impaired, (he can be diftinguifhed from every other by her ruffled feathers, her trailing wings : the hoarfenefs of her voice, and the different prions, are all expreflive of her fituation, and [k folicitude and maternal affedion. lut if (he negleds herfelf in prefervîng her jng, (he expofes herfelf to every danger in |r defence, If a fparrovt-hawk appear in the G 2 air. F 8* THE COCK. !: -It ■ ( : t rlH air, thi.H motlier, fo feeble, Co timid, and wliid in cveiy other circnmftancc would confult lir | iafety by fliglit, becomes intrepid, from tli/i warmth of attachment, darts before the dreadej talon, and by her repeated erics, the clappirj her wings, and her undaunted refolution, m often intimidates the rapacious bird, which, ri| pulfed by the unexpcded rcfiftance, retires feck eafier prey. She then feems topofTefsjj the qualities of a generous mind ; but what rl fledts no lefs lionour on her inftindt is, that; file has been made to fit on ducks eggs, thofe of any other water-foul, her affedion .| no lefs ardent for thefe ftrangers than for own progeny. She does not perceive that is only their nurfc, and not their mother ; arj when, diredted by nature, they plunge into neighbouring ftream, it is amufing to obferij the, afl-onillimenr, uneafmefs, and vexation tiie poor nurfe, who fancies flie is flill a d ther ; impelled on the one hand by the delij of following them into the midft of the watj checked on the other by the invincible repiij nance to that element, teafmg herfelf wij fruitlcfs bufïling along the margin, tremblln forlorn, beholding her family in imminent à ger, and not daring to afford them help. It would be impofTible to fupply all the r' duities of the hen in raifing her young, ifi fame degree of attention were required^ andi equal afiedion with that of the mother. {Ill "ï!'i THE COCK. 8S bll fucceed by noticing the principal circum- inces in the conduâ: of the hen to her pro- ;ny, and by imitating them as much as we can. )r example, it being obferved, that the chief Ljedt of the mother's attention is to lead the lickens where they can find food, and to guard Icm againft cold and the inclemency of the either; a plan has been formed to eficcl this, id with even more advantaj^e than from the fiftance of the hen lierfelf. If they be hatched winter, they are kept a month or fix weeks a ftove, heated to the fame degree with the ^ens for incubation, and only let out five or fix nes a-day to eat in open air, and efpecially to [joy the fun. The warmth of the fi^ove pro- )tes their growth, and the expofure to the air lengthens and braces them. Crumbs of bread, jlks of eggs, and millet feeds, are their firft )d. If the incubation be performed in fum- ;-r, they are kept in the (love only three or four ^s ; and in all feafons they are brought out [the (love only to be put into the crib, which kind of fquare cage, fliut with a front of iting made of iron wire, or fimple netting, and ^fed above with a hinged lid. In this cage chickens are fed ; but ifter they have eaten 3ugh, and taken fufficient excrcife, they muii Ifheltered fo as to allow them to enjoy warmth repcfe. Hence the chickens that are led by ^r mother are accuftomcd to aiTemble under covert of her wings. For this puvpole Rea- mur ^ G 3 86 THE COCK. Î 'I IH' 1:!'; .l;i; mur contrived an arltftcial mother ; this is a be formed of Iheeps Ikin, the bottom of which J iquare, and the upper part floped Hke the top| a defk. He places this box on one of the ed of the crib, in fuch a fituation that the chickej may enter eafily, and walk round the three U at leaft ; he warms it below by means of a fod ftove, which he refrefhes occafionaliy. The il clination of the cover of this kind of defk allci the chickens to place thcmfclves according their different fizes ; but as they have a pradiJ efpecially when they are cold, of prefling tog ther, and even climbing on each other, and this crowd the weak and i'mall ones run the rii of being fmothered, this artificial mctkcr is kJ open at both ends, or rather both ends are cl vered with a net which the leaft chicken remove, fo as eafily to efcape when it feels itil too much fqueezed ; and it can then, by goii round to the other hole, chufe a lefs dangeicl place. Reamur endeavours to avoid even IM inconvenience by another precaution, which to keep the cover floped lb low as to prevent t'j chickens from climbing on each other; and! raifes it gradually as they grow. He improvl ftill on this idea, by dividing his largell cri] into two, by means of a tranfverfe partition, as to be able to feparate the chickens of difFerel lizes. He even places the cribs on wheels, itT they may be eafily tranfported ; for they mi be brought into a chamber always in the evel THE COCK. ;s, and even during the day-time when the gather is bad ; and in winter this chamber ull be warmed. But when it is neither cold 'ir rainy, the cribs ought to be expoied to the fen air and the fun, only taking the precau- m of flieltering them from the wind. The iors may even be left open, and the chickens ill foon learn to come out to fcrape the dung, peck the tender grafs, and return to their )d, or to recover their warmth under tlieir tificial mother. If we would not hazard their mtcring at will, we may place at the end of iir crib an ordinary hen-crib, which, com- bnicating with the firft, will allow them a con- erable fpace to roam in, and at the fame time [event accidents. But the more we confine them, the more re- llar we ought to be in giving them food. Be- |cs millet-feeds, yolks of eggs, foup, and crumbs bread, young poultry are fond of rape- feed, Imp-feed, and other fmall grains '•fthat kind; lafe, beans, lentils, rice, (helled bafiiy and oats, |opped turkey beans, and b\ick-wheat. It is )per, and even œconomical, to burft moft of ;fe in boiling water, before we offer them; faving amounts to a fifth on the v/heat, two [lis on the barley, one half on the turkey beans, |t is nothing on the oats and buck- wheat. It )uld even be a lofs to foak the barley ; but this lin is what the chickens flievv the moft indif- [ence for. Laftly, after they have grown, we G 4 may 4^ 88 THE C O C K. i 'i W' ' 'i may give them tvc" y thing that we eat ourfclve?, except hitter ahiioruls * and cofl'cc-hcans f. Eve- ry kind of chopped ilcih, whether raw or boiled, | but particul.nly earth-worms, arc proper; tlicy difi'.ovcr ic) great a likiii<]j for this fort of food,.; that one would iina<;ine that they are carnl'l vorous, and perhaps nothing is wanting to theinj as well as to many others, but a hooked bili| and claws, to eonilitute them real birds of prey It mud however be admitted, that poultry! differ from birds of prey, no lels by their modc| of digeftion and the llrudurc of their flomach,! than by their bill and their nails. In thefe tliej ftomach is membrano'?, and digeftion is effededl by means of a folvent, which varies in differerJ fpecies, but the adioii of which is well afccr- tained J ; whereas the gallinaceous tribe mayl be confidered as having three flomachs ; v'rA I. The craw, which is a kind of membrancuij bag, where the grains are firfi: macerated and bc-l gin to be reduced to a pap : 2. The wideft parii o( the canal, lying between the craw and thej gizzard, but neareil the laft ; it is lined with a| * Ephemerides des Curieu;; dc l.i Nature, Dec. i. an. 8. obf. r/A •f " Two chickens being fed, the one on burnt ccffce from ùl i/l:inds, the other on fre(h coflec, they both grew coniumptivc ar,J| died, the one on the eighth day, and the other on the tenth, afoil having eaten three ounces of coflVe. 7'heir feet and legs \vcr:j Iwelled, and the gall-bladder as large as that of a turkey cock." Mémoires de f Académie Royale des Sciences, année 1746, p. lOi. X Mémoires dc l'Académie Royale des Sciences, an. 175:,! p. 266. ' ' number! ices, an. 175: T II E C O C K. g| lumber of fmall glands, which fiirnini a litiuor lat the food imbibes in its paflage : 3. Lallly, I1C gizzard, which yields a liquor that i.s mani- ;ftly acid, fincc the internal coat, being foakcd water, becomes an excellent run net for curd- ing milk. This third ftomach completes, by the powerful a£lion of its mufcles, what had only been Icgun in the two firft. The force of its fibres is [reater than could be conceived ; in lefs than )ur hours a ball of glafs, which could fuftain preflure of four pounds, is reduced to an im- lalpable powder. In forty-ciglit hours, fevcral libes of glafs, four lines in diameter and one Ine thick, were divided longitudinally into two pnds of rents J and, at the end of that time, all le Iharp edges were ground down, and the po- kh deftroyed, particularly on the convex part. [he gizzard was alfo able to flatten tubes of (nned iron, and, in the fpace of twenty-four )urs, to crufli fevcnteen nuts ; and this was fedled by repeated comprenions and alternate [trition, the mechanifm of which it is difficult perceive. Reaumur, who made fevcral trials difcover it, never could diilinguilh but once ly confiderable motions in that part. He Iw in a capon the gizzard, of which he had [ought into view portions, contracting and fink- Ig, and again fwelling j he cbiervcd a kind of ^(hy chords which forrped on the furface, or râ- ler appeared to be forming, becaufe he made in- [ions between them which fcparated them j and I all 4^ 90 THE C O C K. T,!;; ■I' I all thefc motions appeared to be propngatcd in waves, and very flowly. |y What proves that, in gallinaceous birds, dj., gcftion is performed chiefly by the adlion of thci mufcles of the gizzard, and not by the power of^ any folvent, is, that if one of thefe be made lo/ij fwallow a fmall lead tube, open at both ends, biitj fo thick as to refid the comprefTion of the giz- gard, and into which a grain of barley be intro.| duced, the tube will be found in the fpace of tuoj days to have loft confidcrably of its weight ; bwj the grain inclofed, though it were boiled and fhelled, will then be difcovered to be fomewliail fwelled, but as little altered as if it had been leftl the fame time in another place equally humid; whereas the fame grain, and others that are muclil harder, if not protedcd by a tube, would be di'| gefted in much lefs time. One circumftance which may alTlft the adionl of the gizzard is, that birds keep the cavity J full as pofTible, and thus the four mufcles ct] which it confifts are thrown into play. Whenl grain is wanting, they cramb it with herb; and even fmall flints, the hardnefs and rough-j nefs of which contribute to bruife the grainj againft which they are inceifantly rubbed. 1 m by their roughnefs ; for, when they are poliflij ed, they quickly pafs through the body, and! thofe with rugged furfaces only remain. Theyl are the more numerous in the gizzard the fcarccr] the food is, and they continue in it a longc I' , 1 -1, -, i THE COCK. 9« time ilian any other fuhftancc, whether digcfl- Ible or indigcllible. We (hall not he furprifcd tliat the inner coat )f this (lo'uacli is ftrong cnougli to refift the re- iQion of lb many Ijard bodies on wljich it con- tantly grinds, if we confider that it is really very thick, and of a fubftancc analogous to horn. Ik'- fides, we know that hits of wood and leather, ^hich are rubbed with an extremely hard pow- ler to polifli bodies, laft. for a very long time. We may alfo luppofe that this membrane is renewed in the fame manner as the callous fkiu )f labourers hands. But though the fniall ftones may afTift di- jcftion, it is not aflerted that the granivorous )irds have a decided view in fwaliowing them. Ledi having Ihut up two capons, with water and |itde pebbles for their food ; they drank much vater, and died ; the one in twenty days, the pthcr in twenty-four, and both of them with- |)ut having fwallowed a fmgle ftone. Redi found lany in the gizzard, but thefe were what had ken fwallowed before. The organs that are deftined for refplration, [onfirt of lunge, fimilar to thofe of the land ani- lals, with ten air cells, eight of which are with- the breaft, and communicate diredliv with the ings ; and two larger ones in the lower belly, Ind which communicate with the eight preced- ig. When in infpiration the thorax is dilated, le air enters by the larynx into the lungs, thence ituo r ! 1 I 92 THE COCK. if -- into the eight upper air cells, which dilating in- hale that alfo of the two cells of the lower beliv, and thele fiiffer a proportional collapfe. When, on the contrary, the lungs and upper cells, con- trading during expiration, prefs the air included I in their cavity, it efcapes partly through the, larynx, and partly returns fi'om the eight cellsi in the breaft into the two in the lower belly,! which then dilate by a mechanifm nearly ana-1 logous to that of a double bellows. But this lij not the proper place to explain the mechanifin;^ it will be fufficient to obferve, that in thofe birds, which never fly, as the cafTowary, the oftricli,! &c. and in thofe that fly tardily, fuch as the gallinaceous tribe, the fourth cell on each fide is| the fmallell*. All theie differences in the ftrudure neceflîiri.i ly imply many others, not to Ipeak of the mem-| branous tubes that are obferved in fome birds.| Duverney has fliewn, from an experiment made| on a living cock, that the voice in thefe birds is| formed not near the larynx, as in the quadru- peds, but below the trachea arteria, near tlic forking, at which place Perrault perceived an in- ternal larynx. Herifiant obferved, in the prin- cipal bronchial vefliels of the lungs, femilunarj membranes placed tranfverfely one above ano- ther, in fuch a manner that they only occupiedl the half of the cavity of thefe veflels, and allow- • Mémoires pour fcrvir a I'lliftolre les Animaux. eJ THE cock:. 03 ating m- :er belly, When, ells, con- included High the ight cells VQV belly,| arly ana- lUt this is îchanifm; hofe birds le oPwricli, ch as the I :ach fide isl ; neceflari'l the mem- 3me birds, nent iTiadel efe birds is| quadru- near tlic ived an in- n the prin- femilunar ibove ano- ly occupicu and allov; limaux. .\t \td the air a free paflage through the other half; fiiiid he juftly concludes, that thefe membranes muft contribute to the formation of the voice, though their afiiftance is not {o ellential as that Icf the olfeous coat of the crefccnt, which ter- miinates a confiderable cavity above the fuperior [and internal part of the bread, and which has alfo fome communication with the upper air cells. JThis anatomift afiirms, that he has afcertained, )y repeated trials, that if this coat be perforated, the voice is immediately impaired, and can be rcftored only by clofmg the hole accurately to 'ent the efcape of the idc *. After obferving fuch wide differences in the :onformation of the organs of the voice, will it not appear Angular, that birds, with a tongue of rartilage, and lips of horn, iliould imitate our longs, and even our fpeech, more eafily than thofe among the quadrupeds that refemble man me moft ? So difficult it is to judge of the ufe of [he parts from their mere flrudure, and fo true, [hat the modification of the voice and of founds ilepends almoft entirely on the fenfibility of the ■ar. The intefl-inal canal is very long in the gal- linaceous tribe, and exceeds about five times that )f the animal, reckoning from the point of fhc )ill to the an^^s» We find two arra, about fix Inches in length, which take their rife where the * Mémoires de l'Académie Royale dps Sciences, amiii 1753» fage 1^1. colon r m 94 THE cock. ;-'- '■'*• colon joins the ileon ; the re£îum widens towards its extremity, and forms a common receptacle, É into which the foHd and fluid excrements are leparately dilcharged, and from which they are! ejeded together, though not intimately mixed. The organs charaderiftic of the fexes are alfoj perceived ; viz. in hens, the vulva or orifice cfj the ovtduSlus, and in Cocks the two yards, that! is, the paps of the two fpermatic veflels. The I vulva, as we have before mentioned, is placed above the anus, and confequently the difpofition of thefe parts which obtains in quadrupeds is re* verfed. It was known in the time of Ariftotle, that! the Cock had tefticles concealed within its body. The ancients even afcribed to this fituation the fiery paflion of the male for the female, who is lefs ardent, they alleged, becaufe the ovarium be- ing placed near the diaphragm, is more apt toj be cooled by the acceffion of the air refpired*.! But the tefticles are not fo exclufively appro* priated to the male as not to be found in the fe- males of fome fpecies of birds, as in the littlcl buftard, and perhaps in the great buftard f.f Sometimes the male has only one, but generallyj two ; the bulk of thefe kinds of glands is far from being proportioned to that of the bird. Inj the eagle, they are only of the fize of peas ; in| * An^QÛQ :.: Ï prcfervation : to eat, to flecp, to fatten, arc It» principal employments, and conllitutc tlic linn of its wants. But, by a little attention, we can draw advantage from its weakncfs, and even its confecjucnt docility, by giving it urdul habits. For inflance, we can teach it to rear and tend young chickens. Tor this purpofe it mufl: be:- kept fome days in a dark place, only bringingi it out at regular hours to feed, and accuftomiiigl it gradually to the light and company of a fcwi chickens that arc pretty ftout ; it will foon con- trad: a fondnefs for them, and will lead them witlij as much aficdion and afliduity as their mother,! It will even condud a greater number than i\ hen ; for its wings fprcad and afford more Ihel- ter ; and the hen, freed from its toil and foli-i citude, will foon begin again to lay; and tlius| the capon, though condemned to fterility, will ftill contribute indiredly to the prcfervation and] multiplication of its fpecies. So great a change produced in the charadetj of the capon, by a caufe fo weak and apparently fo inadequate to the elTed, is the more remarks able, as it is contirmed by an immenfe numheil of trials which men have made on other fpccicsj and have even dared to extend to their brethrcij of the human race. The Cock has brcn the fubjed of another cxj périment that is far lels cruel, but perhaps nJ lefs important for the fcicnce of phyfiology ; J THE COCK. 97 s, after cutting the comb * as ufual, to fubftitutc In its Head one of the young fpurs which has |ufl: begun to Ihoot ; thus engrafted, it gradually Irikes root into the fle(h, thence extrads its louriflimeiit, and often grows more luxuriantly han it would in it» natural place. Some have Ittained to two inches and a half m length, and lore than three lines and a half ai diameter at le bafe ; fometimes they are twiited round like le horns of a ram, at other times bent back- wards like thofe of a he-goat "j". v This is a kind of animal engrafting, the fuc- îfs of which would appear very doubtful when |ifl: tried, but from which, fiuce the fuccel's is lown, it is aftonifhing that no practical in- Drmation has been derived. In general, the de- rudtive experiments have been more ftudicd, id purfued with more ardour, than thofe which \e direded to prefervaiion ; becaufe man is pder of pleafure and expence, than the acqui- kion of knowledge and the exercife of benc- cence» Ciiickens are not hatched with that left and thofe reddifli membranes which dif- iguilTi them from other birds. It is a month br they have left the Iliell before thefe parts Igin to unfold ; at two months old, the young The rcafon why the capon's comb is cut is, that, after emaf- ation, it docs not ftand erei't but becomes pendulous, and would pefore prove inconvenient by hiding an eye. Anciens Mémoires de l'Académie Royale des Sciences, .xi. p. 48. Journal Economique, Mars 1761, p. 120. IVOL. II. H Cocks ^ 98 THE COCK. r'> Cocks crow, and fight with one another. Thcv feel that they muft hate each other, though the fource of their diflike has yet no exiftence. It is commonly five or fix months before thej fhew any paffion for the hens, and that thefc begin to lay. In both fexes, the complete term of their growth is a year, or fifteen months, The young hens, it is faid, lay more ; but thi old ones are better litters. This period of theii growth would imply that the ordinary exteni of their life does not exceed feven or eight yean if the flime proportion fubfifted in birds as k| quadrupeds. But we have feen that this much longer ; a Cock will live twenty yea: in the domeftic condition, and perhaps thi years in the ftate of liberty. Unfortunately ft them, we have no intereft in fuffering themii reach to a great age. The hens and capci that are deftined for the table, never enjoy abo one year's exiftence; and moft of them havj only one feafon. Thofe which are feleded ft the multiplication of the Ipecies, become focj exhaufted, and none are permitted to finifh t period affigned by nature j fo that it is a finguli accident, that cocks have ever been feen to of age. Poultry can fubfift in all places under ti protedion of man, and accordingly they i1 fpread over the whole inhabited world, better fort of people breed hens in Iceland • Horrcbow's Defcription of Iceland. ■W'hi t the art of rchants into THE COCK. 9^ /here they lay as in other parts ; and the warm :ountries abound with them. But, according to )r. Thomas Hyde *, Perfia is the native region )f Cocks ; there they are numerous, and held In great eftimation, efpecially by certain der- ?ifes, who conlider them as living clocks ; and is well known that a clock is the foul of tvery fociety of dervifes. Dampier fays, that he faw and killed, in the lands of Poulocondor, wild Cocks, that were lot larger than our crows ; and whofe crow was mch like that of our dunghill Cocks, only iriiler. In another part he adds, that there are )me in the ifland of Timor, and at St. Jago, [ne of the Cape de Verd iflands. Gemelli Jarreri relates that he obferved fome in the philippines ; and MeroUa afferts that there are jM hens in the kingdom of Congo, which are lore beautiful, and have a more delicate fla- lour, than our domedic kind ; hut that the legroes fet little value on thefe birds. From their native climate, wherefoever it be, lefe birds have fpread over the extent of the icient Continent, from China to Cape Verd ; id from the Southern Ocean to the Seas of the forth. Thefe migrations were performed in Emote ages, far beyond the reach of hiftorical r I» Hifioria Religioais 'veterum Per/arum. Obferve, however, at the art of fattening capons was introduced by the Armenian |:rchants into Perfia fiQm Europe, as appears frotù Tavernier. H 2 tradi- 100 THE COCK. Jt: |:i tradition. But their fettlement in the New World Icems to be a much more recent event. The hiftorian of the Incas informs us, that there were none at Peru before its coiiqueft, and that after a refidence of more than thirty years, the hens could not be habituated to hatch in the valley of Cufco. Coreal pofitively aflerts, that poultry were introduced by the Spaniards into Brazil, and that the inhabitants of that country would eat none of them, and looked upon their eggs as a kind of poifon. Nor, according to the tcftimony of F. Charlevoix, had the natives of St. Domingo any ; and Oviedo confiders it as a certain fad, that they were carried from Europe to America. Acofta indeed maintains the oppofite opinion, that hens exifted in Peru before the arrival of the Spaniards ; and alleges as a proof, that the natives call the bird, in their language, gualpa^ and its egg ponto» But the antiquity of the word is not fufficient to eftabliih that of the thing denoted ; for it is ea*y to con- ceive, that favages, the firft time they faw a ftrange bird, would naturally give it a name, I either from its refemblance to fome bird with which they were acquainted, or from fome other analogy. What would determine me in favour of the lirft opinion is, the conformity to | the law of the climate. This law, though it cannot be applied in general to birds, efpecially thofe which are vigorous on the wing, and to which all countries are open, yet regulates thofe I which, THE COCK. 101 me in I nity to I (Ugh it I îecially 1 and toi ■which, like the poultry, being bulky and hav- ing an averfion to water, can neither waft their courfe through the air like the birds that Ibar, nor crofs the feas, nor even the large rivers, like the quadrupeds that fwim, and would therefore be for ever excluded, but for the inter- ference of man, from thofe countries which are Separated by an immenfe ocean. The Cock is then an animal which belongs peculiarly to the Ancient Continent, and ought to be added to the lift that I have given, of all thofe animals which exifted not in the New World before it was difcovered. In proportion as hens arc removed from their native region, and accuftomed to another cli- mate and different food, they muft fuffer fome alteration in their fhape, or rather in the parts moft fufceptible of change. Hence undoubt- edly thofe varieties that conftitute the different breeds which I am to defcribe ; varieties which are conftantly perpetuated in each climate, whe- ther from the continued adtion of the fame caufes that produced them at firft, or from the attention that is paid in matching the individuals feleded for propagation. It is to be wifhed that we could here form, as in the cafe of the dog, a kind of genealogical tree of all families of the Cock, which would point out the primitive flock, and its different branches, and reprefent the various orders of alterations and changes correfponding to its dif- H 3 ferent ^5- i^ loa THE COCK. !■«■ ;. •: ! ferent ftatcs. But this would require more ac- curate and more minute accounts than thofc in our pofTeflion. I fhall therefore content myfelf ■with giving my opinion in regard to the hen of our own climate, and fliall endeavour to exa- mine into it's origin ; but previous to this inquiry, I fhall enumerate the foreign breeds that have been defcribed by naturalilh, or only mentioned by travellers. I. The Common CoH. That of our own climate. i 2- The Crejled Cock, It is diflinguifhed from the Common Cock by a tuft of feathers rifing on the head, and by its comb, which is gene- rally fmaller ; probably becaufe the food, in- ftead of being fpent on the comb alone, is partly! diftributed to nouriih the feathers. Some tra«| vellers aflfert that the Mexican poultry are] crefted ; thefe, as well as all the reft on the con- tinent of America, have been introduced froraj the ancient continent. The breed of the crefled hens is that which the curious have moft culti'j vated, and what generally happens when things are clofely examined, they have obferved a greati number of differences, particularly in the co- lours of their plumage ; which ferve to diftin-l guifli a multitude of races, that are the morc| efteemed in proportion to the beauty and rare- nefs of their tints. Such are the gold and filverl ones ; the black-crefted white ones ; the white-l crefted black ones ; the agate, the chamois, andl thcl THE COCK. 103 Ithc flaty ; thofe with lîfli-fcales, and the er- Imined ; the widow-hen, which has fmall white Itears fprinkled on a fallow ground ; the flame- Icolourcd ; the ftony Ibrr, whofe plumage has a Kvhite ground fpotted with black, chamois, Iflaty, or golden, &c. But I fufpeâ; that thefe Ifferences are not fo invariable, or fo deeply limprefled, as to conftitute real diftind fpccies, |as feme curious people pretend, who aflerc that iiiany of the above breeds never intermix. 3. Tbc Wild Cock of Jfia. This is undoubt- edly what approaches the neareft to the original lock of our common kind j for never being fet- tered by man, or thwarted in the choice of its food ]r mode of life, what could ever alter its native lurity ? It is neither the largefl: nor the fmalleft 3f its fpccies, but is intermediate between the extremes. It is found, as we have already jbferved, in many coun^'-ies of Afia, in Africa, md in the Cape de Verd iilands. We have no lefcription of it fo complete as to enable us to compare it with our Cock. I muft here recom- iiend to travellers who have an opportunity of feeing this wild breed, to inquire if they con- hudt nefts, and in what manner. Lottinger, }hyfician of Strafburg, who has made many Important oblervations on birds, informs me, pat our hens, when left to thcmfelves, build lefts, and with as much care as the par- tridges. H 4 4. The r 104 THE COCK. ■ Î 4. 7 he Acohoy or Miuiinuifcar Cock. Tim fpecics is very linall, and the cpj;s ftill lei's in proportion, for the birds can hatch thirty at a time *. 5. The Divarf Hcu of Java, It is of the | fize of a pigeon f ; probably the Little Enj;Ii(li ] lien, which is ftill fmaller than the Dwarf ILn; of France, is of the ii\me kind. \Vc may, per- haps, add the Small Hen of Pegu, which tra- vellers defcribe as not larger than a middle-fr/dt turtle ; its feet fcaly, and its plumage bcau-| tiful. 6. The Hen of the Jflhmus of Darien, It !s| fmaller than the common fort ; lias a circle ofj feathers round its legs, an exceeding thick tail, which it carries erefV, and it crows before brcak.| of- day. 7. Camhogia Hens. Carried by the Spaniard from that kingdom into the Philippines. Thcil feet are fo fliort that their wings trail on tlitl ground. It is very like the Dwarf Hen cl France, or perhaps that Dwarf Hen that il reared in Britanny, on account of its fçcundityJ and wliich conftantly hops in its gait, 8. The Bav.tiWi Cock. It has much refem-l hlancc to the Rough-footed Cock of France. ItJ feet are covered with feathers, but only on tlij • Miiloire Générale des Voyages, torn. viii. t Lollcc^ion Acadcmiqiie, partie ctrangere, torn. iii. putridel THE COCK. 105 ciitfule. The plutnap:o of tlic lcp;3 is very lonj^, and runna a fort of boots vvliicl» reach a conli- tlcral)le vvay beyond the claws. It is couragcou.", and rcfolutcly fights with one flronj:;c'r than itfclf. Its iris is red. I have been informed that niofl: of this breed have no tuft. There is a large kind of rough-footed Cocks that comes from Kngland, and another fmaller, termed the Kfi^lli/ÎJ Dxvarf Cock ; which is of a fme gold colour, with a double comb. There is ftill another fort of dwarfs, which exceeds not the frze of a common pigeon, and Iwhofc plumage is fometimes white, fometimcs [mixed with white and gold colour. 9. The Dutch fpeak of another kind of Cocks I peculiar to the illand of Java, where they are feldom reared but for figliling ; they call it the \ Half-Hen of Java, According to Willoughby, it carries its tail nearly like the turkey. To this family we muft refer thofe fingular hens of Java, mentioned by Mandeflo, which refemble the common and Indian kinds, and that fight def- perately with each other like cocks, The Sieur Fournier informs me, that one of this fpecies is ftill living at Paris ; it has, according to him, neither comb nor ruff; the head is fimple like that of the pheafant. This hen is very high on its legs ; its tail is long and pointed, and the feathers of unequal length ; and in general, the Icolour of the feathers is auburn, like thofe of |t}iç vultiire, 10. The r sh~. io6 THE COCK. i;. ■^-:î 10. The EngllJJ: Cock is not larger than the Dwarf Cock, but is much taller than our Common Cock, and this is what principally diftinguiflies it. We may alfo clafs with it the Xolo *, a kind of Philippine Cock, which has very long legs. Eefides the Englifii Cock excels the French in fighting ; it has rather a tuft than a creft ; its neck and bill are more ilcnder ; and above the noftrils there are two flefhy protuberances, which are red like the comb. 11. The Turkjh Cock' h rcjmarkable only for its line plumaf^e. 12. The Hamburgh Cock^ named alfo the Vel- vet Breeches^ becaufe its thighs and belly are of a foft black. Its demeanour is grave and ftate- ly ; its iris is yellow, and its eyes are encircled with a ring of brown feathers, from which rifes a black tuft that covers th€ ears. There are other feathers nearly like thefe behind the comb and beneath the barbils, and broad round black fpots on the brcaft. His legs and feet are of a lead colour, excepting the fole of the foot, which is yellow iih. 13. The Frizz-kd Cock^ whofe feathers have a revcrfed pofition. They are found in Java, Japan, and the whole of the fouth of Afia. This bird belongs more peculiarly to the warm coun- tries ; for chickens of this breed are extremely fenfible to cold, and can hardly fupport thiit t J ♦ Gemelll Carrcii. THE C O C K;^ 107 of our climate. The Sieur Fournier afTjres me, [that their plumage aflumes all forts of colours, I white, black, filvery, golden, and flate tints. 14. l^he Silky Hm of Japan» The feathers are I white, and theii webs are parted, and pretty much jrefemble hair. Its feet are clothed with plumage on the outfide, as far as the nail of the outer toe. This brçed is found in Japan, China, and in fome other countries of Afia. To propagate it [in all its purity, requires that both the parents be [covered with down. 15. 'The Negro Cock has its comb, barbils, epi- [dermis, and periofteum abfolutely black. Its )liimage alfo is generally black, but fometimes Iwhite. It is found in the Philippines, in Java, )elhi, and at St. Jago, one of the Cape de Verd Kflands. Becman affirms that moft of the birds in the laft mentioned place have bones as bhck IS jet, and a {km black like that of a negroe *. If this fa£t be true, we muft impute it to the tinging ]uality of their food. We know the effeds of ^nadder, and other plants of that genus, and we |are informed, that in England the veal is whiten- zà by feeding the calves with grain and other ^oft aliments, mixed with a certain earth or chalk found in the county of Bedford f . It would hcrefore be curious to difcover at St. Jago, imong the different fubftances w'hich thefe birds sat, that which tinges the pcriojïeuni black. This begroc hen is alfo known in France, and pro- • Dampicr. f Journal Economique, /./^/ 1754. pagatcs r io8 THE COCK. ■t pagates there j but as its flefli, after being drcfTod, is black and unpalatable, it is not likely that the I race will be multiplied. When it crofles the I breed with others, varieties of diflerent coloim I are produced, but which commonly retain the | comb and the ruffs, or black barbils ; and even the membrane that forms the little ear is tinged witli a blackilh hue on the outfide. 1 6. T/je Ruwpk/s Cock, or the Per/Ian Cock of I fome authors. Mod of the hens and Cocks in Virginia have no rump, and yet they are un- doubtedly of the Englifli breed. The inliali tants of that colony affirm, that when thefe birds are imported, they foon lofe the rump *. K this be admitted as a fad, the variety in quefiioii| ought to be called Virginiaîi, and not Perjh Cocks ; efpecially as they were unknown to thi ancients, and the moderns have not noticei them till after the difcovery of America. \l have mentioned tha. the European dogs, whid have pendulous ears, lofe their voice, and tli their ears become cred, when they are carriei into tropical climates. This fingular change, pn (iuced by the exceffiv^e heat of thofe torrid re gions, is not however fo great as the lofs of tlii rump and tail in the gallinaceous tribe. But appears to me much more curious, thnt as theli two tribes of animals are the mofl domeftic all, and therefore the wideft removed from tliei * Fhilcfophical TranfaiSlicns for 1^95, No. 2c6. naturJ THE COCK. 109 I iiatural condition, ïo there is breed of do,(;s with- out a tail, as there is of Cocks without a rump, everal years ago, I was fliewn one (^f thefe dogs hat had been whelped without a tail, but wl.icii I hen conceived to be a degraded individual, a onfter; and for that reafon I took no notice f it in the hiftory of the canine genus. I have gain confidered the fuhjedt, and I am now con- dent that it is a conftant and invariable race, ike that of the Rumplefs Cock. This breed of ocks has a blue bill and feet ; a fmgle or double omb, but no creft ; the plumage is variegated ith all the colours ; and the Sieur Fournier fTures me, that when it couples with the ordinary ind, a half-rumped fort are produced, with fix athers in the tail inllead of twelve. — This may e true, but I can hardly believe it. 17. Tbe Hen ivitbfive toes is, as we have faid, powerful objedion to the fyftem of claflifica- on founded on the number of toes. This kind s five on each foot, three before and two be- fnd J there are even fome individuals that have Ix. 18. The Hetis of Safifevara, The eggs of this lofs of tli^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^'^ Perfia for three or four crowns DC. BuliBP^^'^^» ^"^ ^^^ Perfians amufe themfelves in Tat as thef^'^^S them againft one another, as a kind of lomeftic m^^' ^^ ^^^^^ country there are alfo Cocks much from tlieB^'"^ beautiful and larger, which are fold fo high drciïd, that the iffes the colours ïtain the I md even is tinged I n Cork oi I Cocks iiiil are un- e inliahi hefe bird) mp*. li| n queflionl 3t Pcffm Nn io thi ■)t noticei rica. \^' )gs, whic! , and th; are carriei lange, pn torrid n\ 300 crowns * 0. ic6. * Tavernier. r natuil 19, n oe 110 THE COCK. 19. The Cock ofCaux, or oi Padua. Its diftin- guifhing character is its magnitude. Its comb is often double, and in the fhape of a crown ; and | there is a kind of tuft, which is more confpicu- ous in the hens. Their voice is ftrong, hollow, I raucous, and their weight is from eight to ten pounds. To this fine breed we may refer the large Cocks of Rhodes, Perfia*, Pegu f, the bulky hens of Bahia, which do not begin to be covered with feathers till they have attaijned half their fize if. It is well known that the hens of Caux are not fo fooii feathered as the ordinary fort. It may be obferved, that a great number ofl birds, mentioned by travellers by the names ofl Cock and Hen, are of a quite different fpecies.! Such are Û\t patonardes or palonardes found nearl the Great Bank, and which are fo fond of codsl liver II ; the Cock and hen of Mufcovy, whicbl are the male and female grous ; the red hen of| Peru, which is like the pheafant ; that large tuft- ed hen of New Guinea, whofe plumage is ofanl azure blue, which has a pigeon's bill and feetl like thofe of the common poultry, and whiclil neflles in trees §, and is probably the Banda pheaj • Chardin. t Recueil des Voyages qui ont fervl ù I'Etabliffement de la Com.| pagnie des Indes, tome iii. p. 71. X Dampier's New Voyage. II Recueil des Voyages du Nord, tome iii. p. 1 j. § Hiftoire generis des Voyages, tome xi. p. 230. fant : THE COCK. TTI Tant ; the hen of Damietta, which has a red bill and feet, a fmall fpot on the hend of the fame colour, and plumage of a violet blue, and which muft be confidered as a great water-fowl ; the hert of the Delta, the rich colours of whofe plumage Thevenot extols, but which differs from the jcomtnon fort, not only by the fliape of its bill land tail, but by its natural habits, fmce it is fond of marihes ; the Pharaoh hen, which the fame traveller affirms is not inferior to a fat hazel grous ; the hens of Corea, which have a tail [three feet long, &c. Amidft the imraenfe number of different breeds lof the gallinaceous tribe, how (hall we deter- Imine the original ftock ? So many circumftances [have operated, fo many accidents have con- Icurred ; the attention, and even the whim of [man have fo much multiplied the varieties, that jit appears extremely difficult to trace them to Itheir fource. The Wild Cocks found in the warm [countries of Afia may indeed be confidered as the primeval ftem in thofc icgions. But as in 3ur temperate climates there is no wild bird that jerfeûly refembles the Domeftic Cock, we are it a lofs on which of the varieties to confer the priority. The pheafant, the grous, the wood- len, are the only birds in the ftate of nature kv^ich are analogous to our poultry ; but it Is uncertain if they would ever intermix, and lave proline progeny; and they have confti- [uted diHiniH: and feparate fpecies from the mofl: 9 remote r A; i-, \ XI2 THE COCK* ' }l' ■' i ' remote times. Befides, they want tlie combs, the fpiirs, and the pendulous membranes of the gallinaceous tribe. If we exclude all the fo- reign and wild kinds, we fhall greatly diminilh the number of varieties, and the differences will be found to be flight. The hens of Caux are al- moft double the bulk of the ordinary fort ; the Englifh Cock, though exaftly like the French, has much longer legs and feet ; others differ on- ly in the length of their feathers ; others in the number of their toes ; others are diftinguifhed by the beauty and fmgularity of their colours, as the Turkifli and Hamburgh hen : and of thefe fix varieties, to which the common breed may be reduced, three are to be afcribed to the in- fluence of the climate ; that of Hamburgh, that of Turkey, and that of England ; perhaps alfo the fourth aud fifth, for the hen of Caux moft probably came from Italy, fince it is alfo called the bcfi of, Padua f and the hen with five toes was known in Italy in the time of Columella, Thus there only remain the Common Cock and the Crefted Cock as the natural breed of our country, and even in thefe the two fexes admit of all the variety of colour. The confiant cha«| raûer of the tuft feems to mark an improved fpecies; that is, one better kept and better fed; and confequently the common breed, which hasl no tuft, mull be the true parent of our poultry. It would appear that the primitive colour was white, and that all the intermediate ihades be' tweefll HI ' *i. i r THE COCK. 113 tween it and black were fucceflively aflumed. What feems to corroborate this conjedure is, an analogy which no perfon has yet remarked, that the colour of the egg generally refembles ttiat of the plumage of the bird. Thus a raven's eggs are of a green brown, fpotted with black j thofe of the keftril are red ; thofe of the caflbwary (dark green ; thofe of the black crow are of a ftiil duller brown than thofe of the raven ; thofe of the variegated magpie are alfo variegated and fpotted ; thofe of the great cinereous fhrike, fpot- ted with grey ; thofe of the woodchat, fpotted with red ; thofe of the goatfucker, mottled with Ibluifh and brown fpots on a cloudy whitifli Iground j thofe of the fparrow, cinereous entire- lly, covered with chefnut fpots on a grey ground; Ithofe of the blackbird, blackifti blue ; thofe of the grous, whitifli fpotted with yellow ; thofe of [the pintados, fpeckled like their plumage, with [white round fpots, &c. In fliort, there feems to be an invariable relation fubfifting between ^he colour of the egg and that of the plUmage. he tints are indeed much more dilute on the eggs, and in moit of them the white predomi- latcs ; but white is alfo in moft cafes the pre- k'ailing colour of the plumage, efpecially in fe- pales : and fmce hens of all colours, white, black, 5rey,tawney, and mottled, have white eggs, there Is reafon to conclude, that if they had remained In the ftate of nature, white would at leaft have pcdominated in their plumage. Dcmeftication VOL. II. I has r >^ rt'i I "4 THE COCK. has introduced various fliades on the feathers; but as thefe are only accidental and fuperficlal, they have not been able to penetrate internally, or operate any change in the eggs. [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Cock, Phafianus-Gallus :—" ïh " a comprefled caruncle on its top ; a double one on its cheek ; i;; *' ears naked, its tail comprelTed and rifing." Linnseus reckon; up fourteen varieties : i. The Common Cock, Callus domejlkm: 2. The Copped Cock, Galliis cnjiatus : 3. The Five-toed Cocl;, Gallui pentailaâiyluj : 4. The Crifped Cock, Galluj cri/fut : ^.1k Perfian Cock, or Rumkin, Gallus ecauefatus : 6. The Creeper ot Dwarf Cock, Callus pumilio: 7. The Bantam Cock, Gallus ft- fillus: 8. The Rough-footed Cock, Callus plumipts : 9. Th; TurkiJh Cock, Callus Turdcus i 10. The Padua Cock, Callus /'.i- tavinus : II. The Mozambic Cock, or Blackamoor, Callus Mom: 12. The Black Cock, Callus niger : 13. The Tuberous Cod, Callus tophaceus : 14. The Woolly Cock, Callus lattatu . The 12th and 13th varieties were difcovered by Gmelin ani Pallas : the former is a native of Perfia, and has a blackiih /kin; the latter has a fwelling comb. M feathers ; ùperficial, nternally, llus :—" H:i its cheek ; it. insus reckons lus domejlias: ^e-toed Cock, •i/pus: 5.Tlii he Creeper ci ;k, Gallui }t- ipes : 9. Thi tk, Galliis Pa- , Gallus Mom aberous Cod, taiu ■ ly Gmelin anl , blackifli Ikin; M r >^ ^rj2 ■^«r-^^"^.--- '- v' .-*.r-i„' Th( ^^JP-.: ■ •%rf:;. THE TURKV, M Ce II JF the Ce court-y a guifhed, by and certain i cies. Its h( body, and i for it is almi with a part jhJuifhfltin, I fore part o: [the hind par Igling black [rare on the Jthicker in th Jlias not beer [bafe of the b MstheTurkt It has no name in \Pavon de las India |it5 tail like a Peace ■«laiis, hdianifch h W ' :: i: "S ] The TURKEY*. Lt Dindon, BufF. Meieagris-Gallopavo, Linn. Gmd. &;c. Gallina Indiana, Zuin. // Gmllinacio, CetC. Tf the Cock be the mofl: ufeful bird in our court-yards, the Turkey is the moft diftin- guifhed, by its bulk, by the fhape of its head, and certain natural habits poflefTed by few fpe- cies. Its head is very fmall in proportion to its body, and is deftitute of the ufual decoration ; for it is almoft entirely featherlefs, and, together with a part of the neck, is only covered with a ibluifh fliin, bcfet with red flefliy papiUie on the fore part of the neck, and yi\\\i\ùi papilla on the hind part of the head, with fome fmall ftrag- gling black hairs, and a few feathers Hill more rare on the arch of the neck, and which are thicker in the lower part, a circumftance which [has not been noticed by naturalifts. From the Ibafe of the bill, a kind of red flefhy caruncle falls r >^ • As the Turkey was unknown before the difcovery of America, lit has no name in the ancient languages. The Spaniards called it iPflw» de las Indias, i. e. the Peacock nf the Indies ,■ becaufe it fpreads |it5 tail like a Peacock. The Italians term it Gallo d' India ; the Ger- Imans, htdianifch Hen j the Poles, Indiyk j and thé Swedes, Kalion. I 2 loofely f^ '-\ V; I . i S n6 THE TURKEY. I "■ loofely rver a third part of the neck, which at tirft fight appears fingle: but when examined is found to be compofed of a double mcmbrr.nc. A flefhy protuberance, of a conical fhape and furrowed with deep tranfverfe wrinkles, rifes from the bottom of the upper mandible. This protuberance is fcarccly more than an inch long in its natural flate of contradlion ; that is, when] the Turkey, feeing no ohjcds but thofe to which it is accuftomed, and feeling no inward agita- tion, walks calmly feeking its food. But, on any unufual appearance, efpecially in the feafon ofl lovwf, this bird, which in its ordinary ftate is humble and tame, fwells with inftant rage ; its head and neck become inflated, the conical pro- tuberance expands, and defcends two or threej inches lower than the bill, which it entirely co- vers. All thefe fleftiy parts aflume at the farael time a deeper red ; it briftlcs up the feathers onl its neck and back, fpreads its tail like a fan, while! jt3 wings drop and even trail on the ground. Inl this attitude, he fometimes ftruts around his fe-l male, making a dull found, produced by the airl efcaping from the breaft through the bill, anJJ followed by a long gabbling noife. Sometime( he leaves his female to attack thofe who difturhl him. In both thefe cafes, his motions aiel compofed ; but they become rapid the inftant hel utters the dull fbund which we have mentionJ ed. He vents a flirill fcream, which every bodyl knowe, which intermits from time to time, and! whichl THE TURKEY. «'7 which he may be made to repeat as often as one thoofes, by whirling, or by forn»ing any fharp tones. He then begins again to wheel round, which a^ 120 THE TURKEY. It will readily be fuppofed, that the bed Cock is the ftrongeft, the livelieft, and the moft vigorous in all his movements. Five or fix females may b«; entrufled to his care. If there are feveral males, they will fight with each other, but not with the furious obftinacy of or- dinary cocks ; thefe even attack Turkies which are double their fize, and kill them in the com- bat. The fubjeds of the contention are equally compliant to the males of both f'pecics, if, as Sperling fays, the Turkey-cock, when deprived of his females, pays his addrefies to the com- mon hens ; and the Turkey-hens, in the ab- fence of their males, offer their favours to the ordinary cock, and eagerly folicit his potent embrace *. The battles which the Turkey-cocks fight among themfelves are far lefs vigorous ; the van- quiftied does not always fly from the Held of battle, and fometimes he is even preferred by the females. It has been obferved, that though a white Turkey was beat by a black one, all the chickens were white. The Turkies perform copulation nearly in the fame way as ordinary cocks, only it lafts longer. Hence, perhaps, the realon that the male is not equal to fo many females, and is fooner worn out. I have already mentioned, on the authority of Sperling, that he fometimes * ZooIp^'î Phyfica, p. 367. mixes THE TURKEY. 121 mixes with common hens ; the fame author aflerts, that when his females are taken from him, he not only couples with the pea-hen (which may happen), but alfo with the ducks (which feems to me to be lefs probable). The Turkey-hen is not fo prolific as the com- mon hen. She muft, from time to time, be fed with hcmp-lced, oats, and buck-wheat, to make her lay : and after all, flie feldom has more than one hatch of fifteen eggs a-year. When {he I has two, v,'hich is very uncommon, the firft is j about the end of winter, and the fécond in the month of Auguft. The eggs are white, with feme fmall fpots of reddifh-yellow ; and their ilrudure is nearly the fame as in thofe of the (common hen. The Turkey-hen will alio hatch the eggs of all forts of birds. We may know when fhe wants to fit, for flie remains in the nefl: ; and in order to fix her attachment, the [place muft be dry, with a good alpedt, ac- Icording to the fcafon, and not too much ex- Ipofed ; for inftin(5l leads her to conceal herfclf Iwith the greateft care when (he covers. Thole of a year old are generally the beft [fitters, and they are fo intent, that they would lie upon their eggs from mere inanition, if |we were not at pains to remove them once •day, and give them food and drink. This pafiion for hatching is (o powerful and fo du- rable, that they fometimes have two nefts in fuc- |:e/non, without the leaft interruption ; but, in fucli r A; 122 THE TURKEY. ry place, f duiig w ring them 0 it by dc^ The you I ng out of ay. We ant to ea 0 be prefei -day ; the; nd water fuch cafes, they muft be fupported by richer food. The cock has a very oppofite inftinâ; for if he fees the female covering, he breaks the eggs, which he regards, probably, as an ob- ftacle to his pleafures* ; and for this reafon it is, perhaps, that the fencjale is fo induftrious in concealing her neft. After the full time, when the young Turkies are about to burft into day, they pierce with their bill the fhell of the egg in which theyare inclofed; but it is fometiines fo hard, that they would periili if not afTifted by crufliing it j and thià muft be effeded with great caution, following as clofcly as poffible the natural procefs. If roughly handled in their tender moments, if fuffered to endure hunger, or if expofed to in. clement weather, though they may furvive for the time, they will pine away and foon perifii. Cold, rain, and even dew, occafions lingering ficknefs ; the rays of a bright fun ftrike thcmj'^ "^^ "^' with inftant death ; and fomctimes they are" ^^^' ^^ °^ cnifhed even under the feet of their mother; fuch are the dangers which threaten the life of this delicate bird. This caufe, joined to the inferior fecundity of the Turkey-hens in Eu- rope, is the reafon why this fpecies is much lefsB^"''' ^"^ ^'^'^'^ numerous than that of the common poultry, ■•"^rnbies and After their extrication from the fhell, the§e perceive t young Turkies ought to be kept in a warm and • Sperling. liiJ, dry V nd afterwai ixed with In hatching read ; and ens or Tur; ourifliment ay, the egg re ufed chop ould fave th ith curdled ^imoiriiie, net ilibefufîicie * Journal E t Id. ilridei THE TURKEY. 123 richer iftina; ;aks the an ol> salon it rious in ry place, where there is fpread a broad layer if dung well trodden ; and when we would (ring them out into the open air, we iliould 0 it by degiees, and chufe the fineft days. The young Turkies inltindively prefer pick- ng out of the hand, to feeding in any other 'ay. We judge by their chirping when they Turkic" 1^ ivant to eat, which is frequent. They ought iththeirl^ 0 be prefented with food four or five times iiclofed'l" ^"'^^y ' ^'^^^'- ^^^ nourirtiment (hould be wine would ( '"'^ water, which mufl: be blown into their bill, and •^hi 1 ^"'^ afterwards a few crumbs of bread may be 11 jj 1 nixed with it. On the fourth day, eggs fpoiled cefs Ifi ^ hatching may be given, beat up with bits of |)rcad ; and thefe addled eggs, whether they be lens or Turkies, are found to afford a falutary îiouriflnnent *. Towards the tenth or twelfth âay, the eggs are omitted, and in their ftead ire ufed chopped nettles mixed with millet, or ith the flour of Turkey beans, of barley, of heat, or of buck-whc;it ; or at lead, if we ould fave the grain without hurting the brood, ith curdled milk, burdock, a little ftinking moinile, nettle-feed, and bran, /ifterwards, it ill be fufficient to give them all forts of decayed uits cut into bits "f, cfpccially the berries of irambles and of white mulberries, &c. When e perceive them having a languifliing appear- lents, it ed to in. rvive ior n perifn. ingering ike them they are mother; e life of d to the in Eu- nuch lé Itry. hell, the /arm and * Journal Economique, Jôut 17571 p. 6g — 73. t Id, iliikm. clryl anco. r >^ 124. THE TURKEY. il ►■ ■!:. ance, we muft dip their bills into wine, to make them drink a little, and at the fanne time oblige them to fwallow a grain of pepper. Sometimes they appear benumbed and motionlefs, when they have been overtaken by a cold rain; and they would infallibly die, if we were not careful to wrap them in warm rags, and blow repeatedly into them warm air through their bill. They muft be vifited from time to time to pierce the fmall bladders that colledt under the tongue and about the rump, and to give them ruft- water; it is even recommended to bathe their head with this water, to prevent certain difeafes to wliicli they are fubjedt ; but in that cafe, it muft be wiped and dried very carefully; for it is well known that humidity of every kind is hurtful to Turkies in their tender age. The mother leads them with the fame folici- tude that the hen leads her chickens ; fhe warms them under her wings with the fame affedion, and proteds them with the Came courage. Il would feem that tendernefs for her ofFspringl gives quicknefs tc her fight ; ilie defcries a h'd\ of prey at a prodigious diftance, when it is yel invifible to every other eye. As foon as flii perceives her dreaded enemy, flie vents herfeari by a fcream that fpreads terror throug'i thi whole brood ; each little Turkey fe^ks refug under a bufli, or fquats in the herbage, and th mother keeps them in that filuation by her criei a THE TURKEY. 125 fo long as danger is impending ; but when her apprehenfions are removed, (he informs them by a different note, and calls them from their concealments to alfemble round her. When the Turkies are newly hatched their head is fliaded with a kind of down, but they [have ftill no glandulous flelh or barbils. It requires fix weeks or two months till thefe parts develope, or, as it is vulgarly faid, before the Turkies put forth the red*. This is as critical la period with them as that of dentition is vvith children ; and then efpecially wine ought jto be mixed with their ordinary food to Iftrengthen them. A fhort while before this jthey have begun to perch. It is feldom that Turkies are fubjeûed to :aftration as ordinary cocks are; they fatten I'ery well without differing that operation, and iheir flefh is no lefs delicate : another proof that peir temperament is not fo hot as that of com- lon poultry. When they have grown hardy, they leave [heir mother, or rather they are abandoned by br. The more tender and delicate they w^ere In their inf\mcy, they become in time the more [obuft and the more capable of fupporting the iclemency of the weather. They are fond of berching in open air, and thus pafs whole nights the rigours of winter j fometimes refting on r >^ * Pcujir le rcuge. one i f > ia6 THE TURKEY. one foot and drawing up the other to keep it warm, as it were, under the ventral feathers- at other times, on tlie contrary, crouching on the branch, and keeping their bodies in equi, librium. They lay their head under the wing when they go to fleep, and, during their re- pofe, the motion of refpiration is very percep. tible. The beft way of training Turkies after they are grown ftout is, to allow them to ramble in the fields where nettles, and other plants which they are fond of, are plentiful, or to admit them into the orchards when the fruit begins to drop, &c. But we muft be attentive to reftrain them from thofe paftures that bear] plants hurtful to them, fuch as the great fox- glove with red flowers; this plant is a real! poifon to Turkies i thofe that eat it are thrown | into a kind of intoxication, vertigoes, and con* vulfions, and v^hen the quantity is hirge they I languifh and die. We cannot therefore be too carefjl in extirpating this noxious plant from| thofe places where Turkies are raifed *. We fliould alfo be careful, efpecially in thelrl early infancy, not to fufFcr them to go abroad] in the morning till the fun has dried the dew, and to fhut them up before the fall of thel evening damps ; they muft likewife be confined * Hiftoire de l'Académie Royale des Sciences des Paris, cmi^ I74S, p. 84. ini THE TURKEY. 127 in the (hade during the violent heats of the fum- mer's day. Each evening, when they return to rooft, they nr .. Le fed on pafte of grain, or on Ibme other food, except in harveft, when they have gathered enough in the fields. As they are extremely timid, they are eafily led ; the very fliadow of a fwitch is fufficient to drive large flocks, and they will often run from an animal that is much fmall^jr and much weaker than themfelves. There are occafions, how- ever, when they difcover courage, efpecially in their defence againft the aflaults of pole-cats, and other foes of the poultry. Sometimes even they furround a hare in his feat, and ftrive to kill him by ftriking with their bill *. They have different tones, and different in- flexions of voice, according to their age, their fex, and the various paflions by which they are influenced ; their pace is flow, their flight tardy ; they drink, eat, and fwallow fmall pebbleg nearly as the cocks do, and have alfo a double |ftomach, that is, a craw and a gizzard ; but, as hey are much larger, the mufcles of the gizzard re alfo much ftronger. The length of the inteftines is nearly qua- ruple that of the bird, reckoning from the tip ftiie bill to the end of the rumpi they have wo ccsca^ both turned forwards, and which, aken together, conftitute more than a fourth of ê^ >% • Salerne the 128 THE TURKEY. h^ \. ■ >f the whole alimentary canal ; thcfe take their rife near the extremity, and the excrement! contained in their cavity differ but little from thofe included within the co/oji and re&um ; thefe excrements do not remain at all in the common cloaca, as the urine, and that white ledimeni which is always found where the urin^j pafles, and they have confiftence enough to receivt fh^pe in their extrufion from the anus. The psrts of generation are nearly the fame in Turkies as in common cocks ; but they feem to be much lefs vigorous in their performance, The males are not fo ardent for the females their embraces are lefs frequent and lefs expedi.| tious ; and the females, at leafl; in our climate, lay much later, and have much fewer eggs. As the eyes of birds have in fome refpedb j different organization from thofe of man and ct quadrupeds, it may he proper to mention m chief diftindions. Bc.Gdes the upper and undei eye-lids, the Turkies, as well as moft othei birds, have ftill a third., called the internal ey lid, memhrana niâlitans, which draws itlelf bad into the fhape of a crefcent in the large angle ol the eye, and whofe quick ar:d frequent twinb lings are effeûed by a curious mufcular con' trivance. The upper eye-lid is almoft cntirel immoveable, but the lower can ftiut the eye I) rifing to the upper, which fcarcely ever hap pens, except when the animal is afleep. Thefj two eye-lids have each a lachrymal point, bi THE TURKEY. 129 ,ke their crementi ttle from m ; theft common lediment nri pafTes, 0 receivti no cartilaginous margins ; the cornea is tranf- parent, encircled by an ofleous ring, confifting of about fifteen fcales over- lapping each other like the tiles of a roof. The cryftalline lens is ha.cler than in man, but fofrfcr than in the /quadrupeds or fifhes *, and its pofterior furface 'is the moil -onvex f. Laltly, the optic nerve Ifends off, between the retina and the choroid coat, a black membrane of a rhomboidal figure, onfifting of parallel fibres, which ftretch through he vitreous humour, and are attached fome- imes diredtly to the interior angle of the cryf- alline capfule, and fometimes are connecSted by :he intervention of a filament branching from it. t is to this fubtile and tranfparent membrane ;hat the academicians have given the name of urfe, though it has fcarcely any refemblance to hat in the Turkey, and ftill lefs in the cock, ention àBhe goofe, the duck, the pigeon, &c. ; and its and undeBife, according to Petit, is to abforb the rays of moft otbeiBîght that come from the lateral objeds, and ernal ey»7hich, intermingling with the others, would itielf bacMender vifion obfcure |. However this may be, ge angle oBertaia it is, that the organ of fight is more ent twin»omplex in birds than in quadrupeds ; and as cular conB^e have before fhewn that this fenfe is poffeflfed oft cntirelMy the feathered race in a higher degree than the eye b>yhat obtains in other animals, we muft the famt' they feemj 'formanceJ : females; sfs expedi' ur climate, * egg£. 1 refpedls il nan and ct| ever hapl Thcfl ep point, • Mémoires de l'Académie Royale des Sciences, année 1726. .83. t /f the bird oî Numidia^ which he adopts, implies in African defcent ; that of Turkey and the Bird Calccut^ denotes an Afiatic extraction. But 10 proof can be drawn from the name beftowed ly ill-informed people, or even the fcientific :rm impofed by philofophers, who are not al- ways exempted from prejudices. Befides, Ray [imfelf admits with Dr. Sloane, that thefe birds ;light in the warm countries of America, and lere multiply prodigioufly *. With regard to Gefner, he admits indeed that loft of the ancients, and among others Ariftotle >r • Synopfis Avium, Append, p. 182. K 3 and »34 THE TURKEY. C( (( (( ce and Pliny, were totally unacquainted with Tur- kies ; but he fuppofes that in the following quo. tation iElian had them in view : " India," fays this ancient, " produces a fort of very large cods, •* whofe comb is not red like that of ours, but ♦* fo rich and variegated as to referable a crowD of flowers ; the feathers of the tail are not arched nor bent into circles, but flat, and wher. they are not ereded, they trail like thofeofl the peacock ; their plumage is of an emerald *' colour,'* But it does not appear that this paflTage relate; to Turkey Cocks ; for, i . The fize does nctl prove the point, it being well knovv.^ that in Afia, and efpecially in Perfia and av. ^'^ j, tlij common cocks are exceedingly large. 2. This comb, compofed of various colours,! alone fufficient to overturn the opinion, final Turkies have never any comb ; and what is herJ defcrilied is not a tuft of feathers, but a m comb, fimilar to that of the ordinary cock, thouglj of a different colour. 3. The manner it holds its tail, refemblingtlij peacock, is equally inconclufive ; for ^lian poT fitively fays, that the bird which he is defcribinl carries its tail like the peacock, wben it does «I ereâl it ; and if there had been an eredion, aJ companied with a wheeling motion, jElian woulj not have omitted a charaâ:er fo fingular, an which forms fo ftrikin^ a refemblance to the pe| cocl THE TURKEY. 135 ;cock, with which he was at the fame inftant I drawing a comparifon. 4. Laflly, The emerald colour of the plumage I is not fufficient to decide whether the defcription i refers to the Turkey, though fome of its feathers I have that tinge, and in certain fituations refleâ: that fort of light, fince many other birds have [the fame properties. Nor does Belon feem to reft his opinion on Ibetter foundation, when he attempts to difcover Turkies in the writings of the ancietits. Colu- mella had faid in his treati(èi)^ »36 THE TURKEY. would be contented in feleding a flight differ» cnce of colour, inftead of marking obvious and ftriking charaders ? But if the attempts of Belon to beftow on Turkies, from the authority of Columella, an African origin, are without foundation, his fuccefs is not greater, when he feeks, trom the following paiîage of Ptolemy, to give them an Afiatic origin: — " Trigliphon,(Regia, where *' the common cocks are faid to be bearded." This Trigliphon is fituated indeed beyond the Ganges ; but there is no reafon to be- lieve that thefe bearded cocks are Turkies; for, I. The very exiftence of thefe cocks is uncertain, refting merely on hearfay. 2. This defcription cannot refer to Turkies, fince, as I have before obferved, the word beard^ applied to a bird, can mean only a tuft of feathers, or hairs, placed under the bill, not the lock of ftiff hair which the Turkies have on the under part of the neck. 3. Ptolemy was an aftronomet and geographer, and not a naturalift ; and it is evident that he wifhed to render his charts more interefting, by introducing, and not always with judgment, accounts of the peculiarities of each country. In the very fame page he fpeaks of three iflands of fatyrs, whofe inhabitants had tails ; and he tells us, that the Manioles are ten iflands fituated nearly in the fame climate, where loadftone abounds fo much, that ironl cannot be employed in the conftrudion of fhips becaufe 1 THE TURKEY. «37 Ifcecaufe of the danger of their being attrafted land held by the magnetic force. But thefe [human tails, though aflerted by feveral tra- vellers, and by the Jefuit mifîîonaries, ac- Icording to Gemelli Careri, are at leaft very loubtful ; and the mountains of loadftone, or jrather their efFeds on the iron of vcflels, are 10 lefs fo : fo that little confidence can be put in fads mingled with fuch uncertain rela- )earded."l |tions. 4. Laftly, Ptolemy, in the place above beyond [1 ,to be- Turkies; cocks is 2. This as! t differ, ous and flow on [\elia, an ion, his trom the them an . where •quoted, fpeaks exprefsly of ordinary cocks, hich cannot be confounded with Turkey- ocks, neither in their external form, their lumage, their cry, their natural habits, the olour of their eggs, nor the time of incuba- ion, &c. It is true that Scaliger, while he dinits that the meleagris of Athenœus, or ra- her of Clytus, who is quoted by Athenaeus, as an iEtolian bird that loved wet fituatioiîs, hich was averfe to hatching, and whofe flefh ad a marfliy tafte, none of which charaders elong to the Turkey ; which is not an inha- itant of ^tolia, which avoids watery fpots, hich has the greateft affedion to its young, nd whofe flefli has a delicate flavour; yet fpeaks ofKill maintains that the meleagris is the Turkey. ants hadBut the anatomifts of the Academy of Sciences, es are tenB^ho were at firft of the fame opinion, have, climateMfter examining the fubjed with more attention, that ironwcertained and proved that the pintado was n of IhipsMhe real meleagris of the ancients. In fhort, we becaufi muft mce, \ applied athers, or ,ck of ftiff mder part ronomer and it is larts more «rays with s of eachi r >^ 138 THE TURKEY. . I i ■ ' ' Ti I ' muft confider it as an eftablifhed point, that Athenaeus, or Clytus, ^lian, Columella, anii Ptolemy, have no more fpoken of Turkies thac Ariftotle or Pliny ; and that thcfe birds were totally unknown to the ancients. Nor can we find the leaft mention of tlic Turkey in any modern work, written prior to the difcovery of America. A popular tradition refers the period of its fir ft introduction into France to the fixteenth century, in the reign of Francis I. ; for this was the time when Ad. mirai Chabot lived. The authors of the Britilli Zoology ftate it as a well-known fad, that they were introduced into England in the time cf Henry VIII. the contemporary of Francis I.; which agrees exadly with our opinion. Foi America having been difcovered by Chrifto- pher Columbus towards the end of the fifteenth century, and thefe fovereigns having alcended the throne about the beginning of the fixteentli century, it is natural to fuppofe, that tk Turkies brought from the New World wouldl under their reigns be regarded as novelties in France and England. This is confirmed too by the exprefs teftimony of J. Sperling, who wrote before 1660; he affirms, that they had been iii' troduced from the New Indies into Europe more than a century prior to his time *. Every thing, therefore, concurs to prove tbal the Turkies are natives of America. As they are * Zoologia Phyficâj p. 366. heavy ,:*|,: int, that 2lla, and j kies than rds were n of tbe prior to tradition Vion into the reign vhen Ad- \\e Britift that they : time cf rancis I., ion. For Chrifto^ ^ fifteenth afcendedl fixteentW that tbei 'Id would ivelties in ed too byl /ho wrotel i been in' rope more Drove that s they are heavy THE TURKEY. '39 heavy birds, and cannot rife on the wing, or fwim, it would be impoflible for them to crofs the ocean which feparates the two continents. They are in the fame fituation with the qua- drupeds, which, witlïout the afliftance of man, would not have been difperfed through the Old Î.P'" N Worlds. This r^'^'-'^lion gives addi- tional wt.jj.it to the teftimon^ of travellers, who affure us, that they have never feen Wild Turkies either in Africa or Afia, and that none are found there but fuch as are domeftic, and brought from other parts *. This • The Honourable Daines Barrîngton has publilhed an Eflay, in which he attempts to prove, that the Turkey was known before the difcovery of America. He examines the Comte de Buffon's arguments, and endeavours to invalidate or refute them ; but his objeftions are entirely inconclufive. If the Turkey had been in- troduced into Spain by Columbus, it would have been called, fays Mr. Barrington, ibe Mexican bird, and not fago, or pavo. Car- dinal Perron, who died in 1620, relates, that the Indian Cocks had prodigioufly multiplied, and were driven like flocks of flieep from Languedoc into Spain : therefore, fays Mr. B. the Turkey mull have been introduced firft into France. Thefe conjeftures are fo vague as to merit no particular difcuflion ; and when Mr. B. aflerts, that Sperling means one hundred and one years, by the expreflion " Ante centum, & quod excurrit annos," he feems not to have attended to grammar. That phrafe is claflical, and means indefinitely fome time more than a century : nor will the word excurrit admit of any other interpretation. Mr. Barrington proceeds : «' The Spanilh term is not pavon " de las Indias, as M. Buftbn fiâtes, but fimply pavo, and for- " merly fago. If, moreover, the name were pavon de las Indias^ " it would not fignify the Weil Indies, as in all the European lan- " guages the addition of JVcJ}ern is necefTary." But tiiis afTertion is too hafty : did not the King of Spain, after the difcovery of America, r i5ï p' Z40 THE TURKEY. This determination of the natal region of tlie Turkey leads to the decifion of another queftion, which, at firft fight, feems to have no connec- tion with it. J. Sperling affirms, in his Zoo. logica Phyfica^ p. 369, that the Turkey is a monder (he means an hybrid) produced by the union of the two fpecies, that of the peacock and of the ordinary cock ; but as it is afcer- tained that the Turkey is of American ex- traûion, it could not be bred by the inter- courfe of two Afiatic fpecies ; and what com- pletely decides the poiac is, that no Wild Turkies are found through the whole extent of Afia, though they abound in the forefts of America. But it will be faid, what means the term gallù- pavus^ which has fo long been applied to the Turkey ? Nothing is fimpler : the Turkey was a foreign bird which had no nzpme in any of the European languages ; and as it bore feveral ftriking refemblances to the common cock and the peacock, a compound word was formed expreffive of thefe analogies. Sperling and others would have us believe that it is really the crofs-breed of thefe two fpecies 5 yet the inter- America, afTume the title of India Rex, and not India Occidenta- lis, or Indiarum ? I muft add, that the opinion of the Comte de BufFon concern. ing the native climate of the Turkey, is admitted by the inge- nious and rcfpedlable naturalift Mr. Pennant, who has adduced feveral new argugjents in fupport of it. Linnaeus, Gmelin, and Latham, entertun the fame idea. mixture I mixture c( I dangerous «po.iaded e [guoiis. \ Edwards ibetween The indivi iiii the wo vhere it v\ I1759, with dnd. It ^ pheafant anc ^hirty-two i black feat he landihie; |he Turkey, Ihers; the ( |f red fkin, 1 |t is not faid arge feathers only appea be tail in the Iocs. It mil compofcd ^hile that oi Dnfifts of t\\ ody Ihot doi hnch ftifF ai pred with d t THE TURKEY. m mixture confifts entirely in the names. — Sq dangerous it is to beftow upon animals com- po.iaded epithets, which are always ambi- IgUOllS. Edwards mentions another hybrid produced [between the Turkey and the pheafant*. IThe individual which he defcribes was fhot |in the woods near Hanford in Dorfetfhire, irhere it was feen in the month of Odtober h 759, with two or three other birds of the fame dnd. It was of a middle-fize between the pheafant and the Turkey, its wings extending ihirty-two inches ; a fmall tuft of pretty long )lack feathers rofe on the bafe of the upper landihie; the head was not bare like that of [he Turkey, but covered with little fhort fea- Ihers; the eyes were furrounded with a circle k red fkin, but not fo broad as in the pheafant. [t is not faid whether this bird could fpread the irge feathers of the tail into the wheel-fhape ; only appears from the figure, that it carried le tail in the fame way as the Turkey generally IOCS. It muft alfo be obferved, that this tail compofcd of fixteen quills, as in the grous ; ^hile that of the Turkey and of the pheafant înfifts of eighteen ; alfo each feather on the )dy fhot double from the fame root, the one |"anch ftiff and broad, the other fmall and co- bred with down, a charaâer \%liich belongs r i^ * Cleanings. neither 142 THE TURKEY. neither to the pheafant nor the Turkey. If tliij bird was really a hybrid, it ought to have had, like other hybilds, ift, The charaders common to the two primitive fpccics ; 2dly, The qualities intermediate between the extremes ; a circum. ftance that in this cafe does not take place, fince this individual had a charadcr not to be found in either (the double feathers), and wanted others that occur in both (the eighteen quills ct the tail). Indeed, if it be infifted that it was hybridous, we fhcjld more reafonably infer, that it was produced by the union of the Turkey with the grous; which, as I have remarked,! has no more than fifteen feathers in the tail| but has the double feathers. The Wild Turkies differ not from the dol meftic fort, except that they are much large: and blacker ; they have the fame difpofitions, tlii fame natural habits, and the fame ftupiditjj They perch in the woods on the dry branche!, and when one falls by a Ihot, the reft are noil intimidated by the report, but all continue fecu in the fame pofition. According to Fernande.^ their flefh, though pleafant to eat, is harder an not fo delicate as that of the Tame Turkies ; bi they are twice as large. The Mexican nam of the male is bucxolotly and that of the femalj àhuatotolln. Albin tells us, that many Engli gentlemen amufe themfelves in breeding Will Turkies, and that thefe birds thrive very we| in fmall woods, parks, or other inclofures. THE TURKEY. '43 The Crefted Turkey is only a variety of the Icommon kind, fimilar to what occurs among Ithe ordinary cocks. It is fomctimes black, Ifometimes white. That defcribed by Albin was of the ufual fize j its feet flefh-coloured, the ipper part of the body deep brown ; the bread, )eily, thighs, and tail, white ; and alfo the feathers that form the tuft. In other refpeds It refembled exadtly the ordinary kind ; it had khe fpongy and glandulous flefh which covers [he head and arch of the neck, and the lock of lard hair rifmg (apparently) from the breaft, inà the fhort fpurs on each foot ; it alfo ^ore the fame fingular antipathy to fcarlet, :c. [A] [A] Specific charafler of the Turkey, Meleagrh GaUopavo : The caruncle of the head is extended to the forehead and the throat ; the breaft of the male is bearded." The Wild Tur- lies are of a dingy uniform colour ; and feldom weigh more than liirty pounds. They are now very rare in the old icttlcments of lorth America ; yet fome occur in Virginia within j 50 miles of |e coaft. Beyond the ridge of Apalachian mountains they are lequent ; and flocks of feveral hundreds are feen near the Mif- [Tippi and Ohio. They rooft in the great fwamps, but fpend the hole day among the dry woods, fearching for red acorns and irious forts of berries. They grow very fat in the fpring. [hen furprifed, they run with prodigious fpeed ; hut if hotly Irfued, they take wing and perch on the fummit of the next tall b. The Indians make fans of the Turkies tails ; and alfo pve the inner webs of their feathers with hemp, or the rind of : mulberry -tree, into an elegant fort of clothing. r >55 M [ «44 ] The GUINEA PINTADO*. i ', It. I La Pein/aiie, BufF. Numida MeUagrii, Linn. Gmel. &c. , Callus (J Gallina Guinetnjis, Ray and Will. The Guinea Hen, Ray. XT7 E muft not, like Ray, confound this witli| the Pintado mentioned by Dampier, w is a fea-bird, equal .to the duck in fize, havin| very long wings, and fkimming along the lur- face of the water : thefe charafters are all widel; different from thofe of the real Pintado, whicl 18 a land-bird, with ftiort wings, and whol flight is laborious and flow. It was known, and accurately dcfcribed, b; the ancients. Ariftotle mentions it only onceii his Hiftory of Animals ; he calls it Melea^r'w and fays that its eggs are marked with lb fpots f . ' ; - . Varro takes notice of it by the name of A; caa ^en ; and he tells us, that it was a large bi * In Gr^ek and Latin, Meleagris : in modern Italian* Gem di Numidia : in Gtxmds^, Perlbubn, qx Pearl-hen, In Congo j has the name ^etelé. t Lib. vi. II. Will h.:. 2Î3^ -V ni: ïr T . .^'J- ill 9^'^fiSs p' '■" ^ "l^ F^ ■Lf»iJ fc^ ^■Sik^ ' ,..i^'.??^ Wv^^W^^' '^'•^■f^ ^^^^^^^^^Hl ^'TJ ■^-^ «>» ^^ "WX^ /' 11»^^ •riIK GTJINKA PIISÎTADO with varies that was ve Pliny gi merely to < famenefs of the objeâ: •\ had faid wi adds, that t efteemed §, Numidian I: Columella iperfedtiy ali I barbils and Ifeemed fo in formed two They called iMeleagns ; Ibils, the ^/r Iformer is the [of the fame |cians have fo • Gramiesy van |Lib. iii. 9. t Africa Gain |Lib. X. 26. Î Ub. X. 52. § Lib. X. 48. • II ^/ricana Gall, ^ (rifiam capi'te get «Î Mémoires p pfcfFé par M. Pern VOL. II. GUINEA PINTADO. 145 v/lth variegated plumage, and a round back, that was very uncommon at Rome *. Pliny gives the fame account, and feems merely to copy Varro ; unlefs we afcribe the famenefs of their defcriptions to the identity of the objed f. He repeats alfo what Ariflotle had faid with regard to their eggs ^ ; and he adds, that the Pintado of Numidia was mod efteemed §, and hence he beftows the name of Numidian Hen on the whole fpecies. Columella admitted two forts, which were Iperfeftiy alike, except that the one had blue barbils and the other red. This difference feemed fo important to the ancijents, that they formed two fpecies, denoted by diftinâ: names. They called the one, which had red barbils, iMeleagns ; the other, which had blue bar- Ibils, the African Ben || ; not adverting that the Iformer is the female, and the latter the male lof the fame identical fpecies, as the academi- Icians have found %. §■ • Grandest varia» gibhera quat MeUagriJes appellant Graci. |Lib. iii. 9. f Africa Gallinarum gtnus, gièlerum, variis fpcrfum plumis. |Lib. X. 26. I Lib. X. 52. § Lib. X. 48. •* qitam phriqut Numidicam dicunt" II Af ricana Gallina cjl MeUagridi Jtmilis nijt quod rutilan palean i' criftam capi'te gerit, qua utraque/unt in Melcagrida carulea. Columella de Re Rujiicâ, lib. xiil. 2. *[ Mémoires pour fervir a I'Hiftoire Naturelle des Animaux, prciré par M. Perrault. Deuxième Partie, p. 82. VOL. II. L How- • .,.' 146 GUINEA PINTADO. However, it appears that the Pintado whicli was anciently reared with fo much care at Rome, was afterwards entirely left in Europe. We can difcover no trace of it in the writings of the middle ages ; and we find it only begun to be fpoken of, after the Europeans had vifited the weftern coafts of Africa, in their voyages to India by the Cape of Good Hope *. But not I only have they difiufed thefe birds through Eu- rope, but tranfported them into America ; and I the Pintados have fuffered various alterations in I their external qualities from the influence of dif- ferent Climates. Nor muft we be furprifed thaî| the moderns, both the naturalifts and travellers, have multiplied the divifions of the breeds fliil| more than the ancients. Frifch diftinguifhes, like Columella, the Pin- tado with red barbils from that with blue bar- bils ; but he ftates feveral other differenced According to him, the latter, which is found only in Italy, is unpalatable food, fmall, fond ofl wet places, and carelefs about its young; thel two laft features alfo mark the Mcleagris men- tioned by Clytus of Miletus. " They delight," fays he, " in marfhes, and difcover little attach-l * " As Guinea is a country from which merchants have iiii{ " ported many articles formerly unknown to the French, fo ï\ " hens would alfo have remained unknown, had they not beenl " brought over fea. But they are now fo frequently kept by tli(| " great lords in our provinces, as to be reckoned common." . ■> Belo;i| « mcnti GUINEA PINTADO. »47 ?' ment to their progeny, which the priefts are j" obliged to watch over with care ;" — " but," he Subjoins, " their fize is equal to that of a hen of f' the fineft breed *." It appears too, from 'llnv, that this naturalift confidered the Melea- rris as an aquatic bird f . That with red bar- jils is, on the contrary, according to Frifch, larger than a pheafant, prefers a dry fituation, md is afliduous in its attention to its young, Dampier informs us, that in the ifland of lay, one of the Cape de Verd iflands, there are 'intados, of which the flefli is of an uncom- lon whitenefs ; and others, of which it is )lack ; but that in all of them it is tender and ielicate. Father Labat gives the fame account. This difference, if the fadl be true, would ap- pear to be the more confiderable, as it cannot [)e imputed to the change of climate ; fmce the ^hitados on this ifland, which is near the Afri- can fhore, may be confidered as in their native (elidence; at leaft unlefs we aflert that the line caufes which tinge with black the (kin and \criofteu7n of moft of the birds in the iflands of |t. Jago, darken alfo the flefh of the Pintados |n the neighbouring ifland of May. See Athenacus, lib. Jflv. 26. t " Mnefias calls a place in Africa, Sicyone ; and a river, Crathis ; which rifes out of a lake where the birds termed Mdea^rUes £3' Ptntlopa haunt." Lib. xxxvii. 2. L 2 Father r >^ : I I ! I 148 GUINEA PINTADO. .'!' Father Charlevoix pretends that there is at St. Domingo a i*pecies fmaller than the ordinarjl fort *. But thefe are probably the chefnu[| Pintatlos, bred from fuch as were introduced by the Caftilians foon after the conqueft of thel iiland. Thefe having become wild, and as ii| were naturalized in the country, have expe- rienced the baneful influence of that climate;! which, as I have elfewhere lliewn, has a tenj dency to enfeeble, to contract, and to dcgradêl the animal tribes. It is worth obfcrving, tkl tb;s breed, originally from Guinea, and tranf-l ported to America, where it had once beenl reduced to the domèftic ftàtc, but fuffered tc| grow wild, could not afterwards be reclaimed 1 its former condition; and that the planters! St. Domingo have been obliged to import tamJ ones from Africa, to propagate in their famj yards f . Is it from living in a more defert ati wilder country, inhabited by favages, that thJ chefnut Pintados have become favage themf felves? or is it becaufe they have been frightel away by European hunters, efpecially M French, who, according to Father Margat tlii| Jefuit, have deftroyed vaft numbers of them J? Marcgrave faw fome with crefts, that cad from Sierra Leona, and which had about theij * Hiftory of the Spanifli iiland of St. Domingo, f Lettres Edifiantes, xx. X Ihiikm. neci GUINEA PINTADO. 149 ;re is ail Drdinaryl chefnutl luced byl : of thel md as ill !e cxpe- climate;! as a ten-l I degrade! âng, tbit ind tranf. ince been iffered tc ;laimed to| >laatersii t)ort taffi{| eir farm- defert anil that tht ge them fi'ightel ially ^ argat tlij hemj? that can;( bout the'J leck a kind of membranous collar, of a bluifh cinereous colour * ; and this is one of thofe wrieties which I call primitive, and which de- jferve the more attention, as they are anterior to every change of climate. The Jefuit Margat, who admits no fpecial jilFerence between the African Hen and the leleagris of the ancients, fays, that they have [wo kinds in regard to colour at St. Domingo ; In Ibrae, black and white fpots are difpofed in [he form of rhomboids ; in others, the plumage ]s of a deeper afti-grey. He adds, that they all ^ave white below the belly, and on the under- (ide, and at the tips of the wings. Laftly, Briflbn confiders the whitenefs of the klumage of the breail obferved on the Pintados it Jamaica, as conftituting a diftindt variety; Ind he charaderifes it by this epithet, (pcBore WQ;) which, as we have juft feen, belpngs as luch to the Pintados of St. Domingo as to thofe |f Jamaica, But befides the differences which have been eg?irded by naturalifts as a fufficient foundation 3r admitting feveral races of Pintados, I can lerceive many others, in comparing the defcrip- jons and figures publifhed by different authors, i^hich fhew little permanency, either in the • " The head was covered with a roundifli creft, much divided, and confjfting of elegant black feathers." ////?. Katuralis Braftlienjis. L 3 internal r >^ i ; ,.! 150 GUINEA PINTADO. A a internal mould of the bird, or in the imprcflion of the exterior form ; but, on the contrary', j great difpolition to be affeûed by foreign in.| Alienees. In the Pintado of Frifch and fome others *, tliel cafque and the feet are v/hitifh, the forehead, the circle of the eyes, the fides of the head atidj neck, in its upper part, are white, fpotted v,ii afli-grey. That of Frifch has befides, under tliel throat, a red fpot in the (hape of a crefcent, arnjl lower down a very broad black collar, the filky| filaments on the occiput few, and not a finglt white quill in the wings ; which form fo manyl diverfities, in which the Pintados of thefe authon| differ from ours. In Marcgrave's fpecimen, the bill was yellow] in that of Briffon, it was red at the bafe, honj coloured near the tip. The academicians founi on fome a fmall tuft at the of^gin of the beal;^ confifling of twelve or fifteen ftiff threads, abod four inches long, which did not occur in tbol| of Sierra Leona, mentioned above. Dr. Caius fays, that in the female the headi entirely black, and that this is the only diftincj tion between it and the male f. * " The cock and hen," fays Belon, " have the fame ml *' bling on the feathers, and whitenefs about the eyes, ami read " below." " At the fides of the head white." MarcgraveI *' The head is clothed," fays the Jefuit Margat, " by afponJ " rough, wrinkled fkin, whofe colour is whitifh blue." ■^ ^jiud Gsfiierum. Aldrovani! GUINEA PINTADO. 151 Aldrovandus aflerts, on the contrary, ihat I the head of the female has the fame colours with that of the male, but that its cafque is lefs I elevated and more obtufe. Roberts affirms, that it has not the cafque lat all *. Dampier and Labat maintain, that they never Ifaw thofe red barbils and caruncles which border {the noftrils in the male f . Barrere tells us, that thefe parts are of a paler [colour than in the male, and that the filky hairs lof the occiput are thinner, fuch apparently as Ireprefented in Frifch's figure. Laftly, the academicians found in fome indi- viduals thefe filaments on the occiput rifing an |inch, fo that they formed a kind of tuft behind the head. It would be difficult, from all thefe varieties^ ^0 feled thofc that are fo deeply and fo per- unently damped, as to conftitute diftindt races ; md as we cannot doubt but that they are very Recent, it will perhaps be fafeft to regard theni as the effeds produced by domeftication, change of climate, nature of the food, &c. ; and with- out introducing them into the defcription, to lark the limits of the variations to which cer- [ain qualities of the Pintado are fubjed, and to r i^ * Voyage to the Cape de Verd iflands. f New Voyage. — It is probable that the fhort and very bright hd creft^ mentioned by Father Charlevoix, is nothing but thefe hruncles. L 4 endeavour, •i!;r \.y\.\ 15» GUINEA PINTADO. endeavour, as much as poflible, to afcend to thofe caufes, of which the continued operation has at laft imprinted confiant charaûers, and formed diflindt fpecies. In one circumftance, the Pintado bears a I ftriking refemblance to the turkey ; viz. it has no feathers on the head, nor on the arch of the neck. This has induced feveral ornithologifts, as Belon, Gefner, Aldrovandus, and Klein, to I take the turkey for the Meleagris of the ancients. | But not to mention the numberlefs points of dif- ference between thefe two fpecies*, we need I only refer to the proofs by which it was decided that the turkey was peculiar to America, and! could never migrate into the ancient con. tinent. Briflbn feems alfo to have miftaken, when,! from a quotation of K-olbeti f , he inferted Kncr-l baûii • The Meleagris was, according to the ancients, as large as i good hen, and it had a ilefliy tubercle on the head ; its plumage was marked with " hite fpots like lentils, but larger ; there wei: two barbils attached to the upper mandible, the tail was pendulouii the back round, there were membranes between the toes, and no fpurs at the feet : it delighted in marflies, had no tendernefs fa hs young, Thefe characters are entirely different from thofe of the turkey, which, on the other hand, has many properties not to be found in the dcfcription of the Meleagris ; particularly tliî bunch of hairi that hangs under the neck, and his matmer of dil' playing his tail, and of pacing around his female. f " A bird which belongs properly to the Cap^" fays & tiaveller, " is the Knor-hahn» ot Coq-knor. It is the centinel ol •' the other birds ; it informs them, when it fees a man approaci, *< by a fcream refembling the found of the word crac, and vvhic! GUINEA PINTADO. «53 haan in the lift of the names of the Pintado. I agree with BrifTon, that the figure given by this traveller is only copied from that of the African Hen of Marcgrave j he muft aifo allow that it would be hard to admit a bird peculia»: to the Cape of Good Hope to be the Pintado, which is fpread through the whole of Africa, and lefs common at that promontory than in other parts of the country ; ftill more difficult will it be to reconcile the fliort black bill, the crown of feathers, the red which is intermixed with the colours of the wings and of the body, and the quality which Kolben afcribes to his Knor-baaftf that it lays only two eggs. The plumage of the Pintado, though not decorated with rich and dazzling colours, is re- markably beautiful. It is of a bluifli-grey ground, fprinkled with confiderable regularity, with white roundifh fpeckles, refembling pearls. Hence fome of. the moderns have beftowed on this bird the name of Fearlcd Hen * ; and the ancients applied tite epithets varia and guttata f , Such, at leaft, was the plumage in its native climate ; but fmce it has been carried into other r A; it repeats very loud. It is as large as a common ben ; its bill is fliort and black, like the feathers oi) its crown; the plumage of the wings and body is mixed with red, white, and cine- reous ; the legs are yellow, and the wings fmall. It frequents folitary places, and builds its neft in the buOies; it lays two eggs ; its ilefh is not much cflecmed, though it is very good.V * Frifch. t MartiaJ's Epigrams. countries, »S4 GUINEA PINTADO. countries, it has afliimed more of the white. Thus the Pintados at Jamaica and St. Do- mingo arc white on the bread ; and Edwards mentions fome entirely white*. The white* nefs of the breaft, therefore, which Briflbn confiders as the charader of a variety, is only an alteration begun in the natural colour, or rather it is the (hade between that colour and complete whitenefs. The feathers on the middle part of the neck are very (hort near its arch, where they are entirely wanting. From that part they gra- dually lengthen unto the breaft, and there they are three inches long f. I Thefe feathers are of a downy texture from their root to near their middle, and this part ': | covered by the tips of the feathers in the pn- ceding row, confifting of ftifi* webs interwoven! with each other. It has fhort wings and a pendulous tail, like I that of the partridge, which, joined to the I arrangement of its feathers, makes it look as ifl it were hunch-backed (Genus Gibberum^ Plin.); but this appearance is falfe, and no veftige re- mains when the bird is plucked %, The fize is nearly that of an ordinary hen, but the (hape is like that of the partridge ; hencel * Gleanings, Part Third. t Mémoires pour fervir l'Hiftoire des Animaux, Partie II.| p. Si. X Lettres Edifiantes, Reteuil- xx. '■ : ' GUINEA PINTADO. ïSS it has been called the Newfoundland Partridge*. But it is of a taller form, and its neck longer, and 1 more flender near the arch. The barbils which rife from the upper man- dible have no invariable form, being oval in fome, and fquare or triangular in others; they are red in the female, and bluifli in the male ; and, according to the academicians and Briflbn, it is thic circumftance alone which diflinguifhes the two fexes. But other authors, as we have already feen, have afTigned different marks drawn from the colours of the plumage f, of the barbils J, the callous tubercle on the head §, the caruncles of the noftrils ||, the fize of the body 1[, the filky threads of the occiput^ &c. **; whether thefe differences really refult from the fex, or by a logical error, which is but too com- mon, the accidental properties of the individual have been regarded as fexual. Behind the barbils, we perceive on the fides of the head the very fmall orifice of the ears, rvhich in moft birds is concealed by feathers, but in this is expofed. But what is peculiar to the Pintado is, a callous bump, or a kind of cafque, which rifes on its head, and which Belon improperly compares to the tubercle, or r >^ • Belon. f Caius apud Ge/ncrum. X Columella, Frifch, Dampicr, &c. ^ Aldrovandus, Roberts, Barrere, Dalecliamp, &c. 11 Barrere, Labat, Dampier, &c. ^ Frifch. •• Frifch, Barrere, S:z. rather 15* GUINEA PINTADO. rather to the horn of the gtrqffe *. It reremblei in flu})e the reverie of the tlu»'al cap of the Doge of Venice, or this cap placed with itg back towards the front. Its colour varies in different fubjeds, from white to reddifh, paff- ing through the intermediate fliades of yellow and brown f. Its interior furface is like that of hard callous flefh, and it is covered with a dry wrinkled fkin, which extends over the occiput^ and on the fides of the head, but is fur- rowed where the eyes arc placed. Thofe natu- ralifts who deal in final caufes, have aflerted, that this is a real helmet, beftowed on the Pin- tados as a defenfive armour, to prote^ lead refiftance. TheCe birds are iubjeâ: to fchirrous concre- tîoneî in the hver, and even in the kidney. Some have been found without any gall-bladder; but in this cafe the hepatic branch was very thick. Others have occurred with only one tefticle ; in genera], it feems that the internal parts are no lefs liable to changes than the exterior and fu- perficial parts. The heart is more pointed than common in birds* ; the lungs are of the ordinary fhape. it has however been obferved in fome fubjeds, that, on blowing into the trachea-arteria to in- flate the lungs and air-cells, the pericardium^ which appeared more than ordinarily flaccid, fwelled with the lungs f . I fhall add another anatomical remark, which has perhaps fome connedion with the habit of crying and the clamorous notes of the Pintado; it is, that the trachea-arteria receives in the cavity of the thorax two fmall mufcular chords of an inch long, and two-thirds of a line broad, which are inferted on each fide %, The Pintado is an exceedingly noify bird, and for this reafon Brown has termed it Galhis clamofus §. Its cry is fliarp, and by its con- • Tvlemoires pour fcrvir a l'Hifl. N.it. des Animaux, f Hiftoire de l'Académie des Scicncçs, tome i. p. 153. X Mémoires pour fcrvir a l'Hill. Nat. des Animaux. § Natural Hillory of Jamaica. 8 tinuance, GUINEA PINTADO. »59 led to :oncre- Sorac r ; but thick. cle; in are no md fii- Tion in ipe. It fubjeûs, a to in- :ardiiim^ flaccid, :, which habit of intado ; in the r chords e broad, >i t ird, and Gallm ts con- tinuance, becomes fo troublefome, that, though the flefli is very delicate, and much fuperior to that of ordinary poultry, moft of the American planters have given over breeding it *. The Greeks had a word appropriated to de- note the fcreaming of the Pintado f. jElian obferves, that the Meleagris utters a found refembling that of its name. Dr. Gains fays, that its cry is like that of the partridge, though not fo loud. Btlon tells us, that it is analo- gous to the chirping of young chickens lately hatched j but at the fame time he pofitivcly affirms, that it is unlike that of ordinary hens. 1 cannot conceive why Aldrovandus and Salerne jaflert the contrary. The Pintado is a lively, redlcfs, and turbulent |l)h-d, that diflikes to remain in the fame place, and contrives to become mafter of the poultry- yard. It can intimidate even the turkies ; for, though much fmaller, it gains the afcendency lover them by the mere dint of petulance. I" The Pintado," fays Father Margat, " wheels I" fom'jtimes round, gives twenty ftrokes with I" his bill, before thefe heavy birds are roufed I" to defence." The Hens of Nuraidia feem to Ihave the fame mode of fighting which the [hiftorian Salluft imputes to the cavalry of that country. " Their charge is fudden and irre- >r 53. ■ • Lettres Edifiantes, Recueil xx. \ KayKa^iii, according to Pollux, Gc/rtcr.-^TXxaX word fignifies ilfu to laugh loud. :inuance,H " gular; i6ô GUINEA PINTADO. " gubr ; if they meet with refiftance, thty ** retreat, but in an inftant they renew the *' attack *.' To this example we might add many others, tending to prove the influence of climate on the inftindts of the animals, as well as on the national genius of the inhabitants. The elephant joins to ftrength and induftry, a flavilh dlfpofition ; the camel is laborious, pa- tient, and fobcr; and, in thofe enervating regions, even the dog forgets to bite. -^llan relates, that in a certain ifland the Mcleagris is refpedted by the birds of prcyf; but I prefumc that in every country of the world, thefe would rather attack other fowls, whofe bill is not fo ftrong, whofe head is not proteded by a cafque, and who are not fo well acquainted with the art of defence. The Pintado is one of thofe birds which feel', by weltering in the duft, to rid themfelves of infects. They alfo fcrape the ground like com- mon hens, and roam in numerous flocks, Bodies of two or three hundred together are fometimes fcen in the Ifle of May ; and the inhabitants hunt them with a greyhound, andl without other weapons than fl:icksj. ButJ according to Belon, they run very faft, keep- ing their head elevated like the camelopard • Lettres Edifiantts, Rtcucll xx. ■f Hijloria Animalium, lib. v. 27. X Dampier and Brue. The GUINEA PINTADO. iU and tk prey t; I jr of the I :r fowls, d is not )t fo well lich feel', ifelves of ike com* flocb. ether are| and thel und, and But] ft, keep'l melopard. They perch at night to fleep, and fometimes during the day, on the walls of inclofures, on hedges, and even on the roofs of houfes, and on trees. They are at great pains, Belon adds, in providing their food ; and, indeed, confider- ing the length of their inteftines, they muft confume more than ordinary fowls, and be fub- jeâ to more frequent calls of hunger *. It appears from the concurrence of the an- cients t and moderns J, which is alfo corrobo- rated by the femi-membranes which conned: the toes, that the Pintado is partly an aquatic bird. Accordingly, thofe from Guinea, which [have recovered their liberty in St, Domingo, and obey the impulfe of nature alone, prefer the |fwamps and moift fituations §. If they be trained when young, they foon [become tame. Brue relates, that when he was |at the coaft of Senegal, he received, as a prê- tent from a princefs of that .cuntry, two Pin- tados, a male and a female, i)0th of which were fo familiar that they would come to eat on his • De Seve obfcrved» in thr(,",vi ig fome bread to Pintados, that Rfl^n one of them happened to take a bit larger thr.n it could im- nediately fwallow, it hurried away with it out of the reach of the ktiier fowls, and hid it in the dunghill, or in the earth, and fome- |lme afterwards returned and ate it. t Pliny, Hijleria Naturalis, lib. xxxvii. 2. and Clitus of Mile. lus, in Athenxus. t Gefner, Frifch,— Lettres Edifi?ntes. § Lettres Edifiantes.—" I entered," fays Adanfon- " a little I' thicket near a marfli, where flocks of Pinudos were gathered." VOL. II. M plate; >r jÊa GUINEA PINTADO. ■'i' P plate ; and that when they were at liherty îo fly about the beach, they returned regularly to the fhip, when the dinner or Tupper bell rung, Moore fays, that they are as wild as the phea- fants are in England * ; but I fufpeâ: he never faw pheafants fo tame as Brue's Pintados. And what proves that the Pintados are not very wild is, that they receive the food which is offered them the moment after they are caught. The Pintado lays and hatches nearly like the ordinary hen ; but its fecundity appears to be not the fame in different climates, or at lead that this is much greater in the domeftic condi- tion, where food is more abundant, than in thej favage flatc, which affords but a fcanty fubfift- ence. I have been informed that it is wild in i the Ifle of France, and there lays ten or twelve eggs on the ground in the woods; whereas thofe that are domeftic in St. Domingo, and feek the hedges and bufhes to depofite their eggs, lay loo, or 150, provided that one be| left conftantly in the neft. Thefe eggs are fmaller in proportion thanl thofe of an ordinary hen, and their fhell is much harder. But there is a remarkable diM ference between thofe of the domeftic Pintados! and thofe of the wild fort ; the latter are markedl with fmail round fpots like thofe on their plum- • Hi/}. Gen. da Voyages, tome i:i. p. 310. age; GUINEA PINTADO. 163 r to fly to the rung, e phea- Î never . And Dt very which bey are age ; and this circumftance has not been over- looked by Ariftotle ; but thofe of the former are at firft of a pretty bright red, which after- wards fades, and at laft runs into the faint colour of a dried rofe. If this fadt be true, as I have been aflurcd by Fournier, who has raifed many of thefe birds, we muft conclude that the influence of domeftication penetrates here fo deeply, as to change not only the colours of the plumage, as we have already feen, but even thofe of the matter which forms the fhell of the eggs; and as this does not happen in other fpecies, there is reafon to conclude that the na- ture of the Pintado is not fo fixed and invariable as that of other birds. Is the Pintado watchful or not of its brood ? This is a problem that has not yet been folved. Belon replies without qualification in the affirma- tive *. Frifch is of the fame opinion with re- gard to his great fpecies, which delights in dry lituations, but affirms that the contrary is true lof the fraall fpecies, which prefers marfhes. [But moft authors impute to them a degree of ndifferencc for their offspring ; the Jefuit Mar- at informs us, that at St. Domingo they are ot fufFered to cover their eggs, becaufe they p« ^^j^çjQjHdifcover fo little attachment, and fo often aban- " markedff^'^ ^^^^^ young f . The planters give their eir p I * " They are very prolific> an! careful in rearing their young." Ifij7o)y 'f Birds. 1 Lcitres K iiSantes. age," M 2 like the ,rs to be ■ at lead ic condi- an in the y' fubfift- is wild in or twelve whereas ngo, and fite theli one. be tion than fhell is :able dit >ê^ pcynrc 104 ÔUINËA PINTADO. eggs to be hatched, he fays, under turkies or common hens. I can find nothing with refpedl to the time of incubation ; but if we judge from the fize of the bird, and from our knowledge of other fpecies to which it is moft analogous, we may allow three weeks, more or lefs, according to the heat of the feafon or climate, and the alH- duity of the fitter, &c. In their firft infancy, the young Pintados have neither the barbies nor the cafque; they re» femble the red partridges in their plumage, and the colour of their feet and bill, and it is difficult to diftinguifh the young males from the old fe- males * ; for in all thefe fpecies, the maturity I of the females correfponds to tlie infancy of the males. The young Pintados are very tender, and I being natives of the burning climates of Africa, are with difficulty reared in our northern coun* tries. According to Father Margat, they feed! at, St. Domingo, as well as the old ones, on millet. At the Ifle of May, they fubfifl on the] grafshoppers and worms, which they find them- felves by fcraping the ground with their nails f) and Frifch fays, that they live on all forts of graifl] and infedls. The Pintado cock breeds alfo with the com»! moil hen. But it is a kind of artificial union, * I have thio faft from Fouinier, wno was mentioned above. f Dainpicr and Labat. whicbl mi GUINEA PINTADO. 165 which requires attention to bring about. They muft ^ i bred together from their infancy ; and the hybridous intercourfe gives birth to a baf- tard progeny of an imperfeâ ftrudure, and difavowcd, as it were, by nature. Their eggs are deftitute of the prolific power, and the race is extinguifhed in the death of the indi- viduals *. The Pintados that are raifed in our poultry- yards have an excellent flavour, in no refpeâ inferior to that of partridges ; but the wild or chefnut fort of St. Domingo have the mod ex- Iquifite relifh, and exceed the delicacy of the ipheafant. The eggs of the Pintado too are a ery agreeable food. We have feen that the Pintado is of African rigin ; and hence all the names that have been eftowed on it : hen of Africa, of Numidia, V^fficaB^efoï'eign hen, that of Barbary, of Tunis, of m coun-W^^""^*"^^» °^ Lybia, of Guinea, of Egypt, V feedK^ Pharaoh, and even of Jerufalem. Some ■ilahometans called them Jerufalem hens, and 'ft \uBuld them to the Chriftians for whatever price , ^i,piii.B-^y clïofe to demand f > but thefe perceiving •1 i.lhe fraud, retaliated on the good Mufulmen of grainB^ offering them under the name of Mecca kies or le time : fize of f other we may •ding to Lhe alE- ios have :hey re- ige, and s difficult le oldfe- maturity :y of the der, and pens. the com* ial unioDjl Incd above. whici They are found in the ifles of France and Bourbon J, where they have been introduced • Fournier. t Aublct. f LongoUus, apu^ Ge/ntrum, M 3 £^ at 1 66 GUINEA PINTADO. at a late period, but have fince multiplied ex- tremely*. They are known at Madagafcarf by the name of acanqiies^ and at Congo by that oîquetèle % ; they are very common in Guinea^, on the Gold Coaft, where they are kept tamsl only in the diftrict of Acra || ; at Sierra-Leonaf, at Senegal **, in the ifland of Goree, in tliej Cape de Verd iflands ff , in Barbary, in Kgyprj in Arabia tt, in Cyria §§ ; we are not in- formed whe her they occur in the ifland of Ma-I deira, or in the Canaries. Gentil tells u?, tlut[ he favv Pintado hens at Java jj || ; but it is certain if they were tame or wild : I fhould ra-l ther fuppofe that they were domeftic, and car* ried from Africa to Afia, as they have beeiij tranfported from Europe to America. But asl thefe birds were accuftomed to a hot climate, theyl could not fupport the intenfe cold that reignJ on the frozen fhores of the Baltic : and Linj nasus never mentions them in his Faunn Sueckal KL'in feems to fpcak but from the report ofl • Voyage Autour du Monde cle la Barbinais le Gentil, tome J p. 6g8. f François Cauchc, Relation, de Madagafcar. J Marca/rive. § Margat. jl Voyage de Barbot. ^ iMarcgrave. * * Adanfcn's \'oyage to Senegal, f ! Dampier's \'oyage round the World. XX Strabo. Liu. xvi. §§ " The moil diftunt part of Syria breeds Pintados." Dl ODOR us SlLL-M'sJ JiJI 'V'oyage round the World. anothîl GUINEA PINTADO. 167 ied ex- gafcar \ I by that I îuineaU ;pt tame Leona , in the I in Egypt,! not in- d of Ml- s us, thîtl it is lui- (hould ra- , and car- lave beenl . But asl mate, thc|| hat reigns and Lin-' .♦»/» Sueck''] report ,entil, tome : atiother perfon ; and we are informed that at the beginning of the prefent century they were I rare even in England *. Varro fays, that in his time the African [hens, (it is thus he names the Pintados,) were jfold for a high price at Rome, on account of their fcarcity f. They were much more com- mon in Greece in the age of Paufanias; fmce this author pofitively aflerts, that the melea- jgris, with the common goofe, was what per- Ifons who were not ia eafy circumftances, ge- nerally prefented at an offering in the folemn Imyfteries of Ifis. But we muft not therefore linfer, that the Pintados were natives of Greece ; [for, according to Athenacus, the iEolians were Ithe firft Greeks who were poflefled of thefe birds. lYet I conceive that fome trace of a regular pigration may be difcovered from the battles ^hat were annually fought with thefe birds in 3œotia, on the tomb of Meleager , which are mentioned both by the naturalifts and my- ^hologifts :j:. Hence the name of Mclea- jiis §, as that of Pintado || has been be- ^ rados." ;s SltL-Ll't anothi * Edwards's Gleanings. f De Re RulHcâ, lib. iii. 9. I Pliny, lib. x. 26. *) According to the fable, the fifters of Meleager, having bne diftrafted througli exceffive grief at their brother's death, ere turned into thefe birds, which Hill bear the tears fpriiiklcd on heir plumage. Peintade, from peindre, which, in French, fignifies to ainc. M 4 flowed, j68 GUINEA PINTADO. flowed, on account of the beautiful diftri- bution of the colours with which their plumage is painted. [A] [A] Specific charaAer of the Pintado, Numidia Meliagrir. <* Has a double caruncle at the chaps, no fold at the throat." Mr. Pennant makes it appear that the Pintados ^ad been early introduced into Britain ; at leaft prior to the year 1377. Bur they ièem to have been much neglefted. on account of the difficulty of I rearing them } for they occur net b our ancient lulls of hte. u ul diftri- : plumage fa Me leapt!', the throat." id been early 77. Bur they e difficulty of | ofhre. M ê^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) /. ^^^/ t« *^ Mis 1.0 l.l 11.25 ISO 1^ ■3.2 |Z5 -y, i 1^ i;â 2.2 2.0 (^ ^ /. .^ Photographie Sciences Corporation 1 .d& ''^ ^^ ^\ ^r\\ 23 WEST MAIN STRUT WEUTH.N.Y. USM (716) •73-4503 '4^ ^■0 Z J."34- THK WOOD GR.OUS The LeTe Titrai Vrega TheC ThiCi TF we w only, V cock or a [ ticularly ii hallo ailpefli J termed the Xfant But [tail, which [the length; leompofeitj • ». *. Tfce < t In Greek, Itke participle m laUoding to the ja-kin to tlie for iLatin Tetrao. ^ jthe Grous was t |wslatin«edmt< jorthe Cedar C< \Kjatderi and in X Albin defcri Black Ceci Mdh i <• f> Moantî t î69 1 '.slit I ,r. The WOOD G R O U S. Le Tétras, OU U Grande Coq de Brtytrt •, Bttff. Tetrat'Uregallus \, Linn. Gmel, &c. kc. Vregallus Major, BriflT. Klein, and Gerini. T/fe Capcaltu, Sibbald, Scot. Illuft. Tie Ceek rftb* Wood, or Moitntain, Ray, yTiVL. and Alb. TF we were to judge of things by their names only, we fhould take this bird for a wild cock or a pheafant ; for in many countries, par- ticularly in Italy, it is called Wild Cock:|:, lallo alpeflrey felvatico §. In other places, it is termed the Noify Pheafant^ and the Wild Phea» JanU But it differs from the pheafant in its tail, which is of another fhape, and only half the length ; in the number of great feathers that compofe it ; in the extent of its wings compared * f. e. The Great Heath-Cock. t In Greek* ril^t^, which was probably formed from tSifvpit, I the participle middle of the verb t^v^» to make a creeking noife* lallading to the whirring cry of the Grous. The word rilç»tit, la-kin to the former, feems to have been in ufe« and hence the iLatin Tetrao. Aur, in old German, fignifies Jhy or tuild, and Ithe Grous was. therefore termed Juer-hahn, or Wild Hen, which Iwas latinized into Ure-gallm. In Italian it is called Gallo Cedrone, lor the Cedar Cock. In Folifli it is named Glu/xee ; in Swedifli* |j^W(?r; and in Norwegiat, . Lieure. X Albin defcribes the male and female onder the name of the ^latk Cock and He» of the Mufcovy mountains. i <• t. Mountain Cock, Wood Cock. with 1,1 • ^ t ■ ... ! [ '; ê»- * ■ i - - .,".■" t ( .■.. - ■ Î 1 r- „i ? ') ,» U. 170 WOOD GROUS. with its other dimenfions ; and in the form of its feet, which are rough and without fp«urs, &c. Befides, though both thefe fpecies of birds de- light, in forefts, they are feldom found in the fame fpots ; the pheafant, which fhuns cold, fixes its refidence in the woods that grow in the plains ; while the Grous prefers the chill ex- pofure of the woods which crown the fumraits of lofty mountains. Hence the names of Cock of tbe Mountain y and Cock of the Wood. Thofe who, with Gefner, and fome others, would conlider it as the original cock, can in- deed found their conjecture on fome analogies; the general fhape of its body ; the particular configuration of its bill ; the red projeding fltin above the eyes, the fingular nature of its fea- thers, which are moftly double, and rife in pairs from the fame root, a property which, ac- cording to Belon, is pecuhar to the ordinary cock Î and laftly, they have the fame common habits, one male fupplying feveral females, and thefe not building any nefts, but fitting on their eggs with much afliduity, and (bowing a ftrong affedlion to their yo. after they are hatched. But if we confider tui»«; the Grous has no mem- branes under its bill, and no fpurs on its feet; that its feet are clothed with plumage, and its toes are edged with a kind of indenting; that there are two quills more in the tail ; that this tail is not divided into two planes as in the ordinary cock, but can be difplayed like a fan as WOOD GROUS. >7« as in the turkey ; that its bulk is quadruple that of the ordinary cock ; that it is fond of cold countries, while the domeftic fowls thrive beft in temperate climates ; that no inftance was ever adduced of the intermixture of the breeds ; and that their eggs are of a different colour : If to all thefe we add the proofs already given, that the ordinary cock is a native of the genial regions of Afia, where travellers have hardly ever feen the Grous ; we certainly cannot admit that thefe are the primitive flock, and we muft impute it to an error occafioned, like many others, by the deceitful glofs of names. Ariftotle merely mentions a bird which he terms tetrix^ and which tht Athenians called oitrax^ (j^paj) ; it is a bird, he fays, which does not neftle on trees or on the ground, but among low creeping plants*. A little afterwards, he adds, that the tetrix does not make any nefl;, but drops its eggs on the grouYid like all the heavy birds, and covers them with ftiff herbs. This fliort defcription manifeftly applies to the Grous, the female of which conftruds no neft, but drops her eggs on mofs, and when obliged to leave them, covers them carefully with leaves. Be- fides, the Latin word tetrao^ which Pliny employs to fignify the Grous, has an evident analogy to I the Greek tçtrix^ not to mention the refemblance which the Athenian oitrax bears to the com- • E» Tot{ ;^a/*«i^/,Vit{ ÇfloKf Libt vi, I. pound ê^ 'S^'-i IJl WOOD GROUS. pound term ourb-habn beftowed by the Ger- mans, a coincidence which cannot with pro- priety be afcribed to chance. But there is a circumftance which feems to (hed fome doubts on the identity of thefe birds. Pliny, defcribing his tetrao at ibme length, never takes notice of what Ariftotic had (hid of the teiriXf which it is likely he would have done, if he had conceived thele to be the fame ; unlefs the flight mention made by Ariflotle had cfcaped the Roman naturalift. With regard to the great Mrax of which Athe- nasus fpeaks*, it is certainly not our Grous, fmce it has flefhy barbies like thofe of the cock, rifing near the ears and defcending below the bill ; a character quite foreign to the Grous, and which applies much better to the Meleagris or Numidian hen, which is our Pintado. The little Mrax mentioned by the fame author, is, according to him, an exceeding fmall bird; and this excludes all comparifon with our Wood Grous, which is one of the dû magnitude. In refpeâ to the tetrax of the poet Neme- fianus, who dwells on its ftupidity, Gefnerj confiders it as a fpecies of buftard. But I dif- cover a difcriminating mark of refemblance to I the meleagris in the colours of its plumage ; the * Lib. ix. grouni! ■'.i .■ " WOOD GROUS. «73 ground is of an alh-gray, fprinkled with fpots in the fhape of drops * ; a circumftance which has given the pintado the name of Gallina Guttata t . But whatever be the force of thefe conjec- tures, it appears inconteftably proved, that the two fpecies of the tctrao of Pliny are really thofe of our Grous : the fine fhining black of their plumage ; the flame-colour of their eye- brows ; their refidence in cold mountainous countries % ; the delicacy of their flefh ; thefe are properties that belong both to the Wood and Black Grous. We can even di(lingui(h in Pliny's defcription, the traces of a peculiarity that has been remarked by few moderns; \Mortuntur contumaciam fays this author, ^/>//« mvocato §. This refers to a curious obfervation which Frifch has inferted in his hiftory of this I bird. That naturaliil, not being able to find * Fragmtntt of Books on Bird-catchtng ; afcribed by fome to the iPoet Nemeûanusj who lived in the third century of the ChriiUan iKra. t Et piila ptrdix, NumtJicaqu» guttata. ** And the punted h* partridge, and the Ipeckled Numidiin hens." Martial* This i» exaftly the plumage of the two hens belonging to the )uke of Ferrara, of which Gefner fays, in his account of the Pintado : " That they were entirely of a cinereous colour, with U, I' (vhitilh caA, and with black and round fpots." t " A glo/Ty jet black becomes the tetraoms, and a fcarlet on he eye-brows. —They inhabit the Alps, and the region of the • ^forth."— Plinv, lib. x. 22. The tetrao feen by Belon on he lofty mountains of Crete, .correfpottds well to Pliny's de- ïiption. \ i. t. They die through obfttnacy, recalling their breath. the ê^ <.; .f '- >74 WOOD G R O U S. tlie tongue in a dcail Grous, opened the gizzaij, and dilcovercd ihut it retreated there with all its ligaments ; and this mull commonly hap- pen, linee it is the general opinion of rportlnicn that the Cirons has no tongue. The fame, per- liaps, might he laid of the Ulaek Kagle mcii- tloncd hy Pliny, and the Hra/il hird of which Sealigcr fpeaks, which was reckoned to have no tongue. I'iiis opinion might take its rife with credulous travellers, or imohl'ervant huntcii!, who never viewed this hird except when ex- piring, or after death, and no perfon infpcdingl their gizzard. The other fpecics of idnw, which Pliny île* feribes at the fame place, is much larger j fincel It exceeds the builard, and even the vulture, which it refemhles in plumage, and in point of| fizc is inferior to the oftrich alone : hcridcsj it is fo unwieldy a bird, that it can be caught bjl .the hand *. lîelon alferts, that this fpedcsl df ti'trûo is unknown to the moderns, who, ac{ cording to him, have never fccn any Woo^ Grous larger, or even fo large as the buftard and there is room to doubt, whether the birJ mentioned in this paflage of Pliny by thJ names Otis and ^vis tarJa^ was really ou budard, whofe flefh has an excellent flavod while the avis tarda of Pliny was very unpaj * This is literally true of ihc Little Grous« as wc ihall findj the following article. latablJ i/7,l\ïJ, n{\\ all y hup- )rtlmcn le mcii- v\'l\kli to luivc Us vile huiitciJ, 'heu cx' WOOD G R O U S. 175 latablc. l^ut wc mufl: not, on tîiîs account, infer with bclon, that the '^rcixX. ictrao was no other th.in the avis Umla ; I'nxcc the Roman na- tiiralift names hotli tl»c Utrûo and the nvis tar/la in tlie ian\e pafl'agc, and compares thcni together as birds of diHcrcnt Tpecies. After a mature conlideration of the fubjcâ:, I ihould rather conclude: i. That the firll tdrun of which Pliny fpcaks, is the fmall fpecics of Grous, to which what is here faid more di- rcdly refers ; 2. That his great tetrao is c ur |Wood Grous, which, without exaggeration, xcecds the bulk of the buftard. 1 myfelf eiglied a large budard, whofe extreme length as three feet three inches, and the extent of !iofc wings was I'lx feet and an half, and found |t twelve pounds j but it is well known, and we lull afterwards have occafion to take notice caught byB^ it» that fome of the Wood Grous weigh lis fpeclesftore. who, ac-M The Wood Grous has near four feet of alar ny \Voo»tent. Its weight is generally twelve or ,e buftavd'Becn pounds : Aldrovandus affirms, that he r the birBis feen fome that were twenty-three pounds ; y by t»t thefe were Bologna pounds, which contain really ouBch only ten ounces, and therefore twenty- ree are not quite equal to fifteen pounds of teen ounces. The Black Cock of the Moun- ns of Mufcovy, defcribed by Albin, and ich is really the Wood Grous, weighed ten |i:nds without the feathers or entrails ; and the fame Pliny Je' ;cr ; fince e vulture, n point of beridcsj It flavod ^ery unpij Iwe Ihall y\ latabli ^ 176 WOOD GROUS. I 1 ] I I iâme author informs us, that the Jitures of Norway, which is really the fame bird, is as large as a buftard. This bird fcrapes the ground, like all the firugivorous tribe. Its bill is (Irong and (harp *>, the tongue is pointed, and lodged in a propor- tional concavity in the palate. The feet are alfo firm, and clothed before with plumage; the craw is extremely wide, but, in other refpedls, j both it and the gizzard are conftruâed as in the j domeftic cock : the coat of the gizzard has a | velvet foftnefs where the mufcles are attached. The Wood Grous feeds on the leaves or top! I of the pine, of the juniper, of the cedar, of| the willow, of the white poplar, of the hazel, of the myrtle, of the bramble ; on thlftles, fir-cones, the leaves and flowers of buck- wheat ; on chichling vetch, millfoil, dandelion,! trefoil, the vetch, and the choke-weed ; efpe-l cially when thefe plants are young and tender.! When the feed begins to be formed, they leavtl the flowers, and only eat the leaves. Thcyl feed too, efpecially in their firfl: year, on black{ berries, beech-mafl;, and ants eggs. On tha other hand, it has been obferved, that man;! * I know not what Longolius means, when he fays that tliil bird has traces of barbils. Is there a kind of large grous whici have barbils, as there is among the fmall grous ; or docs allude to a certain difpofttion of the feathers reprefenting, perfcdlly, barbils, as he has done at the article of the Has Grous ? plana * Journal E VOL. II, \V O O D G R O U S. 177 ures of d, is as all the (harp*; propor- t are alfo tge; the refpefts, as in the ird has a I ttached. •C8 or tops I cedar, of the hazel, m thiftles,] of huck" dandelion,! ed; efpc .nd tender! they leavtl es. Thc^l on black'f On tliJ Ithat manj fays that Le grous whla J ; or does !< prefenting. '^ of the Ha» plants prove poifonous to this bird ; among others, lovage, celandine, wall-wort, lily of the valley, wheat, nettles, &c. * On opening the gizzard of the Wood Grous^ fmall pebbles have been found, fimilar to tliofe iu common poultry ; a certain proof that they do not confine themfelves to the leaves and flow- ers which they pluck from the trees, but alfo feed on grains which they feek by fcraping the ground. When they eat too many juniper- berries, their flefh, which otherwife is excellent, contracts an unpleafant tafle -, and according to the remark of Pliny, it lofes its delicate flavour, if kept in cages or coops, where it is fometimcs I fed for curiofity f. The female diflfers from the male only in it9 Ifize and plumage, being fmaller and not fo black ; befides, it excels the male in the beauty and variety of its colours; a circumftance which is uncommori lin birds, and even in other animals. From not at- Itending to this fadt, Gefner has made the female [another fpecies of Grous, by the name o^grygallus ^najor^ formed from the German term grugtU habn ; for the fame reafon, he has made the fe- lale of the Black Grous another fpecies, which be calls grygallus m'wor» Yet he pretends that be did not fix thefe fpecies till he had carefully examined all the individuals, except the gry- \alksm'mory and was confident that he could * Journal Econom! Mai 1765. f lib. x. 22. planiB VOL. II, N perceive ês- i» 178 WOOD GROUS. perceive charaderiftical differences. On tin» other hand, Schvvcnckfeld, whole vefidence wa* among mountains, and wiio ol)rervcd the >!;>■)'. g.illus often and carefully, afl'ures us, that it waj the female Grous ; hut it mull he admitted that in this fpccics, and pcrlïap/s in many olliers, the plumage is lul)je(ft to great diverfity, arifing from the age, the lex, the climate, and other dr- cumftances. "^I'lie one which wc have caufed to I be engraved is fomewhat crefted. lîrifTon takes I no notice of a crefl: in liis defcription ; and of the twoligurcs given by Aldrovandus, the oneisf crefted, the other not. Some pretend that tlie Grous, when young, has much white in its plumage'"', which diminifhes, as the bird growsl okl, and fo regularly as to ferve as a mark fori diftinguiihing the age. It would even appear] that the number of quills in the tail is not con'l liant; for Linnxus makes it eighteen in hiil Fauna Suecica^ and Briflbn only fixteen in hill Ornithology; and what is more extraordinaryj iSchwenckfeld, who faw and examined many ol ihefe birds, aflferts that, both in the large ani in the fmall fpecies, the females have eighteeij tail-feathers, and the male only t^welve. therefore follows, that every fyftem which al fumes, for its fpecific characters, differences i variable as are the, colours and even the numbsf c^ the feathers, will be liable to the great incon * When the bird dlfplays its tail, the white forms a clrij around it. venieiil WOOD G R O U S. 179 ncc wai he i^n- It it was tted that lers, the arifin"! » s )thcr dr- caufcd to Ton tabs J and o( the one is 1 vcnience of muhiplying the fpecies, (I fliould rather fay, nominal fpecies, or more properly new terms,) of opprcfHng the memory of begin- ners, and of giving them falfe ideas of things, and confequently that fuch a plan incrcafes the difficulties in the ftudy of nature. It is falfe, what Encelius relates, that the male )rous fitting on a tree, calls the females to him ithloud cries, emits /cmcn from his bill, which hey fwallow, and again difcharge, and thus be- ome impregnated» Nor is it true, that the art of the femen which is not gathered up by I that tilt Hhe females, forms ferpents, precious ftones, and lite in ilsBiearls. It is mortifying to our pride to fee the )ird gvowBjuman mind inflided with grovelling errors, or I mark foMurried into fuch extravagant follies» The Grous yen appeaiBoupIe like other birds ; nor was Encelius un- not con-Bcquainted with the fad ; but he infifts that the en in li^Hmbrace is mere dalliance, and that the dcgluti- teen in nisBon of x\\t femen is effential to propagation ! |raordmary,B -pi^g j^^^jg Grous begins to be in feafon about d ni^'^y ^e firft of February ; the fiery appetite is mod large antBugnfe towards the latter end of March, and e eighteemntinues till the leaves are expanded. During elve. «jt period of love, each cock fixes his rcfidence a certain quarter, out of which he never re- oves. In the morning and evening he is ob- ved walking backwards and forwards on thci nk of a large pine or other tree, his tail dif- yed, his wings trailing, his neck projeding, head ruffled, and afluming all forts of un- î^ '1 common which ^ ferences Ithe numb^ Ireat incoQ forms a cirtl venieul ^ i8o WOOD GROUS. common poftures ; with fuch force is he ire- pclled by the burning délires ! He has a certain. note with which he calls his females, who rua under the tree where he lodges, from which he joon dcfcciids to tafle the joys of love. This fingular cry, which is very loud, and can be litard at a great diflunce, is perhaps the rcafon of the name which has been applied, cf ficljj phcnfaiif. It begins with a kind of explofioii, nnd expires in a fliarp flirill note, refembling the found produced by whetting a fcythe. Tliià noii'e vriiiiihes and returns alternately, and after being repeated feveral times in the courfe of half] ;in hour, it ends in explofion like the firft % The Wood Grous, which at other times isj very fliy, can eafily be furprifed in the feafon cfl love, efpecially when it is occupied with its calhf it is then ftunned with its own noife, or, ifwl r.hufe, fo intoxicated, that it is neither feared bjl the fight of man, nor roufed by the report cfal fowling-piece. It fees nothing, it hears iioj thing, it is diflblved into extacy f ; hence it hai been faid and even written, that the Grous iil deaf and blind. But alraoft all animals, notexj cepting man, are, in fimilar fituations, abforbei| in delight : all feel, in a certain degree, the rap • Journal Economique, April 1753.. f " It is fo overgrown that it may be caught motionlefs on 1 ground." Pliny. What that naturallfl: imputes to its bulij may be '•eferred witli greater probability to heat, and intoxicatiij of its paiTion. turfl WOOD G ROUS. i8i inures of maddening joys. But probably the Wood Grous is more under the dominion of luft; for in Germany, the term aucrhahn is be- ; (towed on the lover, who negleds every other [concern, and devotes himfelf entirely to the ob- [jeâ: of his paflion *, and even applied to every Iperfon who dilcovers a ftupid inlenlibility to his jmoft important interefts. It will be readily conceived that the feafon [when the Grous is wholly occupied by the jamorous pafiions, is the proper time for fetting ;ins, or for hunting it. When I come lo treat of the Small Black Grous, I flriall defcribe more particularly the precautions obferved in this liport ; I fhall here only obl'erve, that people are attentive in extirpating the old cocks, becaufe Ihefe appropriate an extenfive traû, and hitfer po rivals to enter the region of their pieafures ; pd thus many fem.ales are deprived of the male ifluence, and produce addle eggs. Some bird-catchers pretend, that before the /^ood Grous couple, they provide a clean even pot f . That fuch may occur I have no doubr, |ut I fufpect that the Grous fhow no forcHght in lioice. It is much more natural to kippofe hat thefe fpots have been the habitual re fort of lie hen and her young, and that after two or ree months they become more trodden and |at)han the reft of the ground. ^ • Frifcli, t Grfncr. Tlic l82 WOOD GROUS. II i 4- The lead number of eggs which the female Wood Grous commonly lays, is five or fix ; the greateft number, eight or nine. Schwenckfeld alTerts, that their firft hatch is eight, and the fubfequent ones amount to twelve, fifteen, or even fixteen *. Thefe eggs are white, fpotted with yellow ; and, according to the fame author, they are larger than thofe of common hens, The female drops them in a dry fpot on the mofs, where it hatches them alone, without the afiiftance of the male f. When it is obliged to leave the eggs, it carefully ftrews them with leaves ; and though it inherits a favage inftinâ, the love of progeriy feems to blunt the fenfe of| immediate danger, and it continues to fit after we have approached it, and can hardly be forced to forfake its eggs. As foon as the young are hatched, they runl nimbly, and even before the fhell is completely detached. The mother leads them in the moi careful and attentive manner j fhe goes with theni| into the woods, where (he feeds them with anti eggs, black-berries, &c. They continue unitei through the reft of the year, till the return the feafonof love, infpiring them with new a| petites and inclinations, difperfes the family; tlij males are the wideft feparated, never aflbciatii * This gradation is conformable to the general obfervationa Ariftotic ; 1 fufpeft only that the number is over-rated. f 1 have fomewhere read that the time of incubation is tweiiff (Eight days, which is probable, confidcring the bulk of the birJ. wii * Hill. Gen. t Britifh Zoo [AJ Specific '^ ^ts tail is rour ■''o'e authority ''''s bird ia not '^«îand, being \ WOOD G R O U S. 183 with their own lex, and Icldom mixing with the females but to fatiate their luft. The Wood Grous delights, as we have already obferved, in lofty mountains. But this is the cafe only in the milder latitudes ; for in coun- tries that are intenfely cold, as Hudfon's Bay, they prefer the plains and flieltered places ; and in fuch fituations, they enjoy, in thofe inclement regions, perhaps the fame temperature as on the moft elevated fummits in the genial climes *. They inhabit the Alps, the Pyrenees, the moun- tains of Auvergne, of Savoy, of Switzerland, ofWeftphalia, of Swabia, of Mufcovy, of Scot- land, thofe of Greece and Italy, thofe of Nor- way, and even thofe in northern trads of the continent of America. It is fuppofed that the breed is extind in Ireland, where however they I once refided f . It is faid that birds of prey are very deftruc- Itive to them ; either becaufe they dired their laflaults when the Wood Grous is intoxicated with love, or growing fond of the fuperior de- [licacy of their fieflî, they feled them for their )rey. [A] • Hill. Gen. des Voyages, tome xiv. t Britifh Zoology. [A] Specific charafter of the Wood Grous, TetrM-Urogallus : r Its tail is rounded, its axillary feathers white." Mr. Pennant, kiiofe authority on this fubjuft U unqueltioriable, aflures us, that this bird io not found in America. It is now almoft extinft in Scotland, being found ynly in the forefts north of Lochncfs. ê^ jj 4 Ik r 184 ] The BLACK G R O U S. le Petit Tétras, ou Coq de Bruyère à ^eue Fourchue *, Bult, Tetrao-Tetrix, Linn. Gmcl. &c. &c. Vrogallus Minor, Briff, Gallus Scoticus Syl-vejîris, AIdrov. The Black Cock, Sibbald. Scot. Uluft. The Heath-Cock, Black-Game, or Grous f. Will. SOME authors, as Rzacynfld, have miftaken this bird for the tetrax of the poet Neme- fianus. This overfight arofe undoubtedly from not attending to what Nemefianus himfelf had mentioned, that it was of the bulk of a goofe or I a crane If. ; fome othet* obfervers inform us, that | the Black Grous is fcarcely larger than an or- dinary cock, but only longer fhaped ; and the I female, according to Ray, is fmaller tbâii a com-| mon hen. . Turner, fpeaking of his Moorlfli hen, fo call- ed, he fays, not on account of its pluiiiage, which I * i. e. The forked-tail Heath-cock. •J- This bird has alfo been termed improperly a cock or phea- fant : Little Wild Cock (Petit Coq Savage) ; Heath Cock (Coq à I Bruyère); Birch-Cock, ^c. (Coq de Bouleau); Black Phea/aA (FaiJ'an Ncir); Mountain Phenfant (Fai/ant de Montagne). In I German, Birkhan (Birch-Hen); in Swedifh, Orre ; the fanwl with the old Gtrman Eurc^ mentioned before; in Norwegianij Orrfugl (the Eure-bird) . X Tarpciae eft cuftos arcis non corjioré fhajcr, Nee qui te volucres docuitj Palamedc, figuras. refemblesl r3S [S. ue*. Buff. mlftaken t Neme- dly from ' afelf had ] goofe or 1 1 us, that I 1 an Gr- and the na com- ft". ê^ Irefembles -OHk»^^ ■>t^ THE UliACKGKOUS '\-::\^. rcfemble of the cc to it a re fame cok Willughl ! is difflcul; ' an error y his own [that woul [hand, adir I fer his M( Jchufe, to a Igous to the Jbut difting (lîefli barbi opinion is, name of ^, perties; ^ ^'idual of th f^en; efpeci tailed the ôi received his fircumftanc fnce of the pecies of th The Blacï ■ ''ears a gr has red Wented toe diftingu: THE BLACK GROUS. y .1 i8s' rcfembles that of the partridge, but on account of the colour of the male, which is black, afcribe» to it a red flefli comb, with two barbiis of the fame colour and fubftance *. In this aflertion Willughby infifts that he was miftaken. But it Is difficult to conceive that Turner could fall into an error with refpeâ: to this bird, which inhabits his own country, and concerning a charadler I that would be fo eafily noticed. On the other hand, admitting what Turner fays, I fhould re- fer his Moorifh hen to another fpecies; or, if we chufe, to another fort of the Black Grous, analo- Igoiis to the lirft in its general ftruâure and habits, [but diftinguifhed by its undivided tail and its Iflefh barbiis ; and what confirms me in this Dpinion is, that I find in Gefner, a bird by the lame of gallus fyhejîrh^ which has thefe pro- perties ; (a that we may confider it as an indi- ddual of the fame fpecies with Turner's Moorifh len; efpecially, as in this fpecies, the male is balled the Mack cock in Scotland, (whence Gefner received his figure,) and the female grey hen ; a. [ircumftance which marks diftindly the differ- [nce of the plumage of the two fcxes in this ;)ecies of the Grous. • The Black Grous weighs three or four pounds* hears a great refemblance to the Wood Grous ; has red eye-lids, rough feet without fpurs, idented toes, white fpot on the wing, Sec. But is diftinguifhed by two obvious charaâers ; it * See Gefner. ia lU BLACK GROUS. 1 fi I I CM ': If : ■ ■ •• r" Î8 much fmaller, and its tail is forked, the outer feathers being longer, the middle ones bent back- wards. Befides, the male of the fmall fpecies is of a deeper and more diftin£t black ; the red glan- dulous fkin above the eyes is broader, but fub- jedtto fome variations in the fame. individuals at different times, as we fhall find in the fequel. The female is only two thirds of the fize of the male*. Its tail is lei's forked, and the co- lours of its plumage are fo different, that Gefner was induced to refer it to a diftinut of his hi ig, they •ead of bûi 'rous, whi( Tuch fury as |bwling-piec 'ay-break tc lain there ti î'^perfe throi t^'food. AI ''7 i'eturn t p^Jate in th mrfeofJife, 'e feafon of * ^n this lefpe^fl ;<>«. which, far "s 'vhat is oiiere( ^'OL. n. ■n. .•-*•. BLACK GROUS. 193 time to I in the liftaking I young, particu- domellic :hus col- evoted to gradually I cloth of the proper colour, and fluffed with hay or tow, and this is termed in thofe countries, halvaiie. They faflen this balvane to the end of a ftick, and place it on feme birch-tree near the fcene of their amours : the time for this fport is in the month of April. The birds gather round the halvane^ and fight with each other in play ; at laft they engage in earnefl, and are fo much occupied in the violence of their contentions, that the fportfman, who is concealed near the re not foBfpot in his hut, furprifes them, and catches them, e attained ■without being obliged to aim a iingle blow. at them; ■Thofe caught in this way, he tames in the fpace )f autun\n,Bof five or fix days ; fo that they will come to eat 1. In thatBout of his hand *. On the following year in the klther theyBfpring, they make ufe of thofe tame birds, in- by a cer-Bftead of balvanes^ to decoy the wild Blacîk o be fvoft,HGrous, which fall upon them, and light with irds of theHfuch fury as not to be feared by the report of a [either fesMowling-piece. Each morning they repair by he buflicsiBay-break to the common rendezvous, and re- they dil-Bnain there till fun-rile, when they fly away and arlev, oatsBifperfe through the forefls and heaths in fearch Then it iw food. About three o'clock in the afternoon, afford es^iey return to the fime fpot. and continue there lllate in the evening. This is their regular urfe of life, efpecially in fair weather, during le feafon of love, which lafts three or four lameispncj lania. Thej lird made which is 6'i' cloil * In this refpeifl the Little Grous (lifters widely from the Great I'ous, which, far from fubn-iitting to Jomeftication^conIlantly re- iis what is otfered it to eat. VOL. II. o weeks J >^ 19* BLACK GROUS. ':f- ^ ■;■: J.!!,;,^ I - I weeks ; but when it is rainy or cold, they are rather more retired. The young Black Grous have alfo their fa- vourite fpot of refort, where they aflemble iu flocks of forty or fifty at a time, and devote themfelves to nearly the fame amufements or occupations; their voice however is hoarfer, and broken ; and they do not leap with equal agility. Their meeting lafts only eight days, after which they join the old ones. When the feafon of love is over, and confe* I qnently their afiemblies lefs regular, new lira- tagems rauft be employed to decoy them near the hut where is the halvane. Several fportfrnen] on horfeback enclofe a circuit of variable extent,] having the hut for its centre, and cracking their whips, they drive the Grous from bufli to bullij and fo gradually contraâ: the bounds, and, b; means of a whittle, they inform the perfon wliol manages the halvane of their approach. Tliel Grous, when they fliift from one bulh to anj other, diftinguifli accurately thofe branclul which are able to fupport them, not even ex- cepting the vertical fhoots, which bend with theii weight into an horizontal fituation ; after aligliH ing they lillen attentively, ttretching out theij neck to learn if they are in a place of fafety, aii as foon as they have allayed their fears, the| begin to pluck the tender buds. The dextero'JJ fportlnian then feizes the opportunity of placinj his halvane on the neighbouring twigs, anj 3 fixini BLACK GROUS. m they arc their fa- ;mble iii i devote merits or hoarfer, nih ti[m\ tght days, nd confe- new ftra- :hem nearl fportfmen ible extent,' ckmg tbekl fixing a cord, he pulls it from time to time, fo as to imitate the waving motions of the Grous, fitting on a flexible branch. Experience alfo inftrudts him to turn the head of the balva?ies ajrainft the wind when it blows violently ; but in ftill wea- ther, he finds it bell: to place them oppofite to each other. If the Grous are driven ftraight towards his hut, he can difcover by an eafy ob- fervation, whether they will perch within his reach. If their flight is irregular, if they fome* times approach and lometimes retire, flapping their wings, he concludes, that perhaps the whole flock, or at leaft part of them, will alight near him. On the other hand, if they fpring not far from his hut, and (hoot in a rapid fl:eady courfe^ he is certain that they will pulh on to a diftance. When the Grous fettle near the hut, the fowler {h to bufl\ and b' ï^ informed at leaft thrice by their repeated cries ; c-, xsTkBlie is then cautious not to fire upon them too « "on wboW'*^ '^ ^"^" cautious not lo lire upon ^ \\ Tliep'^'^^^'^''y » ^^ remains ftill in his hut, and with- (uih to M'L. brancteB^'"^ ^° examine their fituation, and to quiet their 'en ewPP'*^^^"^'°"^* Wben they are fettled and begin I *th theiiB^ ^'^'^^» ^^ takes his aim fteadily, and fire^. But f 'iVicl^W^^^^^'' "unierous the flock be, though it even It theiB"^°^"^ ^° ^^^^y °'* * hundred, he can hardly ex- c r_f^i-,r ni*^'^ to kill more than one or two at each Ihot ; jor thefe birds do not group together, but corn- only perch on a feparate tree, and hence raggling bulhes are better for the fport than a ick foreft. However, when there is no fnow o 2 lying fafety, ani fears, the; U dexteroa \x of p^^'^^''"' twigs, all flxinl >^ 1^6 BLACK GROUS. ! ■ ■r .1 ■ ' :i-^ lying on the ground, this amufement is fometiihes taken in open ftubble fields, the crops of oats, barley, buck-wheat, being led, the hut is covered .with ftraw ; there the fport is tolerably fuccefsful, except in fevere weather, when thefe birds are difperfed and concealed. But the firft fine day that fucceeds makes them more eafily caught; and a fhooter, who has taken his ftation properly, can, without anyafiiftance of horfemen, and with bird-calls alone, entice them to his hut with eafe. It is aflerted that, when thefe birds fly in I flecks, they are led by an old cock, who con- duits them like an experienced chief, and teaches I them to fhun the decoys of the fportfmen; h\ that in this cafe it is exceedingly difficult to drive them to the balvane^ and all that can be then expeded is to intercept a few of tlie| ftragglers. The proper time for the fport is from fun-rifel to ten o'clock in the forenoon ; and from or.el o'clock in the afternoon to four. But in autumn,! tvhen the air is ftill and clofe, it may be continueûl without interruption through the whole day; fctl the Grous then feldom fliift their place. And inl this way, they may be chafed from tree to tree, till near the winter Iblflice ; about that time theyl grow more wild, fhy, and cunning ; they eveni change their accuftomed haunt, unlefs they arej confined by the rigours of the feafon. Il BLAGK GROUS. »97 m fun- rile from cr,e n autumn, continued' e day ; fci And iii| rce to tree, time tbeyl they even] 's they arc] It is faid to be a fign of fair weather, when the Grous fit on the topvS of the trees, and upon the young fhoots ; but if they dc^fcend to the lower branches, and fquat, it forebodes an approaching ftorm. 1 fhould not take notice of thcfe remarks of the fportfmen, if they did not corrcipond with the inftindls of thefe birds, which, from wliat we have already feen, mud be very fufceptible of the impreffions made by the varying ftate of the atmofphere, and whofe fenfibility in this refpeft may be fuppofed fo great, confiftently with pro- bability, as to be afFeded by the change which decides the nature of the following day. When the weather is excefTively rainy, they retire for fhelter into the clofeft and moft bufhy forefts, and as they are tardy and laborious in their flight, they can fometimes be hunted down with dogs, which exhauft them, and catch them I by fpeed t»f foot *. In other countries, the Black Grous is, ac- Icording to Aldrovandus, caught with a noofe; a net is alfo ufed, as has been already obferved j but it would be curious to know the fliape, dimen- fions, and conftrudtion of the one with which the |PoliQi nobleman, of who .i R;zaczynlki fpeaks, caught two hundred and fixty at one time. [A] • Breflaw's Ads for 172J. This umvieldinefs has been rc- narked by Pliny ; and was meant to apply both perhaps to the |Great and the Small Grous. [A] Specific charaéler of the Black Grous, Tttrao-Tetrlx : " It» tail ii forked, its fécond wing.quills white near the bafe." Its 03 egg ^5- ■>'■■. 198 BLACK OROUS. egg is yellowifli. fpotted with dark red. In Lapland. th« Black Grous is taken in fnares ; but formerly it was (hot with arrows. The people of Siberia have a fmguiar method for catching thefe birds during the winter, They lay «i number of poles horizontally on forked flicks in the open birch fore(l$, and fet fmall bundles of corn on them. At a fliort diftance they plant tall bafltcts (haped like an invented cone, and place in the mouth of thefe a little wheel that turns freely on its axis. The Black Grous are attiaded by the corn, alight on the poles, and after a hafty repafl, fly to the bafkets, ^v>rch upon the rim of the wheel« which, giving way, precipitates them into the trap. 1 C «99 J BROAD-TAILED BLACK GROUS. Le Petit Tetrai a ^cue pleine. Buff. THAVE, in the preceding article, ftated the ■'■ reafons which have induced me to refer this bird to a diftind family. Gefner fpeaks of it i by the name oî Wood' cod, (gallns fylvejlris)^ \ as a bird having red barbils, and a broad undi- vided tail. He adds, that the male is called UVùod'Cock in Scotland, and the female Grey-hen. litis true indeed, that this author, conceiving [that the two fexes cannot differ much in the co- jlcur of their plumage, tranflates Grey-hen by 'rallinafu/ca or Dtifky-hen, in order to bring them |to a nearer conformity ; and refting on this Erroneous verfion, he concludes that this fpecies js quite diftinâ: from the Moorifh hen of Turner, becaufe he imagines this bird is too widely amoved, by the colour cf its plumage, fi'om |he male to belong to the fame family. But [he fad is, that the male is almoft always en- jirely black, and the female is nearly the fame jolour with the gray partridge ; and this circum- lance completely decides its identity with the plack Cock of Scotland ; for even Gefner admits, lat in other refpeds they are perfedly alike. fhe only difference that I can perceive is, that o 4 ^ the ^ 1-. 1 soe BROAD-TAILED BLACK GROUS. the Scotch Black Cock has fmall red fpots under the breaft, the wings, and the thighs; but we have feen in the preceding article, that the young males which in the end become black, are at firft of the colour of the mother, and perhaps the fmall red fpots mentioned by Gei'ner, are only the traces of their infant plumage before they have acquired the deep jet. I fee no reafon why Briflbn fhould confound this tribe or variety, as he calls it, with the tdrm^ dotted with white, of Linnaeus * ; fince one of the charaders of this bird, which is termed by the Swedes rackle-hancy is its having a forked- tail. Befides, Linnaeus gives it no barbils, which, I according to the figure and defcription of Gefner,] belong to the other birds. Nor can I fee why Briflbn, though he claffesl thefe two tribes together, makes only one variety of the forked-tail Black Grous; fmce, befidesl the differences that have been juft noticed, Lin- nseus exprefsly mentions, that his Group Iprin- kled v/ith white, is more fhy and wild, and hasl a quite different cry ; which implies, I fliouldl imagine, charaderâ'deeply impreffed, and morej permanent than what conftitute a mere variety. It would appear therefore more confiftenttol diftinguifli thefe into two fpecies of Black Grous J the one including the Scotch Black Cock, andTurj ner's Moorifh Hen ; and the other, charadlerizeJ by the fmall white fpots under the breaft, ad ♦ Fauna Suecica, No. 167. BROAD-TAILED BLACK GROUS. 201 its different cry, would comprehend the Swedifli rackle-hane. Thus we miglit reckon four fpecies of the genus of Grous, i. The Wood Grous : 2. The Forked-tail Black Grous : 3. The Rack-' lan^ or Racklehane^ of Sweden, defcribed by Lin- nsEUs : 4. The Moorifli Hen of Turner, or the Black Cock of Scotland ; with flefli barbils on both fides of the bill, and with an uniform tail. — Thefe four fpecies are all natives of the northern climates, and refide either in forefts of pine or of birch. The third only, or the Swedifh rachh" baney is the only one that might be confidered as > a variety of the Black Grous, if Linnaeus had not afcertained its having a different note. M ^ £ »o» } The BLACK GROUS WITH VARIABLE PLUMAGE. Le Petit Taras à Plumage variai/le, BufF. rr^HE Wood Grous are common in Lap»?.nd, ■*" efpecially when the fcarcity of proviiîon?, or the cxceflive multiplication of their numbprs, compels them to leave the forefts of Sweden and Scandinavia, and advance into the polar traâs*. Yet they have never been found white in thofe i frozen regions ; the colour o*' their plumage feems to be fixed and permanent, and to refift the operation of cold. The fame may be faid of the Litde or Black Grous, which are fre- quent in Courland, and the north of Poland; but Dr. Weigandt, the Jefuit Rzaczynfki, and Klein, affirm that there is in Courland another kind of the fame, termed Wbile Grous ^ which, however, become white only in winter, and byl the return of fummer, acquire a reddifh-brownl colour, according to Dr. Weigandt ; but al bluiOi-grey, according to Rzaczynfki. Thefel variations take place generally in both fexes ; fol that at all times the individuals have precifelyl # Klein. tllil BLACK GROUS. 203 the fame colours. They do not perch on trees like the other Grous, but delight in thick brufh- wood and heath ; and generally fele»-»»?n^ -t-*'^.-^:^t3£' [.-■Hi w \ 11 vvvX ***aS THE Sl'OTTKU GROUS CYtent 0 and hen a great ground : They ha all equal, Schwenc] but he ii I there is p Olid numt I Jicar its e j ferruptcd phould no were it n pighby, ti «Jiiills do n pes, but i liômetlmes cafe, the ii pcnd on th {he other G Nen ted or fiail of the t'othed wit} 'le middle !■; the a the a ^'» inches, '''ite when (Id * c HAZEL GROUS. io$ extent of their wings is only twenty-one inches, and hence they fly flowly and laborioufly, and a great effort h required to raife them from the ground : hoWever, they run exceedingly faft *é They have twenty-four quills, that are almoft all equal, in each wing, and fixteen in the tail. Schwenckfeld fays, that there are only fifteen ; but he is miftaken, and the lefs excufable, as there is perhaps not a fingle bird that has an Olid number of tail quills. The tail is marked near its extremity by a broad blackifh bar, in- Iterruptcd only by the two middle quills. I Ihould not take notice of that circumftance, were it not to confirm the remark of Wil- lughby, that in moft birds the two middle Iquills do not follow the diftance of the lateral Jones, but fcmetimes proje«5t beyond them, and |fometimes extend not fo far ; fo that in this cafe, the interruption of colour appears to de- pend on the difference of their pofition. — Like kheother Grous, their orbits are red ; the toes indented on the fides, though more flightly ; the Bail of the middle toe, iharp and flat ; the legs llothed with feathers before, but onlv as far as I » y jlie middle of the tarfus ; the gizzard mufcu- ar; the alimentary canal thirty inches and |dd; the appendices or aeca thirteen cr four- |en inches, ftriped with furrows f ; the flefli [bite when dreffed, but more fo within thaa >^ Gcfaet. t Willughby. without, 20Ô HA^EL GROÙS. without, and thofe who haVe examined it atten- tively pretend that they can diftinguifh four dif- ferent colours ; in the fame manner as three different flavours are found in the buftards and common grous. However, the flefh of the Hazel Grous is excellent ; and hence is derived, 2t is faid, its Latin name Bonafa ; and alfo the Hungarian appellation Tfchafarmadar^ or Cafan Bird^ fignifying that it was fit to be kept for the Emperor. It is indeed highly efteemed, and Gefner remarks that it is the only difli fuffered to appear twice at princes' tables. In the kingdom of Bohemia, it is as much eaten at Eaflcr, as larab in France; and it is cuftomary to fend it in prefents from one perfon l to another *. The Hazel Grous lives, both in fummer and I winter, on nearly the fame food as that of the Common Grous. We find in their ftomach, in the fummer, the berries of the fervice-tree, of I the bilberry, the bramble, and the heath ; the! feeds of the Alpine elder, the pods of the JulA tarella^ the catkins of the birch and of thel hazel, &c. ; and in winter, we meet withj juniper berries, the buds of the birch, the topsl of heath, fir, juniper, and of fome other eveH greens f. When the Hazel Grous is kept inj confinement, it may be fed with wheat, barleyl * Schwetickfcld. \ Ray, SchvvcuckfcliJ, and Rzaczynild. ail! and othe it does n whether afFed its generous encroach r The til ipring and mod favc ibund of and horfes vulgiir op: fond of ti niarked by ÎH caugh lanxious foli vifitthe fpj m if the [another fan ittachments 'fiefe birds "aking a lo ps motion [ponfman hîieyfettl le boughs ^s much Y^y fables ! * Gefner and t Gefner. TL HAZEL GROUS. 207 t atten- our d'lf- is three jds and of the derived, alfo the r Cafan )t for the led, and ti fuffered mmer and hat of the :omach, in |ce-tree, of leath; the' |0f the Jd- ind of the' jmeet wiAl h, thetop5| lother ever- is keptin| :at, bavleyi and other grain j but, like the Common Grous, it does not long furvive the lofs of its liberty * ; whether becaufe it is (hut up fo clofely as to affeâ: its health, or that its favage, or rather generous nature, will not brook the flighteft encroachment on its freedom. The time of fpoft returns twice a-year, in fpring and in autumn ; but the latter feafon is the mod favourable. They are attracted by the found of bird-calls which imitate their note, and horfes are led into the field, becaufe it is a vulgiir opinion, that the Hazel Grous are fond of thefe animals f . It has alfo been re- marked by the fportfmen, that if the cock be lirft caught, the hen feeks her mate with anxious folicitude, and returns feveral times to vifit the fpot, with other males in her train ; but if the hen be firft enfnared, the cock joins [another family, and totally forgets his former ttachments %. Certain it is, that when one of [hefe birds is furprifed and roufed, it fprings, aking a loud noife, and, perching on a tree, it lits motionlefs and unconcerned, while the [portfman meditates its deftrudion. Common- ly they fettle on the centre of the tree, where le boughs part from the trunk. As much has been faid of the Hazel Grous, any fables have been told : the moft abfurd • Gefner and S;hwe;ickfc!d. : Ibid. aM are 208 HAZEL GROUS. I,! are thofe concerning its manner of propagating, Encelius, and others, aflert that they copulate ■with their billsi that the cocks themfelves lay when they grow old, and that their eggs being hatched by the toads, produce wild bafililks, in the fame manner as the eggs of the common cocks, if hatched by toads, give birth to the do- meftic bafilifks. And left we (hould entertain fufpicions with regard to thefe bafilifks, En- celius defcribes one that he faw * j but un- fortunately he neither tells us whether he be- held it emerge from the egg, or beheld this egg excluded by the male. Moft of thefe ab- furdities take their rife from the mifreprefenta- tion of fads ; and it is probable that the Hazel Grous bill like the turtle doves, and toy witii each other to raife the fwell of love. According to the opinion of fportfinen^ thel Hazel Grous comes in feafon in the months of October and November ; and at that time the males only are killed, being decoyed by al kind of whiftling analogous to the fhrill note ofj the females; they haften to the fpot, making a[ loud ruftling noife with their wings, and are Ihot as foon as they alight. The females, like other large birds, fori their neft on the ground, and commonly conj ceal it under hazels, or below the fliade of ♦ In Gcfner. broal broad twelve twenty, pigeons have fel which r in moft the you] from the forfaken, fettlemen colonies :j The h îhey can j ceal themJ they dread on the low prefer the inhabit th for they of Nurem fhe woods |>nd the i Ke in tl h Polant Numerous, p/land in • Sd X g\ VOL. 11^ HAZEL GROUS. 209 broad mountain fern. They commonly lay twelve or fifteen eggs, and fometimes even twenty, and thefe are fomewhat larger than pigeons eggs *. They fit three weeks, and have feldom more than {even or eight young f, which run as foon as they are hatched, as ufual in moft of the (hort-winged hirds. As foon as the young are able to fly, the parents remove from the tract where they bred; and being thus forfaken, they pair and difperfe, to form new Settlements, and in their turn to fend off other colonies %. The Hazel Grous delight in forefts, where they can find their proper fuflenance, and con- ceal themfelves from the rapacious birds, which they dread exceedingly, and perch, for fhelter, on the low branches |{. Some affirm that they •f en tkBP^^^"^'* ^^^ mountain forefts; but they aifo .|^g qM inhabit the woods that grow in the plains, . g^lJfor they are plentiful in the neighbourhood A bv aB^^ Nuremberg. They are frequent alfo in U ote Jw^^ woods that clothe the bottom of the Alps ,• jBand the Apennines. They are found like- ' d aiel^'^^ "^ ^^^ mountain of Giants in Silefia, in Poland, &c. Anciently they were fo [numerous, according to Varro, in a little fland in the Liguftic Sea, now the Gulph gating, opulate ves lay ;s being lifks, in :omtnon the do- entertain fks, En- buL un- er he be- ;held this thefe ab- eprefenta- the Hazel \ toy wit^ nrds, fori! imonly con^ {hade of broal • Schwenckfeld. t Frîfch. X Gelher. U Ibid. VOL. IL. P of ■r-' 2id HAZEL GROUS. of Genoa, that it was called the IJland of the Hazel GroUs, [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Hazel Grous, Telrno-Bonafa. " Its tail-quills are cinereous, with black dots, and a black " ftripe ; except the two intermediate.'* It is larger than the Englilh partridge. It occurs in many parts of the north of Europe; in Ruflia, Siberia, and Lapland. It has a flml! piping note, and may be decoyed by imitating the fnund. M r I [ 2M ] The SCOTCH HAZEL GROUS. 7 F this bird be the fame with the Callus palujtrts of Gcfncr, as Brifibn thinks, the iigure which the German naturalift gives, mufl" undoubtedly be very inaccurate, fmce no feathers are reprefented on the legs ; and, on the othei hand, red barbils appear under the bill. Is it not natural then to fufpeâ: that this figure be- longs to a difterent bird ? However, the Wood* cocky or Cock of the MarJJj^ is excellent meat ; and all that we know of its hiftory is, that it delights in wet fituatlons, as its name denotes. The Authors of the Briti/Jj Zoology fuppofe, that what Briflbn takes for the Scotch Haîzel Groiis^ is really the Ptarmigan in its fummer garb, and [that its plumage becomes almoft always vvhite in winter. But if this were the cafe, it mufi: [alfo lofe the feathers which cover the toes ; for Briflbn exprefsly notices, that it is only clothed to the origin of the toes, and the ptarmigan in the Britifh Zoology is feathered even to the nails ; befides, thefe two birds, as they are re- Iprcfented in the Zoology, and in Briifon's Iwork, refemble each other- neither in appear- |ai> e nor ftrudure. Briflbn's Scotch Hazel -■rous is fomcwhat larger than ours, and its P 2 tail é^ axz SCOTCH HAZEL GROUS. i A^ tail fliorter ; it refembles that of the Pyrenees in the length of its wings ; its legs clothed before with feathers as far as the origin of the toes *, in the length of the middle toe compared ■with thofe on the fides ; and in the fhortnefs of the hind toe : it differs, becaufe its toes are not indented, and its tail has not the two long nar- row feathers, which is the mod obvious cha- radler of the Pyrenean Hazel Grous. I need take no notice of the colours of the plumage, the figure will convey a clearer idea than any defcription ; and befides, nothing is more un- certain, fince they vary confiderably in the fame individual at different feafons. M •iiH 'I: Pyrenees s clothed ;m of the compared lortnels of es are not long nar- ious cha- . I need plumage, than any more un- 1 the fame M ■•■. i 2^37 THE ni»r- TAILED GROirS The La a Tetra,. Bona/, The P The K. WOl tiiral hifl, t'le fourc therefore ^'er, as n: names. BrifTon Partridge Pyenean appellatioi I that tribe, [the Greek W^^n in t\ Jfhat the bi jH^isac \¥opercirL i. e. The K'^n. In Turk C 213 ] The PIN-TAILED GROUS. La Ganga, vulgairement La Gelinotte des Pyreiiea *, Tttrao-Akhata, Linn. Gmel. Klein, &c. Bunafa Pyrenaicn, Biifl*. 7'he Partridge of Dama/cus, Will, and Ray. The KitiiKjiah, or African Lagopus, Shaw< Buff. 'T' H OU G II there is a wide difference between -*■ words and things, it often happens in na- tural hiftory, that die mifapplication of terms is the fource of multiplied miftakes; we have therefore made it an invariable rule, to difco^- ver, as much as poflible, the true meaning of names. Briflbn, confidering the Damafcus or Syrian Partridge of Belon, as the fame fpecies with his Pyrenean Hazel Grous, ranges it among the appellations beftowed in different languages on that tribe, and quotes Belon as his authority for the Greek name Iv^otts^^^i^. But he is mif- taken in two points : Inrft, Belon tells us himfelf, that the bird which he calls the Dama/cus Par- \tru/gL\\s a different fpecies from what authors term Yjt'operdrix, which has a black plumage and a • /. e. The Ganga, commonly called the Pyrenean Ptarml- EW. In Turkiih, Kata ; in Spanifti, Ganga. p x red t. ! 2T4 P I N-T AILED GROUS. red bill. Secondly, BrifTon, writing the word in Greek charai^^ers, Teems to infinuate that it is dc. rived from thiit language, while Belon pofitivcly iDcntions that it is originally Lat'n. I.aiily, it i« diflicult to conceive what led BrifTon to confider the anas of Ariftolle as the fame fpccies with his Pyrcnean Hazel Grous ; for Ariilotle clafles hi. afias^ which is the vhiago of Gaza, with tin pigeons, the turtles, and the ring-doves, (in which he is followed by all the Arabians,) and he exprcfsly mentions that, like thefe bird?, it only lays two eggs at a time. But we have already feen that the Hazel Grous lays a much greater number; and confequently the ceiiiu d\ Arillctle cannot be confidered as the Pyreneanj Hazel Grous, and ought therefore to be referred | to a different fpecies. Rondelet conceived, that the Greek word was] not oiva-r, but ought to be read /vaj-, whofe pri- mitive fignifies a Jibre or thread * ; becaufej the flefh is fo fibrous and hard that it mull bel flead before it can be eaten. But if it werel really the fame bird with the Pyrenean Hazdl Grous, we might adopt the corredion of Ron! delet, and yet give to the word hias a morel happy explanation, and more confident with tha^ genius of the Greek language, which paintj whatever it would exprefs ; if we conceive it ' denote the two threads or narrow feathers of tlij tl K> "'o;* PIN-TAILED G ROUS. aïs tail of the Pyrencan Hazel Grous, and which is their charaderiftical diftindlion. But unfor- tunately Ariftotle does not fay a word concern- ing thefe threads, which had efcaped his obferva- tlon ; nor does Bclon take any notice of this circumftance in his defcription of the Damafcus partridge, Befides, the name otvot;''\ or vinagOy is more fuitable to this bird, as it arrives in Greece about the beginning of autumn, which is the leafon of vintage ; for the fame reafon that in Burgundy a certain kind of thruflies are called by the people in that county vinettes. It follows from what has been faid, that the fjropcrdrix of Bclon, and the {snas of Ariftotle, are not the Pyrenean Hazel or Pin-tailed Grous, any more than the alchata^ alfttachaty and the fliKotonûy which appear to be Arabian names, and certainly denote a bird of the pigeon kind. On the other hand, the Syrian bird, which Edwards terms tbe Utile beaib-cocky with two thread'like feathers in the tail, and which the Turks call kata^ is really the fame with the Pyrenean Hazel-Grous. This author tells us, I that Dr. Shaw names h kîttawîahy and that he only gives three toes to each foot; but he alleges that the traveller has committed this overfight in not attending to the hind toe, which is hid under the plumage of the legs. Yet [be had a little before mentioned, (and we readily From oivoo wine. V 4 perceive 2l6 PIN-TAILED G ROUS. 11 'ïf i perceive it from the figure,) that the fore-part only of the leg is covered with white feathers like hairs ; anil it is difficult to conceive how the hind toe could be concealed under the an- terior plumage. It would be more natural to fay, that it efcaped Dr. Shaw's obfervation, by its diminutive fize, for it is only two lines long. 1 he tvv,. lateral toes are alfo very fhort com- pared with the middle one, and in them all, the edges are marked with fmall indentings, as in the common Grous. The Pin-tailed or Pyre- nean Hazel Grous, feems therefore to be quite a dillind fpecies from the true Hazel Grous. For, I. its wings are much broader in propor- tion to the reft of its body, and confequendy it mud fly fmoothly and rapidly, and have habits diuerent from thofe of tardy birds. 2. "We learn from the obfervations of Dr. Ruflel, quoted by Edwards, that it flies in numerous flocks, and fpends the greatell part of the year in the deferts of Syria, and does not venture near the city of Aleppo, except in the months of May and June, when it is obliged to refort to places where it can get water. We know too that the Hazel Grous is a timorous bird, and never deems itlelf fecure from the vultures talons, unlefs concealed in the moft (had y trees. The Pin-tailed Grous, which the inhabitants of Catalonia call the partridge oj Garrira *, is nearly the bulk of the gray partridge; * Barrerc, Qrnithologia, 13 the PIN-T AILED G ROUS. 117 fore- part z feathers :ive how • the an- latural to 'ation, by ines long. lort com- m all, the igs, as in or Pyre- D be quite zel Grous. in propor- equently it lave habits „ "We learn quoted by ocks, and the deferts he city of and June, here it can cizel Grous itlelf fecure aled in the |ous, which \artridgt oj partridge; the orbits are black, nor are the /jye-brows red or flame coloured ; the bill is almoft ftraight ; the noftrils are placed at the bafe of the upper mandible, and joining the feathers which cover the face ; the fore-part of the leg is feathered to the origin of the toes ; the wings are of confiderable length^^ and the (hafts of the quills are black ; the two quills in the middle of the tail are twice as long as the reft, and very narrow where they projedl; the lateral quills grow fhorter and (horter until the laft one. We may remark that of all thefe properties which charadterife the pretended Ha- zel Grous of the Pyrenees, there is not one which exaâly agrees with the Hazel Grous *. The female is of the fame fize with the male, but differs by 'ts plumage, the colours of which are fainter, and by the filaments in the tail, which are not fo long. It appears that the male has a I black fpot under its throat, and that the female, inftead of this, has three rings of the fame colour, [which encircle its neck like a collar, Khali not attempt to defcribe the colours of Ithe plumage J I Ihall only obferve that they have great affinity to thofe of the bird known at IMontpelier by the name of angel^ of which |}ohn Culmann communicated a defcription to Gefner fî but the two long feathers of the tail feem * Edwards and Briflbn. t " The feathers are of a du/ky colour inclimng to black and I' yellowiih, verging on rufous," fays Gefner, fpcaking of the hil. Variegated âiS PIN-TAILED G ROUS; "il feem to be omitted in this defcription, and alfo in thie figure fent by Rondelet to Gefner, of this fame bird, which he had taken for the anas of Ariftotle. In fhort, there feems to be reafon to doubt the identity of thefe two fpecieî», notwith- Handing their correfpondence in the plumage and in the place of refidence ; unlefs we fuppofe that the fubjeds defcribed by Culmann and defigned by Rondelet were females, in which the threads of the tail were much Ihorter, and confequently lefs remarkable. This fpecies is found in m oft of the warm countries in the ancient continent ; in Spain, in the fouth of France, in Italy*, in Syria, in Turkey {ind Arabia, in Barbary, and even at Senegal ; for the bird figured in the Plancha , Enluminées by the name of the Senegal Hazel Grous, is only a variety, and fomewhat fmaller, but has the fame long feathers or threads in the tail, the lateral quills become gradually (horter the farther they are placed from the middle, the wings are very long, the legs covered beforel with a white down, the mid-toe much longer] than thofe near the fides, and the hind one ex- ceedingly fliort ; laftly, it has no red fkin overl the eyes, and differs from the Pin-tailed GrouJ only in being rather fmaller, and its plumagel deeper tinged with reddi/h. \\. is therefore onlyl , a variet influenc that this and flio ferent i %ure, i and nev< perate cl rare exce It maj what Dr. Kittawiai is all we may comj the Pyren are really " The J " may ca. " and gra " the hin( " as the countrie " the dov( " birds of " lour, " ifli; and '" a half m I*' each fsa *' Varîegati;d with olive, yeHowiih black, and rufous," i'i]fm * y^- Erillbn, in his defcription of the Pyicnean Hazel Grous. Khcrcd und h a varietur PIN-TAILED G ROUS. 219 id alfoin , of this cenas of reafon to notwith- mage and ppofe that i defigned he threads nfequently the warm in Spain, I Syria, ii^ id even at le Plancha legal Hazel hat fmaller, reads in the lly ftiortei middle, the ered before nuch longer lind one ex- d (kin overl ailed Grou^l its plumage lerefore onlyj a variety of the fame fpecies, produced by the influence of climate ; and what ought to fhew that this bird is different from the Hazel Grous, and fliould therefore be diftinguifhed by a dif- ferent name, is, that befides the difparity of figure, it always inhabits the warm countries, and never occurs in the cold or even the tem- perate climates ; whereas the Hazel Grous arc rare except in chilly trads. It may be proper in this place to tranfcribe what Dr. Shaw informs us with refped to the Kittawiah, or Barbary Hazel Grous, and which is all we knovv -•>. *he fubjed, that the reader may compare .;^vi;:i the Pin-tailed Grous, or the Pyrenean Hazel Grous, and judge if they are really two individuals of the fame fpecies. " The Kittawiah or African Lagopiis *, (as we " may call it,) is another bird of the gregarious and granivorous kind, which likewife wanteth the hinder toe. It frequenteth the mofl: barren, as the Rhaadàoxh the moft fertile parts of thefe countries, being in fize and habit of body like the dove, fhort feathered feet alfo, as in fome birds oif that kind. The body is of a livid co- lour, fpotted with black; the belly black- i(h ; and upon the throat there is the figure of a half moon, in a beautiful yellow. The tip of I" each feather of the tail hath a white fpot upon ad rufous," f^ï» * This name is improperly applied, fince the bird is not fea- Grous. Vcrcd under the toes. avarietj « j. O 220 PIN-TAILED G ROUS. «c it, and the middle is long and pointed, as in the MeropT, The flefh is of the fame colour with •* the Rbaatfs, red upon the bread, and white in " the legs, agreeing further in being not only " of an agreeable tafte, but eafy digeftion." Shaw*s Travels, p. 253. [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Pin-tailed Grous, Tctrao-Al. ehata, " Above variegated, the two middle tail- quill s twice aJ loug^and Tubulated.'* :!ll ; ii. M il !! C 221 3 , as in the lour with [ while in not only jgeftion." The RED G R O U S*. VAttagas, Buff. Tetrao-Lagopus, var. 3d. Gmd. Bona/a Scotica, Brifl*. Tetrao Scoticus, Lath. jittagen, Frif. y-è^ Moor-Cockt or Moor-Fonjij!, Sibb. The Red-Game» Gorcock, or A/oc^-Ceot, Will. HIS is Belon's francoUn^ which we muft not c'^'^^ound, as feme ornithologifts have lone, with the francolin defcribed by Olina. Thefe are two birds widely different both in their rm and in their habits : the laft delights in lalns and low fituations ; it has not the beau- [ul flame-coloured orbits, that give the other fo HnguiQied an appearance ; its neck is fliorter |d itvS body thicker ; the feet reddilh, furniflied |th fpurs, and not feathered, as its toes are not Rented ; in Ihort, it bears no refemblance at [to the bird which we at prefent confider. The ancients have faid a great deal about the kaj-, or attagen (for they ufe both names in- erently). Alexander the Myndian tells us in [commentary on AthenaE;ns, that it was rather jer than a partridge, and its plumage, which of a reddilh ground, was mottled with fe- ii • In Greek, AtV/-.;: or Arî^y»?. vcral 212 RED GROUS. ■m t'î veral colours. Ariftophanes had faici nearly tlie fame thing ; but Ariftotle, according to his commendable cuflom of marking the analogy between unknown objeds and fuch as are com- mon, compares its plumage to that of the wood- cock ((r»£ûA(37ra|). Alexander the My ndianfubjoinjj that its wings are fhort, and its flight tardy ; andi Theophraftus remarks that, like the other heavy | birds, as the partridge, the cock, the pheafaiit,, &;c. it is hatched without feathers, and can run as foon as it quits the fhell. Like thefe alfo, it welters in the duft *, and feeds on fruits, devour.] ing the berries and grain which it finds, fome* times eating the plants themfelves, fometimesj fcraping the earth with its nails ; and as it runsi more than it flies, it was cuftomary to hunt it| with dogs, and this chafe was fuccefsful f . Piiny, jïllian, and others fay, that thefe birdil lofe their cry with their liberty ; and that, ovvina to the deprcflion of their native faculties, thejj are very difficult to tame. Varro, however, in«the name ftru(fts us how to breed them, and the mode '■neornithol nearly the fime with that of raifmg peacock^ pheafants, Guinea fowls, partridges, &c. Pliny informs us, that this bird, which hi been very rare, was become more common ht; butl * The ancients called thefe birds Pulveratricest which roll] duft to rid themfelves of the infects that torment them ; in fame maimer as the aquatic fowls feck to remove them by fpii"! ling water on their wings. t Opnian in Ixen.'nls. This author adds, that they arc of ftags, and, on the contrary, have anaverfion to cocks. 8 " ^00 fmelj , K." faid si "P^e diet, bu( 21-ealirt'ordsJ Y'^' Nat. lib.1 RED GROUS. 223 sarly tlie r to his ; analogy are com- he wood- ifubjoinr-, rdy ; and iilS time; that it was found in Spain, in Gaul, and on the Alps ; but that thofe from Ionia were themoft efteemed. In another place, he tells us, that there were none in the ifland of Crete. Ariftophanes fpeaks of thofe found *" the vicinity of Megara in Achaia. Cler at v. Alexandria fays, that thofe from Egypt were reckoned the .1er heavy Braoft delicious by the epicures. Some there pheafant,B\vere alfo in Phrygia, according to Aulus Gellius, id can runBivho defcribçs it as an Afiatic bird. Apicius di- :fe alfo, itwds us how to cook the Red Grous, which he ts, devour.Boins with the partridge ; and St. Jerome men* inroduce a red, black, tJie red, ar fhe membi luch lefs pie colours lefides, i ^ith whit( ^1 the hea< |ili t In both 'e partri; keen qujj in. *Johnfbi. X Aldrovai RED GROUS. 425 laturaVift, e attagtn words of 1 without fufficient, n of Pliny ent birds; they really Cock of the Marjhy fince he had before applied the name oï francoUn to this Forked-tail Black Grous. The Red Grous is called dura^i or dduragi by the Arabians, and the Englifh name is derived from the red colour of its orbits and plumage; fome Britilh naturalifls have alfo termed \i perdrix afclepica *. This bird is larger than the bartavelle^ and weighs about nineteen ounces ; its eyes are commonlyBarched with two very broad red orbits, formed Aldrovan^Bby a flefhy membrane, rounded and pared above, :e, tells \is,Band rifmg higher than the crovvn of the head ; 1 accoràingBthe noftrils arc (haded with fmall feathers, which o the chaf-Bproduce a fine effedt ; the plumage is mixed with ed from tl\eHred, black, and white. But the female has lefs of tin Italy, lilsBtlie red, and more of the white, than the male ; bird differenBhe membrane of the orbits not fo prominent, .^MO'//f///«fl;Bnuch lefs pared, and of a fainter red ; in general, d to which Bhe colours of its plumage are more dilute f • o dil^u^g^V^^i^cS) it has not thofe black feathers dotted ith white, which in the male form the tuft s copied tliBn the head, and a kind of beard under the f the h'im^\ J. me into Om^ In both fexes, the tail is nearly like that of rnefort lajBie partriJge, but rather longer; it confifts of t\ar flies. BJxteen quills, the two middle ones variegated th the figure Samian/'-il ke bird ^vllij .leafed to À ♦ Johnfton, Charleton, &c. X Aldrovandus. VOL. n. t Britifh Zoology. with ■\ : -M 32b RED G R O U S. '0 Allt and in/ add, ht The the elc that it ; nor evei moiintaii Summits. t'le mom Switzeria: file cantor îf inhabit with the fame colours with thofe on the back, while the lateral are all black ; the \vrings are very fliort, each containing twenty-four quills, of which the third reckoning from the tip of the wing is the longeft ; the legs are clothed with plumage to the toes, according to Briflbn, and as far as the nails, according to Willugliby; thefe nails are btackifh, and alfo the bill ; the toes of a deep- gray, edged with a narrow in- dented membranous belt. Belon tells us, that in his ûm^ francolins (that is Red Grous) were brought from Venice, fome of which had the plumage we have defcribed, and others were entirely white, and were called in Italy by ^^^^ B modern r fame name. Except in the colour, the JatterBjgj^ji , were exadly like the former; and on the otherHgyjj^g hand, they refembled fo much the white par*H\vhich mn/ tridge of Savoy, that Belon conceives them toi Althoup- belong to another fpecies, which Pliny has terni.Bfecret of h ed the lagopns altera. According to this idea,Bcovered in which appears to me to be well founded, the fl/*w Rome • tagen of the Roman naturalift would be ourftlexander variegated Red Grous ; and the fécond fpecies oBnduces me the lagopiis would correfpond to the White -^/•gurcd in t tagas^ which is diflinguifhed from the former bjBras certai its white plumage, and from the firft kind oBiore like t lagopus^ commonly termed the White FartriJ^tMnd we jk by its fize, and its legs, which are not featherwges J, below. 8 l\M "KlelH. RED GROUS. ftS7 [ic bad', ings are ar quills, ;ip of the led with (Ton» and iUugliby; bill Î the arrow in- Is us, that rous) were h had the thera were taly by the All thefe birds, according to Belon,llveon feeds and infers: the authors of the Britifh Zoology add, heath tops and mountain berries. The Red Grous is indeed an inhabitant of the elevated trails. Willughby informs us, that it feldom ventures into the low country, nor even defcends to the Hoping fides of the mountain, but prefers to refide on the loftieft lummits. It is found in the Pyrenees, the Alps, the mountains of Auvergne, of Dauphinc, of Switzerland, in Foix, Spain, England, Sicily, the canton of Vicenza, and in Lapland *. Laftly, it inhabits Olympus in Phrygia, where the modern Greeks call it taginari f, a word evi- the latter ■dently derived from ruy^vaçioç, which occurs ift n the otherBSuidas, and is formed from attagcn or attagaSy white pat'Bwhich muft be confidered as the primitive, es them tel Although this bird is naturally very Ihy, the y has t8rni.Bfecret of breeding them in cages has been dif- lo this ideaiBcovcred in the ifland of Cyprus, as formerly ed the û'it Rome ; at Icaft, if the bird fpoken of by uld be outMcxander Bencdidus is the Red Grous. What d fpecies oiBnduces me to fufpect this is, that the francolin Whits J-Bgured in the CCXLVIth plate of Ed wards, which lie former bwas certainly brought from Cyprus, is much rft kind oftiore like the common fort, than that of Olina, Partri^W^^ ^^ know that the lall can be kept in ot feathcTcWges t- M Klein. t Belon. 0^2 X Oliiià. The ,•1 128 RED G R O U S. mi The domeftîc Red Grous is larger thiin the wild, but this has a Tuperior delicacy of flavour, and is preferred to the Partridge. At Rome, the francolino is called the Cardinal's di(h * ; however, it foon grows tainted, and cannot be fent to a great diftance. The fporlfmeu lake out its entrails the inflant it is killed, and (luif it with freQi heath f . Pliny makes the fane remark with regard to the lagopus J, and it mufl indeed be admitted, that thefe birds bear] a great analogy to each other. The Red Grous breed in the fpring; thel female lays on the ground like all the large birds ; the eggs are eight or ten, Iharp at thel uncertain one end, eighteen or twenty lines in lengtL and dotted with red-brown, except in one or| two places about the fmall end. The incuba-i tion lafts twenty days ; the young remain wid the mother, and continue to follow her throughJ out the fummer. By winter, they hava almoft attained their full fize, and they unitJ into Hocks of forty or fifty, and become conij pletely wild. In their infancy, they are ven fubjedl to worms, or lumbrki, and foraetiraij they are obferved to fly about with thefe hang ing a foot from the amis §. * Gcfiier. ' ■ t Willughby. % Lib. x. t,%- $ Willughby and Pennant. But have not thefe authors i taicen the protruded penis for a worm, as I have feen chiduj Jeceived in that way in regard to duclcs \ I entirely t (which na hvhich th [Qji every pn with! f-^J Specil lATH. — .«« jj /<* exterioiT t'links that th| ''■ic north 'Wtland. Jt^ 'oodcolouref 11;^ RED GROUS. 229 tlv.\n llic if flavour, >^t Rome, cannot be Imen take ^ and (luff I the fane rj, and it I ; birds beai I "pnng » tk t\l the large (harp at tk :8 in lengtb, 5t iti one 01 The incuba- remain witli her throu they l»avi id they uniii become com' they are yei nd fometinK th thefe bani If we compare the accounts of the moderns in regard to the Red Grous, with what the an- cients have faid on the lame lubjed, wc find the former more accurate and full ; yet v^'e have ilill fads enow from which wc may conclude the identity of that bird with the attagen of an- tiquity. To conclude, though I have been at pains to remove the confufion in which this fubje^' Lngopus, Pliny. ;^ .,, T'etrao Mutus, Kf.irtin. White Game, Will. "-•- .i: <; ■• - 'Jvi. • i'iï. .i'lw •! f; « m *T^ HIS bird' has been called vhe White Par- ■*• tridge^ very improperly ; finre it is nota partridge, and is white only in winter, on ac« count of the intenfe cold to which it is expofedl during that feafon on the lofty mountains of the North, which it commonly inhabits. Ariftotlei who was unacquainted with the Ptarmigan,! knew that partridges, quails, fwallows, fpar| rows, ravens, and even hares, flags, and bears,! fuffer, in fimilar fituations, the fame change colour f . Scaliger adds the eagles, vulture fparrow-hawks, kites, turtle-doves, and foxes |i and it would be eafy to increafe this lift, by tha names of many birds and quadrupeds on whic cold can produce fimilar effets. We mâ)| therefore infer, that the white colour is nd • In Norwegian, Rype ; in Iceland, the cock is called F.!'\ kiirrc, and the hen, Riupa. ■ t De cohribus, cap. vi. tluA III/?. Jnimt lib. iii. I2. .). Exercitaticnes in Canianum. permaneDij /,^ X fm is call 111. 1 2* & l^ Î9 Si^hsfi'- : M^i^ià .tfVJÇjB-T! «^•^Cv ~^»*^ "N-^N^^W ^-f: THE fTAltMXGAlSr. permanenl I- ^ l: '•• i ill" pie J bu ainly Icert Idra VVG ''lat is (lii THE PTARMIGAN. 233 permanent, and cannot be confidered as a dif- criminating charadler of the Ptarmigan ; efpe- cially as many fpecies of the fame genus, as the Little White Grous, according to Rzaczynfki* and Dr. Weygandt f, and the White Attagas, according to Belon, are liable to the fame va- riations of colour. It is aftonifhing that Frifch was not informed, that his ÎVbiie Mountain FrancoHn^ which is the Ptarmigan, is fubjed: to this influence of cold ; for if he was acquainted with this fadt, it is equally ftrange that he has omitted to mention it. He only fays, that he was told that no White Francolins could be met with in fummer ; and therefore he tells us, that they were fomedmes found (in fummer no doubt) with their wings and back brown, but which he had never feen. This was the place, therefore, where he ought to have added, that they are white only in winter, &c. Ariftoile, as I have already faid, was unac- quainted with the Ptarmigan; what demon- Iftratesthe alTertion, is a palTage in his Natural Hiftory, where he fays, that the hare is the only animal whofe feet are covered with fur on the fole ; but, if he had known the fad, he would Icertainly not have omitted, in a place where he Idrawr. general comparilbns, to mention a bird that is diftinguifhed by the fame property. * Aucluarium Polonia. f Breflaw's Adls, Nov. 1725. The 234 THE PTARMIGAN. •' IIP" The name Lagopus is that which Pliny and other writers of antiquity have beftowed on this fpccies of birds. The moderns have there- fore committed an impropriety, when they have applied a word which marks the diflinguifliing charadter of the Ptarmigan to the noûurnal birds, whofe feet are feathered above and not below *. Pliny adds, that it is as large as a pigeon, that it is white, that it is excellent, and that it refides on the fummits of the Alps ; laftly, that it is fo wild that it can hardly be reduced to the domeftic ftate; and he concludes witlj telling us, that its flefh foon runs into putre- faûion. The laborious accuracy of the moderns has completed this iketch of antiquity. They have noticed that glandulous fkin which forms a fort of red eye-brows, but of a brighter colour in the male than in the female ; it is alfo fmallcr in the latter, and the two black ftreaks are want-| ing on the head, which in the male ftretch| from the bottom of the bill to the eyes, and] even extend near the ears. Except in this cir- cumftance, the male and female are perfeâlyl alike in their external form ; and all that I ihall afterwards mention on this fubjedt will apply to| both equally. The fnowy colour of the Ptarmigan is notl fpread over its whole body, but is ftained even! in ivini • Bdon, Willughby, and Klein, inl Thefe car "le, above aJ Pertained tha] 'ck below. THE PTARMIGAN. 235 in winter. This exception obtains efpecially ia the quills of the tail, which are black, with a little white at the point ; nor does it appear from the defcription, that this colour tinges con- tinually the fame quills. Linnxus, in his Fauna Suecicuy defcribes the middle ones as black ; and in his Syjicma Natura^ he fays, with Brilfoa and Willughby, that thefe are white, aad the lateral quills black. Thefe naturalifts feem not to have examined their fpecimens with fufficient accuracy. In the individual which I have caufed to be figured, and in others which I have viewed, I found the tail compofed of two rows of feathers, one over the other, the upper one entirely white, and the under one black, and I confifting of fourteen feathers *. Kleia jtakes notice of a bird, which he received from ruffia on the 20th of January 1747, and hich was perfectly white, except the bill, he lower part of the tail, and the fliafts of fix uills of the wings. The Lapland prieft, amuel Rheen, whom he quotes, lays, that the now Fowl, or Ptarmigan, has not a fingle lack feather, except the female, which has one f that colour in each wing. And the white artridge, of which Gefner fpeaks, was indeed tirely white, except round the ears, where llgan is n ■ « f^gfe cannot be counted cxaftly without plucking, as we have (talned eVCnBne, above and below the rump ; it was in this way that we crtaincd that ther^ W^re fourteen white above, and as many ck below. « • ' there liny and iwed on ire there- hey have iguifliing nofturnal and not irgc as a lient, and ips ; laftly, le reduced ludes with nto putre- oderns has They have ^rms a fort colour in fmaller in are wanl- lale ftretclil I eyes, and in this cir- perfeûiy I that I fhall vill apply toi 236 THE PTARMIGAN. I i« t' f <|P« "ii n'y ■V ' there were fome black marks ; the coverts of the tail, which are white, and extending its whole length, conceal the black feathers, are what have occafioned moft of thefc miftakes. Brilfon reckons eighteen quiils in the tail, while Wil- lughby, and fome other ornithologifts, reckon only fixteen; and there are really only four- teen. It would feem, that the plumage of this bird, how variable foever, is more uniform than the naturaliils reprefent it *. There are twenty- four quills in tlic wings, the third one, reckon- ing from the outer fide, is the longeft, and the firft fix have black fliafts, though the webs arc white : the down which Ihade the feet and toes as far as the nails, is very thick and foft j and it has been faid, that this is a kind of fur- gloves which nature has given to thefe birds, to defend I them from the intenfe cold of their native cli- mates. The nails are very long, even that of • It is not furprifing, that authors differ about the white or| black colour of the lateral tail-feathers of this bird ; for in fpread- îng out the tail with the hand, it is eafy to terminate the fideil either by the black or the white feathers. Daubenton the! younger has well remarked, that there is another method cfl fettling the contradi^lion of authors, and of (hewing clearly! that the tail confifts only of fourteen quills all black, cxcepil the outer one, which is edged with white near its origin, anil the tip, which is white I.i them all ; becaufe the (hafts of thcfJ fourteen black quills are twice as thick as the (hafts of the fouri teen white quills, and do not projedl fo far, not over-lappinjf entirely the (hafts of the black quills ; fo that we may reganj thefe white feathers as only coverts, though the four middle oiiei are as large as the black ones, which are all very nearly equal 1 length. - tH I!- 1 THE PTARMIGAN. 237 the little hind toe; that of the mid-toe is fcooped lengthwife, and its edges arc (harp, which enables it to form holes in the fnow with eafe. ' ' The Ptarmigan is at leaft as large as a tame pigeon, according to Willughby ; its length is fourteen or fifteen inches, the extent of its wings twenty-two inches, and its weight four- teen ounces : ours is rather fmaller. Eut Lin- naeus remarks, that they are of different fizes, and that the fmalleft inhabits the Alps *. He fubjoins, indeed, that the fame bird is found in the forefts of the northern countries, and efpe- cially in Lapland ; which gives room to fufpcifl, that this fpedes is different from our Alpine Ptarmigan, which has different habits, and pre- fers the lofty mountains : unlefs perhaps we fay, that the cold v/hich prevails on the fummlls of the Alps is nearly the fame with what is experi- enced in the vailles and forefl:s of Lapland. But the difagreemer.t of writers with refped: to the j cry of the Ptarmigan feeras to prove decidedly, that there is a confufion of fpccies. Belon fays, that it has the note of the partridge : Gef^ rer, that the voice fomewhat refembles that of a ftag; LinnoE^us compares it to a prattling and jeering. Laftly, Willughby fpeaks of the feathers on its feet as a foft down (plumnlis mollihusj ; and Frifch compares them to hogs * Fauna Suecica. biiftles. »38 THE PTARMIGAN. I -I ->, :. [ ||||r», . !■ briftles. But how can we reconcile fuch op- pofite qualities, how refer fuch different cha- raders to the fame fpecies ? There is reafon then for the divifion which I have drawn be- tween the Ptarmigans of the Alps, the Pyren- nees, and fuch other mountains, and the birds of the fame genus that occur in the forefts, and even in the plains of the northern regions. We have already feen, that in winter the Ptarmigan is roned in white ; in fummer, it is covered with brown fpots, which are fcat- tered irregularly on a white ground. It may be faid, however, never to enjoy the folftitial warmth, and to be determined by its fingularl ftrudurc to prefer the chilling froft ; for as the fnow melts on the fides of the mountains, the bird conftantly afcends, till it gains the fummlts, where reigns eternal winter. It would feem to| be opprefled by the dazzle of the folar rays; it withdraws from the luftre of day, and formsl holes and burrows under the fnow. It were curious to inveftigate the internal and intimatel ftrudlure of the Ptarmigan, and difcover the! Ireafon why cold feems fo neceflary to its exlftJ ence, and why it fo carefully fhuns the prefencel of the fun ; while almoft every animated beingj longs for his return, and hails his approacbJ as the father of Nature, the fource of delight,! whofe benipn influence infpires and enlivenJ all. Muft we afcribe it to the fame caufi vvl\icfl n: .; THE PTARMIGAN. «39 îrefence' :d belnsi )proacli, delig^l lenUveffi cauû wlûc which make the no£lurnal birds retire from his cflulgence ? or is the Ptarmigan the kahkcrLic of the winged tribe ? Such a difpolition, however, will evidently render this bird diflicult to tame, and Pliny ex- prefsly mentions the faâ: *. Yet Rcdi fpeaks of two Ptarmigans, which he calls White Partridges of the Pyrenees^ that were bred in the volcry of the garden at Boboli, belonging to the Grand Duke. , The Ptarmigans fly in flocks, but never foar aloft; for they are heavy birds. When they perceive any perfon, they remain ftill on the Ihow to avoid being feen ; but they are oftea betrayed by their whitenefs, which furpafles the fiiow itfelf. Howevti., whether through fl:u- pidity or inexperience, they are foon recon- jciled to the fight of man ; they may often be aught by prefenting bread, or a hat may be hrovvn before them, and a noofe flipped round he neck, while they are engaged in admiring ;his new object ; or they may be difpatched by |he blow of a ftick behind j". It is even faid, at they will not venture to pafs a row of :ones rudely piled like the foundation of a all, but will confl:antly travel clore by the ide of this humble barrier, quite to the fpot here the foares are placed. I* Coll. Acad. Pait Etrang. i. 520. f Gcfner. They :r ife r r 240 THE V T A R M I G A N. ' .1, IIP»'»' They live upon the huds and tender flioots of the pine, the birch, the heath, vvhortie bekry, and other Alpine plants *. It is to the nature of tlicir food undoubtedly, that we mull afcrjbc the (light bittcrncfs of their llelh f, which otherwife is ex- cellent for the table ; it is dark-coloured, and is a very common fort of game in Mount Ccnis, and in all the towns and villages near the moun- tains of Savoy X- I have eaten of it, and found it had much the Uavour of hare. The females lay and hatch their eggs on the ground, or rather on the rocks § j — this is all that , we know with regard to their propagation. We fliould require wings to ftudy tlie inflinds andi habits of birds, cfpccially of thole that will nctj bend to the yoke of domeflication, and whidi delight in del'crts. llie Ptarmigan has a very thick craw, andal mufcular gizzard, in which fmall flones are found mixed with its aliments. The iii-l teflines are thirty-fix or thirty-fcvcn inchcsl long ; the (\rca are thick, fluted, and veryj long, but not uniform, and arc, according toi Redi, full of minute worms jj ; the coats of tliel fmall intclUne are covered with a curious netj work, formed by a multitude of fmall veflels, oil rather of little wrinkles difpofed regularly f . Ij has been obfervcd that its heart is fomewbal • Wiiluoliby oi Klein. § Gclncr ^V R'lac/.ynilii. «1 Klein Si Wûmrhhv. I I f Gefnor. % Belon. I! Coll. Acad. Pan. Etraiig. tonie| fmall THE PTARMIGAN. 241 shoots of I of t^^cit the lT»gl»t ;il"c is ex- d, and is Lint Ccuis, ;hc moun- and found fmaller, and its fplccn much fmaller, than in the RcdCious*; and that the cyftic and hepatic duds join the intelUnes, at a confiderable diftance from each other f. I cannot clofe this article without obfcrving with Aldrovandus, that Gefner joins to the dif- ferent names which have been given to the Ptarmigan, that oïurblan^ conceiving it to be an Italian word ufed in Lombardy ; yet this term is totally unknown, both in the language of Italy, and in that which is fpoken in Lombardy. The fame perhaps may be faid of the words rhoncas zax^herhcy^ which, according to the fame author, tlic Grifons, who fpeak Italian, beftow on the Ptarmigan. In the part of Savoy which borders ind whicliB*^'^ ^^6 Valais, it is called ûr3^««^, which, being corrupted by the pronunciation of the Swifs and Grilbii peafants, might pafs changed into fome of the words juft mentioned. [A] is is all that ration. ^Vc nftinds and hat will net craw, and 1 flones ave The in- [even inclics and very according to coats of tW curious net' • Robcrg«/« and feel the influence of the feafon of love ; its eyebrows are red and more prominent, and in ihort, like thofe of the Red Grous ; it has alfo foal! white feathers round the eyes, and others at the bottom of the bill, which cover the noftrils ; the two middle feathers are variegated like thofe of the neck, the two fucceeding are white, and aflthe rcft blackifh, tipt with white, both in fum- mer and winter. The livery of fummer extends only over the upper part of the body ; the belly continues al- ways white, the feet and toes are entirely cover- ed with feathers, or rather with white hairs ; the nails are lefs curved than ufual in birds *. The White Grous refides the whole year in Hudibn's-bay ; it pafTes the night in holes that it makes in the fnow, which, in thefe ar£lic countries, refembles fine fand. In the morning it emerg.es from its retreat, and flies diredlly up- wards, (haking the fnow from off its wings. It feeds in the morning and evening, and does not Ifeem to dread the fun, like the Ptarmigan of the lAlps ; llnce it fpends whole days expofed to his irays, even in the middle of the day, when they ^ • We have fcen two bi-ds brought from Siberia under the name m Ptarmigans, which were probably the fame fpecics with that of iHiîdfon's Bay, and whofe nails were fo flat, that they refemble nore the naiis of Aoci than the clawj of birds. R 2 are If #•" 5t4+ HUDSON'S BAY PTARMIGAN, are moft forcible. Edwards received this fame bird from Norway, which appears to me to form the Ihade between the Ptarmigan and the Red Grous ; having the feet of the one, and the large eyebrows of the other. [A] [A] Specific charaéler of the White Grous, Tetrao-Alhus :-^<'l\, ** is orange, variegated with black Aripes and white daflies ; itj *< toes fliaggy ; its tail-quills black, and white at the tip ; the in- «• termediate ones entirely white." The White Grous are amazingly numerous about Hudfon's Bay ; where they breed all along the coall, and lay about ttn egg», fprinkled with black. In .the beginning of Oâober, they aflemble in fome hundreds, and live among the willows, whofe tops they crop : Hence they are ftyled Willotu Partridges. In December they retire to the mountains to | feed on cranberries : for, in that frightful climate, the cold is fa I intenfe, that the fnow appears like fine powder, which in the depdi of winter, is in a great meafure fwept by the winds from the up. lands, and carried into the plains. Thefe birds are generally tame I as chickens ; if they chance to be unufually fhy> they may be foon I hunted and worn out, till they fink into their natural fecurity. They I are efieemed excellent meat, and much fought for by the fervantil of the Hudfon's Bay Company. They are commonly taken with I nets of twine twenty feet fquare fet inclined, into which they are! driven. Ten thoufand are often caught in the courfe of thej winter. f 245 J FOREIGN BIRDS, THAT ARE RELATED TO THE GROUS. .Mus :^"li Lte dafties ; it! le tip ; the in- lte Grous ate they breed all vith black. In ' idreds, and live they are ftyledl he mountains to the cold is fo ich in the depth Is from the up- ; generally tame I aey may be fcon I ilfecurity. Tkeyl r by the fervantil nonly taken with I which they ate I ^e courfe of th! I. The CANADA HAZEL GROUS. LaGehnotte du Canada, BufF. Tetrao Canadenfis, Linn, and Gmel. Lagopus Freti Httd/onis, Klein. 7he Black and Spotted Heath-cock, Edw. The Spotted Grous, or Wood Partridge, Penn. and Lath; [T would feem that the Hazel Grous of Canada, and the Hazel Grous of Hudfon's Bay, as lefcribed by Briflbn and defigned by Edwards, fe the fame fpecies. It is frequent through the whole year in the Duntry bordering on Hudfon's Bay, and prefers be plains and low grounds ; whereas, in another liniate, the fame bird, fays Ellis, is found in the Igheft trads, and even on the fumrnit of moun- m. In Canada, it is called the Partridge [The male is fmaller than the common Hazel [rous; its eyebrows red; its noftrils covered ]th fmall black ftathers ; the wings fhort ; the )t clothed below the tarfus ; the toes and nails »y; the bill black. In general its colour is dulky, and is brightened only by a few white R 3 fpots 346 FOREIGN BIRDS i; ; V M ' i *K"1! #•»• fpots round the eyes, on the flanks, and on fome other parts. The female is fmaller than the male, and the colours of its plumage lighter and more varie- gated ; in other refpedls it is precifely alike, Thefe birds feed on pioe cones, juniper-berries, &c. They are numerous in the northern coun- tries of America, and are ftored up for winter's provifions; the froft preferve.s them from prutre- fatSlion, and they are thawed in cold water, when they are to be uied. [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Telrao Canadenjls: — " Its tail-quilli j *• are black, fulvous at the tipj two white dalhes at the eyes." By the Engli(h fetllers at Uudfon's Bay it is called^the WoadPm- tridge, becaufe it ufually lives among the pines. It i& a very! flupid bird, often knocked down with a ftick, and commonljfl caught by the Indiana with a noofe. Ih fummer, itlive^^onl ries ; in winter, it crops the fhoots of the fpruce fir, which givu^fcnd bend its fiefh a difagreeable talle. It is faid to lay only five eggs. really 1 fer too confide Jiving I copied J ance for fancy 0 minute « It is ] 'Grous, I I feathers J toes J bui [the ring < (What difl [which rife (one on ea( ÏÎ. The RUFFED HEATH-COCK, Of, The LARGE HAZEL GROUS OF Ci\NADA. Teirao Togatut, Linn, rnd Gmel. Bonafa Mnjor Qtutadenfis, BrifT. The^ Shoulder -htot Grout, Lath. Though Briflbn conceives this bird alfo asftrtridn-e . diftind fpecies from the ruffed Hazel, Grous Mj^jç^j ' Pennfylvania, it is highly probable that they™ jg ç .] rei rektid to tht G R O U S. 247 .«< Its tail-c|uil'i5 1 i at the eyes."! ithe Wood Fat- It ia a, vetyl and commonly I it Uvesonbet-f 'fir, which givttj r five eggs. COCK, Ci\NADA. bird alfoas azel Gious : that they re! really the Tame : and to this fpecies muft we re- fer too the ruffed Heath-cock of Edwards. If we confider that Edwards's figure was takea from a living bird in love-feafon, and that Brifron's was copied from a dead fubjeâ: j if we make allow- ance for the liberties which are fuggtiled hy the fancy of the defigner, we may difregard the minute difparities. It is rather larger than the ordinary Hazel Grous, and like it, the wings are fhort, and the feathers that cover the feet reach not to the toes ; but it has neither the red eyebrows, nor the ring of that colour which encircles the eyes. What diftinguifh it, are the two tufts of feathers Iwhich rife from the upper part of the breaft, |one on each fide, and projed beyond the reft, md bend downwards ; tht feathers which form thefe are of a fine black, the edges beaming with lifFerent reflections of gold green. The bird can xpand at pleafure thefe falfe wings, which when iofed fall on both fides on the upper part of the ue ; the bill, toes^ and nails, are of a reddifh irown. This bird is, according to Edwards, very com- on in Maryland and Pennfylvania, where it is lied the pheafant. But its inftin ^;. '/ Photograiiiic Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STRUT WIBSTIR.N.Y. USSO (716)S72-4S03 \ a>' <^ '^1^ J^39 m !>' ^ I J y\ THE CRESTED PEACOCK i;-' i [ 253 ] The PEACOCK*. Le Paon, BufT. Pavo Crijlatus, Linn, and Gmel, The Crefted Peacock» Lath. TF empire belonged to beauty and not to ftrength, the Peacock would undoubtedly be king of the birds j for upon none of them has Nature poured her treafures with fuch profufion. Dignity of appearance, noblenefs of demeanour, elegance of form, fweetnefs and delicacy of pro- portions, whatever marks diftin£tion and com- mands refpeâ, have been beftowed. A light waving tuft, painted with the richeft colours, adorns its head, and raifes without oppreiGng it. Its matchlefs plumage feems to combine all that delights the eye in the foft delicate tints of the fined flowers; all that dazzles it in the iparkling luftre of the gems ; and all that afto- niihes it in the grand difplay of the rainbow. But not only has Nature united, in the plumage * In Greek, Txm, orTetur, perKaps from rtuu» to ftretch, on |2ccount of the length of its tail : in the .£olian dialeâ it was pro- pounced nauii ; and hence the Latin Pavo, and its names in the nodern languages: in Italian, Pavene; in Spanilh. Pavont [n French, Paoa; in Get man, P/au; in Polilh, Paw; and in |«edilli, Pao-fcgcl. of 15* THE PEACOCK. •!i ,!! ;i!':ii5 1 '^! 'I f.- Î of the Peacock, to form a mafter-pîece of mag- nificence* all the colours of heaven and earth; {he has feledled, mingled, fhaded, melted them with her iûiinitiat}le pencil, and Ibrmed an un- rivalled pidure, where they derive from their mixture and their contraft new brilliancy, and eifeâs of light lb ^uiUime, tha>t our art can nei- ther imitate nor dcifcritic them. Such appears the plumage of the Peacock, when At eafe he iaunters sdone in a fine vernal ^y. But if a ibmale is prefented fuddenty to hit view; if the £res of love, joined to thei iecret iofluenoe of the &aibn, rouie him from bis txazMjaiUity, And inspire him with new ardovr aad new «defires ; his beauties open and eypand, liis «j«8 boco^ne animated and expreA £v«, his tuft .âunens on liis hoad, and «xprefits the warnïth that fiirs within ; the k>ng Ibaitberil of the tail, rifipg, diijplay their dazzling r.idi*| nefs ■; \he head ^nd neck bendûig nobly back* wardj;, trace their ihadow .gracefully on tlv ibining groucul, where tdne fun-beams play in thoufand ways, contiaually «xtinguiibed ac renewed, and ièem to lend new luftre, mor^j delicious and nr. enchanting ^ new colour more variegated ^..id more harmonious : cnovemevrt of tbe bird produces new iliac ntimberle'fs clufters of waving, fugitive reflecj tions^ which ever vary and -sver pleafe. It is t^i that the Peacock feems to fpread on all his beauties, only to delight his female, vffin thougl riioug! its dii love n to his and di| compai p?ieffiv( But the gJo heds hi of his a Hating i ^arkeft wonted receive i prétende Iration, IS the m( lay hi« rence ch lis treaft Thoii^ ralized lartcr ;limate wd the t 1 t * " Runn t It lofes '■'hovers then THE PEACOCK. *55 'I * lonious ; eacRlimate riiough denied the rich aittire, is captivai vrâth its diiplay; the livcliwefs which tiie ardor of love mingies with iiis gdlures, adds new jg^raoe to his movenaents, which are naturatiy xxkAe and dignified, aiid which, ^t this time, -vfe ac- companied with a ibrong hollow murmur iex- preffive of defire *. But this brilliant plumxige, whidh fiupeffies the glow df the richeft flowers, like them alib is fiibfdSt to «decay ; aind «aoh 3rear, the Peacock âieds his honours f* As if afhamed at the lofs «f his atth-e, lie avoids being feen in this humi- liating condition, and conceals himfelf in the darkeft retreats, till a new fpring rdlores lik wonted ornaments, and again introduces him to receive the homage paid to beauty ; "for it fe pretended, that he is really ^enffble to ailmi- ration, and that a Toothing and attentive gaze is the m oft certain means to engage him to dîf- ay his decorations; but the look of indifi^ «nee chills bis vivacity and maikes hha xrlofe is trcafures. Though the Peacock hag been long natu- lized in Europe, it is* not a iiative of this arter of the glohe. The Eaft Indies, the that produces the fapphire, tite truby, lod the topaz, muft be conûdered as the 4Drigt*' • " Running forward with a crefeking noifc." PalladIOs. t It lofes its feathers with the firfl; fall of the leaves, and [tcovers them again when the buds burft forth. AaXSTOTLE, Hjfi. An. 4 nal • •', I I ' .^! t; 256 THE PEACOCK. nal country of the mod beautiful of birds. Thence it pafTed into the weftern parts of Âfia, where, according to the exprefs teftimony of Theophraftus, quoted by Pliny, it had been introduced from abroad *• But it does not ap- pear to have bejen carried thither from the eaftern part of Afia, or China ; for travellers agree, that though very common in the Eaft Indies, it is not indigenous in China, which at leaft proves it to be a rare bird in that country f . iElian informs us, that Greece received this beautiful bird from the Barbarians % » ^^^ mull have been the people of India, fmce Alexander, who traverfed Alia, and was well acquainted with Greece, firft met with the Pea* cock in that country § : and befides, in no region of the globe is the tribe fo numerous in that oriental clime. Mandeflo and Thevenotj iaw them in profudon in the province of Gu zarat ; Tavernier, in every part of India, bui particularly in the territories of Baroche, Cam' baya, and Broudra; Francis Pyrard, in tlii vicinity of Calicut ; the Dutch, on the Mai bar coaft ; Lintfcot, in the ifland of Ceylon the Author of the Second Voyage to Siam, the forefts on the frontiers of that kingdom on the fide of Cambogia, and near the ban! • ** Theophraftus relates, that even in Afia the pigeons ajj *' peacocks are of foreign extradlion." Plin. lib. x. 291 t Navarette, Defcription de la Qhint. X Hijl. Anim, lib. v. 21. § Id. ibid. THE PEACOCK. «57 of birds, ts of Afia, ftimony of had been oes not ap- r from tk )r travellers in the Eaft a, which at It country t- received this anstî who' India, fincel lid was well| with the Pea- fides, in Ml I numerous asl ind Thevenot] vince of Gu- of India, bi aroche, Camj ^rard, in tli^ on the Mala d of Ceylonj e to Siam, hat kingdoraj ear the banlf fia the pigeons N. lib. X. 29' ibid. of the river Meinam ; Gentil) at Iva ; GemelU Carreri, in the Calamian iflands, lying between the Philippines and Borneo : if to thefe autho- rities we add, that in all thefe countries the Peacocks live in the wild ftate, and that they arc no where elfe fo large *, or fo prolific t> we cannot hefitate to conclude that the £a(l Indies is their native abode. That beautiful bird mud owe its birth to the luxurious climate where Nature laviibly pours her riches ; where gold, and pearls, and gems, and precious ftoncs, are fcattered with profufion. This opi- nion is countenanced by Holy Writ ; Peacocks are enumerated among the Valuable and rare commodities that were every three years im- ported by Soiomon*s fleet ; which being fitted out in the Red Sea, and not being able to venture I at a diftance from the fhore, mull obvioufly have j drawn its riches either from India, or the eaftern coaft of Africa. Nor is it probable that the latter was the place that furnifhed thefe luxuries; for no traveller has ever feen wild jPeacocks in Africa, or the adjacent iflands; lexcept at St. Helena, where Admiral Verhoweft ^pt fome that could not be caught. But it is not probable that Solomon's fleet could fail pvery three years to Madeira, without a mari- • '• The largeft Peacocks are found in India." ^LiAN, lib. xxvi. 2. t Peter Martyr, de Rebus Oceanit fays« that in India the Pea- ns lay from twenty to thirty eggs. VOL. II. S ner's % y.) éSi iM yiri asS THE PEACQCK. ner's compafs; where, befides, they could ob- tain neither gold, nor filver, nor ivory, nor fcarce any thing which they might want. I ihould even imagine that in this ifland, which is above three hundred leagues from the continent, there were no Peacocks in Solomon's time, and that thofe found there by the Dutch, had been left by the Portugucfe, and had multiplied ex- ceedingly in the wild (late ; efpecially as it is faid that no venomous creature or voracious animal exifts in St. Helena. Nor can we doubt that the Peacocks which Kolben faw at the Cape of Good Hope, and which, he fays, are exaftly like thofe of Europe, though the figure that he gives is widely dif- ferent *, had the fame origin with thofe at St. j Helena, and had been carried thither in feme of thofe European fhips which are continually vifiting that coaft. The fame may be faid of thofe feen by I travellers in the kingdom of Congo f , with! the turkies, which undoubtedly are not n2< tives of Africa; and of thofe alfo that aftl found on the confines of Angola, in a wood! inclofed by a wall, where they are bred for thel king of the country J. This conjedure is cor{ • HiJI. Gen. des Voyages, tome V. pi. 24. f Voyage de P. Van-Broak, in the Recueil des Voyages pil ont fervi a V etabliffement de la Compagnie des Indes, toaicirj p. 321. X Relation de Pigafettat p. 92» .^ - roborad THE PEACOCK. «59 could oh- ^rory, not want. I , which'» continent, \ time, and , had been Itiplied ex- lUy as it is r voracious Lofe fecn by I ngot. ^'M are not na«| alfo that atti in a wood! Î bred for tbe| eûure Is cor- til ties Fejas» fl ItiJes, lOHieM roborated by the teftimony of Bofman, who exprefsly mentions that there are no Peacocks on the Gold Coaft, and that the bird taken by de Foquembrog and others for a Peacock, is quite different, and called Kroon vogel *. Befides, the term African Peacock^ beftowed by mod travellers on the Demoifdle ofNumidta f, is a direâ: proof that Africa is not the natal region of the Peacock. If they were anciently feen in Lybia, as Euflathius relates, they were certainly tranfported from India to that coun* try, which is the part of Africa next to Palef- tine ; nor does it appear that they were natu- ralized in that country, or multiplied fall, fmce fevere laws were pafled againll killing or wound- ing them J. We may therefore prefume, that Solomon's fleet did not import thefe rarities from the Afri- can coaft, but from the fhores of Afia, where they abound, living in a ftate of nature, and multiplying without the afllftance of man ; and where they are larger and more prolific than in other countries, as is the cafe with all animals ia their congenial climate. From India they migrated into the weftern part of Afia. Accordingly we learn from Diodorus Siculus, that they abounded in Ba- * y^oyage de Guinée, Lettre xv. t LihtA.—Foyagt de M. de Genes au detrtit de Magellan. t Aldrovandus. S 2 bylon* e^ a6o THE PEACOCK. «^ '«11 bylon. In Media alfo they were bred m fuch numbers, that the bird was called Avis Medica*, Philoftratus fpeaks of thofe of Phafis, which bad a blue creft f» and travellers have feen fomc of that kind in Perfia :|:. From Afia they were tranfported into Greece, where at firft they were fo rare as to be ex- hibited in Athens for thirty years, at the monthly feftivals, as an objed of curiofity, which drew crouds of fpedators from the neighbouring towns §. We cannot iix the date of this event ; but we are certain that it was after the return of Alexander from India, and we know that he 6rft flopped at the ifland of Samos. The conqueror was To delighted with the rich plumage of the Peacocks, that he en- acted fevere penalties againil killing them. But it is very probable that foon after his time, and even before the clofe of his reign, they were become common ; for we learn from the poet Ariftophanes, who was contemporary with that hero and furvived him, that a fingle pair brought into Greece had multiplied fo rapidly, that they were as numerous as quails; and no more than that Samos was the firft part in Europe where the Peacocks were bred ; in the fame manner as the Pintadoes, which are well known to be African birds, were ktn in ^olia or iEtolia, before they were intro- duced into the reft of Greece ; and efpecially I as the climate of Samos is particularly fuited [to them J, and they lived there in the ftate • " There are the Peacocks facred to Juno, they being firft reared I" in Samos, and thence carried into other countries, as the cocks I" from Perfis, and the Meleagrides from ^Eolia (or iEtolia)." Athenjeus. t Some of thefe are ftill to be feen, and even medallions which Ircprefent the temple of Samos, with Juno and her Peacocks. ITournefort's Foyage to the Levant. 1 X Foreign flocks of Peacocks are faid to fubfift wild on the plland of Samot in the grove of Juno. Va R RO, de Re Ruftica, lib. iii. 6. S 3 of a6s THE PEACOCK. «^ 4 III 'mi. U t' I of nature ; and as Aulus Gellius confidcred thofe of that ifland as the mofl beautiful of all*. Thefe rcafons arc more than fuffîcîent to ac- count for the epithet of Samian bird, which feme authors have beftowed on the Peacock ; but the term can no longer be applied, fmce Tourncforl never mentions the Peacock in his defcription of that ifland, and fays that it is full of partridges, woodcocks, thruflies, wild-pigeons, turtles, bc- cafigoes, and excellent poultry ; and it is not pro- bable that Tournefort would include fo dif- tinguifhed a bird in the generic term poultry. After the Peacock was tranfplanted from Afia into Greece, it found its way into the fouth of | Europe, and gradually was introduced into France, Germany, Switzerland f, and as far as j Sweden, where indeed they are very rare, and i require great attention J, and even fufFer an al- teration in their plumage. Laftly, The Europeans, who by the extent ofl their commerce and navigation conned thef whole inhabited world, have fpread them along the African coads, and adjacent iflands; in(i| • JVb,, 266 THE peacock:. 'éZ 'I- i tion, give them, every five days, in the morning while failing, beans flightly roafted*. The female lays her eggs foon after fecunda- tion; fhe does not exclude one every day, but only once in three or four days, and according to Ariftotle fhe has but one hatch in the year, which confifts in the firft of eight eggs, and in the following years of twelve. But this mud be underftood of thofe pea-hens that both lay their eggs and rear their young ; for if the eggs be re- moved as faft as they are laid, and are placed midcr a common hen f, they will, according to Columella, have three hatches in the courfeof the year ; th? firft of five eggs, the fécond of four,, and the third of two or three. It would feera that in this country they are not fo prolific, fince they lay fcarcely four or five eggs in the year. On the other hand, they appear to be far more| prolific in India, where, according to Peter Mar- tyr, they lay twenty or thirty, as I have already! noticed. The temperature of a climate hasaj mighty influence on whatever relates to genera-j I ^ ■ 1 i • Columella. f Ariftotle fays, that an ordinary hen cannot hatch more ihanj two pea-hens* eggs ; but Columella r.llows five of thefe eggs iol addition to four common eggs, H'? advifes to remove the ( the tenth day, and fuhftitute an equal number of the fame kind! recently laid, in order that they may be hatched along with tiie| pea-hen's eggs, which require ten days longer incubation. Lafllv,r he direfts that thefe be turned every day, if the fitter be ur-l able to do it on account of their bulk, which it is eafy to difcoval by marking the eggs on one fide. tioiij 'I i, THE PECOCK. 267 r fecunda- y day, but I according n the year, rgs, and in this mull be 3th lay their ; eggs be re- I are placed iccording to courfeofthe )nd of four, would feera prolific, fince in the year. be far more| :o Peter Mar- have already climate basa es to genera- ; hatch more thu e of thefe eggs in I remove the egd of the fame kinJ] led along with tiie incubation. Lafllvi the fitter be ur, is eafy to difcoviil ticnl tion, and this is the key to thofe apparent con- tradidions which are found between tlie writings of the ancients and our own obfervatious. In a warm country, the males are more ardent, fight with each other, require more females, and thefe lay a greater number of eggs; but in a cold country the latter are not fo prolific, and the former are calm and indifferent. If the pea- hen be fufFered to follow the bent |of inftinft, (he will lay her eggs in a fecret re- tired fpot ; the eggs are white, and fpeckled like hofe of the turkey-hen, and nearly of the fame îze. It is aflerted that {he is very apt to lay nthe night, or rather carelefsly drop the eggs rom the rood on which (he is perched ; and for his reafon, it is advifed to fpread ftraw under- eath, to prevent their being broken by the [all *. During the whole time of incubation, the ea-hen anxioufly fhuns the male, and is par- Scularly careful to conceal her track, when fhe jeturnsfrom the neft : for in this fpecies, as in e gallinaceous tribe and many others f , t!ie ale burning with luft, and faithlefs to the in- ntions of nature, is more earnefl: in the purfuit pleafure, than folicitous about the multiplica- [on of the race. If he difcovers his mate fitting her eggs, he breaks them ; probably to re- ove an obftacle to the gratification of his pai- I* Columella, lib. viii. 11. f Ariftotle Hift. Anitn. lib. vi. 9. lions. 263 THE PEACOCK. •Ml fions. Some have imagined that it was from the defire of covering them himfelf *, which would be a very different motive. Natural hiftory will continually be clouded with unctr- tainties ; to remove them,, we ought to obfervc every thing ourfelves ; but who is able for the | tafk? The pea-hen fits from twenty-feven to thirty I days, more or lefs, according to the temperature of the climate, and the warmth of the feafon f. During that time, a fufScient fupply of food ought to be fet within their reach, that they may not be obliged to ftray in fearch of fubfiftencej and allow their eggs to cool ; and care muil bel taken not to teaze or difturb them in their neft|| for if they perceive that they are difcoveredj they will be filled with difquietude, abandon their eggs, and begin to make a fécond hatcbJ which is not likely to fucceed, becaufe of thq latenefs of the feafon. It is faid that the pea-hen never hatches all her eggs at once, but as foon as a few chickenj emerge, Ihe leaves the neft to lead them abouti In this cafe, the eggs that are left fhould be fe| under another hen, or placed in a (love for in] cubation J. iElian tells us, that the pea-hen does not m conftantly on her eggs, but fometimes leavtT , I • Aldrovandus. t Ariftoilc, lib. vi. 9. and Pliny, lib. x.jyi I MaiTon RuAio^ue, tome i. p. 138. theil THE PEACOCK. 369 was from f*, which Natural ith unctr- to obfervc able for the en to thirty temperature them two days together, which fufpends the progrefs of incubation. But I fhould imagine that there is fome miftake in the text of iElian, which refers to the hatching, what Ariftotle and Pliny mention with regard to the laying, which is really liable to interruptions of two or three s; whereas fuch .interruptions in the fitting ifeain to be inconfiftent with the law of nature ibferved by all the known fpecies of birds, un- !^"T*'].'"T Befs when the heat of the climate approaching 1 r r Shat of incubation dii'penfes with it as unne» plyoffoodf tiattheymayP"7 • . . . . f fubfiftence,! ^^^^^ ^^^ young are hatched, they ought to ft jjMe left under the mother for twenty-four hours, h ' neft W*^ ^^^^ removed to the coop f ; Frifch advifes A'Ç overedW^"' "°' ^° ^® reftored to their dam till fome ^e, abandoiftys after. r nd batJ ^'^""^ ^^^ ^°°^ "*"^ ^^ barley-meal, foaked f of tliB ^^^^ * ^^^^^ fteeped in water ; or even pap iled, and allowed to cool. Afterwards they h hes alB*y ^*^^ frcfh curd, from which the whey f 1 ickenB^^^' prefled, mixed with chopped leeks, and rl th m abouB^" S^'^^^'^^PP^'*®» of which they are very fond, n ii|jç[Mtthe legs muft be previoully removed from ft for \mt^^ infedts f . When they are fix months old, y will eat wheat, barley, the dregs of cyder perry, and even crop the tender grafs ; but t fort of nourilhment is not fufficient, though enaeus reprefents them as graminivorous, i Coluxndla. lib. viH. 11. It IX does not fl tietiraes leav ,d Pliny, lib. x. 55^ ihd I As in the cafe of the Oftrich. Columella, lib. viii. 1 1 . I ijû THE PEACOCK. '^î 1 f: ... -J own ftrang fadth to be i As 1 begin i and fo] to hav in trail. Separate Ing wer are fo r inftance, It is obferved that on the firft days after hatcli- ing, the mother never leads her young to the ordinary neft, or even fits with them twice in the fame place ; and as they are delicate, and cannot mount on the trees, they are expofed to many accidents. At this time therefore we ought to watch them clofely, and difcover where the mother reforts, and put the brood in a coopj or in the field in a patch inclofed with hurdle$,j &c. * Till they grow flout, the young Peacoct trail their wings f, and make no ufe of them In their early eflays to fly, the mother takei them every evening one after another on hejf jfans Ij back, and carries them to the branch on whiclwollow fn they are to pafs the night. In the morning, HtMof efcani] defcends before them from the tree, and enftftance courages them by her example to truft tliemBime they felves to their flender pinions J. Bacious a A pea-hen, or even a common hen, canbretB-om tjjg ] twenty- five young Peacocks, according to CoBirjtboiit c lumella ; but only fifteen, according to Pallftey thrivj dius : and this laft number is even too great fAo^^^ ^ cold countries, where they muft be warmBner reli/ from time to time, and flieltered under Mni ^q ^^^ mother's wing. ■■ diminif It is faid that the common hen, when (he Sa ftated a hatch of young Peacocks, is fo pleafed ^viT their beauty, that fhe grows difgufted with ■* ^olumeid • Maifon Ruttique, tome i. p. 1 38. » ^okiatih \ Belon. X Maifon Rullique> tome i. p. ijp» THE PEACOCK. 271 fter hatè in g to tk fi twice in elicate, and expofed to lerefore w cover wi^ere rd in a coop, vith hurdles,! own chickens, and attaches herfelf to the ftrangers *. I mention this circumftance not as a fa£k that is afccrtained, but as one that deferves to be inquired into. As the young Peacocks grow (Irong, they begin to fight, (efpecially in warm countries,) and for this reafon the ancients, who feem to have beftowed more attention than we in traii.liig thefé birds f, kept them in fmall feparate huts J. But the heft places for breed- ng PeacodîHbg were, according to them, the iflets, which ufe of theniHare fo numerous on the Italian coafts § ; for mother takesBjnftance, that of Planafia, belonging to the lother onheHPifans ||. Such a fpot indeed allowed them to nch on whiclHfollow freely the bent of nature, without danger > morning, fiiBof efcaping, fince they are unable to fly to a tree, and enldldance, and cannot fwim ; and at the fame o iruft, theiiiBime they had nothing to apprehend from ra- acioiis animals, which were entirely extirpated hen canbteeBrom the little ifland. They lived there at eafe, ording to CcBïithout conftraint, and without difquietude 5 ding to Pa^ey thrived better, and (what was not over- •n too gre^^^Woked by the Romans) their flefh acquired a ift be waTinBner relifh ; and to have them under their eye, [red under wd to examine whether their numbers increafed diminiflied, they accuftomed them every day when (be ^W* ftated hour, on the difplay of a certain fignal, Ifo pleafed C rufted witb i.p. »39' I* Columella, lib. vili. li. f Id. ibid. It Varro, De Re Rujiica, lib. iii. 6. 1$ Columella, loco titato, || Varro, loco citai: KMl to a;» THE PEACOCK. ^1 -.1. ;•■ to come round the houfe, and they threw a few Iiandfuls of grain to draw them together *. When the brood arc a month old, or a little more, the creft begins to fhoot, and then they are fubje£t to ficknefs, as the young turkies in fimilar circumftances. At this time the parent cock adopts them as his offspring ; for before the growth of the creft, he drives them away as fup. pofuitious t» They ought not however to be trufted with the old ones before the age of feven months, and they muft be accuftomed to perchHofthe w on the rooft, that they may not fuffer from lyingH his fize on the ground, on account of the cold damps i, lof his tai The creft confifts of fmall feathers, of whichj the ftiaft is not furniftied with webs, but beft with little flender detached threads ; the top ii formed by a bunch of ordinary feathers uiiiti together, and painted with the richcft colours. The number of thefe fmall feathers is variable I have counted twenty-five in a male, and thirt; motioi recede, which fomctii The all the much r the fem; difcrimi old, by fan. \V that rem; hut in tl that it pigeons, The taj that are iil in a female ; but I have not examined enougflon a greal to decide accurately. ■mall one! The creft is not an inverted cone, as might bits origin i fuppofed ; its bafe, which is uppcrmoft, formsBof a varyi very extenfivc ellipfe, whofe greater axis is iBecoratedl the diredion of the head ; all die feathers t\iMor. Thl compofe it, have a particular and perceptiiflie moft lany (ha fiolet, acl fie wholl foloiir off VOL. li * Columella, loco citato. \ Palladius, De Re Rujiica, Ub. i. 28. 8 X Columella. jnotiq i' -I THE PEACOCK. «73 irevr a few her*. ^ or a Vutlc then they turkies m' Î the parent I )r before the I iway asfup.| wcver to bel age of feveni icd to perchl er from lying] >ld damps \. îrs, of which| ;bs, but befet 5 ; the top '\\ pathers unite left colours, ers is variablel ale, and thirt| mined enoug lc, as mi rmoft, iom ater axis is feathers ti ind pcrccptit J Columella. motion, by which they approach each other, or recede, at will, and alfo a general motion, by which the whole creft is fometimes ercdlcd, foinctlmes reclined. The waving fummits of this creft, as well as all the reft of the plumage, are decorated with much more fplendid colours in the male than in the female. Betides this circumftance, the cock is difcriminated from the hen when three months old, by a little yellow which appears on the tip of the wing; he is afterwards diftinguifhed by his fize, by the fpur on each leg, by the length j of his tail, and the power of expanding it like a [fan. Willughby fancies that the Peacock Ihares that remarkable property with the turkey alone; but in the courfe of this hiftory we have feen that it belongs alfo to fome grous, to fome Iplgeons, &c. The tail-feathers, or rather thofe long coverts [that areii.ferted in the back near the rump, are |on a great Ibale what thofe of the creft are on a fmall one. The fliaft is equally furnifiied from Its origin to its extremity, with parted filaments )f a varying colour, and it ends in a flat vane, lecorated with what is called the eyc^ or the w/r- Tor. This is a brilliant fpot, enamelled with [he moft enchanting colours ; yellow, gilded with lany (hades, green running into blue and bright [iolet, according to the different pofitions, and ^e whole receives additional luftre from tha [olour of the centre, which is a fine velvet black. VOL. n. T The 174 THE PEACOCK. ^S 1 The two feathers in the middle are each four feet and a half long, and extend beyond the reft, the others gradually diminifhing as they ap- proach the fides. The creft is permanent, but the tail is caft every year, cither entirely or in part, about the end of July, and fhoots again in the fpring ; during which interval the bird is dilpirited and feeks retirement. The predominant colour of the head, throat, neck, and bread is blue, with different refledlions of violet, yellow, and lucid green ; and by means of thefe waving fhadcs, nature can fpread a greater variety of colouring on the fame fpace. On each fide of the head, there is a protube- rance formed by fmall feathers, which cover the perforation of the external ear. Peacocks feem to toy with each other by the bill ; but on examining them clofely, I find tha! they fcratch the head, which is fubjeâ: to a very nimble fort of lice. Thefe may be iQen running| over the white fl^in that encircles the eyes, whicli| muft occafion an uneafy feeling. Accordingly,! the birds remain very tame and fcem pleafd| when another fcratches them. Thefe birds aflume the rule in the yard, and will not fuffer the other poultry to feed till they have fatisfied their hunger. They eat nearl; the fame way with the gallinaceous tribe, layinj bold of the grain by the point of the bill, am fwallowing it whole. Whci the wat with th holding with WÏ moving Their a little a is placée tubes, u The fl a great ni In one Gafpar B, put he foi there are | The CO?, lind forw ihe other i tious *. The ri iferted all [xpand th( The exJ lixed wij comtnoi Itfier bird] I am ini 'g their '"ng the! . ! .1 THE PEACOCK. 27S each four d the reft, they ap" inent, but irely or in ts again in he bird is lad, throat, t reflexions id by means in fpread a ime fpace. a protube- When they drink, they plunge their bill into the water, and make five or fix quick motions with the lower jaw ; then raifmg their head and holding it horizontal, they fwallow the water, with which their mouth is filled, and without moving the bill. Their food is received into xhtœfophagus^ where a litde above the anterior orifice of the flomach, is placed a glandulous fwelling filled with fmall tubes, which pour out much limpid liquor. The flomach is clothed on the outfide with a great number of mufcular fibres. In one of thefe birds, which was difTeûed by Gafpar Bartholin, there were two biliary duds ; ch cover tlie|but he found only one pancreatic dud, though here are generally two in the feathered tribes, ither by theB Ihtcacunt was double, and pointing from be- 1 find tbatRind forwards; its length was equal to that of all e^ to a veryB'ie other inteflines together, and was more capa- feen running » eyes wbicliB The rump is very thick, becaufe in it arc Accovdinglyi^^'^tfid 21^1 the mufcles deftined to elevate and fcetn pleafetl jxpand the tail. The excrements are commonly figured, and lixed with a little of that white matter which common to the gallinaceous tribes, and many Ither birds, lam informed that they fleep, fometimes hid- ig their head under their wing, fometimes co- iring their neck, and leaving the bill expofed. I* AâaHafnienfia, 1673. T 2 Peacocks :he yard, anil feed till thejl ;y eat nearly \ tribe, laying the bill, an^ \vM fjé THE PEACOCK. i' Peacocks love cleanlinefs, and for this reafon they are at pains to hide their excrements ; rot becaufe they are loth that mCn fhould derive any benefit frotn the dung *, which it is laid is good for fore eyes, for manure, &c. but doubt- lefs they are not well acquainted with all tlicfe properties- Though they cannot fly much, they are fond of. climbing. They generally pafs the night on the roots of houfes, where they do a great deal of mifchief, and on the loftieft trees. From, thefe elevated dations, they often fcream; and their cry is univerfally allowed to be difagreeableJ perhaps becaufe it difturbs our flcep, and from I Tvhich it is pretended that their name is formed ln| all languages f. It is faid that the female has only one note,! which fhe feldom utters except in the fprlnJ while the male has three. For my own part, Il can only diftinguifh two tones; the one flafJ like that of the hautboy, the other fharp, exj adlly the oflave of the former, which refembfa more the fhrill notes of the trumpet ; and I conJ fefs that my ear is not hurt by thefe founds, m more than my eye by th'e fhape of their legs! and we apply to the Peacocks our falfe reafoif • " Fimum fuum reforbere traduntur» invidentes hominum» " litatibus." Plin. lib. xxix. 6. Hence the Peacock is faidj be enviou;. f Volucres plerxque a fuis vocibus appcllatse, ut hx . . Upupa, cuculus, ulula, pavo. Varro dc Lioguâ Latinâ. inl ' De NaJ Plin. Hi THE PEACOCK. 877 • this reafon imcnts; rot iould {^cnvc ^ it is iAK\ is ;. but c\oubt- ^ith all tUcfc ;hey are fond the night on , a great deal trees, fv-cm inps and even our vices, when vve i'uppofe that their cry is only a groan extorted hy their va- nity, as often as they view the clumlinefs of their feet. The(jj)hraflus maintains, that their cries if often reiterated, forebode rain ; others, that they foretcil it when they fcramble higher than ordi- nary *. Others allelic that thefe cries forebode the death of a neighbour ; and laiUy, others re- late that thefe birds always wear under the wing a bit of the rov>t of flax, as an amulet to preferve them from witchcraft f . Whatever is much . fcream ; andHlpoken of, is made a fubjed: of lilly fibles. be difagreeabkjH Befides the different cries which I have men- Iceo and fromHtioned, the male and female emit a certain dull me is formed wBfound, or Imothered cracking, which feems to be ■ormed internally, and which they often repeat, hether they are difturbed or in a ftate of tran- uillity and eafe. Pliny fays, that a fympathy has been obferved etween the pigeons and the Peacocks IJ!; and learchus tells us of one of the latter which hich refcmblîBrew fo much attached to a young woman, that, pet • and I cowiving witneffed her death, it could not furvive Ihefe founds, aûjBie fliock §. But a more natural and better of their legswnded friendftiip is obferved between the falfe reafo»key and Peacock. Thefe two birds are of e number that raife and difplay their tail ; a cumftance which implies many common pro- only one note, in the i^M^ ly own part, 11 the one m ther Iharp, esj )ur lividentes hommum" ihe Peacock is faidj lingua Latina» 10 I* De Naturâ Rerum. f -<ï^lian. Hift. Anim. lib. xi. 8. Plin. Hift. Nat. lib. x. 2o. § Athenaeus, lib. xiii. 30. T 3 perties. fielc the) h 278 THE PEACOCK. perdes. Accordingly, they agree better than with the other fowls. It is even laid that a Peacock has been feen to copulate with a turkey-hen*; which would fhew a great analogy between the two fpecies. The term of the life of the Peacock is twenty- five years, according to the ancients f ; and this determination feems to be well-founded, fince the bird is full grown before the end of three years, and the feathered race attain to a greater age than quadrupeds, becaufe their bones are more pliant. But I am furprifed that Willugh- by imagines, on the authority of jElian, that the Peacock lived a complete century, efpecially as the account of that relator is mingled with manyj circumftances evidently fabulous :{:. I have already faid, that the Peacock feeds on 1 all forts of grain, like the gallinaceous tribe. The ancients generally gave it a monthly allowance of a bufhel of wheat, weighing about twenty pounds. It is proper to notice that the fiowerl of the elder is hurtful to them §, and that the! leaf of the nettle is, according to Franzius, a| mortal poifon to the young Peacocks. As in India the Peacocks live in the ftateoi nature, it is ufual in that country to hunt! them. They can hardly be approached in thel day-time, though they are fcattered over m * Belon. t Ariftûtîc, Hift. Aniin. vi. 9. — Pliny, x. 20. % yiîiUan de Nat. Anim. xi. jj. | Linnaeus. I * TaverJ pee J •tlsj al iiilinf "■i.Ti i » THE PEACOCK. 279 r than with a Peacock sey-hen * ; )etween tk s is twenty- I; and this anded, fmce ;nd of three I to a greater ir bones are hat Willugh- lian, that the •^ efpecially as ed with many icock feefis on )us tribe. The Lhly allowance about twenty .at the fioweï and that tkl :o Franzius, al ;ks. in the ftate of [untvy to hunt reached in tbt| ^tered over tli! g.—Pllny, X.20. Linnxus. hciil fields in numerous flocks ; becaufe, as foon as they defcry a fportftnan, they fly away more ipeedily than partridges, and conceal themfelves in the thickets, where they cannot be piirfued. The night therefore is the only proper time for the chafe, which, in the vicinity of Cambaya is conduced in the following manner: The fportfmen get clofe to the tree where the Peacocks are perched, and prefent a kind of banner, which fupports two burning candles, and is painted with the figures of Peacocks. The Peacock dazzled by the glare, or engaged in ad- miring the painting, ftretches out its neck re- peatedly, and again draws it back, and when its head is obferved to be entangled in a running knot, placed for the purpofe, the hunters immediately draw the cord and fecure the I bird *. We have feen that the Greeks much admired Ithe Peacock, but this was only for the beauty of [the plumage. The Romans, who carried every luxury to excefs, adualiy feafl:ed on Pea- :ocks flefli. The orator Hortenfius was the iirlt who ordered it'to be ferved up at his table f , md his example being followed, this bird came |o be ibid at a very high price at Rome. The >>ii|)crors refined on the luxury of their fub- ■à^'i and Vitellius and Heliogabalus gloried p lining enormous chargers J with the brains of * Tavernier. f Varro, De Re Ruftica, lib. iii. 6. Î Among others that called by Vitellius the iEgis of Minerva. T 4 Peacocks, «1 st8o THE PEACOCK. •^i - }■ 1 .-'..Ht Peacocks, the tongues of X\\q pha^ntcoptenis^ and the livers of the fcartis *, forming iniipid difhes, whofe whole merit confifted in their de- ftrudive expence. — In thofe times, a flock of an hundred Peacocks could bring a revenue of 60,000 fefterces, three Peacocks being only re- quired of the keeper for each hatch f. This fum, according to the eftimation of Gaflendi, amounts to 10 or 12,000 livres. Among the Greeks, the cock and hen together coft 7 thoufand drachma^ which correfponds to eighty-feven livres ten fous on the higheft valuation, twenty- four livres on the loweft. But the laft was un- doubtedly reckoned much under value ; elfe the I exclamation in Athenaeus would have no mean-| ing:— "Is it not madnefs to rear Peacock?,, " when they are as dear as ftatues|?'* Thel price muft have greatly fallen towards the be- ginning of the fixteenth century ; fmce in tk| " Nouvelle Coutume de Bourbonnois," publiH. in 152 1, the Peacock is valued at two fous fixl deniers money of that time, which Dupr^ del Saint Maur values at three livres fifteen fous of^ the prefent currency. But it would feem thai foon after this period the price was advanced! for Bruyère tells us, that in the neighbourhood of Lifieux, where they could eafily rear Peacockj with the cyder lees, they bred flocks, whic!( were very pioiitable, fmce, being rare in otheJ • Suetonius. f Varro, DeReRuJlicâ, lib. iii. 6. X Anaxandrides apud Athenwum, lib. xiv. 25. • St. Au X Mem. W Traite, *[ Genea pad THE PEACOCK. 29 1 pterus^ and ng 'mfipid in their de- a flock of revenue of ng only re- ch i". This of Gaffendi, Among the )ft :> thoufand elgbty-feven tion, twenty. lad was un- Jue; elfe the| ive no mean- •ear Peacock?,! :uest.?'* Tbel ards the be- ; finceintlie| ois," publiil. two fous fixl ich Dupré del fifteen fous of lould fecmtbl Iwas advanced;! ghbourhood c! rear Peacocl;J flocks, whici rare iii otbei \i, lib. iii. 6. 2$. fafl parts of the kingdom, they were ufually fent from thence to all the confiderable cities, to be ferved up in fplendid entertainments. However, fcarce any but young ones are fit to be eaten ; for their flefli is naturally dry, and grows hard as tlicy become old. To this quality we muft impute the fingular property, which appears well afcertained, that their flefh can be kept feveral years without putrifying *. Yet old ones have been ufed, though more for (how than ufe ; for they were ferved up decorated with their richeft plumes f. This is a well imagined refinement in luxury, and which the induftrious elegance of the moderns has added to the extravagant magnificence of the ancients. It was over a Peacock d refined in this way, that our old knights made, on grand occafions, the vow called the Vow of the Peacock '\.. Peacock's feathers were formerly ufed to make a fort of fans §, and they were formed into crowns like thofe of laurel, for the Troubadour poets. Gefner || faw a web whole woof was filk and gold thread, and the warp Peacocks feathers. Such no doubt was the robe woven with thefe feathers which Pope Paul III. fent to king Pepin 1[. • St. Auguftlne, de Ci Gtnel. Sec. Phajianus, Briff. Frifcli, Gefner, &c. »Tp H E name of this bird is alone fufficient to •*• indicate its native country. The Phea- fant, or the Bird of Phafis, w^s confined, it is faid, to Colchis, before the expedition of the Argonauts f . That bold body of adventurers faw, in afcending the Phafis, thefe beautiful birds fcattered along its banks; they carried the \ home to Greece, and in doing fo they conferred a richer prefent «than that of the| golden fleece. Even at prefent the Pheafants of Colchis orl Mingrelia, and fome other countries borderiflgl on the Cafpian, are the fineft and largeft that! are known %, From thence they have fpreadj weftward through Greece, from the fliores •' In Greek, (bxe^mmc ; in Latin alfo, Phajtanus ; in Turkifliij Su*-gluu ; in Italian, Fajiano ; in German, Fa/an. •{• *• Argivâ primum fum tranfportata carina, " Ante mihi notum nil, nifi Phafis, erat." MartiaiI t Marco Polo affirms, that the countries fubjeft to the Tartaij breed the largeft Pheafants, and thofe which have the longfj tail. till no JP^-.™™,^ rfc^—. r 1 H- -_--- ^^ii^Wfe» .- ^ V'^^'^jjL ^^L. .. — •»« h^sJSaÊff^ !f^^ ^ . iB\^^. t^S3S^^ — ■ . .^B^BMAMP ^ ■ m ^ : * • .-, i ^= \ <^ ■ /,:"•. ^. ■■ *ti' ■'. ■./'S ^ -," '^- ; V '/ 5£:i r '"Mm -Ti fX«*i THE COMMON PHKA&ANT . ^s: the! the throi Chin I fay count birds, celleni &c. Il lias fu exceed the Sh I Ivory lldngdoi iVegroes jcommoi Italy, * Regna l^'o/age to t We L'apc of G( 'ifcar ^n wfaiits. a nul car. ■age^ Kce; mpf nutv. I «f Athena I '"■■ing moij Bofmail l+t ViUaul Jtl Loyer i hi Pi?afc COMMON PHEASANT. a8; the Baltic * to the Cape of Good Hope f, and the ifland of Madagafcar :|: ; and eadward, through Media, to the remoteft parts of China § and Japan ||, and even into Tartary, I fay through Media, for it appears that that country, which is congenial to the nature of birds, and which is (locked with the moft ex- cellent poultry, the moft beautiful peacocks, &c. has alfo proved a nurfery of Pheafants, and )ias fupplied many other regions II . They are exceedingly numerous in Africa, efpecially on the Slave ' Coaft **, the Gold Coaft ft, the Ivory Coaft, the country of Iflini JJ ; the kingdoms of Congo and Angola §§, where the I Negroes call them Gatignoies. They are pretty common in different parts of Europe ; in Spain, [Italy, efpecially in the Pope's dominions, the Regnard killed one in the forefls of Bothnia. See his |Voyage to Lapland. t We perceive no difference between the Pheafants of the tape of Good I lope and ours . Ko l b e n . I Dejlription dc Madagafcar par Rennefort. There is in Mada» bftara number of large Pheafants. Flag court, Hifioire dt ^hdagafcar. Voyages de Gerhillon. In the Corea we fee abundance of cafaius, hens, larks, &c. Ha m el. Relation de la Corée. Kœmpfer fays that at Japan there are Pheafants of great butv. «I Athenaus relates, that thefe birds were fent for frem Media, being more numerous and of abetter kind. Aldrovandus. j** Bofman's Defcription of Guineii. l+t Villault de Bellefond, Relation des cites d^ Afrique, JU Loyer in the Hifl. Gen, des Voyages, \\\ Pigafetta. Milanefe, aSS COMMON PIIEASANT. •^é: iVIilanefe*, fomc iflands in the Gulph of Naples in Germany, France, Kiigland f ; but in the two laft countries they are not ^*encrally met with. The Authors of the l5riti(h Zoology aflure us that, in the whole extent ot Great Britain, there is not a fingle Wild Phealant. Sibbald agrees with thefe naturalids, (incc he tells us that in Scotland foine gentlemen breed thefe birds in their houfes |. IJoter affirms ftill more diredly, that there are no Pheaiants in Ireland §. Linnceus takes no notice of them in the enumeration he has given of the Swcdifli birds. In the time of Schweiickfeld, they werei very rare in Silefia ; and it is only twenty years fince they were introduced into Pruflia ||, though they are very frequent in Bohemia II. If theyj have multiplied in Saxony, it is owing to thel attention of the Duke Frederic **, who letl loofe two hundred in that countr) , and prol hibited their being caught or killed, Gcfneri who travelled through the mountains o.'Svvitzerj land, affirms that he never faw any. It 's triieJ indeed, that Stumpfius aflerts the contrary ; buj it is probable that they may be found in fomj diftridls which Gefner had not examined, as ij that part which borders on the Milanefe terrij tories, where Olina fays they are very commod • Olina and AldrovanJus. f Hiftory of Harwich. X Proiiromus Hijioria NaluraHs Scotia. § Willughby. (| Klein. ^ Id. •• AlUrovandus. VOL. i Gulfh of And t ; b"- ot 'generally ^t ot Great Id Phealant. lb, iincc he lemcn breed ;r ailirms Itill Pheiiiants in tice of them f the Swcdifli lid, they were I r twenty years I iifTiall^thoughl Aa^l. It'theyl , owing to tlicl c **, who letl itr) , and pro- iUed, GefuerJ lins ofSwitzet' : contrary ; bui found in fonji ixamined, as i| Milanefe tevi'J very commoi [lory of Harwich. COMMON PHEASANT* 19^ Pheafants are far from being plentiful in France. In the northern provinces they are feldom feen, and wouhl perhaps foon die away but for the attention beflowed on the prefervation of the royal game. Even in Brie, where fome are continually making their efcape from their keepers, and where their nefts, with eggs, have been found in the extenfive forells of that pro- vince, fo unfavourable is the climate that the number of the wild Pheafants is never obferved to increafe. We knew an opulent perfon in Burgundy, who was at the utmoft pains and fpared no expence in ftocking his eftate, which lay in Auxois, but without fuccefs. I fliould therefore fufpeâ: that Regnard muft Ihave been miftaken when he tells us, that he killed two Pheafants in Bothnia^; and Olaus Magnus, who fays that they are found in Scan- jdinavia, where they lie under the fnow through the winter without any fuftenance f. This lablt feems to belong rather to the grous than [o the Pheafants ; and the name Galla fylvsftrei-^ 'hich Olaus applies, fuits better that genus of )irds. My conjedlure has the more foundation, ince neither Linnaeus, nor any other accurate jibferver, mentions feeing real Pheafants in the lorthern countries. In fhort, we may fuppofe, pat the name Pheafant has firft been given by • Regnard, Voyage dt Lapponit» t Quoted by Aldrovandus. VOL. lu y the 1^ COMMON PHEASANT, U .4 ■éi^ I - the natives to the grous, which are very nu- merous in the boreal traûs, and afterwaiu^ ail opted blindly by travellers, and even by compilers, who are equally inattentive in dlfcri- minating fpecies» Since the wings of the Pheafant are fliorr, confequently its flight low and laborious, we may readily conclude, that it couild not traverfc the immenfe ocean, that divides America from the temperate countries in the Ancient Conti- nent. Accordingly, none have been found in the New World, but only fome birds a-kin to them. I fpeak not of the true Pheafants which are at prefent common in the plantations of St. Do- mingo ; for thefe, as well as the peacocks and I pintados, were introduced by the Europeans *. The Pheafant is of the fize of the common I cock •):, and in fome refpe£ls rivals the peaGock] in beauty. His figure is as dignified, his de- portment as bold, and his plumage almoft asl lefplendent. The colours of the Chinefe Phea- fant are even brighter ; but he has not, like \k peacock, the power of difplaying his ricbj plumage, and of elevating the long feathers off his tail. Befides, the Pheafant has neither tlia creft of the peacock, nor the double tail j cj * Hijioire de l*IJIe Efpagmh ik St. Domingue. f Aldrovandus, who has carefully obfcrved and defcribed thj bird, fays, that he examined one which weighed three pounds oj twelve ounces, lihras très duodecim imciarum, which feme have !${ iiorantly tranHated» three pounds twelve ouncas, whicll déminas , It Phafiantm \S Ibid. COMMON Î>HEASANT. 2()t very nn- afterwaiuc even by e in difcri- : are fl^ort, borious, we not traverfc tierica from cient Conti- found in the kin to them. which are at IS of St. Do- peacocks anâ aropeans . I the common 5 the peacock lifted, his de- jge almoft as Chinefe Pbea- s not, like ibi -ing his rlchj ,ng feathers of |as neither tbi >uble tail -, ol which the fhorter one confifts of quills capable of beitig eredted, and the longer one formed of the coverts of thefe : in general^ the Phea- fant feems to have been modelled after lefs ilender and lefs elegant proportions ; the body thicker, the neck fhorter, the head larger» &c. The mod remarkable traits In its appearance are, the two fpots of fcarlet in the middle of which the eyes are placed, and the two tufls of feathers of a gold-green, which, in the love feafon, rife on each fide under the ears ; for in animals there is almoft always, as Î have already remarked, a new produdion, more or lefs re- markable, which is a fign that the generative faculty is again roufed to action. Thefe tufts [of feathers are probably what Pliny calls fome- times ears *f fometimes little horns f , A pro- linence is obferved at their bafe, formed by an rruffor mufclej. Befides thefe, the Pheafant furnifhed with feathers at each ear, to clofe at ileafure the orifice, which is very large §. The feathers of the tail and rump have their Inds heart-fhaped, like fome of the tail-feathers |f the peacock ||. I fhall not here enter into a particular defcrip- lon of the colours of the plumage j I fhall only and defcribed »!■» Geminas ex pluma aures/ubmittunt fuhri^untque. Lib. x. 48. thcd three pounds oB^ Phafmna ccrniculis. Lib. xi. 37. ,hich fome have iS^^jl^.^^ || Briffon. X Aldrovandin. obferve, ;::5?' mm 21)1 COMMON PHEASANT. ^:' 1il*i»i r.-|. the] fants in Û ciety thefe liuma wild, raid, ] return can be but as return obferve, that in the female they are much lefs brilliant than in the male, in whom the reflexions are ftill more fugitive than in the peacock, and depend not only on the various incidence of the light, but on the jundlion and pofition of the feathers : for if any one be taken fingly, the green wavings vanifh, and we fee only a brown or black *. The Ihafts of the feathers of the neck and the back are of a fine bright yellow, and appear like fo many plates of gold f. The coveits under the tail continue diminifliing, and terminate in a kind of filaments. The tail confifts of eighteen quills, though Schwenckfeld reckons only fixteen ; the two middle ones areHget the the longell of all, and they fhortcn regularly ■ born U towards the fides. Each leg is furnifhed witliHwho kn a fhort pointed fpur, which has efcaped fomeHcompeti defigners, and even the engraver of our P/mickmto reco Kidu77iinées^ No. 121; the toes are conneâed byHopportu a membrane broader than ufual in pulveruleiit^ereave* birds X^ and feems to form the firft fliade bt tween thefe and the aquatic tribes ; and in fa Aklrovandus obferves, that the Pheafants de- light in wet places ; and he adds, that they an fometimes caught in the marlhes in the neigl bourhood of Bologna. Olina, another Italia and Le Roi, Lieutenant of Rangers at Verfaille! have made the fame remark. The laft-men tioned peribn informs me, that it is always i fvith vij jivity, ipare ev, * Aldrovandus. t Ibid. Î IbM, [iWe that I pich, accd ""g of JnJ t " Thd they nei 1 1 -Longoll T. •e much lefs le reflexions >eacoclc, and dcnce of the fit'ion of the n fingly, the anly a brown athers of the .right yellow, goldt- The niniflViï^g, and vt9. The tall I Schwenckfeld middle ones are 3rtcn regulaiiyi furnilhed mm J efcaped romel of cur PhwclA •e conneaed byl in pulveruleiitl firft fliade be{ 5 ; and in fatfl Pheafants tit _, that they aii [s in the neigli' another ltaliaii| lers at Verfaillei The laft-met|^ it is always il COMMON PHEASANT. «93 the mofl: watery fpots, and along the fides of the pools in the large forefts of Brie, that Phea- fants lodge which have efcaped from the hunters in the vicinity. Though habituated to the fo- ciety of man, though loaded with his favours, thefe Pheafants retire as far as poffible from all human dwellings; for thefe birds are very wild, and extremely difficult to tame. It is faid, however, that they can be inftruûed to return at the found of a whiftle *' ; that is, they can be attracted by this means to their food ; but as foon as their appetite is fatisfied, they return to their natural mode of life, and for- get the hand that fed them. They are ftub- born flaves, that will not fubmit to conftraint, who know nothing defirable that can enter into competition with liberty ; who (eek continually ito recover it, and never lofe fight of it when [opportunity occurs "f. The wild ones newly lereaved of freedom become furious ; they dart ivith violence on the companions of their capr Ivity, and ftrike with their bills, nor do they [pare even the peacocks J, . • Journal Economique mois de September 1753. It îs very pro- lable that this was all the attainment of the tame Pheafants, pch, according to iï^lian, were bred in the menagerie of the ling of India, lib. xvi'i. t " Though reared in the houfe, and hatched under a hen, they never grow domeftic, but ftill retain their rufticity." ÉL IN A. —Which confirms what I have myfelf obfervcd. \ Longolius, a^ud Aldnvandum. u 3 Thefe ■I[ V ■ ] I «Il .f. : ■'. " I' . ■■*■ « «94 COMMON PHEASANT. Thefe birds are fond of living in woods that grow on the plains, diifering in this refpeft from the grous, which inhabit forcfts that clothe the mountains. They perch on the tops of trees during the night*, fleeping with their head under the wing ; their cry, that is the cry of the male) (for the female has none at all,) is intermediate between that of the peacock and the pintado, but more like that of the latter, and therefore far from being agreeable. Their difpoHtion is fo unfocial, that taey not only fly from the prefence of man, but avoid the company of each other, except in the months of March and April, when the male courts the female. It is then eafy to difcoverj them in the woods, bccaufe they are betrayed l by the loud noife made by the clapping of their wings, which may be heard at a great diftancef. The Cock Pheafants are not fo ardent as tiie common cocks. Frifch aflerts that, in the wild Hate, each attaches itfelf to a tingle female:| but man, who glories in perverting the order o^ nature to his intereft or his whims, has change the inftina of thefe birds, by habituating eacl cock to fcrve feven hens, and conftraining thefj to reft fatistied with the performance of a finglj male. Some have had patience to make all tlj obfervations necelfary to determine this pro • Frifch. •j- Olina. portioi * Journa 'li/aai/erJe t Frifc], r. woods that this refped J thai clothe tops of trees their head IS the cry of le at all,) is peacock and he latter, and that tiiey not Ml, hut avoid ixcept in the hen the male ,fy to difcovei ^ are betrayed! ipping of thelt! reatdiftancetJ ardent as tlie| at, in the fingle female; ng the order of IS, has changed abituating eacli mftraining thefi ance of a finglj , make all Ai rmine this pri COMMON PHEASANT. 295 OUna. portioi portion to be the moft profitable for breeding *, Several œconomifts, however, allow only two females to each male f ; and I muft confefs that this diftindion fucceeded the beft in fome trials I have made. But the different couibinations mull depend on particular circumftances ; on the temperature of the climate, the nature of the foil, the quality and quantity of the food, the ex- tent and pofition of the place for rearing them, and the attention of the keeper, who ought to remove the hen as foon as (he has imbibed the quickening influence, and prefent the females one after another at proper intervals. He fliould alfo give the cock during that feafon buck-wheat and other ftimulating aliments, as is ufual about the end of winter, when we want to |anticipate the period of love. The Hen Pheafant conftru r '- ^■.., •vx :. "..'.yj ' - ': ' Î ' c ■ i 1 i 1 ; 1 .■ ; Led Phec^fant HEASANT. o this variety ;d between the hen. It re- the red circle il; and it ap- r the dull and! Itisalfofmaller like the other] |ing its fpecies. ;fe are rdfedinl that they are X4Z B^ ^ .A ■'^^'f'^ .-. IÎ y UiMyMriMki THE PIED FHEAîSANT. •uK.-evtnft t 307 J .1^1 i 9. . 'If F O R E t G N B r R D S ' ^ ANALOGOUS TO THE PHEASANT. T SHALL not range under this denomination, ■*■ feveral birds on which moft travellers or na- turalifts have bellowed the name of Pheafant, but which, after a clofe inveftigation, we have determined to belong to very different tribes. — Such as, I. The Pheafant of the Antilles of BrifTon, which is that of thé ifland Kayriouacou of Father Tertre, and which has longer legs and a (horter tail than the Pheafant. 2. Bfiffbn's crowned Pheafant of the Indies, which differs from the Pheafant by its genei^l forni, and by [the fhape of its bill, its inftinds and habits, its [long wings and ffiort tail, and which, if \vq except its fize, feems tb refemble niuch the pigeons. 3. The American bifd, which we bve diredled to be figured under the name of Tk Crefied Pheafant of Cayenne^ becaufe it was [ent to us under that nailrte ; but which appears |o be diflinguilhed from the Pheafant by its )ulk, its carriage, its long flender neck, its fmall jead, its long wings, Sec; 4. The Hûcco Phea- Mt of Guiana, which is by no means a Phea- pt, as the comparifon of the figures alone fuf- ces to Ihew. 5. All the other Hoccos of Ame- X 2 rica. 3o8 FOREIGN BIRDS anakgous rica, which Briflbn and Barrerc, and others who have been mifled by their fyftems, have referred to the genus of the Pheafant ; though they dift'er in many refpedls, and even in fome properties that have been received as generic characters. H 1 The FATN .A- NT. ^5 Fai/ànDcré, ou Le Trice'or Huppé de la Chine, BufF. Phajtanus Pi£lus, Linn. and Gmel. Phafiamis Sanguineus, Klein. F hajîanus Aureus Sinenfis, Brifl*. -l'-^'' ,' .< Celd Fafian, Gunth. < , _ ; ; ' ,■ •■■ Some authors, who have applied to this bird the name of Red Pheafant^ would have had equal I reafon to have called it the Blue Pheafant ^ and the term Golden Pheafant is equally inadequate to denote the plumage, which is enriched by the] luftre of all thefe three colours. It may be confidered as a variety of the or- dinary fpecies, whofe garb fparkles with the de* corations of a happier clime. They are twol branches of the fame family, which, though longi feparated, recal their common defcent, and canl ftill intermingle, and breed with each other. But it muft be confefled that their progeny par-l takes fomewhat of the fterility of Hybrids; wliichj . ' ' . ' prove fOUS others who ve referred I they differ z properiies laraûers. t» tht PHEASANT. 309 ne, BufF. ;d to this bird lave had equal PheaJanU and ily inadequate jichedbythe proves the antiquity of the partition of the pa- ternal houfe. The Painted Pheafant is fmaller than the or- dinary Pheafant. The remarkable beauty of this bird has occafioned its being fo much bred in our pheafant walks. The pr^lominant co- lours of its plumage are re goi. yellow, and blue ; it has long beautiful feathers on the head, which can be eredted at pleafure \ its iris, bill, legs, and nails, are yellow ; the tail is propor- tionally longer than that of the common Phea- fant, more mottled, and in general of a brighter plumage ; above the feathers of the tail others are fpread long and narrow, and of a fcarlet co- lour, with a yellow {haft ; the eyes are not en- circled with red fkin, like the European Pheafant : in a word it appears to have been deeply marked by the impreffion of the climate. The female of the Painted Pheafant is fome- jvvhat fmaller than the male, and its tail is not fo long; the colours of its plumage are very or- dinary, and even inferior to thofe of the com- mon kind ; but fometimes they acquire in time Ithe beauty of the male. In England, one be- llonging to Lady Eflex changed, in the fpace of Ifix years, its mean dufky colour into the rich fuftre of the male ; fo as not to be diftinguifhed, except by the appearance of the eves and ihe length of the tail. Intelligent perfons who have nad opportunities of obferving thefe birds, in- X 3 form 310 FOREIGN BIRDS anahgous form me, that this change of colour takes place \T\ mod females, and begins at four years old, when males take a diilike to them and treat them harihly. That then thofe long narrow fea- thers, which in the m?ile lie over the tail, begin to appear. And in a word, as they grow older, they become the more like the males, which ia a certain degree hai),pens in all animals. , Edwards tells us, that he faw at the Duke of Leeds*s, a common Hen Pheafant, whofe plu- mage had in the fame manner become like that of the male. He adds, that fuch changes of co- lours fcldom take place except among birds that live in the domeftic ftate. , , ' The eggs of the Painted Pheafant are very like thofe of the Pintado ; they arc proportion- ally fmaller than thofe of the domeftic Hen, and| more reddiih than thofe of the common Phea- fant. . X , , \_ . . . . Sir Hans Sloane kept a male about fifteen I years : it would therefore feem that this bird id hardy, fmce it lived fo long but of its native abode. It is foon reconciled to our climate, and! •n\ulti plies faft ; it breeds even with the European I hedfant. Le Rai, Lieutenant of the Rangers] al Vei nulles, put one of them to a Cock Phea-j f^jit of this country, and obtained two Cecil Pheafants very like the common kind, but tkl plun^age had a dirty caft, and only a fewyelloffj ftatheis on the head like thofe of the Paintdl Pheafant:! takes place r years old, n and treat ; narrow fea- le tajl, begin ' grow older, PS, which in nais. the Duke of J whofe plu- ome like that hatiges of co- ong birds that afant are very 1 re proportion- sftic Hen, and ommon Phea- about fifteen Lat this bird is of its nativel ,r climate, and the European the Rangers| a Cock Pbea. Ined two CodI kind, but the ly a few yellofll if the Paintei Pheafant; to the PHEASANT. 311 Pheafant : and thefe two young males being pair- ed with European hen-pheafants, one fucceeded the fécond year, and a hen-pheafant was hatched^ which could never be made to breed. The two Cocks produced no more, and the fourth year made their elopement. « ■ --^ * ," ' ^-^ r «' It is probable that the Painted Pheafant is that elegant pheafant whofe plumes fell higher in China than the pheafant itfelf ; and alfo the fame with what Marco Polo admired in one of his travels to China, whofe tail was two or three feet long. [A] -; ;,-.; rhf..i»£ ......•,', f„M >$b«î ^ ' »■% I i [A] Specific charader of the Painted Pheafant, Phajtanus flSlus :—" Its creft is yellow, its breaft fafFron, its fecondary " wing-quills blue, its tail wedge-ihaped." '•■:■■ ti f'-»ij,.i ''■.\'S [The BLACK-ANÎD-WHITE CHINA PHEASANT. ."r »? 7 H. i.i> r •) 'J. afianus Nyiibmirut, Linn, ana Gmeï.' Phajtanus Albus Sinmjis, Briff. and Klein. Silber Fafian, Gunth> ^'he Pencilled Pheafant » Lath. . . .„. ■'-Vj :o The 'figure in the Planches Enluminées was jlaken from a (luffed fpecimen ; and I doubt not , but that of EdvY:irds, which was drawn from [he life, and retouched at leifure, the minute ' X 4 parts 5r ^5: 312 FOREIGN BIRDS analagous parts beinp; added from tlic dead fubjeft, reprc- fcnt8 this Plica Tant more cxadlly, and gives a better idea of its air and port, &c. It is eafy to fee, from tlie bare infpeûion of the figure, that it is a variety of the Pheaiant, having the general proportions of the Painted Chinefe Pheafant, but larger, and exceeding even the European kind. It refcmblcs the lift in a remarkable property, having a red border round the eyes, which is even broader and of greater extent ; for it falls on each fide belo» the under mandible, and at the fame time rifes like a double comb above the upper man- dible. The female is rather fmaller than the male, and differs much in colour. It has neither the upper-fide of the body white, nor under-fide of | a fine black, with purple reflexions. In no part of its plumage is there any white, except aj fingle fpeck below its eyes; the reft is ofai brown red, more or lefs deep, except under the belly and on the lateral feathers of the tail, where there are black tranfverfe bars on a gray ground. In every other refpeâ; there is lefs difference between the fexes in this than in any] other Pheafant : the female has, like the male, a tuft on its head, its eyes are encircled withl a red border, and its legs are of the fame] colour. Since no naturalift, or traveller, has giveni the ieail hint concerning the original abode ofj m h thi PHEASANT. 313 the Black-and-white Plicafunt, we arc obliged to form conjectures. I am inclined to luppofe that, as the Pheafant of Georgia, having mi- grated towards the caft, and having fixed its rc- fidence in the fouthcrn or temperate provinces of China, has become the Painted I'heafant ; fo the White Pheafant, which is an iniiabitant of our cold climates, or that of Tartary, having travelled into the northern provinces of China, has become the pencilled kind : that it lias there grown to a greater fize than the original Phea- fant, or that of Georgia ; becaufe it has found in thefe provinces food more plentiful and bet- ter fuitcd to its nature : but that it betrays the marks of a new climate in its air, port, and ex- jternal form; in all which it refcmbles the Painted Pheafant; but retains of the original Pheafant the red orbits, which have been even expanded from the fame caufes undoubt- ledly that promoted the growth of its body, land gave it a fuperiority over the ordinary jPheafant. [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Pencilled Pheafant, Phafianus plihmerus : —" It is whitc, its crcft and belly black, its tail r wedge-ftiaped.". y III. The 314 FOREIGN BIROS afuU^euj , . -r,- , . ■ , , {, IIT. The ARGUS, or L U E N. « •> • . Phafianus Argut, Linn, and Gtncl. The Argus PhtafiiHt, lath. l\ In the north of China, another fort of Phea- fant has heen found, the wings and tail of which are fprinkled with a multitude of round fpots like eyes; whence it has received the name of I Jîrgift, The two feathers in the middle of the taii are rery long, and projedl much hcyond the reft ; it is of the fize of a turkey ; its head| ÎS covered with a double creft, which lies back- wards *. • In the i'hiloTophical Tranfaiftions, vol. LV. p. 88, for 1766,! b a very full defcription of this bird, accompanied with a g( engraving, framed by Mr. Edwards from a drawing fcnt fion| China. IV. Til sgeuj u tht PHEASANT, 3i| ,, ' I . JEN. fort of Phea- tail of which ' round fpots 1 the name of niddleof the lîuch beyond ^ey; its head lich lies back- . p. 88, for 1-66, 1 inied with a g( rawing fent fro»! IV. The NAPAUL, or HORNED PHEASANT. Afefeagris Safyra, Linn. Fentlapt Stityra, Gmdl. . Phajianus Cornutuf, Bilfl'. T/Ji Hornet/ Pheafaut, Lath. Edwards, to whom we arc indebted for our acquaintance with this uncommon bird, ranges it among the turkies, on account of the fleihy excrefcences. on the head, and yet he has given it the name of Horned Pheafant. I ihould fuppofe that it is more like the pheafant than the turkey: for thefe protuberances are by no means peculiar to the turkey j they belong alfo to the cock, the pintado, the royal bird, the Icaflbwary, and many others in both cont' — ts; Inor are they even withheld from the pheafant, Tince we may regard the broad circle of red fkin |ihat furrounds the eyes, as nearly of the fame nature ; and in the Pencilled Pheafant of China, [his really forms the double comb on the bill, kd the barbils under it. If we add, that le Napaul is an inhabitant of the congenial [limate of pheafants, fmce it was lent to Dr, Mead from Bengal ; that in its bill, its feci, its purs, its wings, and its general form, it \^';îs se the pheafant ; we fhall be convinced that :!;: f^ «' 316 FOREIGN BIRDS analogous that it is more natural to clafs it with the phea- fants, than with an American bird fuch as the turkey. . The Napaul, or Horned Pheafant, is fo called becaufe of two protuberances which grow from its head like horns, are of a blue colour, a cylin- drical fhape, blunt at their ends, reclined back- wards, and confift of a fubftance refembling callous flefh. It has not that round circle about its eyes which occurs in the pheafants, and is fomelimes dotted with black ; the fpace vv^hich furrounds the eyes, is fhaded with black hairs, I like feathers. Under this fpace, and from the bottom of the lower mandible, grows a kind of gorget confifting of loofe Ikin, which falls [ down and floats freely on the throat and the upper part of the neck : this gorget is black in the middle, and is fprinkled with a few! ftraggling hairs of the fame colour. It isl marked with wrinkles ; fo that it appears to ad- mit of extenfion in the living animal, and therel is reafon to fuppofe that it can be inflated orl contraded at pleafure. The lateral parts are! blue, with fome fpots of orange, and withoutl any hair on the outer furface ; but the infidel which applies to the neck, is (haded with littlcj black feathers, as well as that part of the neck whifh it covers. The crown of the head is redj the fore-part of the body reddifh, and the hindj part of a dufky colour. Over the whole b including even the tail and the wings, we perj ceivJ :' i -I. logout h the phea- fuch as the ,t, is fo called h grow from lour, a cylin- :ecUned back- :e refembling d circle about lafants, and is e fpace v^bich ;h black hairs, and from the rows a kind of I, which falls hroat and the ;orget is black i with a few colour. It is ; appears to ad* mal, and there' be inflated oi itérai parts are| !, and without| but the infide, aded with littlt irt of the necl the head is red, , and the hini the whole wings, we pet' ceivi totht PHEASANT. 3»7 celve white fpots, furrounded with black, and difperfed with confiderable regularity: thefe fpots are round on the fore- part, and oblong, or (haped like tears, on the hind-part, with the point turned towards the head. The wings icarcely reach beyond the origin of the tail; from which we may conclude that it is a heavy bird. The length of the tail could not be determined by Edwards, for in the original drawing it is reprefented as being partly worn off. [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Horned Pheafant, Penelope Satura. -" It has a pair of horns on its head; its body is red> with fpang- ling points,'* V. The K A T R A C A. Phajtanus Motmot, Linn, and Gmel. Phajianus Guianenjis, Briff. The Motmot Phea/ant, Lath. Though there are no true pheafants in Ame- Jica, as we have already eftablifhed, yet among She multitude of birds that inhabit that vaft antinent, fome poflefs the properties of that ^be in a greater or lefs degree. The Katraca pproaches the neareft, and may be cotifidered as «s» 3^8 FOREIGN BIRDS, (ftc. V ■' ^5: as the reprefentative of the phcafant in the New World, Its general fortti, its bill, which is flightly hooked, its eyes, which are encir- cled with red orbits, and its tail, which is re- markable for its length, arc all charaders which prove it to be of a congenerous kind. At the fame time, as it is a native of a diftant climate, of even a different world, and as it is uncertain whether it would breed with the European pheafants, I range it in this place after thej Chinefe fort, which certainly couple with ours.j Its hiftory is totally unknown to us. We retain I the name Katraca^ which, according to Father] Feuilleé, is the name it has in Mexico. [A] [A] Specific charaftcr of the Phajianus Motmot.—*' It is brown, I " below tawny, its tail wedge- Ihaped, its lateral tail-quilli| «' rufous." lo?. Becies Wem. ■uthor 1 Vge as vi-co!o Bumage W^ wh FOREIG! read, 0 ifant in the s bill, which ;h are encir- which is re- raders which ind. At the iftant climate, it is uncertain ttie European lace after the| pie with ours. ij». We retain I ding to Father I exico. [A] ,„ot.—** It is brown Its lateral tail r» *:S 5 r 3Ï9 3 J». '. t , ~. J FOREIGN' BIRDS TffAT SEEM RELM'ED TO THE PEACOCK . , ,^ AND PHEASANT. • & £ ftiti^e' u^def this vague title ^ Jhmc foreign birds y ivhicb baventtbtendtfiribed'witb Jrdfffcient accuracy for us to affign their preciji place» ' FOREIÇ- \y. The C H I N Q^U I S. Fofoo Tihetanns, Linn. Gmel. and Briff*. The Thibet Peacock t Lath, The name Cbinquis is formed from the Chinefe rord chin-tcbien^kbi. The bird is the tenth pecies of the 'genus of Pheafant in BrilFon's fftem. It is found in Thibet, whence that luthor has called it the TJjibet Peacock» It is as ;e as the pintado ; the Iris is yellow, the bill •coloured, the feet gray, the ground of the [umage cinereous, variegated with black lines pd white points. But its chief and diftin- liilhing ornament is, the large round fpots of lilliant biue, changing into violet and gold, ^ead, one by one, on the feathers of the back 4 and •"^ ^ 320 FOREIGN BIRDS related u ai^d the coverts of the wings ; two and two, on the quills of the wings ; and four and four, on the long coverts of the tail, of which the two middle ones are the longeil; the lateral per- petually diminifli. We are totally unacquainted with its hiAory; we are not even informed whether it expands { its fine fpangled plumes into a fan. We muft not confound the Chinquis with tlie| Kinki, or Colden Hen of China, which is mentioned in the narrations of Navarette, Tri<| gault, and du Halde ; and which, as far as we can! judge from the imperfeû accounts given of it,| is nothing but the Painted Pheafant *. [A] * Abbe Prevot. Hiji. Gen, des Voyages. [A] Specific charadler of the Pavo Tibetanus : — *' It is ciJ ** nereous, filiated with blackiihf its head fomewhat creited/ •• with two fpurs." II. The S P I C I F E R Ê. Pavo Muticus, Linn, and Gmel. Pa'vo Japanenjis, Briff. The Japan Peacock, Lath. The Japan Peacock is the name given by. drovandus to what is referred to in the eighj fpecies of Pheafant by Briflbnj and both ted u ind two, on ind four, on lich the two lateral per- hitshiftory; sr it expands » L iquis with the na, which is I lavarette, Tri.j IS far as we can] ts given of it, .nt*. [A] th PEACOCK and PHEASANT. 3" R Ê. nel. me given by to in the eigW ; and both ' lb thefe authors admit, that this bird refembles out peacock only by the feet and tail. It has a fpike-fhaped tuft on its head ; for which reafon I term it fpicifere» This tuft is about four inches high, and appears enamelled with green and blue j the bill is of an alh- colour, longer and more flender than that of the Peacock ; the iris is yellow, and the orbits red, as in the Pheafant ; the tail-feathers are fewer, their colour deeper, and their fpangles broader, but glowing with the fame tints as in the Euro?- pean Peacock. The diftribution of the colours forms on the breaft, the back, and that part of the wings next the back, a kind of fcales which give different reflexions in different places ; blue on the part of the wings next the back ; blue and green on the back ; blue, green, and gold- colour on the breaft : the other quills of the wing are green in the middle through their jwhole length, then yellowifh, and run into black at their extremity : the crown of the head, [and the arch of the neck, are covered with ilue fpots mixed with white on a greeuiili [round. Such is nearly the defcription which Aldro- andus has given of the male, from a painted igure fent by the Emperor of Japan to the 'ope. He does not inform us whether it dii- )iays its tail like our Peacock : but it is certainly VOL. II. Y not 322 FOREIGN BIRDS related to not fpread in Aldrovandus' figure ; nor has it any fpurs on the legs, though that author has not omitted them in the engraving of the Com- mon Peacock, which is placed oppofite to ferve for comparifon. According to Aldrovandus, the female is fmaller than the male ; has the fame colours on the head, neck, breaft, and wings ; but the under-fide of its body is black, and the coverts of the rump, which are much fhorter than the quills of the tail, are decorated with four or five fpangles of confiderable breadth in proportion j to the fize of the quills: green is the predomi- nant colour in the tail, the feathers are edged! with blue, and their fhafts are white. — This bird feems to be much akin to the bird which Koempfer, in his Hiftory of Japan, mention$| under the name of Pheafant *. [A] %: * " There is at Japan a kind of Pheafants diflinguiflied by thtl ** diverfity of their colours, by the brilliancy of their featherij " and by the beauty of their tail, which is as long as half a man'i " height, which, by this mixture and charming variety oftliel *• richeft colours, particularly of gold and azure, yields in no re-f " fpeft to that of the Peacock." Xoempfer. [A] Specific charafter of the Pavo Muticus : " The crel " on its head is awl-Ihaped ; no fpurs." III. Til r*^ PEACOCK and PHEASANT. 333 III. The E P E R O N N I E R. Pavo Sicalcaratus, Linn, and Gmel. Fa'vo Sinenjist Briil'. The Peacock Pheafant, Edw. The Iris Phea/ani, Lath. Utkus : " The crti This bird is hardly known, except from the [figure and defcription which Edwards publiflied of the male and female, made from the living fubjeâ:. At firft fight the male feems to bear fome balogy to the Pheafant and Peacock : like them It has a long tail, decorated with fpangles, as ia Ihe Peacock. And fome naturalifts, abiding [y the firft impreflion, have ranged it with the peafants *. But though from the confidera- |on of thefe exterior appearances, Edwards has een induced to retain the name of Peacock- Iheafant, ha was convinced, on a clofer infpec- lon, that it did not belong to the Pheafant ind : becaufe, i. The long feathers of the tail re round, and not pointed at the end ; 2. They [e ftraight throughout, and not arched back ; They do not make an inverted gutter by |e bending back of their webs as ia the Phea- • Klein and Briffon. y a fant; âu FOREIGN BIRDS related to ■t!.. fant ; 4. It does not walk with its tail raifed and recurved as in that bird. Still lefs does it belong to the Peacock kind, from which it differs in the carriage of its tail, in the difpofition and number of the quills that, compofe it. It is diftinguifhed too by other pro- perties; its head and neck are thick, its tail does I not rife and fpread like the Peacock's *, and înftead of a tuft, it has only a fort of flat crell| formed by the feathers on the top of the head, which briftle and ftretch towards a point fome-i what projeding ; and laftly, it has a double fpurl on each leg, a fingular characSler, from \vhicli[ I have denominated the bird f . Thefe external differences, which undoubt-l edly involve many others which are more conJ cealed, would feem a fufficient reafon to ever fenfible man, who is not prejudiced by fyftefflsi for excluding it from the Peacocks and PheaJ iants ; though like thefe, its toes are parted, feet naked, its legs covered with feathers as far! the heel, the bill faihioned into a curved conj the tail long, and the head without comb membrane. A perfon who flicks rigidly to j fyftem, could not fail to range it with the Pei cock or the Pheafant, fince it poffeffes all the ; • Edwards never frys that ihis bird difplays its tail: Ii therefore infer the negative, fince if the expanfion had tal place, that intelligent naturalift would have obferved it and I mentioned it. f Eperonnier, from Iptrcn, t Ipur. 6 trlbul '' i ih PEACOCK and PHEASANT. i to ts tail raifed 3«S tributes of that genus ; but mufl; the hiftorian, exempt from prejudice and unfettered by forms, recognife it as the Peacock ol Nature ? hi vain it will be urged, that fince the prin- cipal characlers of this bird are the fame with thofe of the Pheafant, the little variations ought not to fcclude it from that arrangement ; for I ck, its tail does» ^.jj ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^ ^.^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^^^ p^..^^ cock's*, and" Peacock kind, ' ge of its tail, I the quills that ' by other pro- rt of flat crell )p of the head,! a point fome-l IS a double fpurl er, from whichl which undoubt- 1 are more cow i reafon to cvei iced by fyftemsj ocks and Pheaj s are parted, i feathers as far o a curved con( vithout comb icks rigidly to it with the P( oflelTes all the difplays its taU: I ,c expanfion had « ive obferved it and cipal charaûers ? to decide, for inftancc, that the negative attribute of having neither creft nor embrane is more cflential than the {hape or he fize ? and to pronounce that all birds which efemble each other in characters arbitrarily fe- lecled, muft alfo agree in their true proper- es? In laying afide the name of Chinefe Peacock, have adcd conformably to the teftimony of avellers, who affure us, that through the whole tent of that vaft country there are no Peacocks t fuch as have been introduced from abroad*. In this bird the iris is yellow, and alfo the fpace tween the bottom of the bill and the eye; e upper mandible red ; the lower mandible of deep brown, and the feet of a dirty brown ; plumage is exceedingly beautiful ; the tail, as I ve already faid, is fprinkled with oval fpangles^ d is of a line purple colour with refledlions of e, green, and gold. The efFeâ of thefe ngles, or mirrors, is the more ftriking, as they tribd • Navarette, Defcripticn dt la China, Y 3 C I .'II are 3*6 FOREIGN BIRDS relattd to ^ are defined and diftinguiflied from the ground by a double circle, the one black and the other dull orange. Each quill of the tail has two of thefe mirrors cluftered together, the fhaft pair- ing between them. However, as the tail con. | tains much fewer quills than that of the Peacock, I it is much lefs loaded with fpangles ; but to com- penfate this, it has a very great number on its back and wings, where the Peacock has none: thofe on the wings are round; and as the ground! colour of the plumage is brown, it refembles a| fable richly ftrewed with fapphires, opals, eme- ralds, and topazes. The greater quills of tkl wing are not decorated with fpangles, all tho reill have each only one ; and their colours, whetherl in the wings or in the tail, do not penetrat( to the other furface, which is of an unifoiii dull cad. The male exceeds the fize of an ordinar Pheafant; and the female is a third fmalleJ and appears more lively and active. As in thJ male, its iris is yellow ; but there is no red oj fts bill, and its tail is much fmaller. An| though in the female of this bird the colou are more like thofe of the male, than | the Peacocks or Pheafants, they are moj faint and dull, and have not that lull and thofe luminous undulations which prj duce fo charming an cfFed in the fpangles the male. td t9 1 the ground and the other il has two of he ihaft paff- , the tail con- if the Peacock, J J but to com- 1 lumber on its )ck has none: las the ground it refembles a| ;s, opals, eme- IV quills of tbel gles, all the reftl olours, whetherl I not pénétrât j of an uniform 3' of an ordinarl I third fmallerj ive. As in thl lere is no red ol fmaller. An| bird the colou male, than they are moi| not that lull ons which pij 1 the fpangles .jVUz ^ iIp. TirBMA-IiE cuiuvsèo, //;/ PEACOCK and PHEASANT. 327 This bird was alive laft year at London, and Sir Codrington fent coloured drawings of it to th=î younger Daubenton, from which our figures were taken. [A] [A] Specific charaflcr of the Pavo Blcaharalus : " It is " brown ; its head fomewhat crerted ; two fpurs." A The H O C C O S. LL the birds known under the general term Hocco, are ftrangers to Europe ; they be- long to the warmer parts of America. And the various names bellowed by different Savages, each in his own jargon, have contributed, no lefs than the multiplied epithets impofed by nomenclators, to introduce confufion. I fliall endeavour, as far as the poverty of obfervation will permit, to difpel the chaos, and reduce the nominal to real fpecies. I. The HOCCO, properly fo called, CraX'Ahélor, Linn, and Gmel. Crax Guianeiijîs, BrifT. Mituporanga, Ray. *the Indian Cock, Pitficld. The Peacock Phea/ant of Guiana, Bancr. The Crcjied Curajfoio, Lath. Brown, and Sloane. Under this fpecies I range not only the \Mitou and the Mitou-poraiiga of Marcgrave, y 4 which 3S8 THE HOCCO. 11 ■ which that author confidered as of the fame kind, the Indian cock of the Academicians and of many others, the Mutou or Moyton of Lact, the TemocholU of the Mexicans, and their Tcpctoiotl or mountain-bird, the ^ir'rzao or CuraJJo of Ja- maica, the Pocs of Frifch, the Hocco of Cayenne in Barrere's fyftem, the Hocco of Guiana, or the twelfth Pheafant in Briflbn's ; but I alfo refer to the fame divifion, as varieties, the Hocco of Brazil, and even Albin's Red Hen of Peru*, or Briflbn's eleventh fpccies of Pheafant, the Hocco of Peru, the Coxdijli of Fernandez, and fixteenth Phea- fant in Briflfon's fyftem. My reafon for this arrangement is, that this multitude of names is applied to birds having many common charac- ters, diftinguiflied only by fome flight varia- tions in the difpofition of the colours, in the fafliion of the bill, and in fome other circum- ftances, which, in the fame fpecies, are affeddi by the age, fex, and climate; and thefe diver* fities are the more to be exped:ed in a fpecies like the prefent, which is fo eafily tamed, andf has adually been tamed in fome provinces, and confequently muft partake, in fome degree, ofj the changes to which domeftic animals are fub-j jeâ: f. • Albin, *' It is of the fame fize and figure with the Carairoul " hen, and appears to be of the fame fpccies." Thus fpiMtJ Alhin, who had the advantage of delineating the two birds ffoal the life. t Sir Hans Sloane fays, that their plumage i» variegatcdi di&erent wav$, like that of common hen». Tii THE H O C C O. 3»f the fame i\cians and on of Lât:tj ;ir Tcpctototl irajfo of Ja- of Cayenne liana, ov the alio refer to ceo of Brazil, : or Briffons occoofPeru, :teenth Fhea- ,U'on for this e of names is c^mon charac- ; {light varia- olours, in tk ' other circum- .s, areaffeaed] i thefe diver- ,a in a fpeciesi Illy tamed, and I provinces, andl Tome degree, of ' Amals are fub-| lure with the CaradoJ cics." Thusfp"' |g the two birds m Uase i» variegatcdi The Academicians had heard that their In- dian cock was brought from Africa, where it was called ^no ; but as Marcgrave and lèverai other obfervers inform us that it is a native of Brazil, and fmce we learn from a compari- Ibn of the moft accurate defcriptions and figures, that its wings are fhort and its flight laborious, we can hardly be perfuaded that it could traverfe tiie immenfe ftretch of ocean that divides the lliores of Africa and Brazil. It is much more natural to fuppofe that the ful)jeds differed by the Academicians, if they were really brought from Africa, had been previoufly carried thither either from Brazil or from fome other fettlc- ment in the New World. The fame reafon will enable us to judge of the propriety of the appellation of the Perfian Cock, beftowed by johnfton on this bird. The Hocco ib nearly as large as a turkey. (One of its moft diftinguifhing properties is a Icreft, which is black, or fometimes black mixed with white, about two or three inches high, and [which extends from the origin of the bill to the bck of the head. The bird can raife or deprefs tat pleafure, and according as it is differently af- jeded. This creft confifts of narrow tapering fea- [hers fomewhat reclined, but the point is retied:-. |d and bent forwards. Of thefe feathers, the academicians obfcrved many whofe webs were iclofed half the length of their Ihaft, in a kind membranous cafe. The 330 THE HOCCO. 4^ The prevailing colour of the plumage is black, which is for the moft part uniform and like vel- vet on the head and neck, and fometimes fprinkled with white fpeckles ; the reft of the body has greenifh refleftions, and in fome fub- jedts it changes into a deep chefnut, as in that of No. 125. of the Planches Enluminées, The bird figured in that plate has no white under the belly or on the tail ; in which refpeâ: it differs from that of No. 86. Laftly, Others are white below the belly and not at the tail, and ijice verfd; and we muft obferve, that thefe co- lours are liable to vary both in their tints and in difpofition, according to the fex. The bill is fhapcd like that of the gallinaceuus tribe, but is rather ftronger : in fome, it is of a flefh colour and whitifli near the point, as in the Brazilian Hocco of Briffon : in others, the end of the upper mandible is grooved on both fides, which makes it look as if it v/ere armed with three points, the principal one in the middle, and the two lateral, formed by furrows, fomewhat farther back, as in the Indian Cocks of the Aca- demicians : in others, the bafe is covered withal yellow fkin, in which are placed the noflrih; as in the Guiana of Briffon: in others, this] yellow fkin, extending on both fides of the head, forms a circle of the fame colour round the eyes;| as in the Mitou-poranga of Marcgrave : in others,! this fkin fwells on the bafe of the upper mail' dible into a kind of tubercle or round bunip,| whiciil lage is black, and like vel- l fometimes e reft of the m fome fub- it, as in that ninées. The white under ich refped it aftly. Others t the tail, and that tbefe co- X tints and in ;tf ,e gallinaceous Dme, it is of a oint, as in the ers, the end of )n both fides, re armed with he middle, and iws, fomewhat ;ks of the Aca- covered with a i the noftrils; in others, this les of the head, round the eyes; rave: inothersj he upper man- : round bumpJ ' whiclil S' ^;^ ^ l;:'l. 'L^ ■ •JMIK FKAiALE CIJKA-SSO the ingd with a fan, large, feath( bony a moA this bi THE HOCCO. 33Î which is pi'ctty hard and about the fize of a fmall nut. Il is commonly believed that the females have not this protuberance; and Edwards adds, that it does not grow on the males till after the firft year; which appears to be the more probable, fince Fernandez obferved in his 71?^^-" tolotl a kind of tumor begun to form on the bill. Some individuals,as ÛieMitou ofMarcgrave,have a white fkin behind the ear like the common hens. The legs would refemble in fhape thofe of the gallinaceous tribe, if they had fpurs and were not proportionally thicker : they vary too in their colour, from a darkifli brown to a car- nation. Some naturalifts would refer the Hocco to the genus of the turkey ; but it is eafy, from the foregoing defcription, and from the ligure, to colled numerous and decifive differences which difcriminate thefe kinds. In the turkey the head is fmali and not feathered, which is alfo the cafe with the top of the neck ; the bill bears a conical mufcular protuberance, capable of be- ing dilated and contracled ; the legs are armed with fpurs ; the tail feathers can be fpread like a fan, &c. whereas in the Hocco, the head is large, the neck funk, and both are clothed with feathers; on the bill is a round, hard, and almoft bony fwelling ; and on the crown of the head a moveable creft, which feems to uc peculiar to this bird, and which is raifcd and depreiïed at pleafure ; S" 33t THE II O C C O. ( .•ma pica Pure ; hut no ptrfon has ever afTcrtcd iliat it c;in expand its tail feathers like a fan. To thcle exterior dilî'crenccs, add the more intimate edeiitial dilparities, which appear ùoni diflection to he as nume.ous. The intellinal cani.l is much h)ngcr, and tlic two cnrci? much Ihortcr, than in the turkey; its craw is aU'o much Icis caj-acious, heingonly four inches round ; hut I have feen a crop taken out of a turkey, that feemcd to have nothing iinufuai in its llrudurc, that could contain half a Paris ]unt dry mcafure. 13elidcs, in the Hoeco, the flcihy fuhltance of tlie gizzard is for the moft part very thin, and its inner coat, on the contrary, very thick, and fo îiard as even to be apt to crack. Taftly, The tracbca arlcj-'ui dilates and makes an inflexurc near where it forks; as happens in fome aquatic hirds, quite con- trary to what is obfcrved in the ttn^key. But if thcHocco he not a turkey, the modern noraenclators had Rill lefs reafon to fui)pofe it a Pheafant ; for befidcs thofe differences, which ■will readily be perceived externally ar\d inter- nally, there is a decifive one in the inllinds of thefe birds. The Pheafant is always \"il(l; though bred from its infar\cy, though treated kindly . ,.d ltd with great attention, it never be- comes ^conciled to \\- c domcftic ftate ; it is ever a reftleis prifoner, ever feeking the means of efcape : it even abufes the companions of its fiiivery, and never aflbciates with them. When it THE II o c c o. 333 h recovers its liberty, and is rcftorcd to tlic favagc ftat.*, lor which it Iccms to he formed, nothing can be more timorous or miflruflfLil ; every new ohjecl is viewed with a iiifpieioiis afj)c(n: ; the lc:ifl n(;i(e fearcs it, and the fli^litelt motion (liRiubs its (juiet ; even the (hadow of a brancli fli;ikcn by the wind is ruflkicnt to make it take wing. Ou tl)C contrary, the Hocco is a caln* bird, fccure and even Riipid ; wliich i)erceivc8 no danger, or at leaf! makes no exertion to flmn il : it fcems to forget ilielf, ai.d to he cardcfs of its own exigence. Anblct Hiot nine of dicm in the fame flock with the lame piece, which lie loaded as often as re(|nired. iS(i;;h was their patient tranquillity. We may luppfjfe that fuch a bird muft be Ibtiablc , that it will reailily accommodate itfelf to the other domcfiic l(nvls ; and that it can be eafily tamed. And tliough trained, it roam« to a great diftance during the day, but always returns again in the evening; as Aublet tells me himfelf. It becomes fo tame as to rub with its bill on the door to gain ad- miflion ; to pull the fervants by the clotties I when they negled it j to follow its mailer every where; or, if not allowed, it waits anxioufly for his return, and, on feeing him again, fliews every fign of joy and aucdion. It is difficult to conceive habits more oppofite ; land I fhould imagine that no naturalift, or even [noraenclator, if he had been acquainted with them. 33* THE HOCCO. k\ them, would have ventured to refer thefe two birds to the Tame genus. The Hocco loves to inhabit the mountains, if we may infer this from the import of the name Tepetoiotiy which, in the Mexican language, fig- nilies moimtain-bird. When kept in cages it is fed on bread, paftc, and other fuch things *. It is fond of perching on trees, efpecially to pafs the night. It flies tardily, as I have obferved above ; but its carriage is bold *|'. Its flelh is white, though rather dry; but when kept a fufficient time, it is pleafant eating %. Sir Hans Sloane fays, that its tail is only *.wo inches long, which Edwards conceives to be printed by miftake for ten. But I fhould imagine that this corrcdion is too general and unlimited; for I obferve that Aldrovandus aflerts, from a drawing of a bird of this fort, that it has no tail. And on the other hand, Barrere relates, from his own obfervaiions which he made on the fpot, that the female of his Amazon Hocco, which is the CurafTow-Hocco of Briflbn, has a fhort tall. Whence it appears that what Sir Hans Sloane has affirmed with regard to the Hocco in general,! muft be reftrided to the female only, at kail in certain tribes. [A] * Fernandez. f Barrere. % Fernandez, Marcgrave, &c. [A] Specific charafter of the Crax-Alciior : " Its cere is yel-l ** low, its body black, its belly white." II. Thel fii,: ,. i 335 ] thefe two untains, if f the name guage, jig- . cages it is lings*. It ially to pafs tve obferved Its flefhis vhen kept a l\ is only *.wo iceives to be lould imagine nd unlimited; .fferts, from a : it has no tail. I relates, from de on the fpot, Hocco, which hasaftiorttall. ans Sloane bas CO in general, only, at kaft !;, Marcgrave.&c. . «c Its cere is y^''] II. The PAUXI, or STONE. Crax-Pauxi, Linn, and Gmel. Callina Ineiica Alba, Will. Crax Mfxicamis, Briff. The Ciijheiv Curnjfuiv, Lath, and EiUv. We have figured this bird in the Planches Efi' lum'mées under the name of Stone of Cayenne^ which is really what it bears in the Royal Me- nogerkf where the drawing was made after the life. But as in its native country, which is Mexico, it is known by the name of Pauxi^ ac- cording to Fernandez, I have thought proper Ito employ both thefe names. — It is the fourth ifpecies of the Pheafant of Briflbn, which he terms Ithe Mexican Hocco, This bird refembles the preceding in many [refneds ; but it differs in fome particulars. Its lead is not tufted like the other j the fwelling 3n the bill is larger, of the fhape of a pear, and )f a blue colour. Fernandez fays, that this iibercle is as hard as a ftone ; and this is the ;afon, I fuppofe, why it was called firft the ^tone-bird, and then the Stotie ; for the fame mfe that it was firft named Cufco or CuJIjciv' \rdy and Numidian-hen^ from this bump, which )me have conceived to referable the American jut, called cufco or cufjew; and others have lagined that it is like the cafque of the Pin- Jdo. 11. Till 7 But 33« THE PAUXI, or STONIX ^$: But thefe are not the only difference^ which diftinguiih the Pauxi from the preceding Hoccos: it is fmaller, its bill is ftronger, more hooked, and alinoft as much fo as tliut of the parrot. Belides, it is much more feldom brought to Europe than the Hocco. Edwards, who I'uw the Hocco in almoft every collection, could not meet with a fingle Cafliewor Pauxi in the courfe cf his inquiries. The elegant black of its plumage has blue and purple reflexions, which cannot be reprefented in the defign. This bird perches on trees; but it lays on the ground like the pheafants, leads its young, and i even calls them together. The brood live firft on inlcds, and afterwards, when they are grown up, they feed on fruits, feeds, and whatever ls| pioper for poultry *. The Pauxi is as gentle, or, if we chufe, as] ftupid, as the other Hoccos ; for it will fit ftillf though fired at fix times in fucceffionj yet, ac-j cording to Fernandez, it will not fuffer itfelf to bel caught or handled; and M. Aublet informs me,[ that it is found in uninhabited places, which : probably one of the caufes why it is fo rareW brought to Europe. Briffon fays, that the male differs from tlij female only by the colours, having brown wherj the other is black ; but that they are in otha refpeds alike. Aldrovandus, however, admij * Aublet and Fernandez. tin] iTONBi difference^ which 1 the preceding I is llrf.n-er, moiv ib as U^at of the ore leldom brought Edwards, who law .lleaion, could not :Pauxiinthecourfe iumage has blue and nnot be repre^ THE HOAZIN. 337 fented J. but it lays on the leads its young, and The brood live iult when they are gro^^;l ^eds, and whatever IS . or if we chufe, asl Ijf^ritwiUlWll [nfucceffion; yet, a^ lllnotfufferitfelftobl [.Aublet informs me, ,bited places, whichij ^by it is fo rarel| ,ale differs from til f, having brown ^.H fthat they are lu ot^ adus, however, adiml ling that the plumage is in general brown, ob- fervos that its wings and tail are cinereous ; that the bill is lefs hooked, and that it has no tail ; vvhicli would be a feature of coincidence with the Amazon Hocco of Barrerc, in which, as we have already noticed, the tail of the female is much fliorter than that of the male : and thefe arc not the only American birds which want thu tail; in a certain part of that continent, the poultry tranfported from Europe lofe their tai' and rump, as we have already obferved in the hiftory of the cock. [A] [A] Specific charaftcr of the Cn.v Pauxi : *' Its cere is blue; " a crcftcd bunch on its noih ils ; its body blackifli ; its belly and " the tip of its tail, white." III. the H O A Z I N. Pbaftanus Crijiatus, Gmel. Crax Fu/cus Mexicanits, BrifT. 'J he Crejhd fheafantt Lath, This bird is figured in the Planches Enluminées bder the name of Crejled Cayenne Pheafant ; at pft it does not differ fenfibly from that, as will Ippear by comparing No; ^^^y* with the defcrip- |on of Fernandez, VOL. II. z According % mr Fernandez. tinl ^, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 1^ IM 2.2 1^ 12.0 lia ■SO m m 118 lu HiotDgraphic Sdences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STRUT WIUTIR,N.Y. UStO (716) •72-4S03 ,<^. 1U is hooked; le wings and ; rays an inch e of the neck, ny brown ; the 5 a creft com- [h on one fide eft is taller and leHoccos; and raife and deprefs fmaller and its nore like a bray- it calls its own altx)ae. Nothing ;e tribes to place lirds ; and as the , to imagine the vaft power, thefe ;die8 for the moft ■rs. They do not [ they abftain per- .nfpires ; or pei-| it lives common- p-enerally cxten-l ''on trees hM Xe thefe reptilcs.| Iparts of Mexico .ears in autum^j ■wbià which gives room to fufpeâ: that it is a bird of paflage *. M. Aublet affures me that this bird, which he eafily recognized in No. 337. of the Plan- ches Enluminées, can be tamed ; and that it is fometimes a fort of domeftic among the In- dians, and that the French call it a peacock. The young are fed infects. [A] with ants, worms, and other * Hernandez.— Fernandez fpeaks of another bird to which he gives the name of Hoazin ; though from his account it appears to be very different from what we have defcribed ; for befides that it is fmaller, its cry is very agreeable, and refemblcs fometimes a laugh or a fneering laugh : its flelh is eaten, though neither tender nor well tailed. — The bird cannot be tamed. I fliould rather difcover the Hoazin in another bird mentioned by the fame author, after the Pauxi. He thus defcribes it: " Another bird muft be ranged with the Pauxi. ... It is of the " fize of a ftork, its colour cinereous, the creft eight inches long, " andcompofed of many feathers . . . thefe dilated, efpecially on " the top." Here is diftinftly the creft and the fize of the Hoazin. [A] Specific charafter of the Phajiamt Crlftatut : " Above, " brown ; below, rufous-white ; its vent rufous, its head crefted, a " naked red fpace about the eyes ; the tail wedge-lhaped, with i " a yellow tip." ^ Z 2 IV. The f 340 3 ^S ^ 5 IV. The Y A C O U. Penelope Crifiata, Gmel. MeleagrisCriJlata, Linn. Phafianus Fufctis Brcjilienfis , Klein. lacupema, Marcg. Ray, and Will. Ike Guan, or ^atiy Edw. and Lath. This bird has named itfelf ; for its cry is, ac- cording to Marcgrave, Tocou ; whence is derived the name lacupema. I have preferred that of I Yacou as the eafieft, and the beft adapted. Marcgrave is the firft who has fpoken of this bird. Some naturalifts, copying him, have| ranged it with the pheafants ; others, fiich as I BrilTon and Edwards, have clafled it with the turkiec. But it is neither the one nor the other : — it is not a turkey, though it has a red] Jkin under the neck ; for it differs in many re- fpeds; in its fize, which is fcarcely equal toj that of a common hen; its head is partly co-j vered with feathers, and its creft is much morel like that of the Hoccc"^ *han that of the crefledl turkey; and its legs h no fpurs:— befides, it] has not the bunch of hard hair under the neckJ nor ihe mufcular caruncle on the bill, as in tliej turkey-cock, nor does it expand tî?e feathers ofitJ tail. On the other hand, it is not :t pheafant; fcl It has the long and flender bill and the creft c| THE YACOU. 341 h 3Y Us cry is, ac hence is derived referred that of : adapted, s fpoken of this ring him, have others, fuch as afled it with the he one nor the jugh it has a red [ffers in many re- Scarcely equal to ead is partly cc ;ft is much more tat of the crefted lurs:— hefitles, it' ir under the necl:, fhe bill, as in tlie the feathers of its )t :t pheafant ; fo and the creft ci the Hoccos ; its neck is flender ; it has a flefhy membrane under the throat ; its tail-feathers are all of an equal length j and its difpofitions are mild and gentle: all which characters diftin- guifli it from the pheafants, and its cry differs from both that of the pheafant and of the tur- key. But what (hall we then make it ? It fhall b^ a Yacou, having fome analogies with the turkey (the flefhy membrane under the throat and the tail compofcd of equal quills) ; with the pheafants (the eye encircled with black fkin, the wings fliort, and the tail long); with the Hocco (the long tail, the creft, and mild difpofition) ; but which is diftinguifhed from all thefe by numerous and marked differences, and therefore conftitutes a feparate fpecies. We can hardly doubt that the C.vv; or ^/atj of [Edwards, fo called, according to him, in the Weft Indies, probably by fome other tribe of lavages, is at leaft a variety of the Yacou, from c i. Their tvuc i\ oblcrvation. what 1 can lo ^ave it in \\v^ t 349 3 The PARTRIDGE. T T is often the moft difficult to give an ac- curate and confiftcnt account of thofe fpecies which are the nioft generally known. When a perfon meets, for the firft time, with a bird which he has never before feen, he overlooks the minute charadcrs, and, feizing the more obvious refemblances, he refers it to tiiat tribe Iwith which he is previoufly beft acquainted. |Hence that ftrange incoherent jumble of names v.hich have been formed on the relations of bfty and inaccurate obfervers. We have al- bady been more than once embarrafled in this paos of terms ; and I am afraid that the article kf the Partridge will not be the laft which re- quires a critical examination. I take the Common Partridge for the bafis and irft fpecies of the genus, as being the beft known, nd therefore the fitteft fubjed for compa- Ifon. — I {hall admit one variety and three per- )anen£ breeds. [Thefe permanent breeds are, i. The Common 'ay Partridge ; and, as a variety of it, the p//^ Gray Partridge of Briifon. 2. The Da- {eus Partridge^ not that of Belon, which is : Hazel Grous, but that of Aldrovandus, which |nnaller than our Gray Partridge, and which appears ^ :i ,f4'! 350 THE PARTRIDGE. ^ '^ appears to be the fame with the Little Partridge, a bird of paflage well known to our fportfmen. 3. The Mountain Partridge^ which is figured in No. 136. of the Planches Enltiminces, and which feems to form the fhade between the Gray and the Red Partridges. In the fécond fpecies I range the Red Par- tridge, into which I admit two permanent breeds in France, and one variety, and two foreign breeds. The two permanent Red Partridges which are found in France are, i.No. 150. Planches Enlu- minées, 2. The Greek Partridge^ PI. 231. The two foreign fpecies are, i . The Red Bar- bar y Partridge of Edwards, PI, 70. 2. The 'RiifoiiS'breaJicd Partridge^ which is found on the banks of the Gambra. As the plumage of the Red Partridge is Iiable| to aflume fhades of white like that of the Gra Partridge, thence refults a variety exadly fimi' lar to that in the latter. From this genus I exclude feveral fpecii "which have been improperly referred to it. 1. The Francolin, which we have removeBhe from the Partridges, becaufe it differs from thenBnd h not only by its general fhape, but by fome parBccou ticular charaders, as in the fpurs, &c. ■'geoi 2. The bird called by Briffon the Smm^\x{Q Partridge^ and which he makes his eighftere fpecies. This bird appears to me to be moiBid fi a-kin to the Francolins than to the Partridgesjit tl 7 tl tc h( th^ «•/ Bri neii ters Ton and 6. W00( hvhic IT / lierc pome Such n 3E. THE PARTRIDGE. 351 and as it has two fpiirs on each leg, I (hall give it the epithet of Double Spur. 3. The African Red Partridge. 4. The third foreign fpecies, called by BrifTon the Great Partridge of Braz-il, which he fuppofes to be the Macucagua of Marcgrave, from whom he copies the defcription, and confounds it with the Agam'ia from Cayenne, which is a bird wholly different from both. 5. The Tambou of Marcgrave, which is the Brazilian Partridge of Briffon, and which has neither the Ihape, the habits, nor the charac- ters of the Partridge ; fmce, according to Brif- 1 The Ked 5flr-B fou himfelf, it has a long bill, perches upon trees, PU 70. 2. TheHand lays blue eggs. "h is found on theB 6. The American Partridge of Catefby and Briffon, which alfo perches, and prefers the Partridge is liableBwoods to the cleared grounds ; a charader that of the Graw'hich does not belong to the Partridge. ittle Partridge^ )ur fportfmen. [lich is figured nhiminc'es^ and e between the re the Red Par- two permanent jiety, and two trldges which are ). Planches £w/«-| ?,P1. 231- riety exaa aiy W Ide feveral fpecw referred to it. have remove Iwe I. A multitude of American birds, which the erd of travellers have called Partridges from bme flight refemblance inaccurately obferved. uch are the birds known at Guadeloupe under he names of Red Partridges^ Gray Partridges^ ' j'.ffgï-s from theoBnd i?/(!7f/^ Partridges ; though, according to the but by fome pwcounts of perfons better informed, they arc ' -s &c. ■'geons or turtles ; fmce they have neither the I .rr ' t^e S^w'^W^'^or the flefli of the Partridge, perch on trees, makes his eig^wl^ere they build their nefts, lay only two eggs, me to be mo»d fmce thé young do not run as foon as they the Partridgesmit the (hell, but are fed by the parents in the neft Ç 35* GRAY PARTRIDGE. neft like turtles. Such too are moft probably thofe Partridges which Carreri faw on the mountains of the Havannah ; fuch the Man- èourisy the Pegajfous^ and the Pegacans of Lery ; and fuch perhaps are feme American birds which I have ranked in the clafs of Partridges on the authority of writers, when their relations feemed not contradided by fads; though I muft own, that it is not likely birds fo heavy | could crofs the intervening ocean. f> '^ 5 The GRAY PARTRIDGE* Tetrao-Perciix, Linn, and Gmel. Perdix Cinerea, Ray, Will, and Brifl*. The Common Partridge, Penn. and Lath. Though Aldrovandus, judging of other counJ tries from his own, aiferts that Gray Par-j tridges abound in every part of the globe ; ij is certain that there are none in the ifland ol Crete ; and it is probable that they never inhaj bited Greece ; for Athenseus remarks with furj prize, that all the Italian Partridges had not red bill like thofe of Greece. Nor arc the! • In Italian, Perdue; in Spanifti, Perdiz ; in Germ^ Wild-hun, or Ftld-huni in Swedifti, Rapp-hoena-y in Polii Kuroptvja, equaii] moft probably faw on the uch the Man- ■acans of Lery ; American birds fs of Partridges n their relations ads ; though I birds fo heavy I n. GRAY PART? J G E S. 353 RIDGE*. nel. ind Briff. and Lath. ing of other coun- that Gray Pw of the globe; il e in the idand oi t they never inli^' remarks withfurJ •tridges had not ;e. Nor arc M ., Perdiz-, in Germs Rapp-hoena-, »" f°" eqi ml equally fprcad through Europe v they feem to avoid the extremes both of heat and cold, and are found neither in Africa nor in Lapland. They thrive moft in the temperate parts of France and Germany, It is true, indeed, that Boterius fays that they do not inhabit Ireland ; but this muft be underftood of the Red Partridges, which are not found even in England, (accord- ing to the beft authors of that country,) and which have not penetrated in that diredion be- yond the iflands of Guernfey and Jerfey. The Common Partridge is frequent in Sweden, where LinnsEUs tells us it winters under the fnow in a kind of burrow, which has a double entrance. This manner of lodging during the fevere fea- fon, is very like that of the Ptarmigan, which we have already defcribed j and if this fad were jnot averred by a man of fo high reputation as Linnœus, I (hould fufped fome millake ; efpe- cially as in France the long winters, with great Falls of fnow, prove fatal to numbers of Par- tridges. Laftly, as it is a bird of laborious light, I am much inclined to fufped that it has lever migrated into America ; and I (hould [magine, that thofe birds of the New World 'hich are referred to this genus, would be fepa- ited from it if they were better known. The Gray Partridge differs in many refpeds om the Red ; but what makes me confider lem as diftind kinds, is that, according to the voLv II. A A remark nul 354 GRAY PARTRIDGES. ! Ill ' :i- '"' ^ remark of the few fportfmen who can make ob* fervations, though they fometimes inhabit the fame fpot, they never afTociate together. A vacant male of the one fpecies will fometimes, indeed, confort with a pair of the other, follow them, and even difcover fymptoms of jealoufy; yet it never copulates with the female, though it is reduced to abftinence, and beholds conti- nually the fweets of conjugal felicity, and feels the enlivening influence of fpring. The Gray Partridge is alfo of a gentler na- ture than the Red, and not difficult to tame;| and when not teazed, it foon becomes fami- liar *. However, they never could be form- 1 ed into flocks that would be driven, as has been done with the Red Partridges : for the Red Partridges are thofe which travellers, asl Olina remarks, defcribe as being bred in nu| merous flocks on fome iflands of the Medi- terranean. The Gray Partridges have alfo al more focial turn, fmce each family continues iol a fnigle body, or covey, till the pairing of lovej If a hatch, from fome accident, does not comj pletely fucceed, the families recruit their flirengti by uniting with others, and adopting the feeblJ remnants of fuch as have luffered moft fevereW from the fportfmen : fo that about the end ol * Ray afTerts the contrary ; but as he confefles that the Rtj Partridges are never feen in b'.ngland, hh authority will nc. this inflancc weigh againil aftiial obftrvers. fumnitl iES. can make ob* js inhabit the together. A n\\ fometimes, e other, follow ' nsof jealoufy; female, though beholds conû- licity, and feelî S' )f a gentler na- iHcult to tame; becomes fami- GRAY PARTRIDGES. 355 fummer they often compofe new coveys more numerous than at firft, and which continue aflbciated till next year. Thcfe birds are fond of corn countries, elpe- cially where the fields are in high cultivation, and manured with marl ; no doubt becaufe they find there abundance of food, both grain and infers ; and perhaps the faline quality of the marl, which contributes fo much to the fer- tility of the foil, is alfu fuited to their confti- tution or tafte. Gray Partridges prefer the open country, and never refort to copfes or ^vineyards, but when they are purfued by the could be *o™* ■fowler, or by the bird of prey: yet they do not driven, as l^^s^j^ç j^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^ . ^^j j j^^^^ rtridges : for t ^m^^^^ frequently told that they never pafs the ich travellers, 2»ight among bulhes or thickets: however, a ing bred m '^'J'fcrtridge's neft was found in a bufh at the s of the Mcqi-Jqqj qÇ j^ ^jj^g^ They begin about the end of dges have alio »«yinter, ^^^^^ ^^^ intenfe frofts, to pair i that is, rnily continues «■jçjj ^^^^1^ ç^i^q^ j^jg female companion, and e pairing oi lo^^-Betires. But this new arrangement is not t, does not comjfc^çj without violent difputes among the ruit their ^^^^.ftales, and fometimes even among the females. dopting the tee ^^^ ^^^ 1^^^ ^^^ -^^ ^^^ animals infeparable, ered moft fevereijBrpgç.jj^jjy among thofe which, like the Par- about the ^^^"^dges^ are ftimulated by an ardent appetite. e females of this fpecies, like the common ns, lay without having had intercourfe with male. When the Partridges are once pairedi y never part, but live in the clofefl: and the A A 2 moft le confefles that tn-^ R^J hiu authority will nc. fumnia ¥ 356 GRAY PARTRIDGES. ^;s! mod faithful union. Sometimes, after they arc paired, the weather grows fevere, and then they all gather together, and again form the covey. Gray Partridges feldom breed, at leaft in France, before the end of March, above a month after they have begun to pair ; and they do not lay before May, or even June, if the winter has lafted long. They make their neft, in general, with little care or preparation : fome grafs or ftraw, ftrewed roughly in the print of an ox or a horfe*s foot, is all they require. It is obferved, however, that the older and more experienced females take greater pains with their nefts than young ones, and are more careful both in guarding againft inundation, and in chufing a fpot fomewhat elevated and pro* tefted naturally by brufh-wood. They gen^ rally lay from fifteen to twenty eggs, and fomC' times twenty- five ; but the number is mucli| fmaller when the bird is either very young or very old : fuch too is the fécond hatch made by Partridges of the proper age, when the firft hi been deftroyed. The eggs are nearly of è fame colour with thofe of pigeons : Pliny fa; that they are white*. The incubation lai about three weeks, more or lefs according the degree of heat of the feafon. The female takes upon herfelf the whole ti of covering, and, during that time, (he undeij * Lib. X. 3. ind ounj rce P'8| i.ii r E S» after they arc re, aï^^ ^^^" rain form the a^ at leaft m arch, above a pair; and they ■n June, if the nake their neft, ;paration: fome in the print of \\ they require, t the older and iQ greater pains es, and are mors ^inundation, and levated and pro- od. They gene-| f eggs, and foroe- [number is mucW er very young ot nd hatch made byj when the firftbas are nearly of tt! geons: Pliny ûy le incubation la< lefs according jn. •felf the whole ti Lt time, ihe undi g« GRAY PARTRIDGES. 357 goes a confiderable moult ; for all the feathers of the belly drop. She fits with great affiduity ; and, it is faid, that (he never leaves her eggs without ftrewing them with leaves. The male, attentive to his mate, generally fettles near the neft, ready to accompany her when (he rifes in queft of food ; and his attachment is fo faithful and fteady, that he prefers this laborious office to the free pleafures which the calls of other Partridges folicit him to enjoy : to thefe he fometimes replies, but never quits his ftation to indulge his appetite. At the expiration of the regular time, if the feafon be favourable and the incubation fucceed, the chicks pierce the (hell with great eafe, and as foon as they have extri- cated themfelves, they begin to run, carrying fometimes a part of the (hell with them. It happens fometimes, however, that they are un- |able to burft iiom their prifon, and that they lie in the ftruggle. In this cafe, the feathers of the young bird are found glued to the inner furface of the (hell, which muft happen when- ever the egg is expofed to too great heat. To [emedy this malady, dip the eggs five or fix linutes in water, fo that the moifture may foak irough the (hell and loofen the feathers. This lind of bathing may alfo perhaps refrefh the [oung bird, and give it additional ftrength to )rce a paflage. The fame hapnens with regard pigeons, and many other ufeful birds, which A A 3 might 3S8 GRAY PARTRIDGES. >s might be faved by the method I have defcribed, or fome analogous experiment. The male, though it has no (hare in the in- cubation, aflifts the mother in raifing the young. They lead them in common, continually call them together, point out to them their proper food, and teach them to find it by fcratching the ground with their nails. It is not uncom- mon to difcover them fquatted bcfidc each other, covering the chickens with their wings, whofe heads projeâ: on all fides, prefenting very lively eyes. In fijch cale, the parents are not eafily fluflied ; and the fportfinan, who is attentive to the prefervation of his game, avoids difturbing fo interefting an office. But if the pointer comes too near, or runs in upon them, the male is always the firft that fprings, venting hisHp^j.. anguifli in a peculiar cry, and appropriated to this emergence. He ftops thirty or forty paces diftant, and fometimes even he returns upon the dog and beats it with his wings,— to fucli a degree does parental affedlion iii' fpire courage in the moft timid animals! Sometimes that tender fentiment infpires ii tliefe birds a fort of prudence, and fuggefts ex- pedients for faving the brood. When the mal fprings in fuch cafes, he has been obfervedti fly flowly, and hanging his wing, as if to deco; the enemy into a purfuit, in the expedation an eafy prey; while the bird keeps always beMjj fore him, but at fuch a fhort diftance as coi tinuaill til ca ha an vai afr alo ten leai dog mal out byt witf rallj fure amo or il llren ranc cove hr T lyello Into 'aft, tde( tovei ii' iM lave defcribed, I lare in the in- ring the young. :ont\nually call :m their proper ,t by Icratching ; is not uncom- :fidc each other, ir wings, whofe Uing very lively 5 are not eafily ho is attentive to avoids difturbing t if the pointer upon them, tk ings, venting [1 appropriated to rty or forty paces he returns upon his vv'ings,— to| ;al affeûion in- timid animals! iment infpires ii , and fuggefts exj When the mal| been obfervedti ing, as if to decoj the expedtation I keeps always b( rt diflance as coi tinuall] GRAY PARTRIDGES. 359 tinually to afford hopes, till the fportfman is carried away from the covey. On the other hand, the female fprings (hortly after the male, and fhoots to a much greater diftance, and in- variably in a different dircdlion. Immediately after fhe has alighted, (he returns back running along the furrow, and finds her chickens fcat- tered and fquatted among the grafs and the leaves; haflily colleûs them, and before the dog has returned from the eager purfuit of the male, (he has led them to a diftant fpot, with- out giving the flighteft notice to the fportfman by the noife in retreating. It is an obfervation with refpedt to animals which holds very gene- rally, that the ardor for copulation is the mca- fure of the folicitude for their progeny. The Partridge is an inftance : few birds are fo amorous, and few difcover fuch an afïiduous or fuch bold vigilance for their young. This ftrength of affedlion fometimes degenerates into rancour, which the mother difcovers to other coveys, purfuing them and tearing them with her bill. The legs of the young Partridges are at firft [yellow, which colour grows lighter, running nto white, and afterwards turns brown, and at aft, when the bird is three or four years old, it deepens into black. This is a method of dif- overing their age : another is drawn from he appearance of the laft feather of the wing, A A 4 which mm in» 360 GRAY PARTRIDGES. ^ which is pointed after the firft moult, but in the following year is quite round. The firft food of young Partridges is ants eggs, and the fmall infetts which they find on the ground and among the herbage. Thofe which are fed within doors retufe grain fur a long lime, and probably this is not their proper aliment till they arc grown up. They always prefer lettuce, fuccory, chickweed, fow-thif- tle, groundl'el, and even the Ihoots of fpring- ing corn. In the month of November their ftomach is found filled with that fubftance, and during the winter they learn to fearch for the tender herbage beneath the fnow. But when the ground is ft iff with froft, they refort to the mild fprings, and crop the herbs on their mar- gins, though not fuited to their conftitution.— | In fummer, they are never obferved to drink. Partridges are three months old when the red I tint difcovers itfelf ; for the Gray Partridges alfo have red on the fide of the temples between the eye and the ear, and its appearance is a critical period with thefe birds, as with all others in like cafes, fince it advances the adult ftate. Previous to this they are delicate, their wing feeble, and| they dread the damps; but after they have re- covered from the fhock, they become hardy, and! begin to ply their wings, to fpring together andl conftantly keep company; and though the co| vey be difperfed, they learn to aflemble againj in fpite of the precautions of the fportfman. 4 Thefl ES. ult, but in the ;e8 18 ants eggs, y find on the Thofe which in for a long t their proper They always reed, fow-thif- .oots of fpring. November their fubftance, and f fearch for the ow. But when tiey refort to tlie 38 on their mar- r conftitution.— -ved to drink. Did when the red ly Partridges alfo pies between the a nee is a critical all others in like ; ftate. Previous ving feeble, and er they have re- ecome hardy, and •ing together and' though the co- affemble again le fportfman. Thst GRAY PARTRIDGES. 361 They afTomhle by a call ; every body knows the cry oi the Partridge, which is not very plca- lant; it is rather a fliarp grating noife like that ofalcythe, than a warble. The mythologifts, ftruck with this refemhlance, metamorphofed the inventor of that inftrument into a Partridge *. The note of the male differs not from the female, except in being louder and more drawling. The male is befides diftinguilhed from the female by a blunt fpur on each leg, and a black mark like a horfe-hoe under the belly, which is not found in the other fex. In this fpecies, as in many others, there are more males hatched than females f; and it is a matteroffome confequence to deflroy the fu- pernumerary males, which difturb the pairs al- ready formed and check multiplication. The common method of catching them is to call them in the pairing feafon by means of a female, land the beft for this purpofe is one that has been Itaken old. The males flock to the female's oice, and fall into the fowler's fnares. So head- long they ru(h into danger, as fometimes to ilight on houfes, or even on the flioulder of the ird-catcher. The moft proper fort of fnares, nd what are the leaft liable to accidents, are a ind of large weel nets of a tunnel fhape, into fhich the Partridges are driven by a perlbn dif- * Ovid's Metamorphofes, Book viii. t About a third more, according to Ray. MM guifed 3^1 GRAY PARTRIDGES. ^* guifeJ like a cow, who, to aid the deception, holds in his hand one of the bells ufually faftened to the necks of cattle *. After they.are entangled in the lines, the fupernumerary males are fele(flcd, and fometimes even all the males are taken, and the females are fet at liberty. The Gray Partridges arc fedcntary birds, which not only continue in the fame country, but which ft ray as little as poflible from the neighbourhood where they are bred, and they always return again. They fear much the bird of prey; when they perceive him, they crowd clofe one upon another, but their formidable | enemy difcovers them from a diftance, approaches I them glancing along the ground, in order to ipring one of which he may catch on the wing. Surrounded by fo many enemies, and expofedto lb many dangers, we may naturally fuppofe that few will reach a great age. Some fix the period of their life at leven ye.irs, and aflert that, in their fécond year, they have attained their full! vigour, and give over laying in the fixth. Olinal fays, that they live twelve or fifteen years. It has been tried to breed Partridges in parks, for the purpofe of ftocking grounds not inha-l bited by them. The experiment has fucceededij and it has been found that they may be raifeif nearly the fame way as Pheafants, only no dfr pendence muft be had on the eggs of donieftiJ • Olina. Partridge! ES. GRAY PARTRIDGES. 363 Partridges. Seldom do they lay, when rcdurcd to that ftate, and ftill feldomcr do they pair and co- pulate ; and they never have been oblci vcd to hatch in thofc inclolures where the Pheafants fo readily breed. We muft therefore fearch in the fields for the eggs of free Partridges, and fct them under common hens. A fingle hen can hatch about two dozen and rear that number of young, which will follow this ftranger as well as they would do their natural mother, but they are nor fo well acquainted with her voice. They become however familiarized to it in a certain degree, and the Partridge thus bred, retains anc'e, approaches! through the reft of its life the habit of calling (1 '■ n order toB^^h^^^^ ^^ hears the clucking of hens. h on the wiiig.B ^^^ Gray Partridges are much lefs delicate to and expofedtoBralfe than the Red fort, and not fo fubjeû to dif- *ii., iMT^r^nfe tliatBwfes, at leaft in France, which it would feem is lie deception, ually fattened ^are cptangled es are feledcd, are taken, and dcntary birds, i fame country, Tible from the bred, and they much the bird im, they crowd heir formidable Uy fuppofe thatleafes, at leaft in Fra -ne fix the periodBtheir congenial climate. It is unnecefTary even id aflert that, \\m° give them ants eggs, and they may be fed tained their fullBîke the common poultry on bread crumbs, hard the fixth. Olinifcss, &c. When they have grown ftout and egin to feek their food, they may be let loofe I'here they are bred, and from which place they ever, as I have already noticed, remove to any reat diftance. The flefti of the Common Partridge has long nts only no deBeen efteemed delicious and wholefome food, ercs of domefti» ^^^ two properties which are feldom com- bined; it is juicy, and yet not fat. Thefe rdshave twenty-two quills in each wing, and eighteen teen years, rtridges in parlciii rounds not inha- ent has fucceeded, ey may be raifel Partridge! 364 GRAY-XVHITE PARTRIDGE. ii^' <^ eighteen in the tail, of which the four mid-ones are of the fame colour with the back *. The noftrils, which are at the origin of the bill, are more than half covered with a fcreen of the Hime colour with the bill, but of a fofter fubftance, as in the common hens. The naked fpace between the eye and the ear is of a brighter red in the male than the female. The inteftinal canal is about two feet and a half long, and the two cœca are each five or fix inches. The craw is very fmall f , and the giz- zard is full of gravel mixed with the food, as I obferved in all the granivorous tribes. [A j [A] Specific charadtcr of the Common Partridge, Tttm\ PoJix :—" It has a naked fafiVon fpot under its eyes, its tail ill «• ferruginous, its breart brown, its feet vvhitilh." Its egg iil fomewhat pcar-fhapcJ, and greeniih gray. The GRAY-WHITE PARTRIDGE. Tetrao Pera'ix, Var. Linn. PeruLxi Cincrco-Jlba, Biiff. This bird was known to Ariftotle Xt ^^^ "^ ticed by Scaliger § ; for they both fpeak of tlid • Willughby. t Ingluvies ampla, fays Willughby, bat in the Partridge whidil £ifl'eded it was very fmall. X Lib. V. 6. § Extrcir. 59. in Cardanam. '\m DGE. four mid-ones lack *. ; origin of the with a fcreen of )ut of a fofter IS. The naked r is of a brighter two feet and a each five or fix f, and the giz- th the food, as| ribes. [A] non Partridge, Telm\ ider its eyes, its tail is I whitifh." Its egg iil GRAY-WHITE PARTRIDGE. 36s ^RTRIDGE. ftotle it and no both fpeak of tinthePartridsewhichl White Partridge^ and we cannot fuppofe that they meant the Ptarmigan, fometimes improper- ly fo called ; fmce Ariftotlc could not be ac- quainted with that bird, which is not an inha- bitant of Greece, Afia, or any country to which his information reached. And indeed what proves decidedly this pofition, he does not re- mark the charaderiftic property of this bird, that its feet are feathered to the toes. With re- gard to Scaliger, he could not poffibly confound thefe two fpecies ; becaufe in the fame chapter where he fpeaks of the White Partridge of which he had eaten, he a little afterwards difcourfes at great length on the Z^^o/z/j- of Pliny, whofe feet are clorhed with plumage, and which is the true Ptarmigan. The Grayifh White Partridge is by no means Ifo white as the Ptarmigan; the ground only is |of that colour, and is fullied with the fame fpecks in the Common Partridge, diftributed in the pame manner. But what fully proves that the ilifference in the colour of the plumage is only accidental, and forms a variety of the Gray Par- ridge, is, that, according to naturalifts and even kcording to fportfmen, it mingles and aflbciates vith that fpecies. One of my friends * faw a bvey of ten or twelve Partridges which were [ntirely white, and was witnefs to their pairing cith the common fort in the breeding feaibn. Cardanum. • Le Roi, Lieuttnant dtt CbaJ/is at Verfailles. Wm Thefe rr'jr W: 366 DAMASCUS PARTRIDGE. Thefe White Partridges had white eyes or rather white pupils, as happens too in white hares, white mice, &c. the bill and legs were of a lead colour. ^|S ■^' mi'n The DAMASCUS PARTRIDGE. La Petite Perdrix Gri/e, BufF. 7'ctrao Damafcenus, Gmel. Perdix Damujlena, Briff. &c. This Partridge, defcribed by Aldrovandus, is probably the fmall migratory fpecies, which lias| been obferved at different times in feveral pro- vinces of France. It differs from the Gray Partridge not only inl its fize, which is always inferior, but by its bill,! which is longer, by the yellow colour of its legsJ and above all, the habit of changing its refidence.l It has been feen in Brie, and in other places! pafling in numerous flocks, and purfuing itsl journey without halting. A game-keeper in tlitl neighbourhood of Montbard faw laft Marchj (1770), a flight of one hundred and fifty or two hundred, which feemed to turn afide and fuf-j pend their progrefs at the noife of the call, bull were entirely gone the next day. This fimplj fadt, which is undoubted, points out the analojj anJ DGE. DAMASCUS PARTRIDGE. 367 eyes or rather >A?hite hares, were of a lead RIDGE. and the difference between this fpecies and the common fort. Their being drawn by the call fliewed their affinity; their rapid flight through a country equally fuited to the Gray and Red Partridges, which both refide in it the whole year, denotes another inftindl:, and confequently another organization, and at leaft another fa- mily. We muft not confound this Damafcus or Syrian Partridge with the Syroperdix of iElian, found in the vicinity of Antioch ; whofe plu- mage was black, the bill fulvous, the flefh firmer and better flavoured, and the difpofition more favage than that of other Partridges : for the colours we fee do not correfpond, and iElian oes not tell us that this Syroperdix is a bird of aflage. He adds, as a fmgular circumftance, hat it fwallows (tones ; which however is very ommon in the granivorous tribes. Scaliger ntions a remarkable fadt, to which he was olour of its legs, Jitnefs, and which bears fome relation to the . -j^j, lefidenceBrefent ; it is that in Gafcony, where the land other placesB very fandy, their flefh was mixed with minute and purfuing " """ y Aldrovandus, is •pedes, which has E:s in feveral pro- tridge not only in Dr, but by its bill,l Its ame-keeperinlbîl faw laft Marcl d and fifty or tw urn afide and fut' fe of the call, but day. This fimpli nts out the analog' aR' articles, which was very difagreeable. [A] |[A] Specific charadler of the Damafcus Partridge, Tetrao fma/a/ius : — •' It has a naked fafFron fpot under its eyes, its tail lis ferruginous, its bread brown, its feet yellow." The r.i' f 368 J The MOUNTAIN PARTRIDGE. Le Perdrix de Montagne, BufF. Tetrao Montaniif, Gmel. Fer dix Montana, BriflT. : V I make this Partridge a diftindt fpecies, fince it rerembles neither the Gray nor the Red fort. It would be difficult to decide to which of thcfel kinds we ought to refer it ; for if, on the one hand, it be certain they fometimes breed withj Gray Partridges; on the other, their ordinary refidence is on mountains ; and the red colour! of their bill and legs, alfo fhews a clofe relationj to the Gray Partridge, and I am ftrongly in- clined to fufped that they fometimes even confortl with thefe. I am therefore perfuaded that ill conftitutes the intermediate fpecies between thefej extremes ; it is nearly the fizc of the Gray Par* tridge, and has twenty quills in the tail. [A] Specific charadler of the Mountain Partridge, Tf.r lUntanus : — " Its feet and bill are red, its throat tawny-yellowift." [ 36^ j rRlDGE. The RED PARTRIDGES. £t fpecies, fince ir the Red fovt. 0 which of thcfe r if, on the one times breed withi r, their ordinary I id the red colouil ;s a clofe relation! : am ftrongly in- times even confoitl perfuaded that ill cies between thefel of theGrayPatj a the tail. ntain Partridge, ffA throat tawny -yellowiûi.1 The GREEK iPARTRIDGE. La Bartavelle, OM Perdrix Grecque^ BuiF. TetraoRu/us, Linn, and Gmel. Perdix Graca, Briff. Pernice, Zinn, Whatever the ancients have faid on the fub- jeft of Partridges, we muft refer to the Red kinds, and efpecially to the Bartavelle. Ariftotlô was undoubtedly beft acquainted with the Greek Partridge, nor is it probablckithat he knevi' any but the Red Partridges; fince thefe are the only Par- tridges that are found in Greece, or in the iflands |of the.Mediterranean*, and in all probability in [the part of Alia conquered by Alexander, fituated in nearly the fame latitude with Greece and the Mediterranean f, and which was probably the fource of Ariftotle's principal information. With Irefped to the fucceeding naturalifts, fuch as Pliny, Athenaeus, &c. we plainly fee that though they were acquainted with other Partridges in [Italy befides the Red, they were contented with [barely copying what Ariftotle had faid. It is » Belon. f It appears that only the tied Partridge was known to the Ijews, fince they reprefent it as an inhabitant of ths mountains : I" The kinp- of Ifrael is corns out to feck a flea, as one 'would bunt \ a Partridge on th tr.ountain:." I Samuel, chap. 26. ver. 20. VOL. H. B u indeed 370 GREEK PARTRIDGE. ^ indeed true that the Grecian philofopher ad- mitted a difference in the cries of the Par- tridges *; but we cannot thence infer any real diftindion of fpecies : for this diverfity often re- fults from the age or fex, has place even in the fame individual, and may be the effeâ of fume local caufe or of the influence of climate; which the ancients themfelves admitted, fmce Athenxus aflferts that the Partridges which pafled from Attica into Bocotia were known to change their cry f . Befides, Theophraftus, who alfo remarks fome varieties in the notes of the Partridges, ac- cording to the countries which they inhabit, certainly fuppofes them not to be all of different fpecies ; for he defcribes the different voices in his treatife ** On the various Notes of Birds of the fame kind»* On examining the accounts which the ancients have given refpeding this bird, I difcover many accurate fads and obfervations disfigured by a heap of exaggerations and fables; on which fome moderns J have fhewn their pleafantry, i though it required no great talents to ridicule. I (hall endeavour to trace the origin of thefe tales | from the nature and inflinds of the Partridge. Ariftotle relates that this bird is fond of rolling I in the dufl, has a craw, a gizzard, and very fmall caca^] that it lives fifteen years and • Some Ka*ffea of fomc limate; which ince Athenaeus tv paffed from o change their lio alfo remarks : Partridges, ac- i they inhabit, e all of different fFerent voices in 's of Birds of the hich the ancients I difcover many s disfigured by a Dies; on whicb their pleafantry, nts to ridicule. 1 in of thefe tales ^he Partridge, is fond of rolling .zzard, and very ifteen years and ^ Gefner. cap. uU. and lib. vi. 4- • more; GREEK PARTRIDGE. 37» more*; that^ like all other birds of a laborious flij^ht^ it builds rio neft, but lays its eggs on the open ground, on a little herbage or leaves fl revved carelefsly f , though in a fpot of good afpedt, and fheltcred ffom the attacks of rapacious birds» that in this fpfeciès, which is of a very amorous difpofition^ the males fight obftinately with each other in loi^e feafoni and that at that time their îéfticles are diftindly feen^ though in winter f they are hardly vifiblc ; that the females can lay eggs without any intercourfe with the male § ; that both fexes copulate by opening the mouth and darting out the tongue || ; that their hatch commonly confifts of twelve or fifteefi eggS; that Ibmetimes they cannot retain their eggs, but drop them wherever they happen to be 1Î, But after mentioning thefe fadls, which are in- |Conteftible, and which are confirmed by the ob- [férvations' of thé moderns, Ariftotlc adds many cifcumftances where the truth is difguifed, and hich mud be analifed, in order to extradt what s valuable from the mixture. He fays, t. That the female Partridges Ipv eft of their e'gg^ in a concealed fpot, to fave • Lib. ix. 7. Gefner has inadvertently put twer.ty-fivc years his verfion, whith error has been copied by Aldrovandus. Ithensus tnakes Ariftotle lay that the female lives longer ihau Icinale, as ufiia! in birds. It Lib. vi. 1. I Lib. in. i. §' Id. ibid. Lib. V. 5. Avicenna has thence been led to fay, that the pttridges work up their paffion by the clofeil kiill-s and carcflbi, U the pigeons ; but thii is a miftake. |«i Lib. ix. 8. B B 2 them 37 i GREEK PARTRIDGE. '^ them from the male, who feeks to deftroy them, as impeding his pleafures*. This is reckoned ridiculous by Willughby ; but I am inclined to think that he has been too hafty in pafling judg- ment, for if we diftingulfh between the fadt oh- ferved and the intention implied, the aflertion of Ariftotle is literally true, and is nothing more than that the Partridge, like all the other females of the feathered race, is induftrious to conceal her neft Î left the males, efpecially the fupernu- merary ones, feeking to copulate in the time of incubation, difturb the function by the gratifica- tion of their appetites. For this reafon it has always been recommended to deftroy the fuper- fluous males, as one of the moft efficacious means of advancing the multiplication of the breed, not , only of Partridges, but of other birds in tlici favagp ftate. Ariùoîle adds, 2dly, That the female Par- tridge divides her eggs into two hatches, one of I which Ihe entrufts to the male, until the youngf are educated f. This is abfolutely incompatible! with the propenlity to break the eggs, which I he fuppofes to be implanted in the male. ButI if we would reconcile Ariftotle with himfelfandl with truth, we may fay, that as the female doesl not lay all her eggs in the fame fpot ; fince M cannot retain them, but allows them fometimei to drop wherever ftie happens to fit; and as m male feems in this fpecies, or at leaft in U * Id. ibid. t Hi/}. Jnim, lib. vl. 8. familifl dge. 3 deftroy tbem, as is reckoned am incVmed to n paffing judg- een the faft ob- the affertion of 3 nothing more he other females ,us to conceal her \y the fupernu- ite in the time of , by the gratifica- his reafon it has dearoy the fuper- Ufficacioua means I of the breed, not ther birds in tk the female Par- o hatches, one of e, until the young utely incompatible : the eggs, ^'^^\ ^^ the male. But , With himfelf and as the female M ,me fpot -, fmce fte ,s them fometimej to fit-, and as til at leaft in H L-w.Ub. vi. 8. GREEK PARTRIDGE. 373 families of this fpecies, as in the gray fort, to (hare in the education of the ; ^, it is not impro- bable but he alfo parti' utes in the drudgery of incubation, and may cover a part of the eggs which were not under the hen. Ariftotle fays, 3dly, That the males tread one another, and even their young as foon as they are able to walk *; and this affertion has been confidered as fabulous and abfurd. I have how- ever more than once had occafion to mention undoubted inftances of this perverfion of in- ftind ; and, among the Partridges, nature is fo purient, that the male cannot hear the cry of the female without fhedding ^2;?;^// ; and To intoxi- cated is he with pleafure in the feafon of love, that though commonly extremely fhy, he ven- tures then to alight on the bird-catcher. How much more therefore would their ardour be ex- alted in the warm climate of Greece, and when they had long been denied the company of their I mates, as dur ig the time of incubation ? Ariftotle aflerts, 4thly, That female Partridges Iconceive and produce eggs, when they happen to be fanned by wind from the males, or when Ithefe fly over them, or even when they hear Itheir notes f . Thefe words of the Grecian phi- llofopher have given occafion to much ridicule ; as if a current of air impregnated with the fœcun- 3ating particles of the male, or the mere vibra- Lib. ix. 8. t I.ib. V. 5. BB 3 tion 374 GREEK PARTRIPGE. ^ tion impreffed by his voice, were really fufiicîenr to impregnate the female. All that is infinuatcd is, that in inch circumilances the natural fire of their conftitution blazes with new force; and for the fame reafon, weltering in the duft for- wards the laying *. From thefe fads it is eafy to conceive, that the Hen Partridge, though ftrongly fet on co- vering, will fometimes prefer the indulgence of appetite to the tedious duty of incubation. It may even happen that, when flie perceives her mate wavering in his fidelity, and about to yielii to the allurements of other females, Ihe will offer the embrace, to fecure the domeftic har- mony, and provide for the profperity of the ex- peded progeny f. JElian has faid, that the males fight always with greater obftinacy in prefeace of the f::males ; be- caufe, he adds, when thu§ circumllanced, they will rather die, than fliiew cowardice, or appear after being vanqui(hcd J. We mufl here too diftinguifli between the fadl and the intention. It is certain that the fight of the females adds fuel to their quarrels ; not however becaufe il; ♦ Ariflotlc adds a fa£l which evinces theirfalacious temperament; *' they alfo lay zephyi-ian or addle eggs, if the genital parts be *' ftrokcd by the finger." f Often the female rifes from her nell when fhe perceives her I mate attendine to a fauntering female, aqd throwing hcrfelf into Jiis embrace, fatiates his appetite. AriH:. lib. ix. i8. — So ihailuiH overcomes even the attachment to their brocd. Lib. x. 33. X Hilt. Anim. lib. iv. |. pup iGE. really fufficlent lat is inlmuiitcd natural fire of ew force; and i the duft for- conceive, that »ngly fet on co- le indulgence of incubation. It he perceives her id about to ykU emales, (he wiU le domeftic har- fperity of the ej;- |fight always with the r::males; be- umilanced, they ardice, or appear muft here too d the intention, the females adds wever becaufe iï rfalacious temperament; if the genital parts be whcnft\e perceives her )d throwing hc-rfelf in'-O I ib. ix. 18.— Soihailuil| ,cd. Lib. X. 33. plqUâ»! GREEK PARTRIDGE. 375 piques their honour, but becaufe it iuHames their appetite for enjoyment. It is thus by diftinguiflilng between adions and intentions, and rejeding crude fuppofitions which disfigure important fadls, that we can often extract the truth from relations of animals, which have fo much been deformed by the fictions of man, and the folly of afcribing to all other beings his own charadter, his own feelings, and his own apprehenfions. As the Bartavelles pofTefs many properties in common with the Gray Partridges, we need only remark the chief differences. Belon, who had vifited their native climate, tells us, that they are double the fize of our Partridges : that they are very plentiful, and even more common than any other bird in Greece, in the Archipelago iflands, and particularly on the coafts of the ifland of Crete (now Candia) : that they call in the love feafon, uttering a found like that of the word chacabis ; whence the Latins have undoubtedly formed the term eacahare to denote that cry ; and the fame analogy might perhaps have had fome Ihare in the conftrudion of the cubethy cubata^ Vuhejiy &c. the names of the Red Partridge in the eaftern languages. Belon relates alfo, that the Bartavelles generally lodge in rocks, but that they come down into the plains to build their neft, in order that their [young may procure food with eafe : that they ay from eight to fixteen eggs, of the fize of fmall B B 4 hen 376 GREEK PARTRIDGE. ^ hen eggs, white and fprinkled with reddifh points, and the yolk of which cannot be made hard. Laftly, what he imagines Ihcws the Greek Partridge to be of a different kind from our Red Partridge, is this, that in Italy, where both arc known, they have each a diftindt name, the Grecian fort being called Cothurno^ and the other Pcrciice ; as if the vulgar who beftow names could not be miftaken, or even apply two different denominations to the fame fpecies. He con- jedlures alfo, and not without probability, that it is this large Partridge, which, according to Ariftotle, croffes with the ordinary hen and breeds prolific hybrids ; a circumftance which,as the Greek philofopher remarks, rarely happens, and never but between the moft falacious kinds*, It bears ftill another analogy to the common hen, that it fits on other eggs when robbed of I its own : —This obfervation is very ancient, for| it occurs in fcripture f. Ariftotle obferves, that the male Partridges I fing or cry chitfly in the love feafon, when they fight with each other, or even before they begin to quarrel X- The ardour which they have for the female is then converted into mutual rage. .t-;?l;a' * Pi! Gcneratione Ar.imaUum, lib. ii. 4. f *' As the FartriJge gathereth the young which flie has notl " brought forth ; fo he that getteth riches, and not by right, fliaCJ " leave them in the middle of his days, and in the end beal " fool." X Lib. iv. 9. Hencel with reddifii annot be made hews the Greek d from our Red where both arc in£t name, the noy and the other \ow names could ily two different »ecies. He con- probability, that ich, according to rdinary hen and mftance which, as s, rarely happens, \falacious kinds*, to the common ;s when robbed of very ancient, for male Partridges! Ifeafon, whentheyl before they begin Lich they have for| linto mutual rage. GREEK PARTRIDGE. 377 Hence thofe contcfts, and thofe fcreams, that in- toxication, and that heediefs fecurity which pre- cipitates them not only into fnarcs, but into the very hands of the fowler *. Fowlers have profited by their ardent head- long difpofition to draw them into the fnare: a female is prefented to their burning appetites, or a male has been expofed to provoke their im- prudent rage f. The males have even been trained to fight by way of entertainment, and thefe birds, commonly fo peaceable and fo timid^ have contended with obftinate fury, and the combat has been inflamed by the fight of the females ;|;. This cuftom is ftill very common in the ifland of Cyprus §j and we have already ob- ferved that the Emperor Alexander Severus took great delight in this fort of battles. [A] • Lib. ix. 8. \ Lib. iv. i. I J£X\2.n de Nat. Anim. lib. iv. I. § Hill, de Chypre, par Francois StephanoLufignano. [A] Specific charafter of the Greek Partridge, TttraoRufui : — I" Its legs and bill are blood-coloured ; its throat is whice« en- f circled with a l^lacK belt, dotted with white," M Lung which (he has noil les, and not by right, (lialll lys, and in the end be»| Hencel The C 378 J ^ The EUROPEAN RED PARTRIDGE. Tetrao Rufus, Var. Linn, and Gmel. ftrdix Rufa, Var. Lath, and Ind. Ptrdix Rubra, Briff. The Red-legged Partridge, Ray, and Will. The Gitern/ey Partridge, Lath. Syn. This is of an intermediate fize between the Bartavelle and the Gray Partridge. It is not fo common as the latter, nor does every climate fuit it. It is found in moft of the temperate and mountainous countries of Europe, Afia, and Africa ; it is rare in the Netherlands *, and in many parts of Bohemia and Germany, where the attempts to breed it have proved unfuccefsful, though the pheafant thrives there t% It is never feen in England jl, nor in certain iflets near Lcmnos§; yet a fmgle pair, being carried into the little ifland of Anapha (now Naniio), mul* tiplied to fuch a degree, that the colonifts were almoft refolved to abandon their fettlements ||. This abode is fo congenial to their nature, that, even at this day, the inha'jitants are obliged, about Eafter holidays, to deftroy their eggs by thoufands ; left the Partridges, which might be hatched, fliould totally ruin the crops. And • Aldrovandus. f Idem. % Ray and Edwards. § Anton. Liberalis apud Aldrov. \\ Athenxus* thefel RTRIDGE. si. IWiU. XdA' Ize between tk ge. It is not fo es every climate he temperate and irope, Afia, and erlands *, and ia Germany, where oved unfuccefsful, re t- It is never ;rtain iflets near jeing carried into |w Nanfio), mul- :he colonifts were leir lettlements 1. :heir nature, that, Ltants are obliged, •oy tbeir eggs by , which migbt be the crops. And [ay and Edwards. Athenaus. _ tbefel THK GXTER.»rSEir l*AR.1'lVrr) GK y tr '^ ilh iafte 3rt: m lins. EUROPEAN RED PARTRIDGE. 379 thefe eggs prepared with different fauces ferve lèverai days to fubfift the iflanders *. The Red Partridges fettle in mountains which abound with heath and bufhes, and fometimes in the fame mountains which are inhabited by the game improperly termed White Partridges ; yet they prefer the lower and more hofpitable traâs f . In winter, they confine the range of their excurfions, and lodge under the fhelter of rocks with a fouthern afpect. During the reft of the year they continue in the buflies, and the fportlmen can hardly drive them from their re- Itreats. I am well informed that they can, better Ithan the common Partridge, fupport the rigours lof winter, and are much more eafily caught by Igins or fnares. They refort every fpring in [nearly the fame numbers to their favourite haunts. |They feed on grain, herbs, flugs, caterpillars, ants' eggs, and other infeâs ; but their flelh is often tainted with the fmell of their aliments. ilhn relates that the Partridge of Cyrrha, a Maritime town in Phocis, had a difagreeable jafte, becaufe of their living on garlick. They fly heavily and hboriouily, like the gray ort ; and without feeing them, we may cafily ftinguifli them by the noife merely which tiey make with their wings when they are luihed. When they are furprifed on the moun-r jins, they feek {belter among the precipices, and iimtp*' • Tournefort. f Stuinpfius r/m^i Gcfn. whea 3So EUROPEAN RED PARTRIDGE. when they are dillodged, they regain the fummit. In the plains, they fhoot fwiftly forward. When they are hotly purfued, they fly into the woods, and perch upon the trees, and fometimes even burrow in the ground, which the Gray Par- tridge never does. The Red Partridges are diRinguifhed from the Gray alfo by their natural habits and difpo- fitions ; they are not fo focial : they form them- fclves indeed into coveys, but the union is not fo complete or harmonious. Though hatched and bred together, the Red Partridges keep apart from each other : they do not fpring at the fame inftant, they do not fly in the fame di- rection, and they do not call each other with the fame eagernefs, except in the love feafon, and| then even each pair formas a feparate union. Laftly, When their painon is gratified, and the I female begins coolly to cover her eggs, the male abandons to her the charge of raifjng the family. In this refped, our Red Partridges feem to diffcrl from thofe of Hgypt ; fin'-e the priefts chofe asl the emblem of domeftic harmony, a pair of Par-I tridges, a male and a female, occupied each apart! with its hatch *. A confequence of tl»e favage difpofitionl of the Red Partridge, is that they are moreT diflicult to breed in parks like the pheafantj though the method is nearly the fame. It reJ (quires more pains and attention to habituât^ • Aldrovandus. theaj EUROPEAN RED PARTRIDGE. 381 them to their captivity : nor are they ever com- pletely reconciled, fince the young Partridges languifh in their prifon, and though every expedient be tried to fweeten their condition, would pine away or fall into fome diforder, if not fet at liberty as foon as their feathers begin to (hade their heads. Thefe fads, which have been communicated to me by M. Le Roi, feem to contradiâ: what is related of the Partridges of Alia *, and fome iflands in the Archipelago j*, and even thofe of Provence:}:, where numerous flocks have been feen that obeyed the voice of their conditdtor with wonderful docility. Porphyry mentions a tame Partridge brought from Carthage, which ran to I call his matter, fawned on him, and exprefled its " la the country round Trebizond, I faw a mnn leading above I" four thoufand Partridges. He marched on the ground, while the " Partridges followed him in the air, till he reached a certain camp j" three days journey from Trebizond. When he flept, all the I" Partridges alighted to repofe around him, and he could take as I" many as he pleafed of tlieir number." Odor I eus de Foro-Julii, apud Gefn, t " There are people on the coaft of Vciîa and Elata (in the I" ifle of Scios), who raife Partridges with care. They lea J thcni to feed in the fields, like flocks of Ihccp : each family cntrulls j" its Partridges to the common keeper, who brings them back in r the evening ; and he calls them together by mtans of a whilUe, f' even in the day-time." Tourne fort's Voyage to the Levant. Î I have feen a man in Provence who led flocks of Partrido;cs Into the fields, and alTembled them whenever he chofe ; he tork [hem with his hand, put them into his boibm, and then diimiffed ' hem. Id, ibid. fond nef? à«i EUROl'EAN RED PARTRIDGE. fond nefs by certain articulations which feemed lo flo\V from fentiment^ and were entirely dif- férent from its ordinary notes. Mundella and Oefner taifed fomé themfelves that grew very familiar. It appears from feveral paflages in ancient authors, that they had even acquired the art of teaching them to fmgj or at leaft to im- prove their natural notes fo rtiuch as to give a pleafihg fort of warble *. But all this may be reconciled, by faying that this bird has not fo great averfion to man as abhorrence of flavery : that he has difcovered the way to tame and fubdue the moft favage animal, that is, one the moft enamoured of liberty ; and that the method is to treat it accordinj^ to its inftin£t, and to indulge it with as much freedom as pofTible. In this light, -the fociety of the tame Partridge with the perfon who diredts its will, is I the moft engaging,' and the moft noble ; founded not on its wants, its interefts^ or on a ftupid ferenity of temper, but bound by fynipathy, choice, and a mutual affedïion. The Partridge I contrads a liking for man, and fubmits to hisi inclinations, only vvheh hé allovirs it to leavèl him at plealure, and impofes ho reftrainf beyond! what fociety requires. In a word, when he at-l tempts to reduce it to domeftic flavery, its ge-[ nerous nature revolts at the appearance offeree;! the lofs of liberty preys upon its vitals, and ex| • Athenaeus.— Plutarch. — iElian. tinguifliesi •^, IDGE. which feemed ;re entirely dif- Mundella and hat grew very ral paffages in ren acquired the r at leaft to im- ach a9 to give a WHITE RED PARTRIDGE. 383 tinguiflies the moft powerful inftinds, thofe of love and of felf- prefer vation. Sometimes, in the paroxyfms of its rage, it dafhes its head ngainft the cage and expires. It difcovers an invincible repugnance to propagation : and if fometimes, ftimulated by the ardour of temper, and the warmth of the feafon, it copulates in confine- ment, its embraces are too feeble to perpetuate a race of flj ves* [A] i, by laying a ■ ^^^ ^^ ^^^ Partridge is not found in England j but in rfion to man as Jpjjnçe jt jj j^, ^oft common of the genus, las difcovered the 3ft favage animal, d of liberty; and accordinf- to its as much freedom [ocietyofthetame dite£ts its will, is ■ i^ ^ijg fpecies of the Red Partridge, as in the ift noble i founded ftfay, (jjg plumage is fometimes white; which j^ or on a ftupidftangc of colour is the accidental efFe£b of fome nd by fytnp^%»BiirticuIar caufe. Nor is this whiteness inti* I. The Partridge «ate . ^^e colour of the head is not altered, nd fubmits to hi8»,j th^ \^\\ a^j j^gg remain red : and as they allows it to leavèMmmonly breed with the Red Partridges, w» 10 rèftraînt beyondBye reafon to conclude that they belong to th« word, when he at-Bn^ fpeçj^ . ic flavery, its ge-F ce of force i| The WHITE RED PARTRIDGE. I»»»*' [pearan its vitals, andex-l l.^lan. tingulfiiesl Thç t 38+ 3 The F R A N C O L I N. Tetrao Francolimis, Linn, and Gmel. Perdix Francolinus, Lath. Ind. Tetrao Orienialis, Haflelq. Thi Franciline Partridge, Lath. Syn. -^ This name, too, has been beftowed on very different birds. We have already feen it applied to the Atiagcis ; and from a paffage of Gefner, the bird known at Venice by the nameofirûw- ccUn^ appears to be a kind of Hazel Grous*. The Neapolitan Francolin is larger than a common hen; and indeed the length of its legs, I bill, and neck, will not allow us to regard it as| eliher an Hazel Grous or a Francolin f. All that we know of the Francolin of Ferraral is, that it has red feet, and lives on fifh %, The! bird of Spitzbergen, which has been called Fran- colin, receives alfo the appellation of the Bmà\ Runner^ becaufe it never ftrays far from th^ ihore, where it picks up gray worms and flirimps for its fubfiftence : it is no larger than a lark §. The Francolin which Olina figure! and defcribes, is the one of which I am to treatj That of Edwards differs from it in fome refped^ * It is the fame with the hazel-hen of the Germans, wkd I difcovered beyc.iJ all doubt from a figure of the Venetian FraM colin fent to mc by the learned phyfician Aloyfius Mundella. GesnhH t Ibid. X Ibid. j Fojages de PrevSt, tomexV' . -v^ ao| fallou VOi THE FRANCOLIN. 385 1 î^. mel. Syn. aowed on very y feen it applied flage of Gefner, e name off rû«- :azelGrous*. ,s larger than a length of its legs, us to regard it as jincoUnt* ncolinofFernral les on filh t- '^'\ been called Tran. of the Bmi] ays far from th« igray worms anc is no larger that and appears to be exaûly the fame bird with the Francolin of Tournefort, which ahb re- fembles that of Ferrara, fince it is found on the fea-coaft, and in marfhy fituations. Ours fecms to differ from thefe three laft, and efen from that of Briflbn, not only in the colour of its plumage, and even of its bill, but by tht fize and form of its tail, which is longer in Brif- fon s figure, more fpread in ours, and hanging in thofe of Edwards and Olina. But notwith-r ftanding this, I believe that the Francolin of Olina, that of Tournefort, that of Edwards, that of BrifTon, and my own, are all of the fame fpecies ; fince they have many common pro- perties, and their fmall differences are not fuffi- cient to conflitute different races, but may be referred to the age, the fex, the climate, and I other local or accidental circumftances. The Francolin is undoubtedly, in many re- Ifpefts, Hke the Partridges, and for this rea- fon, Olina, Linnaeus, and Briffon, have ranged it with them. For my own part, I am con- jvinced, from a clofe examination and compari- jfon of thefe two birds, that they ought to be uch Olina figu«* ^^^ ^^^ Francolin differs tVoni the [Partridge not only in the colours of its plumage, Its general fliape, the figure of its tail, and its f7 i but is diftinguifhed alfo by a fpur on each uch I am to treat [i in fome refpeûs^ of the Germans. ^^^ „e of the Venetian F»«| Aloyfius Mundella. ani [eg*; whereas the male Partridge has only a pilous tubercule. • That of Olina had none; but it was probably a female. VOL. II. c c Ths- 336 THE FRANCOLIN. ^ The Francolin is alfo much lefs diftuled tîiaii the Partridge ; it can hardly fubfill l)ut in tlie warm climates. Spain, Italy, and Sicily, are almofl: the only countries of Europe where it is found ; it inhabits alfo Rhodes *, the lile of Cyprus f, Samos J, Barbary, efpecially in the vicinity of Tunis §, Egypt, the coails of Afialj, and Bengali}. In all thefe places, both Fran- colins and Partridges occur ; but they have each their appropriated name, and form diftind fpecies. As thefe birds are very rare in Europe, and their flefh is excellent food, the killing them has been forbidden in many countries under fevere penaltlf" ; and hence, it is faid, they derive the name Fraficolin ; becaufe they enjoy a fort of freedom under the protedion of thefe pm hibitions. Little more can be faid of this bird thanj what the figure fuggefts : its plumage is vei; beautiful ; it has a confpicuous collar of ai orange colour. It is rather larger than tin Common Partridge ; the female is fmaller thai the male ; the colours of its plumage fainter am lefs variegated. Thefe birds feed on grain ; and they may bred in aviaries, though care muft be taken tl give each a fmall feparate crib, where it ma ir or: * Olina. ^ Olina. ■j- Tournefort. 11 Tournefort. X Edwards, f Edwards. m IN. :fs diftufed tlian bfill but in the and Sicily, arc where it ia THE F R A N C O L I N. 3^/ irope es *, the llle of îfpecially in the coaas of Afiali, aces, both Fran- Lit they bave each td form diftindl re in T-urope, and frjuat and conceal itfclf, and to (Ircvv fund and a little gravel on the floor. Their cry is a kind of loud vvhiftle, audible at a great diftance *. Francolins liv» much in the fame manner at Partridges f ; their flefh is exquifite, and fome- times preferred to that of Partridges or Phea- fants. Linnajus takes the Damafcus Partridge of Willughby fot the Francolin J. But we may obferve, ift, That this Damafcus Partridge is rather Belon's, who fiill took notice of it, and le killing them l^aj^^-^o^ Willughby only copied. 2dly, This bird ntries under fe^'^^^^Bjiffers from the Franvolin, both in the fize, id, they derive t"«Bwhich is inferior to that of the Common Par- »y enjoy a fort O'Btrldge, according to Belon ; and in its plumage, ion of thefe prO'Jaj vvill eafily be perceived by comparing the igureîs; and befides, its legs are feathered, of this bird tham-j^ich prevented Belon from clafling it with the Its plumage is ^•^'Mlovers. Linnxus fhould alfo have admitted uous collar of am^ francolin of Tournefort as the fame with ■ larger than tlim^t of Olina, which Willughby mentions, ale is fmaller tliamaftly, the Swediih naturalift is miftaken in fix- lumage fainter an»ig excludvely on the Eaft as the climate of the rancolin ; for, as I have already obferved, it is and they may Wund in Sicily, Italy, Spain, and Barbary, and e muft be taken m many other countries to which the epithet nb where it «^•oriental cannot be applied. J Edwards. fi Edwards. m * Olina. t Ibid. } Tenth edition of the Syjlcma Natiira. C C 2 Ariftotle •11 388 DOUBLE SPUR. ^^r- Ariftotle ranges the Attagcn^ which Bclon conceives to be the Francolin, among the pul- verulent and granivorous birds. Belon makes him alfo fay, that it lays a great number of eggs, though no mention of this fort is made in the place quoted ; but it is the neceflary confe- quence of Ari(lotle*s theory with regard to pul- verulent granivorous birds. Belon relates, on the authority of the ancients, that the Franco- lin was common in the plain of Marathon,! being fond of marfhy fituations ; which agrees very well with Tournefort's obfervations re«( fpe^ting the Francolins at Samos. [A] [A] Specific chat'aélcr of the Tetrao Francolinus . *' and throat are black, its tail wedge-fliaped." Ics bell? I dot; BLE SPUR. LeBis-Ergot, BufF. 1'etrao Bicalcaratus, Linn. Per dix Bicalcaratus, Lath, Ind. ferdix Senegalenjîs, Brifl*. The Senegal Partridge, Lath. Syn. The firft fpecies which feems to approach i the Francolin, is the bird to which, in tlj Planches Enluminées^ we have given the nan of Senegal Partridge. It has, on each fo(| -two fpurs, or rather tubercles, of hard, call^ 13 fieU nil J R. which Bclon Imong the pul- i. Belon makes Teat number of is fort is made in ; neceffary confe- th regard to pul- Belcn relates, on that the Vranco- lin of Marathon, ns; which agrees 5 obfervations re- nos. [A.J Francolinus :-" l«W!y| [haped." AFRICAN RED PARTRIDGE. 389 fleHi ; and as it is a diflinâ: fpecies, we may call It Double Spiir^ on account of that fingular cha- rader. I place it next the Francolins, as being more related to them than to the Partridge ; by its fize, by the length of its bill and wings, and by its fpurs. [A] [A] Specific charafter :- " Its legs arc Joubic fpurrcd ; its " eye-brows black." The BAR E-N E C K E D AND AFRICAN RED PARTRIDGE. SPUR- jinn. iLath. Ind. Iriff. f, Lath. Syn. Ifeems to approach^ H to which, in " [ave given the nar I has, on each to lies, of hard, call( Telrao NuJuollis, Gmel. Per dix Kudicollist Lath. This bird, which we have feen alive at Paris lat the houfe of the late Marquis de Montmirail, |had the lower part of the neck and throat di- refted of feathers, and merely covered with a ped (kin ; the reft of the plumage was much lefs iariegated and lefs pleafant than that of the PrancoUn. It refembles that fpecies by its red egs and the fpreading fhape of its tail ; and is [elated to the preceding fpecies, by the double pur on each leg. c c 3 The 390 AFRICAN RED PARTRIDGE. -^ The want of fadls prevents me from inquir- ing into the analogy between thefe two fpecies in refpedl to their difpofitions and habits. M. Aublet aflures me that it is a bird which never perches. The African Red Partridge has more red than our fpecies, becaufe of a broad fpot of that colour under its throat ; but the reft of its plumage is much inferior. It is diftinguiflicd from the two preceding by two very obvious characters ; its fpurs are long and pointed, anii its tail more expanded than is common in Par- tridges. We have not obfervations fufficient to enable us to judge whether they differ alfo in their modes of living. [A] [A] Spcciiic diaraflcr :— " 1:3 legs are double fpurred r.rJ ** rufous ; its throat na^kcj çind rufous," DGE. t 391 ] le from inqulr- ,efe two fpecies ind habits. M. ird which never LiDGE has more ■ a broad ipot of ut the reft of its t is diftiviguiûicd wo very obvious and pointed, anu i common in Par- ations fufficient to they differ aUb ii^ are double fpurred ( 1 FOREIGN BIRDS, THAT ARE RELATED TO THE PARTRIDGE. T I. H E RED PARTRIDGE OF BARBARY, PI. LXX. of Edwards*, feems to be a differ- ent kind from the European Red Partridge, and is fmaller than the Gray. Its bill, its orbits, and its feet, are red, as in the Greek Partridge ; but the fcapular feathers are of a fine blue, edged with brown-red ; and round the neck is a fort of collar formed by white fpots, fcattered on a brown ground, which, joined to its diminutive fize, diftinguifhes this fpecies from the two breeds of Red Partridges common in Europe. * Tcfrao R/z/us, Var. 3. Gmcl.; Perdix Rubra Barbarica. 0* c c 4 II. The 392 FOREIGN BIRDS, rtkud to II. The ROCK PARTRIDGE, O R GAM BRA PARTRIDGE. Tttrao Peti-o/us, Gmel. Perdix Petrofa, Lath. Ind. Tht Rufoui-breajicd Partridge, Lath. Syn. <ê^ This bird takes its name from its favourite haunts ; it delights, as do the Red Partridges, In rocks and precipices ; its predominant colour is a dull brown, and it is marked on the breaft| with a fpot like the colour of Spanifli tobacco. It alfo refembles the Red Partridge in the colour of its legs, its bill, and its orbits ; it is fmaller | than our fort, and cocks its tail when it runs, but is, like them, very fleet; its (hape, on the| whole, is the fame, and its flefh excellent *. [A] * Journal de Stibbs. P r e vol T . [A] Specific charafter of the Tetrao Petro/us :—" Its bill andl •• legs are red, its body daflcy, with a ferruginous fpot on itsi " brcaft." .^ m. The rtlattd to the PARTRIDGE. 393 RIDGE, RIDGE. le. Lath. Syn. from its favouriu Red Partridges, in dominant colour is ked on the brcaft f Spanifli tobacco, ridge in the coloui I •bits; it is fmaller tail when it runs, its ftiape, on the| excellent*. [A] \petrofus :-'* Its bUlanl la ferruginous fpot on its| 111. Tk HI, The PEARLED CHINESE PARTRIDGE. Teirao Perlatus, Gmel. Perdix Sinmjts, Bilfl". This Partridge, known only by Briflbn's de- fcription, feems to be peculiar to the eaftern extremity of the Antient Continent. It is fome- vvhat larger than the Red Partridge of Europe, but has its fliai^e. ^^>- figure of its tail, the ftiort- riefs of its wingi . 'ï the fame general appear- ance. Of the Common Red Partridge it has the white throat ; and of the African fort, the long, i pointed fpurs ; but it has not, like that bird, the red bill and legs : thefe are here of a ruft-colour, and the bill is blackifh, as well as the nails. The ground of the plumage is dufky, enlivened on the bread and fides by a number of fmall round ight-coloured fpcts : from this property I have lapplied the name oï Pearled Partridge, It has, Ibelides, four remarkable bars, which rife from |the bottom of the bill and ftretch over the fides of the head ; thefe bars are alternately of a bright and deep colour. [A] [A] Sp ajF.- chnrafter of the 7'etrao Perlatus :•—'** Its legs and I' cye-brO'.vs arc rufous, its bill blackilh, its throat v.hiie, its r body dufky and variegated." IV. The If»»' 39 i- FOREIGN BIRDS, related ta IV. The NEW ENGLAND PARTRIDGE. \ 1 ; Tttrao 'Mavilcudiis, Linn, and Gmcl. PcrJix iJari'anJ.-i, L::t:i. Ind. Pcriiix ha-va Anglid-, Bi ill'. ^'he Aittcvican rarttidpe. Du Pratz, The Miiijluiui PiU-ir'ui^c, Pcnn. and La,th. 1 refer this American bird, and the follow- ing, to the Partridges; not that I imagine tbem to b^ real Partridges, but only the reprefenta- tives : for of the birds in the New World they approach the nearert to the Partridge, thougli ill is impoflible that this fpecies could wing its! couil'e over the immenfe oceans which feparatej the continents. This bird is fmaller than the common Grayl Partridge ; its iris is yellow, its bill black, iisl throat white, and two bars of the fair.e ccloiirj il retch from the baie of the bill to the hack ci tîie head, palling over the eyes. It has diJ fonie white fpots on the top cf the neck ; tU imder-fide of the body is yellowKh, ftiipq with black, and the upper fide of a brou-n horj dcring on rufous, nearly as in the Pved Partridge! and chccquered with black ; its tail is fhort, in the other Partridp,cs. It is found not cnl in New England, but in Jamaica, though tLcj two climates differ widely. Al'oil related ti ARTRIDGE. i Gmcl. Pratz. \n. and La,th. , and the follow- hat 1 imagine them I nly the reprefenta-j ,e New World tliey| 'artiidge, thou gli ill :ies could wing its bans which fepavate life PART RÎDQE. 395 Alhîn fed one a confiderabïe time with wheat aud hemp-feed. [A] [A] Specific charaflcr of the Tiirao yim-ilanduf ;»— " Its cye- «' brows are \vhit>?, its neck dotted with black and white." Th« American Partridges are about one-half larger than the EnglHU Quails, and are plump and wcll-tallcd. They are frcquCait \t\ North America, as high as Canada. They lay from twenty t« twenty-five eggs, and breed about the beginning of May ; thrir numerous covies make a loud noifc when fpruiig. I'hc cock perches on a fence, and emits his double note uiùle the htn i« Jilting. Thefe birds have been latrcduced into J;imaica, wlierô thf)' arc tiaturaliaed, aa Itemj icove fami P0VV( THE d U A I L. 397 But how numerous foever be the points cf re- femblance, they are balanced by an almoft equal number of difparities, which make the Quails a ipecies entirely diftindt from the Par- tridges. For, I. The Quails are univerfally fmaller than the Partridges, comparing corre- fponding breeds. 2. They have not the bare fpace between the eyes, as in the Partridge", nor the figure of the horie-llioe imprefled on the breaft of the males, nor have true Quails the bill and legs ever red. 3. The eggs are fmaller, and of an entirely different colour. 4. Their notes alfo are quite different, though they love in nearly the fame feafon ; but the Partridges intimate their rage before they fight, while tlie Quails fcream only in the midfi: of their quar- I rels *. 5. The flefli of the latter is of a dif- ferent tafte, and much more loaded with fat. 6. The period of their life is much (horter, 7. They are lefs cunning than the Partridge, and much more eafdy enfnared, efpecially when young and unexperienced. Their difpo- Ifilions are not fo gentle ; it is extremely rare Ito fee them tamed, and though confined from Itheir infancy, they can hardly be trained to lobey the voice. They are not of fuch a fecial Itemper; for they feldom form themfelves into |coveys, except when their wants unite the feeble pmily to their mother, or fome common and powerful caufe urges at once the whole fpecies * AriHotle, Hiji. Anim, lib. viii. 12. to \lf* J l« 393 THE Q.U A I L. <^ to aflemble together, and traverfe the ejitcnt of the ocean, holding their coiirfe to the i'ame diftant land. But this forced aflb- ciation fubfifts no longer than neceflity re- quires ; and after they have alighted, and find in their adopted country that they can live at will, their union dilFolvcs. The appetite of love is the only tic that binds them together, and even this connexion is unftable and mo- mentary Î for though the male feeks the fcmal with the greateft ardour, he difcovers no choice or predilection ; the matches are formed haftily, and as quickly broken. As foon as paffion has fpent its force, the male treats his mate with in- difference and cruelty, and abandons her to the labour and care of raifing the family. The young are hardly grown up when they feparate, or if they are kept together, they fight obfti- nately with each other ; their quarrels are ter" minated only by their mutual deftrudion *. The propenfity of the Quails to migrate at certain feafons, is one of their moft powerful inftinds. The caufe of this defire muft be very gene ral, for it aiSts not only on the whole fpeciesJ but alfo on individuals kept in confinement ad debarred from communication with their kind, Some young Quails, bred in cages from thei • The ancients were well acquainted with this faft, for thei faid that obftinate quarrelfome children were like Quails in a cagfj Aristophanei] earliel ton Hal, •ire L. THE (^U A I L. 399 erie the eîitcnt courfe to the is forced aflb- m neceflity re- lighted, and find they can live at The appetite of Is them together, inftable and mo- e feeks the fcmal ifcovers no choice ire formed haftily^ f.iillcfl: infancy, which liad never cnjc.ycd liberty, and therefore could not feel its lois, were yet ohferved, for the fpace of four years, to fliew a degree of reftlefTnefs, and to flutter with unufual agitations, regularly at the ftaluii of migration, which returns twice annually, in April and in September. This uneafiuefs lailed thirty days each time, and began conflantly an hour before fun-rife. The prifoners moved backward and forward from one end of the cage to the other, and darted againfl the net whicli covered it, and often with fuch violence, "on as paflion has B that they dropped down flunned by the blow. , Viis mate with in-BThey pafTed the night in thefe fruitlefs ftruggles, , f dons her to the Band the following day they appeared dejeded, , family- TheBc-.haufted, and torpid. We know alfo that, in iwhen they feparate,Bthe ftate of liberty, Quails llecp the greater part thev ficht obfti-Bi| [to them their fituaj aiculties into aaioif traa, rife into tlij Iforward to difcovj It them with abuna 402 THE Q.U A I L: ^ April. Olina fixes the time of their arrival in the Campagna di Roma in the beginning of April. But almoft all agree that they depart after the firft autumnal froft, which fpoils the grafs and deftroys the infeds; and fmce the colds of May do not drive them back to the fouth, we are furnifhed with another proof that warmth is not what they fcek, but that their real objeû is food, and of which the fpring frofts cannot deprive them. We muft not however confider thefe terms as invariably fixed. They will vary within certain limits in different coun- tries according to the nature of the climate ; and even in the fame region, they will be affedted by the latenefs or earlinefs of the feafon, which will advance or retard the harveft, and will promote i or check the multiplication of the infers which | fupport the Quails. Both the ancients and the moderns have I been bufy in forming theories with regard] to the migration of the Quail and other birds of pafTage; fome have heightened it by thel addition of the marvellous ; while others, ftruckl with the difficulty of conceiving that fo fmall a| bird, and which flies tardily and laborioufly, could perform diftant journies, have hefitated to m mit the faâ:, and have had recourfe to hypothefej ftill more ex t ^ordinary to account for their rcj *"^ilar difappearance at certain ftated feafony !None of the ancients ever entertained indeed thJ flighted doubt on the fubjed : and yet àm^û w(l 5 I -■ THE Q.U A I L. 403 :heir arrival in beginning of bat they depart hich fpoils the and fince the :in back to the lother proof that :, but that their 1 the fpring frofo ua not however bly fixed. They in different coun- ; the climate -, and will be affeaed by feafon, wlïicli will and will promote f the infeas which he moderi\s have ories with regard ÛI and other birds rhtened it by the vhile others, ftruck mg that Co fmall aj [dlaborioufly,couli re hefitated to ad- :ourfe to hypothefd ount for their re- iin ftated feafoni^ •ertained indeed tlij [ed : and yet tbf well knew that the Quail is inadive, flies little and with reludance * ; and that though ex- tremely ardent in its paflions, it employs not its wings to tranfport itfelf to the invitation of the female, but often travels more than a quarter of a league through the clofeft herbage to meet her, and never riles into the air except when clofely purfued by dogs or hunters : with all thefe cir- cumftances, the ancients were acquainted; but they never dreamt that, on the approach of the cold feafon, thefe birds crept into holes to re- main in a dormant ftate during the winter, like the dormice, the hedge-hogs, the marmots, the bats, &c. This abfurdity was referved for fome moderns, who certainly did not know that the internal heat of animals fubjed to become torpid, being generally inferior to that of other qua- drupeds, and ftill more to that of birds, requires a confiant acceflioa of warmth from the air, as I have fhewn in another work : when this iburce fails, the vital aâion is fufpended ; and, if they were expofed to a greater cold, they would in a fliort time perilh. But this certainly is not ap- plicable to the Quails, which are generally cfteemed of a hotter conftitution than the other birds; fo that in France it has given rife to a j proverb f; and in China, it is cuftomary to carry Ithls bird alive in one's hands to keep them • Ariftotle, Hiji. Jnim. lib. viii. 8. t It is a common fa> vng, Chtmil tcmmt un Caille, warm as a iQjiail. H H 2 warm» 4<54 THE Q.U A I L. ^ warm *. Befides, I have difcovered from obfer- vations continued for feverrà years, that they never grow torpid, though fhut during the whole winter in rooms without a lire, and expofed to the north, as I have formerly mentioned : and many perfons of the moft undoubted veracity, who had fimilar opportunities, have affured me of the fame fad. But, if the Quails neither conceal themfelves nor remain torpid through the winter, and always difappear in that feafon, we may certainly conclude that they migrate into other countries. — And this fa£t is demonftrat- cd by a great number of other authorities. Belon, happening in autumn to be on board a veflel, in his paflage from Rhodes to Alexandria, faw Quails flying from the north towards the fouth. Many of them were caught by the mariners, and grains of wheat were found very entire in their craw. The preceding fpring, the fame obferver faw m failing from the ifland of Zantc to the Morea, a great number of them in motion from fouth to north; and he affirms | that, in Europe as weU as Afia, Quails are ge- nerally migrating birds. Th" Commander Godeheu conftantly fawl them paffing Malta in the month of May, aided by certain winds, and again in September in their] return +. Many fportfmcn have aflured me, • Olbom's Travels. ■ t Mémoires de Mathématique and de Phyfique, prefentesij I'i^cademie Royal des Science» par divers Savans, &c. tome iii 91. I o thatl THE dU A I L. 40s that they have often, in the fine nights during fpring, heard them arrive, and could eafily diftinguifli their cry, though at a great height in the air. Add to this, that they are no where fo plenty as on the French coafts, oppolite to Africa or Afia, and in the interjacent iflands. Almoft all thofe of the Archipelago and even the fhelves, are, according to Tournefort, covered with them, in certain times of the year ; and more than one of thofe iflands has been named Ortygia *. In the age of Varro, it was remark- ed that at the feafons of the arrival and de- parture of the Quails, immeni'e flocks were k^n in the iflets of Pontia, Pandataria, and others des to Alexandria, Bfcattered along the fouthern coaft of Italy f, and lorth tow^ards the Bwhich they probably chofe for a ftation to re- z taught by the ■cruit. About the beginning of autumn, fuch were found very Bgreat numbers were caught in the illand of Ca- ceding fpring, the Ji-gg^ 1^^ ^^^ entrance of the Gulph of Naples^ om the iflandoffcjj jj^^ bilhop of the illand drew his princi- umber of theminBj^i j.gygj^yg ^^^^^ ^^^ profits of the game, and ; and he affirms Ky^g f^^. ^j^^^ j.^^^^^^ ^^^^j 27?^ J5i/7jo/ of ^la'ds, , Quails are ge-^auy too are caught in the neighbourhood of efaro, which is fituated on the Adriatic Gulf, u conftantly ^^awlj^^^^ ^^^ ^^j ^£- a^^tm^^^ the feafon of their nth of May, aide(l|rrival J. Laftly, fuch amazing numbers drop red from obfer. •ears, that they luring the whole and expofed to mentioned : and oubted veracity, have affured me ; Quails neither torpid through ar in that feafon, they migrate into ;:t is demonftrat- authorities. I to be on board a |Septembcr in their I lave affured nie,| le Phyfique, prcfenwil Isavans, &c. tomcm 9'' that! I* From o^Tt,^ which figniaes a Quail. The two Delos were, [cording to Phanodemus in Athenceus, termed Ortygia : fo alfo lothïi- htt!c ifl:ind oppofite toSyracule, and even the city of Ephe- \, according to Stephanus of Byzantium and fiulUthiijs, t De ReRalHca, lib. iii. 5. \\ Aloj'fiiw Mundella, apud Gefnerum. D D 3 ^^ t ^ -^■: 406 THE Q.U A I L. en the weftern coafts of the kingdom of Naples, in the vicinity of Nettuno, that in the extent of four or five miles, fometimes a hundred thoufand are taken in a day, and are fold for fifteen^Ww the hundred (lefs than feven fhillings), to a fort of brokers who carry them to Rome, where they are much lefs common *. Clouds of them alfo alight in the fpring on the coafts of Provence, efpecially on the lands belonging to the bifhop of Frejus, which border on the fea; they are ex- haufted, it is faid, with the fatigue of their jour- ney, that for the firft days they may be caugbt with the hand. But it will ftill be replied, how can a bird fo| fmall, fo weak, whofe flight is fo flow and labo' rious, how can it, though urged by hunger, tra verfe the great extent of fea ? I may admit thai many iflands are fcattered at intervals in theii paflTage, on which they may halt to recruit theii vigour: fuch as Minorca, Corfica, Sardinia, Sicilj] Malta, Rhodes, and other ifles in the Archipelagi But fl:ill I conceive that it would be impoflible foi them to perform the journey without affiilanci Ariftotle was well convinced that this was m ceflâry, and was even acquainted with the kii of aid which the Quails moft commonly receivei and if he was miftaken, it is only in defcribiul the manner. " When the north wind blov mi la^ im in the the * Gefner and Aldrovandus. This capture is fo lucrative,! land near the place is extravagantly high priced. <( L. gdom of Naples, in the extent of lundred thoufand Id for fifteen j«/« lUlings), to a fort I to Rome, where Clouds of them :oafts of Provence, Lng to the bifhop îfeajthey aveex- tgue of their jour- ney may be caugkl how canabirdfo] i fo flow and labo- red by hunger, traj \ I may admit thaj It intervals in thelj halt to recruit theij (lea, Sardinia, Sicily psintheArchipelagJ uldbeimpofliblefoj > without afTiftancj ;d that this was n« tinted with the kit commonly receive^ iS only in defcribifl north wind blo\v| (capture is fo lucrative, ]gh priced. ^^ tt (( (( (( THE Q.U A I L. 407 the Quails, (fays he,) perform their journey with eafe ; but when the fouth wind prevails, as it opprefles them with the load of its vapours, they make a painful progrefs, and declare " their labour and exertion, by the cries which " they utter i\i their flight *." In fadt, it is the wind, I conceive, which afliifts the Quails in their paflîige ; not indeed the north wind alone, but a favourable wind; nor does the fouth impede their progrefs, but fo far as it is contrary to the diredtion of their motion : and this muft take place in all countries where the Quails perform their journies acrofs the feasf. M. Godeheu has well remarked, that in the fpring, the Quails never alight on Malta, except when they are carried by a north-weft wind, which hinders them from gaining Pro- vence ; and that in their return, they are wafted to that ifland by the fouth wind, which oppofes their defcent on the Barbary fhore f . We know alfo, that the Author of nature employed that mean, as the mofl: conformable to the general laws which he had eftabliflied, to fhower the Immenfe multitudes of Quails upon the Ifraelitcs in the defert § ; and this wind, which came from the fouth-weft, fwept over Egypt, Ethiopia, and the coafts of the Red Sea, and in a word, the j • Lib. viii. 12. f Pliny exprefles the fame idea, lib. x. 23. X Mémoires prefcntcs a I'Acad. &c. tome iii. 92. § Pfalm Ixxvii. D D 4 countries 4o8 THE Q,U A I L. countries where thefe birds were moft abund- ■■t'l 1 i I ■ .1: :r. il:!':^i?; H ' I: I I ant * Sailors whom I have confulted on this fub- jedl inform mc, that when the Quails are lur- prifed in their pafiage by a contrary wind, they alight on the neareft veflels, as Pliny has re- marked t, and often fall into the fea, and are then obferved to float and ftruggle on the waves, with one wing raifed in the air to catch the gale. Hence fome naturalifts have taken occa- llon to fay, that when they embark on their voyage, they furnifh themfelves with a little ftick, with which they relieve themfelves at in- tervals from the fatigue of flying, refting upon it as upon a raft, and riding on the rolling bil- lows X' It has even been fuppofed that each carries in his bill three fmall ftones, to ballaft them, according to Pliny §, againft the violei^ce of the wind ; or, according to Oppian || , to dif- cover ^, by dropping them one after another, I when they have crofled the fea. This is nothing more than bits of gravel which the Quails, like I other granivorous birds, fwallow with their food If tl Jn general, fuch a degree of defign, fagacityX and difcernment, is afcribed to them, as would | * The Gulf of Arabiît abounds very much with Quails. JosEPHus, lib. iii. I. f '< They arrive not without danger to navigators who have ap- «' preached near the land ; for they alight on the fails, and this al- ♦« ways at night, and fink the veflels." Pl i n v Ilijl. Nat, lib. x. 23. % See Aldrovandus, tome ii. 116. § Lib. x. 23. ji I(i Ixeut. ^ Pliny, lib. x. 23, and Solinus, cap. xvii. givs L. THE Q,U A I L. 409 re moft abuiid- give room to doubt if thofe who are fo liberal in beftowing thefe qualities, really poflefs a large ftiare themfelves. They have remark- ed that other migratory birds, as the Land Rail, accompany the Quails, aiul that the Falcon was fure to catch fome one on its arrival ; hence they have concluded that the Quails choofc out from another fpecies a guide or chief, which they call The King of the ^lails (ortygrcnialra) ; for ÎIS - the foremoft cf the body falls a vidUm to the hawk, the Quails (hrewdly contrive to caft the danger upon the fated individual of a foreign race. But the Quails do not all m rate ; there are a few which, being unable to i ^llow the reft, remain behind ; either having received a wound ftones, toballaftfc their wings, or, being the produâ: of the ainft the violence Becond hatch, they are too young and feeble to 3npian II, to dif-fcrform the journey. Thefe flragglers feek to ne after another, fcd a proper fituation in the country where they This is nothing Bre obliged to abide *. In France the number h the Quails, like If thefe is very inconfiderable ; but the Author Dw with their food. If the Britifti Zoology affures us, that in Eng- defign fagacity,End a part only of the Quails are obferved to them as wouldliit the ifland entirely, while thofe which re- Bain fhift their quarters, removing from the in- ch wu *^=^*'- Irior counties to the fea coaft, and particularly [OSEPHUS, llD. '"• '• ■ ' * / navigators who have ap.| the hundreds of Elfex, where they continue : on the fails, and this al-ifough the winter: if the froft or fnow drive iNY //(/?. iVfl/. lib. X. 23. r §Lib.x. 23. L • Aldrovandus, lib. vm. 12. nd Solmus, cap. XVII. ■ glv! ed on this fub- Quails are fur- rary w^ind, they as Pliny has rc- the fea, and are Tie on the waves, air to catch the have taken occa- embark on their ires witli a litde themfelves at in- ing, retting upon >n the rolling bil- ippofed that each I 0 [!< them 4IC THE Q. U A I L. -0^ them from tlic fliibble fields or marihes, they retreat to the beach, and fubfift upon the marine plants, which they can pick up between high and low water mark. The fame Author fub- joins, that the time of their appearance in Eflex corrcfponds exadly to that of their leaving the inland country. It is likewife faid, that a great number of them remain in Spain and in the fouth of Italy, when the winter is not fo fevere as entirely to deftroy the feeds and infects that ferve for their food. With refped to fuch as venture to crofs the feas, thofe only perform a fortunate voyage that are aflifted by a fair wind ; and if in the pre-| ceding feafon it has feldom blown from a favour able quarter, much fewer arrive in the countriesl fc where they fpend their fummer. And, in ge neral, we may judge with tolerable accuracy cj the place whence they have come, by the direc tion of the breeze which wafts them along. As foon as the Quails arrive, they (tc about laj' ing. They do not pair, as I have already ri marked ; and if the number of males, as I i\ informed, exceeds much that of the femalej^oi monogamy would have been inconvenient. Fidi lity, confidence, perfonal attachment, qualiti fo defirable in the individual > would have bei hurtful in the fpecies. The multitude of mali reduced to a ftate of celibacy, would difturb marriages that are formed, and render them ui prolil in or CO th in( po 00 ri( ïar 10 ir maHhes, they upon the marine p between bigh ame Author fub- ipearance in Effex their leaving the ! faid, that a great Spain and in the er is not fo fevere s and infeas thai t :nture to crofs the •tunate voyage that| ind if in the pre- 3wn from a favour ive in the countrie |mer. And, in ge )lerable accuracy cl ;ome, by the direo ■ts them along. |e, they fee about layJ 1 have already r of males, as I * ,at of the femali inconvenient. îi<|< attachment, qualiw tl, would have be« multitude of mali y, would difturbtl ,nd render them ui prollf THE Q,U A I L. 411 prolific. But in the prefent cafe, the unbounded liberty of union blunts and extinguiihes the jealoufy and the rivalfhip of their loves. The male has been obferved to repeat a dozen times a-day his embraces with feveral females in- dilcriminately * ; and while nature tolerates this kind of libertinifm, (he provides for the mul- tiplication of the rpecies. Each female drops fifteen or twenty eggs into a neft, which fhe hollows in the ground with her claws, lines with grafs and leaves, and conceals as much as pof- fible from the piercing eye of the hawks. Thcfe eggs are greyifh, fpeckled with brown. She fits about three weeks. The ardor of the males effedually fecundates them, and they are feldom found addle. The Authors of the Britifli Zoology fay, that in England the Quails feldom lay more than fix or feven eggs. If this faâ: be uniform, we may conclude that they are lefs prolific in that ifland than in France, Italy, &c.; and it remains to be inquired whether this diminution of the genial powers ought to be attributed to the cold, or fome other quality of the climate. The young Quails are able to run almoft as foon as they leave the fhell, like the young Par- fridges; but they are in many refpefts more lardy, fince in the ftate of liberty they quit their lothcr much earlier, and even venture to de- * Aldrovandus and Schwenckfeld, pend 4IÎ THE Q. U A I L. ^" pcnd on tliemlclvcs for fubfiftence eight dayj after they arc hatched. This circiimftance has made fomc pcrfons fuppofe that the Quail lays twice a year ''* j but I much doubt it, except they have been difturbed in their firll haich, It is not even affirmed that they begin an- other after they have arrived in Africa in the month of Septeinber, though this would be much more probable, fmce on account of their regular migrations they are unacquainted with autumn m> and winter, and the year to them confifts of two W fprings and two fummers : and they chanj^c their climate, it might feem, to enjoy and per- petuate the ever verdant feafon of love and prO" pagation. Certain it is, that they drop their feathers twice a year, in the end of winter and on the approach of autumn. Each moulting lafts a month ; and as foon as their plumage is reftored, they wing their pafl'age, if at liberty, into other cHmes ; andjis if they are kept in confinement, they difcover reftleflhefs and ftruggle to burft from theitJ'C' prifon at the ftated periods of migration. When the young are four months old, theyl are able to accomp^iny their parents in thei diflant flight. The female differs from the male in bein; fomewhat larger, according to Aldrovandui • Aldrovandus- a^ .:«, that the Quails begin to lay the famfce year tliey are hutclicd, in the momh of Auguft, and have tc^ial Ai h (otheij THE Q.U A I L. 413 (others reckon it equal and others fmaller), in having a white bread fprinkled with black fpots almoft round ; while in the male it is reddifh, without any intermixture of other colours : its bill is alfo black, as well as its throat, and a few hairs that grow round the bafc of the upper man- dible * : its tefticles have alfo been remarked to be very large in proportion to the fize of [he us ''^""*" ygjruiar Bbody ; but this obfervation has undoubtedly "been made in the feafon of their amours, when he tefticles of all birds acquire a confiderable in- reafe of dimenfions. The male and female have each two cries ; a louder and a fainter. The male makes a found ^z otian, ottarîyuuan, ouar \ he never gives the norous call, except whtn. parted from the 1 the approachRn^ales ; nor when confmed, though he has a ft month • and»inale companion. The female has a well- ft d thev wingjowï^ cry, which invites the male ; and though \ \\\ r climes* andl^s very weak and audible only a fhort way, ne males flock to it from the diftance of half L. ence eight days ilrcumftance has It the Quail lays doubt it, except their firll haich. they bejrin an- in Africa in the lis would be much cited with autumn em confiftsoftwo and they chan^^o' to enjoy and per- n of love and pro- 1 their feathers twice I >nt, they difcover a ' burft from theltl migration. months old, theyj r parents in theiif the male in beiw to Aldrovandui ialls begin to lay the fa» of Auguft, and have tei (othej |league : it has alfo a flender quivering note '\cru The male is more nrdent than the fe- ile, as he runs to her amorous murmurs with :h precipitation and inconfideratenefs, as to ht to her upon the hand of the bird- |cher f . Aldrovamlus.— Some naturallUs have taken the male for the : I have on this occnfion followed the opinion of fporUmcn, daily thofc of obfervation. ^ Ariibtlej lib. viii. 12, The 414 THE Q,U A I L. ^^•^ The Qiiail, like the Partridge and many other animals, never multiplies its kind, except when it enjoys the liberty of nature. In vain have the forlorn prilbners been furnifhed with the ma- terials for conftrudting their nefls j the tcnderefl concerns are ftifled in their breall, and their eggs are allowed to drop unheeded. Many foolifli ftories have been told with re- fpe£t to the generation of Quails. It has been laid that, like the Partridges, they are iti;. pregnated by the wind ; this means no more tlian that they fometimes lay without the male in fluence*. It has been alleged that they aie| bred from the tunnies, which the troubled oceaii| fometimes cafts on the fhorcs of Lybia; thai they appear at firft like worms, then aflume thi form of flies, and gradually growing larger, the become grafshoppers, and at laft Quails f : thai is, the vulgar feeing the Quails fearching amonj the carcal'îs of the tunnies rejected by the wav for fome infedls that are hatched in them, arM. having fome vague idea of the metarnorphoffl which infedts undergo, fancied that a grafshoppMr* could be transformed into a Quail, as a worm changed into a fly. Laftly, it has been fail that the male copulates with the female toad a ftory which has not even the flighted appe ance of probability. (Ir an * Ibidem. f Gefncr. I Phanodelnus afuti Ge/uerum. L. THE CLU A I L. 4.i ind many other 1(1, except when In vain bave the d with the ma- is ; the tcndevea breail, and their ckd. »een told with re- ails. It bas beei they are «Of IU> The Quails feed on wheat, millet, hemp-feed, green herbage, infe(5ls, and all forts of feed, even that of the hellebore ; which gave the antients an antipathy to its flefli, augmented flill further by the refledion that thefe v/crc the only animals befides man that are fuhjcdt to the epilepfy *. But experience has dcftroyed this prejudice. In Holland, where thefe birds are frequent, efpecially along the coafts, it is ufual to call the cans no more tlwuBjjgfj.jgg Qf Bryony Quail-berries; which fhcws out tbe male i'^'i that they prefer that fort of food f. ged that tbey ave| j^ ^ould appear that they can fubfift: without the troubled oceauHjj'jjjç . £qj. fportfmeu have aflured me, that they •cs of Lybia» tnitBj,.g never obferved to feek water ; and others, \s then affume tnw^^t they have fed them a whole year on dry vowing larger, the»rain without any drink, though they frequently laft Quails i" • ^"Wrank when it was in their power. To with- ils fearching amouMj-j^ every kind of drink, is even the only way neded by the wav«Q ^.^^.g t^em when they cajî out their water'» ched in thetn, J^^at is, when they are attacked by a certain dif- thc metaiïiorpnoMg^pçj.^ jj^ which they have always a drop at edthatagrafshopplhe point of their bill. Quail, as a worm» Some have imagined, that they always trouble it bas been laifte water before they drink, and they have not the female toadmiiej ^q afcribe it to envy ; for naturalifts are the flighteft appe>Jever fatisfied till they affign to brutes the mo- ves of adion. They inhrbit the fields, the dure grounds, and the vineyards ; but feldom Gefncr. Pliny, lib. x. 23. f Hadrian. Jun. Nomenclat, refort 4IÔ THE Q.tî A t L. !^v; i-: -^ ^i-ti-fe refort to tîie woods, and never perch upon trees. They grow much fatter than Partridges. What is fuppofed to contribute to this, is their re- maining (lill during the greateft part of the heat of the day ; then they conceal themfelves in the talleft grafs, and fometimes continue in the fame fpot for the fpace of four hours, lying on their Ude, with their legs extended ; and fo much are they overcome with the drowfy indolence, that a dog muft abfolutely run upon them before they are fluflied. It is faid that they live only four or five years, and Olina attributes the fhortnefs of the term to their difpofition to corpulency. Artemidorusl imputes it to their unhappy quarrelfome temper; and fuch is really their charader, for they have! been made to fight in public to entertain the rabble. Solon 'even direded that fuch combats fhould be exhibited to the youth, with the view] to inflame their courage. And this fpecies of gymnaftic exercife, which would appear to us foj puerile, muft have been held in high eftimationi by the Romans, and confidered as an affair of the ftate, fince we are told that Auguftus puniflij ed a prefed: of ligypt with death, for buying and bi'nging to table one of thefe birds that ha(j acquired celebrity by its vidories. Even a| prefent this fort of amufement is common ill fome cities of Italy. They give two Quails higi feeding j and then place them oppofite to eacj GthsJ §^ V( THE Q^U A I L. 417 ixh upon trees, tridges. What is, is their re- part of the heat hemfelves in the inue in the fame I, lying on their and fo much arc f indolence, that )on them before four or five years, I lefsof the term to I other) at the ends of a long table, and throw be- tween them a few grains of millet feed (for they need a ground of quarrel). At firft they fhew a threatening afpeâ:, and then rufh on like light- ning, ftrike with their bills, ereding the head and rifing upon their fpurs, and fight till one yields the field of battle*. Formerly, thefe combats were performed between a Quail arid a man : the Quail was put into a large box, and fet in the middle of a Judc traced on the floor ; the man ftruck it on the head with one finger, or plucked fome feathers from it : if r' e Quail, in defending itfelf, did not pafs the limits of the circle, its mailer gained the wager ; but if in :y. ArtemioorusBjjjf^^^ j^. ^ranfgrefled the bounds, its worthy arrelfome temperjHj^jggQj^'^^^g jg^l^j,gj ^j^Q^,. ^^^ ç^^^i Quails !^er, for they haveBjjg^j-jgj^ ^^^ ^^^ pj.j^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ j^. ^^^^^ c to entertam theBj^g rgj^arked ti^^t thefe birds, as well as the Par- that fuch combatsBjjijggg ^^^ others, never fight but with their uth, with the vi^^^own fpecies ; which implies jealoufy, rather than courage, or even violence of temper. Since the Quail is accuftomed to migrate, and ftlmationjtraycig ^^ immenfe diftances by the aid of the wind, it is eafy to conceive that it muft be fpread llirough a wide extent. It is found at the Cape f Good Hope, and through the whole inha- ited part of Africa J ; in Spain, Italy §, France, haories. Even aKwitzerland ||, the Netherlands H, Germany**, mt is common ive two Quails hi? • Aldrovandus. f Julius Pollux , wp. xxiv, XXV. xxxix. ''^' Me general appearances, and that his more ac- L I N S. can birds, which have ed than delcribcd by who have copied that have committed fome proper to corred. rhoprofeifesto takehU hers, and who in this \na Katura maxim PeregrirJ^ Thirdljl * i. e. Far it is a/pecia nf Spantjh Partridge. 12 curate IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ifs XSSS«* ^v ^mù Mf ^^ 1.0 125 là lu |2^ ëi |i£ 12.0 lit WUU la 1.4 71 ^/i >> 7 ^ Photographie Sciences Corporation 33 WIST MAIN STMIT WnSTIR.N.Y. MS80 (716)«72-4S03 V.A V ^^ 42S OTHER BIRDS which are elated curate opinion was, that they are fpecies of the Partridge. I fhould therefore have had reafon, from the authority of Fernandez, the only ob- ferver who has had an opportunity of viewing thefe birds, to place the Colins next the Par- tridges; but I have rather chofen to yield as much as pofljble to the common opinion, which is not altogether groundlefs, of ranging them after the Quails, as being related to both thefe jkinds of birds. According to Fernandez, the Colins are very common in New Spain ; their mufic refembles much that of our Quûls; their ilelh is excellent, and proper even for fick people when kept forae days. They feed on grain, and are commonly kept in a cage ; which would make one believe that they are different from our Quails, and J. Jiiim. liVfi/* Hifpania. [A] Specific charafter of the Tetrao Coyolcos : " Its feet arc ' fulvous, its top and its neck are ftriped with black and white ; I' its body is fulvous above, variegated with white." COS. \, Lath. Ian word Coyokozf\ in its cry, its die tei VI. The C O L E N I C U L I. Tetrao Mexlcanus, Linn, and Gmcl. Ccturnix Ludoviciana, Briff". Attagen Amcricanust Frifch. Tht Louijiana^iailt Lath. ig and of flying» jt differs from thenj ^ixed with white, «p^.^^j^ ^.^^^ ^pj^ CXIIT.) the figure of a bird, . ç^jAlch he calls The Small Hen of theforejls of ^** * wmVj, and which, according to him, refembles ^ the r* 43« OTHER BIRDS which are rttattd i -0^ ■ ; - i i '. the WoodGrous'm its bill, legs, and general form ; its legs however are not feathered, nor are its toes edged with indentings, nor its eyes decorated with red orbits, as we may fee from the figure. BrifTon, who conceives this bird to be the fame with the Colenicuiltic of Fernandez, has ranged it among the Quails, by the name of Louiftana S^ail, and gives a figure of it. But comparing the figures or the defcriptions of Briffon, Frifch, and Fernandez, I find greater differences than could occur in the fame bird ; for not to mention the colours of the plumage, fo difficult to paint in defcription, and flill lefs the attitude, which is but too arbitrary, I obferve that the bill and the legs are large and yellowifli, according to Frifch; red and moderate fized, according to BrifTon;! and that the legs are blue, according to Fer- nandez. But if I attend to the different lights in whichl naturalifts have viewed it, the embarraffment willl be increafed ; for Frifch fancied that it was al Hen of the Wood, BrifTon a Quail, and Fernan- dez a Partridge. That this was the opinion of| the laft manifeftly appears, for though he fays, in the beginning of chap. xxv. that it is a Qnailj he evidently conforms to the common languagef fince he concludes the chapter with faying, thai the Colenicnilticy in its bulk, in its cry, in itj habits, and in every other particular, is analogou to the bird of chap, xxiv ; but that bird is tl Coyolcozque, a kind of Colin ; and Fernandeij 10 ire rti tated ■ to ihe PARTRIDGES ûnd the QUAILS. 423 as we have already feen, ranks the Colins among the Partridges. I would not infift on this matter, were it not to avoid as much as poflible the great inconve- nience attending on nomenclature. Each author, fond of building a fyftem, is not fatisfied till he aflign to every obje£t, however anomalous, its place ; and thus, according to the different views that arife, the fame animal may be claffed with genera widely diftinâ:. — Such is the prefent cafe. To return — The Colenicui is of the bulk of titude, whichisbutlour Quail, according to Briffon ; but its wings ie bill and the legs! feem to be longer ; its body is brown above, and cording to Frifch ;■ dirty-gray and black beneath; it has a white lording to Briffon;! throat, and a fort of white eye-brows. [A] according to Fer- d general form j , nor are its toes eyes decorated from the figure. to be the fame ^dez, has ranged lame of Loutftana But comparing of Briffon, Frifch, differences than for not to mention difficult to paint in [ent lights in which embarraffment will ^cied that it was al Quail, and Fernanj was the opinion of ,r though he fays, il [A] Specific charafler of the Tetrao Mexicamis :—" Its legs and " bill are blood-coloured> the line on its eye-brows white." VII. that it is a Qiiail|rhe OCOCOLIN, or MOUNTAIN PAR- common language! , TRIDOE of MEXICO. ter with faying, tbf in its cry, in i! This fpecies, which Seba took for the crefted I'ticular is analogoAoller of Mexico, is ftill farther removed from the h t that bird is ^fllii^^'» ^"^ ^ven the Partridge, than the prcced- • • and Fernandewg" It is much larger, and its flelh is not in- ' VOL. II. FF ferior ^ 43^ BIRDS Ytlated to the PARTRIDGES, &ct ferior to that of the Quaîl, though much in- ferior to that of the Partridge. The OcocoHn refembles fomewhat the Red Partridge, in the colour of its plumage, of its bill, and of its feet; its body has a mixture of brown, light gray, and fulvous ; the lower-part of its wings is of an a(h- colour, the upper-part is mottled with dull white, and fulvous fpots, as likewife the head and neck. It thrives bed in countries that are temperate and rather chilly, and cannot fubfifl: or propaga,te in the hot climates. — Fernandez fpeaks alfo of an- other Ococolln, but which is a bird entirely of a different kind *. * " Ococolin, .1 kind of Wood- pecker with a long (harp bill." , It lives in the ftircll^ of'Tclzcocaiij where it breeds : It îoii cq:| chirp. r Th )GES, &c» ugh n\Mch. iti- The OcocoVni 'artridge, in the , and of its feet; I, light gray, and /ings is of an afti- d with dull white, he head and neck, are temperate and ft or propagate in fpeaksaKo of an- 5 a bird entirely of er with a long fharP bai- era, it breeds: it docs «0. C 435 3 The PIGEON DOMESTICA. Colimba, Linn, and Gmel» T T was eafy to domefticate the heavy and în- •* adlive birds, fuch as the common hen, the turkey, and the peacock ; but to tame thofc which are nimble and fhoot on rapid wings, required attention and art. A low hut, rudely conflruded on a confined fpot, is fufficient for lodging and raifing our poultry ; to induce the Pigeons to fettle, we muft ereâ a lofty building, well co- vered without and fitted up with numerous cells. They really are not dofheftics, like dogs oi* liorfes; or prifoners like the fowls; they are rather voluntary captives, tranfient guefts, who continue to refide in the dwelling affigned them, only becaufe they like it, and are pleafed wnth a fituation which affords them abundance of food, land all the conveniencies and comforts of life. |0n the flighteft difappointment or difguft, they abandon their manfion, and difperfe ; and fome of them even will always prefer the mouldering lioles of ancient walls to the neatefl apartments In Pigeon-houles ; others take their abode in Ihe clefts and hollows of trees ; others feem to ly the habitations of men, and cannot be pre- [ailed to enter their precinds ; others again never F F 2 roam 43^ THE PIGEON. ^^ roam from human dwellings, but mufl: be fed near their volery, to which they are inflexibly at- tached. Thefe various and even oppofite habits fhew, that under the Pigeon are included many different fpecies. This opinion is confirmed by the modern nomenclators, who, befides a great number of varieties, reckon five fpecies of Pigeons, "without including the Ring-dove and Turtle. We fhall remove thefe two lafl fpecies from thofe of the Pigeon, and confider each feparatcly. The five fpecies of Pigeons noticed by our no- menclators are, I. The Domeflic Pigeon ; 2. The Roman Pigeon, which includes fixteen varieties; 3. The Brown Pigeon ; 4. The Rock Pigeon, with one variety; 5. The Wild Pigeon; but thefe five fpecies are in my opinion the fame. ÎAy reafon is this. The Domeflic Pigeon and 1 the Roman Pigeon, with all their varieties, though differing infizeand colours, are certainly the fame fpecies; fince they breed together, and| their progenyare capable of procreating. Wecan- not confider the great and little Domeftic Pigeonsl as two different fpecies ; we can only fay thatlp] they are different branches of the fame kind, thcj one of which has been reduced to a more per-j feu domeflication than the other. In the fame manner, the Brown Pigeon, the Rock PigeonJ and the Wild Pigeon, are three nominal fpeciel which may be comprifed in one, which is m Brown Pigeon, and of which the Rock PigeoiÉ|j and the Wild Pigeon are only minute varietiesEçj^ finer ^. THE PIGEON. 437 {ince the nomenclators thcmfelves admit that tl' fe three are nearly of the fame fizc, that they mi.;rate, perch, and have all the fame inftin^Ss, differing only in their (hades of colour. Thus the five nominal fpecies are comprifed under two ; viz. the Brown Pigeon and the Common Pigeon ; and in thefe no real difference cxifts, except that the firft is wild, and the fécond domellic. I confider the Brown Pigeon as the parent of all the reft, and from which they differ more or lefs according as they have been handled by men. Though I cannot prove it, I am con- fident that the Stock Pigeon and the Common Pigeon would breed together if they were paired : for the difference is not fo great be- tween our little Domeftic Pigeon and the Stock eftic Pigeon and I Pigeon, as between it and the large rough-footed I their varieties, I or Roman Pigeon, with which however it breeds, lours are certainly ■ Befides, in this fpecies we can trace all the reed together, and! gradations between the wild and the domeftic ocreatlng. Wecan-lftate, as they occur in fucceffion; in the order of eDomeftic Pigeons! genealogy, or rather of degeneracy. The Stock can only fay thalipjgeon is imitated, in a way that cannot be mif- the iame kind, tliclunderftood, by thofe deferters which leave our led to a more pc'^'lpigeon-houfes; they perch on trees, which is ther. If» the fainelthe f^rft and ftrongeft fhade in their return to the I the Rock Pigeo"ilftate of nature : thefe Pigeons, though bred do- rée nomiiiî»^ fpe^^^Jneftics, and apparently reconciled, like the reft, one, which is tnjo a fixed abode and to common habits, abandon ;h the Rock Pig^^Wheir dwelling, renounce fociety, and feek a fet- y minute varietiesfteji^gjj^ j^ ^j.^^ woods; and thus, impelled by in- F F 3 ftindt it muft be fed e inflexibly at- oppofite habits included many is confirmed by befides a great lecics of Pigeons, e and Turtle. We les from thofe of ;paratcly. oticed by our no- ,c Pigeon; î.T'^e ifixteen varieties; :he Rock Pigeon, Vild Pigeon; but opinion the fame. fincl 43S THE PIGEON. j: ^> ftinct alone, they rcfume the»»' native ni;».nneM. Others, feeminglylef3courag'.^us and lefs intre- pid, but equally fond of liberty, fly from our pigeon- houfes, and feek a folitary lodgment in the holes of old walls, or, forming a fmall body, they haunt fome unfrequented towers ; and in fpite of the hardfhips to which their fituation expofes them, and the multiplied dangers that affail thcni from all fides, they ftill prefer thefe uncomfort- able dwellings to the convenience and plenty of their former manfion : this is the fécond grada- tion to the ftate of nature. The Wall Pigeons do not completely adopt their native habits, and do not perch like the former, yet they enjoy a much larger (hare of freedom than thofe which Temain in the domeftic condition. The third I gradation is the inhabitants of our pigeon-houfes, which nevef leave their dwelling but to fettle in one more comfortable, and which roam abroad] only to feek amufement, or to procure fubfift- ence. And as even among thefe there are fomcl deferters, it would feem that the traces of theirl primsEval inftin£ls are not entirely effaced. The! fourth and fifth gradations have totally changed! their nature. Their tribes, varieties, and inter-j mixtures are innumerable, being completely do*^ meftic from the earlieft ages ; and man, while hd has improved their external forms, has change(| their internal qualities, and extinguifhed in then every fentiment of freedom. Thefe birds an for the mofl part larger and more beautiful thaij m THE PIGEON. N. 439 the Common Pigeons; are more prolific, fatter and finer flavoured, and on all thefe accounts more pains have been bedowcd upon them. They are inadtive helplefs creatures, that require the confiant attention of man ; and the mofl cruel hunger cannot in them call forth thofe little arts in which animals are ufually fo prompt. They are therefore completely domefticated, and entirely dependent on man, who has degraded them from their original condition. If we fuppofe, that after our dove-cots were flocked, we feleûed thofe of the young which were moft remarkable for their beauty, and raifed them apart with greater care and attention, and , yet incy cnj"; - ■ j^.jj çQjjtjj^ugj jq choofe the mofl gaudy of their than ^^^^J^^^^'^jJdefcendants; W€ fhould at laft obtain thofe f Ip^^'^*^^ varieties which at prefent exift. To our pigeon- i ■ ^^^^ ^ complete hiflory of thefe would therefore ling but to ^^^||^^^^'J|be to detail the effeas of art, rather than to de- fbich roam Ifcribethc produdions of nature. For this rea- to procure lu i |fQ„^ ^g A^jjH content ourfelves with the bare .hefe there are fomcl ^^^^^^^.^^ ^^ ^^^^^ It the traces of theiti iiirely effaced. Thel ^^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ PIGEON *, is the pri- lave totally change Ip^j^j^g flock whence all the others are defcended. varieties, and ^^^f% ^ commonly of the fame fize and fhape with the ting completely do-P I; and man, while 1 ^ Celuméa-Uvia, Gefncr, Gmel. and BriiT. 1 forms, has change! Lf Bi/tt, Buff. •/VipM in theni Coïumha SaxatiltSt Aldrov. ^XtmgUUncu I J Columba Fera Saxatilù, Schwenckfcld. . Thefe birds a» The Bifit Pigeon, Lzth. more beautifulthal PP^ Domeflic tlif lative m^inncrs. i and Icfs intre- r, fly fron* *^"'^ ^lodgment in the fmall body, they ix% ; and in fpite fituation cxpofes rs that affail thcni thefe uncomfort- nce and plenty of he fécond grada- The Wall Pigeons native habits, and , yet they enjoy a than t dition. 440 THE PIGEON. '^ * * Domeftic Pigeon, but of a browner colour. It varies however both in its bulk and plumage ; for the one which is figured by Frifch under the name of Coliniiba j^grejlis, is the fame bird with a white fhade, and its head and tail reddiOi ; and what the fame author has termed Viuogo^ Jive Columbci Montana^ is ftill the Wild Pigeon, only its plumage borders on a dark blue. What Albin defcribes by the term ring-dove^ which is not applicable to it, muft be confidered as ftill the fame bird ; and likewife what Belon calls the Dejerter Pigeon^ which is more proper. We may fuppofe that this variety has arifen from thofe individuals which defert our pigeon-houfes, and relapfe into the ftate of nature ; for the dark blue Wild Pigeons neftle not only in the clefts of trees, but in the holes of ruins and precipices which they find in the forefts. Hence fome na- turaliils have called them Rock Pigeons, and othen;, becaufe they are fond of elevated trad?, have nnmed them Mountain Pigeons. We may alfo obrervc, that this is the only fpecies of the Wild Pigeon with which the ancients feem to have been acquainted, and which they called Oivui;, or Vinago, and that they never mention our brown ibrt, which is however the only Pigeon really wild, and never reduced to that ilatc of domeftication. My opinion on this fub-l jc£l derives additional force from this fafl,f that ia all countries where there are DomefticI Pigeon?,! ner colour. It and plumage; ?ril'ch under the fame bird with ail reddith ; and led Vinago,fve ild Pigeon, only k blue. W^at g^dove, which is onfidered as ftiU ^at Belon calls the re proper. We y has arilen from )urpigeon-houfes, turc; for the dark only in the clefts ins and precipices Hence fome na- iock Pigeons, and of elevated tra6\f, ^igcons. We may ily fpecies of the ancients feem to which they called ey never mention ,owcver the only I :r reduced to thalj ,piaiononthisiul> from this fa<^.| lerc are Domeftic rigeon?, THE PIGEON. 4*« Pigeons, the Oenûs is found, from Sweden * to the torrid zone f ; hut the Brown Pigeon never occurs except in cold regions, and continues only during the fummer in our temperate cli- mates. They arrive in flocks in Burgundy, Champagne, and other northern provinces in France, about the end of February and the be- ginning of March ; they fettle in the woods and neftle in tlie hollow trees, laying two or three eggs in the fpring, and probably making a fécond hatch in fummer ; they raife only two young at a time, and leave the country in November, and diredl their courfe towards the fouth, traverfing Spain, to pafs the winter probably in Africa. The Bifet or Wild Pigeon and the Oenas or Deferter Pigeon, which returns into the wild ftate, perch, and by this circumftance, they arc • " Cierulean Dove with a (hining neck, and a double blackifh " fj'.ot on the wings." Linn. Faiota Suedca, No. 174. t " Wild and tame Pigeons are found every where in Perfia, " but the wild ones are much the moft numerous; and a« " Pigeon's dung is the bc!l for nielons, a great many Pigeons are " carefully bred throughout the kingdom, and no country in the " world, has. I fuppofe, more beautiful pigeon-houfes " Above 3000 pigeon-houfes are computed in the neighbourhood " oflfpahan ; it is a pleafurc to fee people tike Pigeons in the " field, by means of Pigeons tamed and trained for the pur- " pofe, which they make to fly in flocks the whole day befide the " Wild Pigeons; thefe arc thus mingled in the flock, and led to " thepig'fon-houfe." Vc;.a^cdc'CHAKDits, torn ii. p. 29, and 30. Tavernieu, torn. ii. p. 2 2, and23. "The Pigeons ot thf illand " Rodrigue are rather fmaller than ours, all of them flate coloured, j" and conllantly very fat and exxellent : they perch and neftle on I" tlip trees, and are very eafily caught." /''« y «^^ •)«? Léguât, jtom. i. p. 106. diftin- 442 THE PIGEON. -0> 'i' 1 '» rf ,1 4. ■, ■:?■ i .* i '':*■ ^ï' ■*l ^1 1 * ' h diftinguiflied from the Wall Pigeons, which alA forilike their houfes, but feem afraid to penetrate into the forefts. After thefe three Pigeons, the two laft of which approach more or lefs to the ftate of nature, we fhall range the Common Pigeon *, which, as we have obferved, is only half domeflic, and ftill retains the original in- ûlnù. of flying in flocks, if it has loft that na- tive courage which is founded on the feeling of independence, it has acquired more of the agree- able and ufeful qualities. It often hatches thrice a- year, and, if ftill more domefticated, even ten or twelve times; whereas the Brown Pigeons breeds only once, or at moft twice, annually. They lay, tkt intervals of two days, almoft always two eggs and feldom three, and never raife more than two young, which are commonly a | male and female. Many, and thefe are of the 1 younger fort, lay only once a-year, and the fpring hatch is always the moft numerous. The beft pigeon-houfes are thofe built facing the eaft, on fome rifmg ground feveral hundred | paces diftant from the farm- yard ; where the in- habitants can enjoy quiet, have the advantage ofi« an extenfive profpeft, and receive the cheeringlo influence of the morning fun. I have frequentlyll feen Pigeons, flying from the vallies before fun-lti lo * In Greek, m^in^ai in Latin, Columha', in Italian* Cokmlim^^ or Colomba ; ia Spai)ini> Colout» or Palomai in German, Taul>e,(M , ^'auben; in Saxony, 2>«vr ; jn Swcdiib, Z)/<'W0 ; and in PoliOiiF' Çotab. WiQ rifeJ eons, which alft) fraid to penetrate bree Pigeons, the re or lefs to the ige the Common obferved, is only s the original in- has loft that na- on the feeling of tnore of the agree- ften hatches thrice .efticated, even ten e Brown Pigeons \ twice, annually, lays, almoft always ;, and never raife |h are commonly a ,d thefe are of the a-year, and the ift numerous. The Te built facing the à feveral hundied| ard; where the in- |ve the advantage ofl eceive the cheering ,. I have frequently vallies before fun- Uurniai in Italian, Colomh Imai inGerman, Jifl«^«.H ïi,Duwai and in Polifc. rifci THE PIGEON. 443 rife, alight to bafk on a pigeon-houfe that was feated on a hill, and drive away or even difpoflefs the lodgers J and this happens ofteneft in fpring and autumn. I fhall add another remark, that lofty and folitary pigeon-houfes are the moft produdive. From one of mine, I had ufually 400 pairs of young Pigeons ; while I got only 100 or 130 from others that were fituated 200 feet lower. The only danger is, left the rapacious birds that hover about the elevated trads difturb the Pigeons and check their breeding, for they cannot much diminifh their numbers, as the^ prey on thofe only which ftray from the flock. After the Common Pigeon, which is half do- meftic, we fhall place thofe varieties to the pro- duâion of which man has fo much contributed ; but the number is fo immenfe, that it would ex- ceed the limits of our work to defcribe each particularly, and we (hall therefore be contented with a general furvey. The curious in this line apply the name of Bifet to all Pigeons that live in the fields, or are bred in large pigeon-houfes, and call thofe Jc meftic which are lodged in fmall pigeon-houfes, or voleries, and do not venture to roam abroad* They are of different fizes: for inftance, the tumbler and wheeler Pigeons, which are the leaft |of all the volery Pigeons, and fmaller than the |Common Pigeon. They are more agile and imble, and when they breed with the common brt, they lofe their diftinûive qualities. It would 44+ THE PIGEON. 4»-: would feem that their peculiar conftrained mo- tions are owing to the flavery to which they are reduced. The pure breeds ; that is, the principal va- rieties of the Doineftic Pigeons, from which all the fecondary ones can be derived; are: I. The Pouter Pigeons*, which are fo called on account of their power of inflating their craw in refpiration ; 2. The Proud Pigeons f , which are noted for their prolific quality, fuch as the Roman Pigeons, the rough-footed Pigeons, and the Jacobine Pigeons; 3. The Shaker if Pigeons, which difplay their broad tail, like the turkey and peacock; 4. The Turbet Pigeon § ; 5. The Shell Pigeon of Holland || ; 6. The Swallow Pigeon^; 7. The Carmelite Pigeon**; 8. The Dafhed Pigeon ff» 9« The Swifs Pigeons JJ; 10. The Tumbler Pigeon §5; I I . The Wheeler Pigeon j| ||. ^ i,'; '-* r -> The breed of the Pouter Pigeon confifts of the following varieties: f- : r: . • r - I . The Wine-fop Pouter Pigeon, in which the males are extremely beautiful, being decora- * Les grojis gorges, i. e. the thick throats. u? ; '» •f Les Pigeons tnonJains. X Les Pigeons paoHs, i. e. the Peacock Pigeons, § Le Pigeon cravate, ou à gorge /h/ée-, i. e. the cravated orl frizled-necked. (I Le Pigeon coquille Hcllandois, «[ Le Pigeon-hirondelle, *■* Le Pigeon carme. f f Le Pigeon heurté. XX Les Pigcans Suijês, ^\ Lt Pigeon cMutant. j|I[ Le Pigecn tournant, tetil O N. r conftrained mo- to which they are the principal va- sons, from which be derived ; are : hich are fo called of inflating their Proud Pigeons f, ■ prolific quality, the rough-footed Pigeons; 3. The ay their broad tail, :; 4. The Turbet ïon of Holland || ; 7. The Carmelite ^igeon ft; 9. The 'umbler Pigeon §5; me ^.-■^. [^eonconfifts of the Pigeon, in which] :iful, being decora- oats. Pigeons. féc~t i. c. the cravated or| Lt Pigeon-hirondelle, ■ Le Pigeon heurte. Lt Pigeon cvlbiitani. ''HEPOTJTERi.jGp^Oj^ . tedl ^^ m a ■^- ^ ill'. THE. rOTTTliK PIGE. OX. THE PIGEON. 443 / >' *.<^i i^SF^ ^XO'B'O'if' ted with plumage of a varied intermixture of hues; but the females are dellitute offuch orna- ment. ■ . • ' 2. The Painted Chamois Pouter Pigeon ; thft female has not that rich aflemblage of colours. To this variety we ought to refer the Pigeoa pi. cxlvi. of Frifch, and which the Germans call Kropftaube *, or Kroiiper^ and to which that author has applied the epithet Strumous Pigeon^ or Pigeon with the inflated œfophagm» 3. The Pouter Pigeon, white as a Swan. ' 4. The White Pouter Pigeon, rough-footed, with long wings which crofs over the tail, and of* jwhich the ball of the neck appears very loofe. - 5. The variegated gray, and foft gray Pouter iPigeon, whofe colour is delicate, and fpread juniformly over the whole body. 6. The Pouter Pigeon of iron gray, and bar- |red, and ftriped gray. 7. The Gray Pouter Pigeon fpangled with ver. • ' ^ - ■ 8. The Hyacinth Pouter Pigeon, of a blue :olour interwoven with white. 9. The Fire-coloured Pouter Pigeon ; each of |ts feathers is marked with a blue and red bar, ^nd terminates in a black bar. ID. The Hazel-coloured Pouter Pigeon. II. The Chefnut-coloured Pouter Pigeon, ^hofe tail-quills are all white. i. e. lue crop cr a-azv Pigeon. 12. The- 44« THE PIGEON. in 12. The Dark Pouter Pigeon of a fine vel- vet black, with ten wing-quills white, as in the Chefnut Pouter Pigeon. Both have the bib or kerchief under the neck white ; and the females are like the males. Of all the Pouter Pigeons of a pure breed, that is, which have an uniform plumage^ the ten quills are all white as far as the middle of the wing, and this may be re- garded as a general charaâer. 13. The Slaty Pouter Pigeon, which has the under- furface of the wings white, and a white cravat ; the female is like the male.— Thefe are the principal breeds of the Pouter Pigeons, but there are others of inferior beauty, fuch «s the red, the olive, the fable, &c ' y ■ All Pigeons have more or lefs the power 01 inflating their craw by infpiring air ; and theloj fame elTeâ may be produced by blowing intoph the gullet. But this breed of Pouter Pigeo pofTeifes the property in fo fuperior a degree a can refult only from fome peculiar conformatio of its organs. The craw, almoft as large as thi reft of the body, and kept conftantly inflated, obliges them to draw back their head, and pi'^f gi vents them from looking forward : and th while they fwell with conceit, the falcon feiz them unawares. Hence they are raifed moi for curiofity than utility. Another breed is the Proud Pigeons ; theyai the mod common, and at the fame time the im efteemed, on account of their prolific quality ir N. of a fine vcl- white, as in the I have the bib or ^ and the females 5 Pouter Pigeons have an uniform 1 white as fat as this maybe rc- THE PIGEON. 447 3n The Proud Pigeon is nearly one half larger than the Bifet, and the female pretty much re- fembles the male. They breed almod every month in the year, provided that only a fmall Dumber are put into the fame volery, and to each there be allowed three or four bafkets or rather holes, formed into pretty deep cafements with fhelves, to prevent them from feeing one another while fitting ; for each Pigeon not only defends its which has the 1 own hole, and fights the others that come near ^hite and a white lit, but contends for the pofleflion of the next 1 Thefe are! row. For ekample, eight pairs are fufficient to liter Pigeons, butlftoeka fpace eight feet fquaie, and people who utv fuch as thelhave bred them affirm that fix pair would be » r lequally productive. The more their number be 1 fs the power oflincreafed in a given fpace, the more there will be ,.. j^'jf . and thelof brawling and fighting and of broken eggs. In d bv blowing intolthis breed there are often impotent males, and of Pouter Pigeonslbarren females, which never lay. fuocrior a degree aA They are fit to breed in the eighth or ninth 'culiar conformationmonth, but do not attain maturity till three moft as large as tlwprears old. Their prolific powers are vigorous for conftantly inflatedftx or feven years ; after which the number of heir head, and pr^ftggs they lay diminifties gradually; though there forward*, and thulrc inftances of their breeding at the age of "' " r».i çlyç^ They lay their two eggs fometimes in e fpace of twenty-four hours, and during inter in that of two days ; fo that the interval ries according to the feafon. The female keeps fame time the moBer firft egg warm, without covering it aflidu- ir prolific qualityjjfly, nor does Ihe begin to fit clofely till after the the falcon (tni raifed mo" r Ley are id Pigeons; they i ,1 ';' i! :| ! U il ii!' 448 THE PIGEO>r. ^ the fécond is laid. The period of incubation h commonly eighteen days ; fometimcs only feven- teen, efpccially in fummer, and nineteen or twenty in winter. 1 he attachment of the fe- male to her eggs is fo ardent and Heady, that Ihe will forego every comfort, and fubmit to the moft cruel hardihips, rather than forfake them. A Hen Pigeon, whofc toes froze and dropt ofi', perfifted to fit till her young were hatched : her toes were froft-bitten, becaufe her hole chanced to be clofe to the window of the dove-cot. While the female is employed in hatching, the male places himfelf in the next hole ; and the moment Ihc is compelled by hunger to leave her eggs and go to the trough, he obferves her feeble murmur of intimation, takes her place, covers the eggs and fits two or three hours. This incu- bation of the male is commonly repeated twice in the courfe of the twenty-four hours. The varieties of the Proud Pigeon may bel reduced to three with refpedt to fize, which havel all the common chara£ler of a red filet roundl the eyes. 1. Thofe heavy birds that are nearly as largel as fmall pullets; their bulk alone recommends] them, for they are not good breeders. 2. The Bagodais are large Proud Pigconsj with a tubercle over the bill in the form of fmall morel *, and a broad red ribbon round thJ • Mcrel is a little red muftiroom. cy rel )f incubation h mes only feven- id nineteen o? nent of the fe- ; fteady, that ilic ibmit to themoft orfake them. A ; and dropt oft*, ere hatched : her her hole chanced e dove-cot. ;d in hatching, the exthcle; and the unger to leave her oblerves her feeble THE PIGEON. 4.9 eyes, that is, a fccond eyelid, Hefhy and rcJclifli, which even falls upon the eyes vviicn thoy are old, and prevents them from feeing. — llicll' I'igeons are not productive. The BLigaJais have a curved and hooked biil, and exhibit many varieties ; white, black, rcJ, tawny, &c. 3. The Spanifli Pigeon ; which is as large as a hen, and exceedingly beautiful. It dificrs ixoxxiXh^ Bagada'ts in not having the m'^rel above its bill, and its fécond fic(hy tvelid being lefs protuberant, and its bill (Iraight inftead of curv- ed. It cro(îl:s with the BagaJciisy and produces a very thick and large breed. 4. The Turkifli Pigeon ; which, like rlie /?<;- ^/7<:/^/x, has a thick excrefcence above the bill, her p a , ^ ■ ^^..^^^ ^ ^^^ ^^^ extendinor from the bill round the hours. This incu- eyes. This bird is very thick," creflcd, low nly repea I legged, vvith a broad body and wings: fome 3ur hours, d Pigeon may be to fize, which have a red filet round are of a tawny colour, or a brown bordering on black, fuch as reprefentcd in PI. CXLIX. of Frifch; others are of an iron-gray, lint- gray, chamois, and wine-fop. Thefe Pigeons 1 ^Jîire very inactive, and never roam from their are nearly as laige|^^j^^^,/ 5. The Roman Pigeons ; which are not quite "0 large as theTurkilh, but have the fame extent f wings, but no creft ; they are black, tawny, alone recommendi Ibreeders. fge Proud Pigeon, the form of i-ed ribbon U ^"'"^'"'''"J'^I^Jrfpotted. ^ ' Thefe are the largeft of the Domeftic Pigeons ; here are fome of a middle fize, and others mu room. ^^ J ^^^^ ^^^ G G fmalkr. 450 THE PIGEON. ^ fmaller. Among the rough-legged Pigeons, which are feathered as low as the nails, we may diftinguifh the one without a creft, figured by Frifch, PI. CXLV. under the name trummd tattbe *, in the German ; Columba typanifatis^ in the Latin; and Pigeon- tambour, in the French: alfo the crefted rough-legged Pigeon, which the fame Author has dellgned in PI. CXLIV. by the name of Montaube f in German, and in Latin by the epithets Columba menjirua, feu crijiata pedibus plumofis'\.. The rough-legged Drum- Pigeon is alfo termed the Glou-glou Pigeon, be- caufe it continually repeats that found, audits voice at a diftance refembles the beat of a drum. The crefted rough-legged Pigeon is alfo called the Mo7ith Pigeon, becaufe it hatches every month, and does not wait till its young are able to pro- vide for themfelves. Its breed is very profitable, though we muft not reckon upon twelve hatches annually ; the ufual number is eight or nine,] which is ftill very great. In the intermediate and fmall breed of Do- meftic Pigeons, we may diftinguifh the Jacobinel Pigeon §, of which there are many varieties; viz. the Wine- fop* the Painted Red, and tliel Painted Chamois ; but in none of the three isl the female thus decorated. In the Jacobinel * i. e. 1'he Drum Tlgeon, The Latin and French fignify tliJ fame. f i. c. The Month Pigeon. \ i. c. The Mouth Pigeon, or the ere/led ivith feathery feet, % Pigeon Nonain, i. e. The Nun Pigeon. brecJ N. legged Pigeons, le nails, we may creft, figured by : name trummel \ba typanifans, in -, in the French : >igeon, which the . CXLIV. by the lan, and in I^atin firua, feu criflata ,gh-legged Drum- ^i.glou Pigeon^ be- hat found, and its | he beat of a drum, ion is alfo called the ches every month, ig are able to pro i is very profitable,! ipon twelve hatches :r is eight or nine, Imall breed of Do- iguifh the Jacobinel ire many varieties;! inted Red, and thel ine of the three isl In the Jacobine! [tin and French fignify w'j \td'with feathery feet. icon. , ]| breecl j!\r:48 TUEXACOBIÎfK. MGKOΫr . t '' i; i , /i:y^ ^ •vim SHAKER riUE ON- . * THE PIGEON. 4S« ■if/ !^'lt>'.M toEON". breed, there is alfo the Moorijh Pigeon * ; which is entirely black, except the head and the tips of its wings, which are white : to this we may re- fer the Pigeon of PI. CL. of Frifch, which he names in GtxmdSiSchleyer,ox Parruquen-tatibe f, and in Latin Columba-galerita^ that is, Hooded Pigeon. Butin general all of the Jacobines are hooded, or rather have a half-cowl on the head, which defcends along the neck, and extends along the breaft like a cravat of ruffled feathers : this variety is nearly allied to the Pouter Pigeon, for its lize is the fame, it alfo fomewhat inflates its craw, nor is it fo prolific as the other Jaco- bines, of which the moft perfect are entirely white. In all of them, the bill is very (hort ; I the latter breed often, but their young is very I fmall. The Shaker or Peacock Pigeon is fomewhat [larger than the Jacobine. The fined of this br^^ed Ihave thirty-two feathers in the tail, while the icommon fort have only twelve. After they have Iraifed their tail, they bend it forwards, and at Ithe fame time draw back the head fo as to [make it meet the tail. They (hake alfo during the ^vhole of this movement ; either from the violent contradtion of tht mufcles, or from fome other caufe, for there is more than one breed of Shaker i'igeons %, They make this difplay of the tail commonly * Pigeon Maurirt. f i. e. The veiled or perruked Pigeon, I There is a Shaker Pigeon different from the Peacock Pigeon, G G 2 iU 45» THE PIGEON. ^ commonly in the love feafon ; though fome- times alfo upon other occafions. The female raifesand difplays her tail alio like the male, and is quite as beautiful; fome kinds are entirely white, others white with the head and tail black. To this fécond variety we mull refer the Pigeon figured in PI. CLI. of Frifch, which he calls in G eimsin, PJau-tauùe, or Hufier/cbwantz*y and in Latin, Columba caudaia. That Author re- marks at the fame time, that the Shaker Pigeon difplays its tail, and works eagerly and conftant- ly with its head and tail, nearly in the fame way as the •wryneck, Thefe Pigeons do not fly fo well as the others ; their broad tail catches the wind, and they often fall to the ground; for this reafon they are bred chiefly froni curiofity. However, thefe Pigeons, though by themfelves they could perform no dillant journies, have been carried into remote countries: in tliel Philippine illands, ftiys Gemelli Carreri; an Pigeons that elevate and fpread their tail like! the peacock. The Polifh Pigeons are larger than theShakerl Pigeons. Their diftinguifiiing chara«5ler is al very thick and fliort bill, their eyes bordered! its t.T'l not being near fo broad. The Peacock Pigeon lias bccnl denominated by Willuulil)y and Ray, Cc^j/ah- tra>r.:ln Ixtica::.^ (broad-tailed Shaker Pigeon); and tiie biiuicer Pigeon Culmri^ tremula nngujTicauda feu acuticauda (narrow- tailed or fliarp-tai'iJJ Shaker Pigeon) : the latte;r, though it docs not mife or 'jiipl-y :i| tail, trembles, they fny, alraoll continually. ■ * i. e. Peacock or Hci-taikd P-f^oi. ■ 9 \Vitll ) N. ; though fome- s. The female ike the male, and lids are entirely id and tail black, t refer the Pigeon vhich he calls in rfchwaniz*, and That Author re- he Shaker rigeon erly and conftant- r in the fame way )ns do not fly ib d tail catches the the ground; for fly frorti curiofity. igh by themfelves mt journies, have :ountries : in the nelU Carreri; are read their tail like rer than the Shaker iig charader is a heir eyes bordered Peacock Pigeon has bcc:i Co'umh- tranv.ln Li/icai^n ,e blinker Pigeon Colr.ah row-tailed or (harp-tai'.^i Iocs not r.ufe or ùil'pl.'/'^ lly. v/iti -^y^ j'HKroiiisnuiGJioTsr. . .^' \ ' ■ ; A '■■^- j:^ ^ bli THH TUKBKT FIGEON-. THE PIGEON. 453 IE OK. with .1 red circle, their legs very low. They are of different colours, many black, others rufous, chamois, dotted with gray, or entirely white. The Turhet Pigeon is one of the fmalleft, being fcarcely larger than a turtle, with which it breeds. The Tuibet Pigeon is diftinguithed from the Jacobine, the former not having the half cowl on the head and neck, but only a tuft of feathers that appear to ruffle on the breaft and under the throat. Thel'e Pigeons are very hand- fome, well-made, and have a neat air j fome are of the colour of wine-fop, others chamois, painted, rufous, gray, entirely white or black, and others white with black mantles. The laft variety is what Frifch reprefents in his CXLVII. Plate, under the German name Mowchen^ and the Latin defignation Columba collo birfuto *. This Pigeon has an averfion to pairing with other Pigeons, and is not very prolific : it is befides very fmall, and eafily falls a prey to the rapa- cious tribes. Upon all thefe accounts it is fcarcely I ever raifed. The Pigeons called Dutch-fhell Pigeons, be- Icaufe on the back of the head are reverfed feathers fortning a fort of fliell, are alfo fmall. Their head is black, the end of the tail and the Itip of the wings are alfo black ; but all the reft lof the body is white. Some are red-headed, Iblue-headed, or the head and tail yellow; • Pigeon with fhaggy neck. G G3 the 454 THE PIGEON. ^ the tail is ufually of the fame colour with the head, but the wings are always white. The lirft variety which has a black head, refembles fo much the Sea-fwallow, that feme pcrfons have applied to it that name; and with the more appearance of analogy, as this Pigeon has not its body round like mofl of the reft, but long and very flender. Befides the Shell Pigeon which we have juft mentioned, there are otiier Pigeons which have the head and tail blue ; others where thefe parts are black; others where they are red; others xvhere they are yellow : but in all the four the extremity of the tail is of the fame colour with thehead. They are nearly as large as the Peacock Pigeons, and their plumage is very neat and fingular. There are fome named Swallow Pigeons, that nre not larger than turtles, and like them are flender fhaped and of very nimble flight : the whole of the under-fide of their body is white, and the u]>per-lide, as well as the neck, the head and the tail, black, or red, or blue, or yellow, with a fmall cafque of the flime colours on the head, but the under- fide of the head is always white, and fo is that of the neck. To this va- riety we muft refer the Gakatcd P'igeon of Jolin- fton and Willughby, of W'hich the principal charader is, that the feathers of the head andl ' thofeof the tail and the quills of the wings arcl ^ always of the fame colour, and the body of a dUicrent ecicnir; for example, the body white, aril P THE PIGEON. 455 lour wUli the ite. The firft mbles fo much 5 have applied c appearance of its body round I very (lender. ;h we have juft 3ns which have ,here thefe parts are red; others all the four the 'ame colour with ge as the Peacock is very neat and low Pigeons, that ul like them are mble flight : the ,\r body is white, the neck, the head blue, or yellow, X colours on the L head is always leek. To this vu- •d Figeofi of ]ohn- [ûch the principl of the head and .. of the wings are ^ul the boay of a| e, the body whitcJ and the head, the tail, and the wings black, or of fome other colour, whatever it be. The Carmelite Pigeon, which forms a difTcr- ent breed, is perhaps the loweft and the fmalleft of all our Pigeons j it appears fquatted like the goat-fucker; it is alfo very rough- legged, the feathers on its thighs being exceeding long, and its legs remarkably fliort. I'he males and females refemblc each other, as in mort of the other breeds. It includes four varieties, which like thofc of the preceding forts, are alfo of an iron- gray, chamois, wine- fop, and foft gray: but in them all, the under- fide of tlie body and of the wings is white, all the upper-fide of the body being of the colours we have mentioned. Their bill is fmaller than that of a turtle, and they have a little tuft behind the head, which draws to a point as in the crertcd lark. The Drum Pigeon or gloii-glouy of which we have fpoken, is alfo very low and rough-legged, bL'-. larger than the Carmelite Pigeon, and nearly of the lize of the Polifli Pigeon. The Daihed Hgeon, which is marked by a daub, as it were, of a black, a yellow, or a red pencil, above the bill only, and as far as the middle of the head, with the tail of the fame colour, and all the reft of the body white, is highly valued by the v-urious. It is not rough- legged ; it is of the fize of the ordinary Proud Pigeons. G G 4 The 456 THE PIGEON. ^ The Swifs Pigeons are fmaller than the Com- mon Pigeons, and not larger than the Biiets ; they even fly as nimbly. There are feveral kinds of them ; viz. thoi'e garnifhed with red, wit'' bhie, and v/itli yellow, on a filky white ground with a collar, which forms a horfe-ilioe on ll>e hrcafl, and i;^ of an embroidered red. They have often two bars on the wings, of the fame colour with that of the horle-fl\oe. There are other Swifs Pigeons not garnifli- cd with interminrrled tints, Ihaded over the whole body with an uniform flate colour, and without any collar or hcrfc- flioe. Others are called jcijpcrcd y/^llo'w collars^ mailed yellow c liars, and others very mailed ye'lozv collars^ &c. becaufe they have collars of that colour. There is ftill another variety of the Swifs Pigeons, called the A'zure Pigeon^ becaufe its plumage inclines more to blue than the pre- ceding. The Tumbler Pigeon is one of the fmallcfl kind ;- that which Prifch has figured, PI. CXLVIIT. under the names Tiimmel-taube^ tinnier^ Columba gift iiafa fer gcjlleular'ui^ is of a rufous brown ; but lome are gray, and variegated with rufous and gray. It whirls round in its flight, like a body llirown in the air ; for this reafon it has received ils appellation. All thefe motions feent to im- ply vertigoes, which, as I have obferved, may be afcribcd to the cfleâ; of domelVicaiion. It flies very fwiftly, than the Com- an the Bilets ; ere are feveral ihed with red, a filky wlùte ns a hoiie-flioe ibroidered red. le wings, of the •le-fl^oe. ns not garnifli- ^ over the whole ur, and without thers are called How c'lhrs, and rsy &c. becaule of the Swifs con^ becaufc its c than the pre- of the fmallcft ed,Pl.GXLVIlI. tuvilcr^ Culumhd ibus brown ; but with rufous and ghr, like a body u it has received ms fee m to im- obferved, may he Uion. It flies very iwiftly, THE PIGEON. 457 fwiftly, and foars higher than any ; but its movements are precipitate and very irregular. Frifch fays, that its flutterinc; refeniblcs in fome meafure the capers of a rope-dancer; it has been called the Harlequin Pigeon (Co'.umba grfluafa). Its Ihape is pretty much like that of the Bifet; it is commonly employed to attradl: Pigeons from other dove-cots, becaufe it flies higher and far- ther, and continues longer on the wing than the reft, and more eafily efcapes the hawk. The fame may be faid of the Wbeelcr Pigeon, which Briflon has called after Wiliughby, the Smitcr Pigeon * ; it turns round in its flight, and flaps fo vigorouîîv with its wings, as to make as much noife as a miil-clapperj and often in the violence of its exertions, which feem to be almoft convulfive, it breaks fome of its wing-quills. Thefe Wheeler or Smiter Pigeons are common- ly gray, with black fpots on the wings, I fhall barely mention fome other varieties that are uncertain or fecondary, noticed by the nomenclators, and which belong undoubtedly to the breeds that we have defcribed, but to which, from the imperfeâ: accounts given, wc cannot refer them with accuracy or certainty. I. The Norway Pigeon mentioned by Schvvenckfcld, which is white as fnow, and which is probably a crcfted rough-legged Pigeon, I bigger than the reft. Columba PercufTor, inil. and Brif. 2. The 458 THE PIGEON. -^ 2. The Pigeon of Crete, according to Aldro- vandus, or of Barbary, according to Willugh- by * ; which has a very fliort bill, its eyes en- circled with a broad ring of naked fkin, and its plumage blueiih, and marked with two blackifli ipots on each wing. 3. The frizzled Pigeon f of Schwenckfeld { and Aldrovandus §, which is entirely white, and frizzled all over its body. 4. The Carrier Pigeon of Willughby ||, which is much like the Turkifh Pigeon both by its plu- mage which is brown, and by its eyes which are encircled with a naked Ikin, and its noftrils covered with a thick membrane. Thefe Pigeons, it is faid, were ufually employed to carry let- ters fpeedily to a diftance, when difpatch was needed, which gave occafion to the name. 5. The Horfeman Pigeon of Willughby ^ and Albin, produced, they fay, by crofling the Pou- ter Pigeon and the Carrier Pigeon, and partaking of the qualities of both ; for it has the power of inflating its craw, like the Pouter Pigeon, and, like the Carrier Pigeon, its noftrils are co- vered with thick membranes. But it is proba- ble that any other Pigeon might be trained to carry light matters, or rather to fetch them from a diftance : We need only feparate them from * Columba Bubarica, feu Numidica, JJ'Ul. f The LaceJ Pigenv, h:iû\. % CJ/zw^.* CVr/^u, Schvvenck. § Columba o-lffn pcnnis, AlJrov. II CoIiimbaTalclliiii», Will. *f Cclu.nlu Equis, \\\\\. their I J. ling to Aldro- T to Willugh- 1, its eyes en- l fkin, and its h two blackifli 5chwenckfeld i irely white, and ghl)yll,whichis both by its plu- y its eyes which 1, and its noftrils Thefe Pigeons, tA to cany let- len difpatch was the name. VVillughby 1Î and cvofling the Pou- Dn, and partaking it has the power Î Pouter Pigeon, ts noftrils are co- But it is proba- ht be trained to 0 fetch them from karate them from inn. ha Crifpa, Schwenck. THE PIGEON. 459 m ,lu;/d-a Equiii ^'^ "'"' theid their female, and carry them to the place from whence the news is to be brought, and they will certainly return to their mate as foon as they are fet at liberty *. Thefe five families of Pigeons are only, we fee, fecondary varieties of the firft, which we have defcribed from the obfervations of fome curious people, who have paffed their lives in breeding Pigeons, and particularly the Sieur Fournier, who has for feveral years had the charge of the voleries and poultry-yards of his Highnefs the Count of Clermont. That prince, who difcovered an early tafte for the arts, di- redled all forts of domeftic fowls to be coliedled from every quarter, and continually intermixed. In this way, from the Hen Pigeon alone, an ama- zing variety was produced entirely new, and yet bearing the impreflions of their original fpecies, though all furpaffing it in beauty. • " In the pigeon-liouffs of Cairo, fomc males are feparated " from their females, and fcnc into the cities from vvhicli t!iey wiih " to receive news : 'i'he meflage is written on a finail bit of pa- " per, which is folded and then cov'ercd with wax ; this is ftuck " under the wing of the male Pigeon, and in the morning after a " hearty meal, he is difmiflcd, and proceeds ftraiijht to the dove- •' cot where his female refides. He travels farther in one day, " than a man on foot could in fix." Pietro della Valîe, tom. i. p. 416, & 417. At Aleppo, Pigeons are employed to carry letters from AIcy- andretta to Aleppo, wliich they perform in lefs than fix hours, chough the dillancc is at leall twenty-two leagues. rqyagf de Th eve NOT, torn. ii. p. 73. Tame ■«— B" 460 THE PIGEON. ^ Tame Pigeons were known in ancient Greece ; for Ariftotle fays, that they hatch ten or eleven times a year, and thofe of Egypt twelve times *'. However, wc may fuppofe that large dove-cots where Pigeons breed" only twice or thrice annually, were not very common in the time of that philofopher. Pie divides the genus into four fpecies f ; to wit, the Ring- Pigeon, the Turtle, the Brfot, and the Common Pigeon:!^; and it i3 the lad which he mentions as breeding ten times a-year. But this rapid multiplication is found only in fome of thofe that are highly domefticated. Ariftotle takes no notice of the varieties of the tame Pigeons. Per- haps they were then few in number ; but in the time of Pliny they feem to have been great- ly multiplied j for that natu'ralift mentions a large breed of Pigeons that exifted in Campania, and teîls us, that there were fome curious perfons who gave an extravagant price for a pair, whofe pe- digree could be traced, and that thefe were kept in little turrets created on the houfe-tops §. All that the ancients have (liid with refpe(fl to the in- flindl? and habits of Pigeons, miift be applied to the domeftic fort, rather than to, the inhabitants * lUjioria Aii'unalium., lib. vi. 4, f ///,?. .'fw/w. lib. viii. 3. X In the original, (^x\\% or Ça£7o-a> %ih^\x cr thImxx:,, t^-i^^h. '.i;Jti; or Çavi. § Lib. X. 37. — The purcliafc was made by Lucius Axius, before Pompcy's civil war, for the fum of four hundred dcvcrii, about fifteen pounds (lerling; a price much higher than is given by bird- fanciers at prcfcnt. of THE PIGEON; 461 in ancient ley hatch ten ole of Egypt ly fuppofe that :ed'only twice y common in le divides the /it, the Ring- ] the Common h he mentions But this rapid feme of thofe riftotle takes no Pigeons. Per- imber; but in lave been great- -nentions a large Campania, and DUS perfons who pair, whofe pe- thcfe were kept ule-tops §. All efped to the in- ft be applied to the inhabitants ,1 y T.ucuis Axius, before hur^dreil Liawrii, abov.c r than is s'lve» by bird- of of pigcon-houfes, which ought to be confidered as an intermediaterace between the tame Pigeons and the wild, partaking of the qualities of both. They are all fond of fociety, attached to their companions, and faithful to their mates ; a neat- nefs, and dill more the art of acquiring the graces, befpeak the defire toplcafe; thoie tender careflcs, thofe gentle movements, thofe timid kifles which grow clofe and rapturous in the moment of blifs; that delicious moment foon renewed by the re- turn of the fame appetites and by the gradual fwell of the foothing melting paffion ; a flame always conftant, and ardor continually durable ; an un- diminifhed vigour for enjoyment ; no caprice, no difguft, no quarrel to difturb the domeftic harmony, their whole time devoted to love and progeny ; the laborious duties mutually ihared ; the maleaffirting his mate in hatching and guard- ing the young: — If man v/onld copy, what mo- dels for imitation ! [A] [A] Specific charafter of the Common Pigeon, Cdumba Do- ■mejlicu: — " It is cinereous, its rump wliitc, th^e is a ftripe on its " wings, the tip of its tail is blackiih."' t.inna^us reckons up twenty varietics. i. The Rifet, Colunda Livia : z. The Rock- Pigeon, CoIi:mbu Saxaùiis : 3. The Roman Pigeon, Columba Hi' fpanica : 4. The rougli-footed Pigeon, Columba Dajypiis : 5. The Crcllcd Pigeon, Ccl:irnha Crijlata : 6. The Norway Pigeon, Co- lumba Ncr-j.-c^ica : 7. The liarbary Pigeon, Columba Barbarica : 8. The Jacobine, Col.ur.la Cucullrta : 9. The Frizzled Pigeon, Columba Crifpa : 10. Dif Turbit Pigeon, Columba Turhita : II. The Peacock Pigeon, Cdumba Laticauda : 12. The Tumbler Pigeon, Columba Gymfrix : I?. The Helmet Pigeon, Columba Galeata: 14. Tiic Turkiib Pigeon, Columba Turcica : 15. The Carrier Pigeon, Culumba Tabellaiia : 16. The Cropper Pigeon, Columba- 462 THE PIGEON. Cclumha Gutturo/a i 17. The Horfeman Pigeon, Columia Equis: 18. The Smiter Pigeon, Columba Pcrcufor } 19. The Turner Pigeon, CoLmha Jubata : 20. The Spot Pigeon, Cohmba Ma- tulata. Though Linnanis reckons the Bifct a variety of the Columba DomrJIica, it is evidently the fame with our Vv'^ooJ Pigeon, which he denominates Columba Oenas, and thus charafierizes ; " Cine- " reous, neck glofly green; Ilripe on the wings, and the tip of the •' tail, blackifti." In Eng'.ilh, it bears the name of Stock Dove, being fuppofed to be the only origina' of all the doincUic kinds. Multitudes of Stock Doves breed in the rabbit burrows on the downs of Suffolk, and the young are every year fold by the fliep- herds. The Rock Pigeons, as our Author obferves, are the fame birds : they are frequent in the South of Ruflia, and breed in tur- rets, and on the Iteep bankb and rivers : in winter, vaft numbers refort to the cliffs of the Orkneys. ^ r. [ 463 ] m, Coîumha Eqiits : The Turner 19 leon, CobimbaMtC' ety of the Columéa folfct. Its eyes are encircled by a bright red ikin ; its iris black ; its legs red. The one mentioned by the fume author under the name Iioilotl'\^ which is brown marked with black fpots, is probably but a variety of the preceding, occafioncd by ditfer- ence of age or fex. Another of the fame coun- try, termed Kacahollotl'\., which is blue in the upper parts, and red on the bread and belly, is perhaps only a variety of our Wild Pigeon. All thcfe feem to belong to ^ur European Pigeon. The Pigeon dcfbribed by Brifibn by the name o{ Violet Pigeon of Allartiuico ^^ and which he figures under this fame name, appears to us only a very flight variety of the Common Pigeon. The one which that author calls fimply the Mar- tiiiico Pigeon jj, and which is deligned in our] * Hiji. Nov. Hifp. cap. cxxxii. It is the CcUmha Mexicana of Briflbn and Gmclin ; and the Mixlcan Pigeon of Latham. f Ib'.tUm, cap. Ivi. and Ix. It is the Cdumha Ner-viaoï Gmcli:'! tlie Oeiias McxicG^ia oi CiiiTon, ar.d the Blach-j}uttcd Pigeon é Latham. I Il'idcm, cap. clif . The CJ:(>i!!:a Ca:r:i!ia of Gmclin, and the Ccl-.t/r.ha Cccrulea Mexicana of Crifion, and the Blue Pigeon ol Latham. % " The Violet-chrfnut Pigeon ; Its belly tawny ; its quiil-fca •"' thcrs rufoui within." Biiiss. II " Pigeon, dufky-riifous above, dilute fulvous wine-colou;:- •' below; the neck gold-violet; black A-ots on cither v/ing ; ihc " lateral tail cjullb huninied with a black (liipe, white at tii; " tips." Bk 1 ji. Planck Fh( vhich are lin, mcnûoncJ 2,^c Ccboiloli' -, the bread aiul hite, appears to rehteci to the PIGEON S. 465 riufuhes EnlNnuf/Jt's under t'lo appellation of /??/- fous Cayenne Pigeon y are neither of them different from the Common Figcon. It is probable even that the latter is the female of the former, and that both derive their delcciit from the Defcrter Pigeons. They are improperly called Partridges in Martinico, where no real partridges exift; but there are Pigeons that refemble partridges in colour only, and differ not confiderably from our European Pigeons. As the one was brought from Cayenne and the other from Martinico, we may infer tliat they are fpread through all the warm countries in the New. Continent. The Pigeon defcribed and figured by Ed- wards (PI. CLXXVI). under the name of the Brown Indian Dove, is of the fame fize with the Bifet, and as it differs only in colour, we may conflder it as a variety produced by the influence of climate. Its eyes are encircled by a fine blue dcli^'"ncd in our I fkin devoid of feathers, and frequently it raifes its tail of a fudden, but does not however dif- play it like the Peacock- pigeon. In like manner, Catefby's Pajfeiiger Pigeon *, which Frifch terms the American Pigeon, differs from Its eyes are its iris black ; ed by the fame 3//t, which is ^ is probably but "loacd by ditfcr- ' the fame coun- h is blue in the :aft and belly, is /ild Pigeon. AU .ropcan Pigeon, ■labn by the name 1^, and which he appears to us only Common Pigeon. fuTiply the Mar the Cihmha Mexicana of •0/1 oF Laiham. Bbch-J}uttcd rigi^on ot ■uha of Gmclln, and thci and the blue P'S'"' <^' kWv tawny; its quill-fi-' * This is the Columba Migratovia of Linnsus, and the Wild j Pigeon of Lawfon. Its fpecificcharacler ; — " Its orbits bare and blood-coloured, its breaft rufous." Weight nine ounces. The . ".colour:il''^'''""^"g^^ Pigeons breed in the northern parts of the American con- ate fulvous V, - ^^^^ ^ ^iJtinent : they neftle on trees, and lays two eggs. During incubation, fnots on cit er v, ^, .lihev live on the Iccds of the red-maple, and afterwards ontbofc Uc'ic aiipe. white at ii"| • r vo;., II, of Planck -^ il • U 466 FOREIGN BIRDS, which art from thofe which ckfcrt our pigeon-houfes, and relapfe into the ftate of nature, only by the co- lours, and by the greater length of the tail-fea- thers, which fecm to indicate an analogy with the turtle: but thclb differences are too minute to form a diftind and fcparate fpecies. The fane may be faid of the Pigeon noticed by Ray, called by the Knglifli the Parrot- Pigeon^ afterwards defcribcd by Briflbn, "^nd which wc have caufed to be delineated in the Planches Enluminées y No. 138. by the name, Green Pigeon of the Philippines : it differs from our Wild Pigeon only by the intenfity of its colours, which we mav attribute to the effedb of a hot climate. — In the Royal Cabinet, there is a bird termed the Green Amboyîia Pigeon^ which is different from that on which Briffon beftov/s the fame name. It is figured No. 163. Planches Enluminées^ and fo nearly refembles the preced- ing, that it may be confidered as a variety of ^1 of the elin. As foon as their provifions fail, they gather in vaft bodies, and advance towards the fouthern provinces. In hard winters the air is darkened by their fiight ; one flock fucceeds to another, and this paflage lails feveral days. When they rooft in trees, the branches are fomctimes broken down by their weight, and the ground bciicath is covered to a confiderable depth with their dung. The Indians ul'ed to kill valt numbers, and collefted their fat to fcrvc as butter. In the State of New York, the Paf- fenger Pigeons are obfcrved in their progrcfs to the foutlicrn or weftern fettlements about the beginning of Augufl:, and in their re- turn about the beginning of March : they fly in mornings and «veniugs. Prodigious quantities of tbefe birds aie caught in dap- aets^ or decoyed aad Ihot. T. the which art :on-houfe8, and only by the co- of the tail-fea- m analogy with are too minute )ccies. Pigeon noticed (h the Parrot- y Briffon, "^ind :lincated in the . by the name, it differs from intenfity of its e to the effedl of abinet, there is a PtgeoTiy which is iffon beftov/s the ). 163. Planches bles the pveced- l as a variety of J, they gather in vaft •n provinces. In hard one flock fucceeds to . When they rood in down by their weight, onfiderable depth with t numbers, and collefted 3f New York, the Paf- rcfs to the foutliern or Auguft, and in their re- :y fly in mornings and birds aie caught in clap- the ^- N^30 n -^ nilK WIIITK liKT.LTKD riGKOT<^ w rtlauti to thi P I Ci E O N S. 4(17 D I'lGKOK the fame, refuUing from a diflcrcncc of age or of fcx. The Green Amboyna Pigeon defcrlhed by BrifToii * is of the fizc of a turtle, and though dif- ferent in the dillribution of its colours from that to which we have appropriated tîiat name, mull dill be confidercd as but another variety of the Euro- pean Pigeon. It is alfo extremely probable that the Green Pigeon from the ifland of St. Thomas mentioned by Marcgrave, which is of the fame fize and fliape with the European fort, but dif- fers from it, as from all others, by the faffron colour of its legs, is alfo a variety only of the Wild Pigeon. In general, Pigeons have all red legs ; the difference confifts entirely in the in- tenfity or the vivacity of this colour, and perhaps the yellow caft obferved by Marcgrave was oc- cafioned by fome diftemper or accident. It is much like the Green Pigeons of Amboyna, and of the Philippines, as delineated in the Plancha Knlum'mêes» Thevenot fpeaks of thefe Green Pigeons in the following terms : ** In India, at " Agra, there are found Green Pigeons, which " differ from ours only in the colour. Fowlers " catch them eafily with bird-lime.'* The Jamaica Pigeon, mentioned by Sir Hans Sloane f, which is of a purple brown on the • " Olive-green Pigeon; the back chefnutj the wing-quills " black above, cinereous below, their exterior margins yellow; " the feet naked." fiRissoN. t " The leffer white-bellied Pigeon." Sloane. — Thcmiddlfi white -bellied Pigeon. Brown. H H z body, 46â FOREIGN BIRDS, i^c. .11 ^ I' body, and white under the belly, and nearly of the fame fize with our Wild Pigeon, mull be re- garded as merely a variety of that fpecies, efpe- cially as it is not a conftant inhabitant of Ja- maica, but only vifits the ifland as a bird of paflage. There is ftill another in Jamaica, which muft alfo be regarded as a variety of the Wild Pigeon ; it is what Sloane, and after him Catefby, termed the White Crowned Pigeon : its fize is the fame ; it nellies and breeds alfo in the holes of rocks, fo that we can fcarce doubt of its being the fame fpecies. From this enumeration it appears, that the Wild Pigeon of Europe is found in Mexico, Mar- tinico, Cayenne, Carolina, and Jamaica ; that is, in all the warm and temperate climates of the Weft Indies; and that it alfo occurs in the Eaft, from Amboyna to the Philippines. ^ and nearly of on, muft be re- t fpecies, efpe- labitant of Ja- l as a bird of ca. which muft le Wild Pigeon ; Cateiby, termed fize is the fame ; holes of rocks, s being the fame ipears, that the in Mexico, Mar- d Jamaica ; that ;e climates of the :curs in the Eaft, .es. J^JJ -^ THE iiI>fGl>OVJ-: [ 469 3 The RING PIGEON*. Le Ramier, BufF. Columla Paliimlui, Linn, and Gmel. Paluinlus, Gcfucr and Briffon. Patumhus Tonjuatuf, Aldiov. Ray and Will. Ciiliimou Ji^f'jiuata, Frilch. The Rin^ Dove, ^cejl, or Cnjhat, Will, and Penn. AS this bird is much larger than the Bifet, and as both are nearly related to the Domeftic Pigec ^ve may fiippofe that the fmall breeds ofo' < afe-pigeons have proceeded from the Bifets, and the large breeds from the Ring Pigeons : and this conjedure is the more pro- bable, as the ancients were in the pradice of rearing and fattening the Ring Pigeons f. The only circumftance that feems to oppofe this idea is, that the fmall domeftic Pigeons crofs with the large forts, while the Ring Pigeon feems net to intermix with the Bifet, and, though they inhabit the fame trads, do not mix together. The turtle, as it is ftill more eafily raifed and kept • In Greek, «tao-a-a or Jarla : in Latin Palumbes or Pahtmhus : in Italian, Colombo Torqucu'i, Cul.mùaccio : in Spanilh, Paloma. Torcatx. : in German, Rmgil Jaiibe: in Sw'ifs, Scl^Iag-tub: in Dutch, Ring-ilwve : in ricmilli, KrieJ's'dwve : and in the Brabant, Man/eau : in Swediih, Riiig-ilufua : and in the ifle of Ocland, Siutut : in Danilh, Ringd-ilui ; and at Boniholm, Skude : in Fo- jlfh, Giyivalx.. j- Vtit.o\X\xs, apiid Ceftiettim. H n 3 in 470 THE RING PIGEON. -^ in houfes, might equally be regarded as the fource of fome of our domeftic breeds, were it not, like the Ring Pigeon, of a peculiar fpecies, that intermingles not with the Wild Pigeons. But though in their native forefts, where each can poflefs its proper female, thefe birds are never obferved to aflbciate together, yet when they are deprived of their liberty, and have no longer the opportunity of feledion, the force of paflion may obliterate the principle of choice, and may impel them to unite with the females of their kindred fpecies, and give birth to a progeny of hybrids. Nor will the offspring, like the males, be blafted with fterility, but may, like the breed between the he-goat and the Iheep, be capable of reprodudion. To judge from analogy, the Pigeon tribe confifts in the ftate of nature of three prin- cipal fpecies, as \vc have obferved, and of two •that may be regarded as intermediate. On thefc the Greeks bellowed five dift'erent names : the firft and largeft is the Vhajfa or PhotUi^ which is our Ring Pigeon : the fécond is Peleias^ which is our Wild Pigeon : the third is the Trngon or the Turtle : the fourth, which is the lirft of the intermediate kinds, is the Oinas, which being rather larger than the Wild Pigeon, mud be con- fidered as rclapfed from the ftate of domeftica- tion : the fifth is the Phaps^ which is a Ring Pigeon fmaller than the Phajfa^ and for that reafon called the LeJJcr Pigeon^ but which ap-l pears to us to be only a variety of the fpecies of the >N. ;arded as the reeds, were it xuUar fpecies, Wild Pigeons. J, where each birds are never when they are e no longer the rce of paflion hoice, and may emales of their to a progeny of like the males, r, like the breed ep, be capable of aogy,therigeon re of three prin- ed, and of two îdiate. On thefc •ent names : the Phatta, which is is Pekias^ which is the Trugon oi- ls the lirft of the las, which being eon, muft be con- ate of domeftica- which is a Ring Ifa^ and for that n^ but which ap- V of the fpecies of the THE RING PIGEON. 47 « the Ring Pigeon ; for it has been obferved that the Ring Pigeons are of different fizes, according to the nature of the climate. — Thus all the no- minal fpecies, ancient or modern, may be re- duced to three, viz. the Wild Pigeon, the Ring Pigeon, and the Turtle, whicli have all perhaps contributed to the endlel's varieties of our do- meftic Pigeons. The Ring Pigeons arrive in our provinces in the fpring, rather earlier than the Bifet», and re- tire in autumn fomewhat later. The month of Auguft is the time in France when the young are the mod numerous ; and it appears that they ilFue from the fécond hatch, which is made to- wards the end of the fummer; for the firft hatch being very early in the fpring, the neft is not covered with leave», and is therefore too much expofed and often deftroyed. Some Ring Pigeons remain in moft of our provinces during winter ; they perch like the Bifets, but do not like them conftruu their nefts in holes of trees ; they place them on the tops, and build them neatly with flicks : the neft is flat and fo wide as to admit at once both the male and female. I have alcertained that very early in the fpring, they lay two and often three eggs j for feveral nefts have been !)rought to me containing two and fometimes three young ones already ftrong in the beginning of April *. Some perfons have afferced * Salerne fays, that the poulterers of Orleans buy, in thefcafonof the nclls, a coniiderable number of Turtles, which tliey blow H H 4 with 472 THE RING PIGEON. 4^ aflerted that in our climate they breed only once a-year, unlefs they are robbed of their eggs or young, which, it is well known, obliges all birds to a fécond hatch. But Frifch affirms that they lay twice a-year, which feems to us very certain; fince the union of the male and female being conftant and faithful, v;ould feem to im- ply that their love, and the attachment for their young, continues the whole year, lîut the female lays a fortuight after the embrace of the male *, and fits only another fortnight ; and the fame length of time would be fufficient for the young gaining ftrength to enable them to fly, and provide for themfelves : — thus it is proba- ble, that (he may breed twice in the courfe of the year, firft in the beginning of fpring, and again at the fummer folftice, as the ancients re- marked. In warm and temperate climates this with the mouth and fatten with millet, fo that in lefs than a fort- night they are fit to be carried to Paris. That in the fame manner they fatten the Ring Pigeons, and alfo carry thither Bifets and other Pigeons, which they call PoJ^cs, and which are, according to them. Pigeons that have forfaI«en dove-cots, and roam at will, ncftling fometimes in one place, and fometimes in another, in churches, in towers, in the walls of old ca(lles,or in rocks. — This fact proves that the Ring Pigeon, like all the Pigeons and Turtles, can be reared like other domeftic birds, and confe- quently that they may have given birth to the mod beautiful and thelargeft dove-cot J igeons. M. Le Roy, Lieutenant of the chaccs, and infpeéior of the park at Verfailles, affures ine, that the young Ring Pigeons taken from the neft, tamed and fattened very well, and that even the old Ring Pigeons caught by a net, were eafily reconciled to live in the voleries, where in a very ftiort time by jjlowing they grow fat. ♦ Anitotle, Htjh /iftifj. lib. vi, 4. undoubtedly breed only of their eggs 1, obliges all I affirms that ns to us very le and female fee m to im- tachment for ear. But the mbrace of the ight -, and the icient for the ; them to fly, s it is proba- the courfe of of fpring, and be ancients re- :e climates this in lefs than a fort- Thr.t in the fame 1 alfo carry thither I Pojics, ami which aken ilove-cots, and :, and fomctimes in of old canies.or in , like all the Pigeons ic birds, and confe- le moft beautiful and utenantofthechaccs, i mc, that the young I fattened very well, by a net, were eafily a very ihort time by undoubtedly THE RING PIGEON. 473 undoubtedly takes place, and very probably the cale is nearly the lame in cold countries. The Ring Pigeon has a louder fort of cooing than the Common Pigeon, but is never heard except in the love feafon, and in fine v^reather; for when it rains, thef^ V' ; are filent, and Aldom does their fongcîicwr th- ^looni of winter. Tliey live upon wild fruits, acorns, beech- maft, ftraw- berries, of which they are very fond, and alfo beans and grain of all kinds. They make great havoc among the corn when it is fhed or lodg- ed, and if thefe forts of food fail them, they have recourfe to herbage. They drink like other Pigeons, that is at one draught, without raifing their head, till they have fwallowed as much water as they have occafion for. As their flelh, efpecially when they are young, is excellent meat, their nefl:s are much fought for, and great numbers are robbed. This devaftation, joined to their flow multiplication, much j-educes every where the fpecies. Many are caught indeed with nets in their route through the provinces bor- dering on the Pyrenees ; but this lafts only a few days and at one feafon. It appears that though the Ring Pigeons pre- fer the warm and ' temperate climates *, they • The rocks of the two iflands of Magdalena ferve as a retreat to an infinite number of Ring Pigeons, natives of the country, and dilFcring not from tliofc of Europe, except that they are of a more delicate and exquiiîte flavour. Voyage au Senegal, par M. 4,DANS0M. alfo 474 THE RING PIGEON. ^ alfo inhabit fometimes the bleak regions of the north; fince Linnaeus inferts them among the birds that are natives of Sweden *. They would feem alfo to have migrated from the one con- tinent to the other f ; for wt have received from the fouthern parts of America, as well as from the hot countries in the Old World, feveral birds, which muft be confidered as varieties or fpecies clofely allied to the Ring Pigeon, and which we fhall notice in the following article. [A] • Fauna Suecica, No. 175. f AtGuadaloupe the feeds of the logwood-tree, which were ripe, had attrafted a prodigious number of Ring Pigeons ; forthcfe birds are paflionately fond of fuch feeds. They fatten furprifingly, and their flelh acquires a very agreeable odour of cloves and nutmegs. When thefe birds are fat they are cxcefllvely lazy. . . . Several difcharges of amufket will not force them to rife ; they only hop from branch to branch, while they behold their companions drop aroundthem. Nouveau Voyageaux 'ties de l^ Amérique, torn. v. p. 486. In the Bay of All Saints, there are two forts of Ring Pigeons, fome of the bulk of our Ring Pigeons, others fmaller, and of a light gray : both are very good to eat, and the flocks of them are fo large, that from the month of May to September, one man may kill nine or ten dozen in a morning, when the flcy is cloudy and they refort to feed on the berries which grow in the furells. Pampier's Foyage. [A] Specific charafter of the Ring Pigeon, CokmhaPalumlns :— " Its tail-quills are black behind, its prim ry wing-quills whitiljj «' on their margin, thç neck white on both fides," gions of the I among the They would the one con- received from well as from , feveral birds, ;ties or fpecies and which we :. [A] ree, which were ripe, gcons; for thcfe birds ;ten furprifmgly, and ■ cloves and nutmegs, y lazy. . . . Several 5 rife ; they only hop leir companions drop erique,iom.v.lt. 4^6. )rts of Ring Pigeons, :rsfmaller, and of a the flocks of thcin are tember, one man may the Iky is cloudy and grow in the forefts. CohimhaPalumlus:-- ry wing-quilU whitiCb fides." [ 475 ] F O P. E I G N BIRDS, WHICH ARE RELATED TO THE RING PIGEON. I. THE Ring Pigeon of the Moluccas, men» tioned under this name by Biiflbn *, and which we have caufcd to be dcligned (PL EnL No. 164.) with a nutmeg in its hill, becaul'e it feeds on that fruit. How diiTereiit foevcr the climate of thofe iflands be from thr.t of Europe, the bird is fo like our Ring Pigeon in fize and figure, that we cannot but conficlcr it as a variety occafioned by the influence of climate. The fame may be faid of the bird defcribed by Edwards under the name of the 'iriangiilar ^petted Pigeon f, and which he tells us is found in the foutliern parts of Guinea. As it is half rough-legged, and nearly of the lize of the Eu- * Coliimba /Enca, Linn, and Gmcl, Palumbus Moluccenfis, BriJ/'. 'I'hc Nutmeg Pigeon, Lath, Specific charaftcr:— " its legs featlieryj its bill and legs " greenilh ; its body copper-colourtd." t Columba Guinea, Liim. Gmei. and A7«». The Turtle of the Cape of Good Hope, Scnnerat. Specific charaftcr : — " its oroits raked and red ; its wings marked *' ttith triangular wl'.ite fpots; itii tail-quill* black utiiie lip." 14 ropeaa 476 FOREIGN BIRDS, luJAch art rtlaiui ^ ropean Ring Pigeon, we ihall refer it to tint l]iccies as a iîmple variety. It difibrs indeed in its colours, being marked with triangular fpots on the wings, having the whole of the under- lidc of the body gray, the eyes encircled with, a red naked fkin, the iris of a line yellow, the hill blackifh ; but all thefe difTercnccs of the colour of the plumage, bill, and eyes, may he confider- ed as variations introduced by the climate. A third variety of the Ring Pigeon, which occurs in the other continent, is the Ring-tailcd Pigeon mentioned by Sir Hans Sloane and Brown*, which being nearly of the fame fi/c with the European fort, may be referred to it better than to any other fpecies. It is remark- able for the black bar which crofles its blue tail, for the iris, which is of a more lively red than in the Ring Pigeon, and for two tubercles near the bafe of its bill. • " Pigeon with a ring-tail, or marked with a du/ky he!*." Sloane. Greater Pigeon, of a fky-black, the tailftriped. Byoi{.n. Columba Carlbc-ca. Gml. The Ring tailed Pigeon. Lti//^. II. The fer it to tlt.tt fcrs indeed in angular fpots the under- i'ldc cd with a red ;llow, the bill of the colour iv he confider- climate. Pigeon, which he Ring' tailed IS Sloanc and ■ the lame frzc referred to it It is remark- fles its blue tail, \'ely red than in bercles near the with a dufky be!'." tailftriped. ^roav?;. Pigeon. Itit'}- II. The i, the RING PIGEON. 477 II. The F O U N I N G O. Co!ii)iiba LiUulagn/car'enJis, Linn, and Cmcl. PaliimhiiS Madiiç'eil'iariiitfi.t, BrilF. Iht MaJagu/idi- "igemt. Lath, The bird called at Madagarcari%y//////(^5-wt'/fi7- rahou^ and of which we retain part of the name, becaufe it appears to be a peculiar fpccics, and which, though related to the Ring Pigeon, dif- fers too much from it in fize to be regarded as a fimple variety *. Brliron firll noticed this bird, and we have caufed it to be figured (PI. EuL No. II.) under the appellation of the Blue Ring Pigeon of Madagafcm\ It is much fmaller than the European Ring Pigeon, and nearly of the lame fize with another Hgeon of the fame climate, wliich appears to have been firft men- tioned by Bontius {', and afterwards by BrilTon [jl, * What induces u? to ccnfider the Founingo of a different fpecies from our Ring Figeon, is tliat the latter occurs in the fame climate. " We faw (fays Bontckoe), in the ifland of Mafcare- " nas, a number of Blue Ring Pigeons, which allowed themfelvcj " tobe caught in tiie hand. We killed this day near two hun- " dred. . . . We alfo found there a number of Ring Pigeons.'* Voyage aux Indes Or'ientiùes. t " Pigeon of a very green colour." I Columba Madagafcari'înfiSii/w.'. and GW. Palumbus VirU dis Madagafcarienfis, Brijf, Specific charaiSer : " Its legs featherv; its tail violet; its body " bluUh-black." from 478 FOREIGN BIRDS, whch art nlattd from an indivuliiiil brought fioin Mad.igafcar^ where it was called Fauiiini>^f Maitfoii; which feems to prove that, notwithilanding the dilFcr- ence of colour, its being green inflead of blue, thefe two birds are of tlie i'ame I'pccies, and the only dillinclion fubiHting between them arifes from the a^^;c or fcx. This bird is rcprefented PL Etil. Ko. m. by the name of Green Riti^ Pigeon oj Alaclagafear, ^ III. The SCALLOP NECKED PIGEON. Le Ramiivf, Hiitf. Celitmba SpjJ'jh, Gmcl. We have reprefentcd this bird PL E?iL No* 413. by the name of the Cayctnic Rhig Pigeon* The fpecies is new, and has been defcribed by no preceding naturalift. It is fmallcr than our Ring Pigeon, and different from the African Founingo^ It is one of the handfomefl birds of this kind; it refembles fomewhat the turtle in the Ibape of its neck, and the difpofition of its colours, but differs in point of fize, and in many other charaders which ilencte a greater affinity to the Ring Pigeon, than to any other fpecies. IV, The rti latti 'jitffju ; w^^ich ing the ditrcr- iftead of blue, icdt'S, and the n them arifes is rcprefcnted of Crccn R'wg PIGEON. :d n. Enl. No. lie Ring Pigeon. dercribed by no :r than our Ring !k.frican Founingo C6 of this kind ; ■A tie in the fhape )n of its colours, id in many other ter affinity to the r fpecies. IV, The to the RING PIGEON. 479 IV. The Pigeon of the Nincombar, or rather the Nlcobar, iflaiuls, defcribed and defigned by Al- bhi *, which, according to him, is of the fize of the European Ring Pigeon: its head and throat are of a blueifli- black, the belly f a blackifh- brown, and the upper parts of the body and of the wings are variegated with blue, with red, with purple, with yellow, and with gree.i. According to Edwards, who has, Hnce Albin, given an excellent defcription and an accurate figure of it, the fize does not exceed that of an ordinary Pigeon .... The feathers covering the tail arc long and pointed like thofe of a dung-hill cock ; they have very beautiful reflec- tions of colour variegated with blue, with red, with gold, and with copper 'le back and the upper-fide of the wing are green, with refledions , of gold and copper .... I have, fubjoins Ed- w^ards, found in Albin, figures which he calls the Cock and the Hen of this fpccics ; but I 'ave examined the fpecimens in Sir Plans Sloanc's collcdion, and can dilcover no differfnce from which we might infer that thefe birdt were male • Columba Nicobarica, Linn. Gmel. and Klein. Columba Ni- combarienfis, BriJJ'. The Nicobar Pigeon, Alb. Ediu. and Lath, Specific charaélcr : — " Its tail is white, its body black, its *' wing-quills blue, its back gloffy green, with an elongated feather " round its neck." and 48o FOREIGN BIRDS, whko are rehted and female. Albin calls Mt the Ninckomhar Pigeofi; the true name of the illand whence this bird was brought is Nicobar . . . there are feveral fmall iflands which bear that name, and lie on the north of Sumatra. # V. The bird called by the Dutch Krcn-vogety figured by Edwards PI. CCCXXXVill. under the name of the Great Crowned Pigeon *, and alfo by liriflbn, by the term Crowned Pheafant of India. Though this bird is as large as a turkey, it belongs undoubtedly to the genu?^ of the Pigeon: its bill, its head, its neck, the general fiiape of its body, its legs, its feet, its nails, its cooing, its inflinds, its habits, &c. all are analogous. From being deceived by its fize, and never thinking of comparing it with a Pigeon, Briffon, and afterwards our defigner, termed it a Pheafant* The laft work of Edwards was not then pub- liflied ; that excellent ornitholgifl has fmce given • Columba Coroiiata, Linn, and Ginel. Columba Mugiens, Zcop. Specific charaaer :— " It is bluifh ; above cinereous ; its orbits •* black, its fhoulders Icriuginous." his related Nlnckombaf land whence . . there are It name, and to the RING PIGEON. 481 n ct C( {{ <( <( 4( C( z\\ Krcn-voget^ :XV11I. under I Pigeon*^ and ^wned Fheafant \ as a turkey, it s of the Pigeon: eral fhape of its its cooing, its alogous. From never thinking , Briflbn, and it a PheafanU not then pub- a has lince given Columba Mugiens, ire cinereous ; its orbits | ^q^^^ H, his his opinion on the fuhjed. " It is of the family ** of the Pigeons, though it is as large as a •* middle fized turkey . . . Mr. Loten brought " feveral of thefe birds alive from India ... It is a native of the iOand of Banda .... Mr. Loten aflured me that it was really a Pigeon, and has all the geftures and cooing of that bird in careffing its female : I confefs that without this information, I (hould never have imagined that a bird of fuch magnitude was related to the Pigeons *." The Prince of Soubife has very lately received at Paris, five of thefe birds alive. They are all fo much like each other in fize and colour, that it is impollible to di(lingui(h their fex. Befides, they do not lay, and Mauduit, an intelligent na- turalift, informs me, that he faw feveral in Hol- land, which ahb did not lay. I remember to have read in fome voyages, that it is ufual ia India to raife thefe birds as we do our poul- try, * EdwardS) Gleanings. t I [ 482 ] The COMMON TURTLE*. La Tourterelle, Buff". Columba Turtur, Linn, and Gmel. Tiirtiir, Gefner, Aldrov. Briff. Frifch, Sec. Palumbus -Turtur, Klein. , The Turtle-dow, Willughby. -^ TH E Turtle, more perhaps than any other bird, loves coolnefs in fummer, and gentle warmth in winter. It arrives in our climates very late in the fpring, and departs in the end of Auguft ; whereas the Bifets and the Ring Pigeons appear a month earlier and remain a month later, and Ibme even the whole winter. All the Turtles, without a fmgle exception, af- femble in flocks, and perform their journeys in a body J they never refide with us more than four or five months, and, during that fhort fpacc, they pair, build their neft, and lay and rear their young, which are able to join them in their retreat. They choofe the darkeft and cooleft woods to form their fettlement, and they con- llru•, to murmur : the Latin tioa of the Turtle's notes ; in Spanilli, T'ortota or il;ei in Swedilh, Turtur thel THE TURTLE n. -r Ui I COMMON TURTLE. 483 the talleft trees at a diftance from our habita- tions. In Sweden *, in Germany, in France, in Italy, in Greece j', and perhaps in countries ftill cooler or hotter than thefe, they re- main only during fummer, and depart before autumn : only Ariftotle informs us, that in Greece a few (lay behind in the moft flielter- ed fituations : this feems to prove that they feek very hot climates where to pals the win- ter. They are found in every part almofl: of the Ancient Continent J ; they occur alfo in the New, • *' The Turtles do not winter with us .... the Turtles keep *' in flocks when they arrive and depart .... the Quails alfo re- " tire, t.'xept a fau that fettle in flickered fpots, which is likewife " the cafe with the Turtles." Arist. ////?. ^/h>/j. lib. viii. f " We faw in the kingdom of Siam, two forts oJ'Tint-es.; the " firft is like ours, and the flelh excellent; the fecowù lias a ** finer plumage, but its fled» is j\-i;o,vIlli and ill-tailed. The *• fields are full of thefc Turtles." Second f^eju^t- Je Siam, p. 248. and Geronier, ///,'?. Nat. and Polit, de Siam, p :?Ç. — "Ring *« Pigeons and Turtles come to the Canary iflands from the coalfs *' of Barbary." Hiji. Gen. dcsVoy. tom. ii. 241.— At Fida in, A- frica, there is fuch a niuliitude of Turtles, that a m: n who fliot pretty well, undertook tokiffahundred in fix hours time. Bos man's yoyage to Guinea.— There are Turtles in the Pliilippines, in the iflesof Pulo Condor^and in Sumatra. Dampier's t-'oyage. — Here (at New Holland) is a number uf plump fat Tunics, which ars very good eating. Idem. *' X The plains of Chili are flocked with an infinite number of "birds, particularly Ring Pigeons, and Turtles." Frezier's Voyage ..." The Ring Pigeons there are bitter, and the Turtles " not excellent." Idem. — " In New Spain are many European birds, " as Pigeons, large Turtles like thofe of Europe, and others as little " as Thra'.hes." GemelliCarreri, tom. v.—" In no pait of " the wcrld have I feen fuch numbers of Turtles and Ring Pigeons, I I 2 as 484 COMMON TURTLE. New *, as far as the South Sea iflands f. They are, like the Pigeons, fubjedl to varieties, and though naturally more lavage, they can be raifed in the fame manner, and multiplied in the do- meftic ftate. It is eafy to intermingle their dif- ferent varieties, and they can even be made to breed with the Pigeon, and thus produce new -^ «• as at Areca in Peru." Le Gentil, torn. i. "In the country " about the Bay of Campeachy, there are different forts of Turtles; •• feme have a white craw, the reft of the plumage gray verging " on blue ; thefe are the largeft and are good eating ; others are •' of a brown colour over the whole body, not fo fat as the firft, " and fmaller. Thefe two fpecies fly in pairs, and live upon the *♦ berries which they gather from the trees. The third fort are of a " very dull gray, and called Land Turtles ; they are much larger ** than a Lark, round and plump ; tiiey go in pairs." D a m p 1 e a '$ Voyagi. — " It is commonly believed that thtre are Red Par- *' tridges and Ortolans at St. Domingo ; but this is a miftake, •' for thefe are different fpecies of Turtles : ours are very commo» *• there." Charlevoix, Hlft. des St. Dominque, torn. i. pp. 28, ic 29. — " AtMartinicoand the Antilles, Turtles are feldom found •• but in fequeftered fpots whither th jy are driven. Thofe of Ame- *' rica have appeared to me to be much larger than thofe of France • ** At the time they breed, many of the young are caught in nets ; «• they are fed in voleries, and fatten perfeftly well, but are not fo " fine tailed as the wild ones : it is impoffible to tame them. Thofe '< which live at liberty feed on monbin plums and wild olives, of *' which the nuts remain pretty long in the craw, which has led fomfe " perfons to believe they eat fmall Hones. They are commonly " very fat and well tailed." Nouv, Voy, aux îles de P Amérique, torn. ii. p. 237. * In the cnch:intîng iflands of the South Sea, we faw Turtles that were fo familiar as to perch upon us, Hij}, des t^avig. aux Terres Aufiruks, torn. p. 5; There are plenty of Turtles at thrGaliapago iilnnds ii\ the South Sea: they ait fotame, that one may kill five or lix do/xu in an afternoon merely with a ilickf Hûiiv. Vcy. aux tics dc l'Âmeriqui, toni, ii. p. 67. f Linnani5, Fauna Snecicn, 7^9. 175^ 15 tribes COMMON TURTLE. 48s ast. They ariedes, and can be raifed 1 in the do- gle their dif- t be made to produce new " In the country nt forts of Turtles; nage gray verging eating ; others are fo fat as the firft, , and live upon the le third fort are of a ey are much larger airs." Dampier's «re arc Red Par- t this is a miftake, rs are very common que, torn. i. pp. 28, les are feldom found en. Thofeof Ame- han thofe of France- r are caught in nets ; well, but are not fo o tame them. Thofe ) and wild olives, of Vy which has led foffl^e They are commonly :ux lies de V Amérique, Sea, we faw Turtles Hijl. des Navig- aux ■e plenty of Turtles at ai-e fo tame, that one merely with a ftickt |57- tribes tribes, or new individual varieties. " I have " feen, a perfon writes me of the moft un- " doubted credit*, I have feen in Bugey, at a ** houfe of Chartreux, a bird got by croff- " ing a Pigeon with a Turtle ; it was of the " colour of a French Turtle, and refembled the *' Turtle more than the Pigeon ; it was reftlefs, ** and molefted the other birds of the volery. *' The father Pigeon was of a very fmall kind, " perfeûly white, with black wings." It has not been obferved whether thefe hybrids are proiiific ; but the general fad proves at leaft the great analogy tha<- fubfifts . between thefe two birds. It is there re not unlikely, as we have before remarked, lat all the varieties of the do- meftic Pigeon may refult from the gradations of intercourfe, and the multiplied combinations of the Bifei, the Ring Pigeon, and the Turtle. What feems to confirm our opinion with re- gard to thefe unions, which may be conceived to be illegitimate, as being out of the ufual courfe pf nature, is, that exceffive ardor which thefe birds feel in the feafon of love. The Turtle melts with a ftill more tender paflion than the Pigeon, and more fmgular preludes announce the fwell of pleafure. The male Pigeon only ftruts round his mate, puffing and difplaying his figure. The Turtle, whether kept in confinement or fluttering at will in the grove, begins his addrefles by * M. Hehert, whom I have already cited more than once. I J 3 faluting 486 COMMON TURTLE. fainting his female eighteen or twenty times in fuccellion in the moft humble pofture, bending fo low each time as to touch the ground, or the branch, with his bill, and he fighs the tendweft murmurs. The female appears at firft infenfible to his pafFion, but the fecret flame foon kindles, and nt laft yielding to the foft defires, {he gives vent to iviv.e plaintive accents, -And when once ihe has diflbivecl in his embrace, fhe burns with a cciift.'.nt fire ; Ihe never leaves the male, Ihe returns his kiffes and his carefles, and ftimulates him to renew the rapturous joys, till the bufmefs of hatching divides her attention, and invites to more ferions occupations. I fhall cite only one faâ: which manifefts the ardour of thefe birds * : if the males be put in one cage and the females i^ another, they will copulate together as if they were of different fexfis : the males indeed burn fooner and whh more intenfity than the females. Confinement therefore only deranges nature, out cannot ex- tinguifh it ! ... ••: ',. In the fpecies of the Turtle we are acquainted with two confiant varieties. The firft is, the * The Turtle, M. Roy writes me, differs from the Ring Pigeon anj the Common Pigeon, by its diflblutenefs and inconAancy, notwithftanding its reputation for the contrary qualities. Not only females that are fliut up in voleries receive promifcuoufly all the males; but I have feen wild ones, which were neither con- ftr;iined nor corrupted by domellication, give favours to two fuc- ccfiively on the fame branch. ^. ' . . \ - Common ,E. :nty times m ure, bending ound, or the the tendtreft firft infenfible foon kindles, res, {he gives nd when once he burns with the male, flie and ftimulates ill the bufinefs and invites to Ï manifefts the lales be put in ther, they will re of different oner and whh Confinement )ut cannot ex- I are acquainted rhe firft is, the rom the Ring Pigeon efs and irconftancy, f qualities. Not only ive promifcuoudy all :h were neither con- ; favours to two fuc» Common X1>;^ ^ 1'- ■ \ ^^^^^^^^^Rk'^Jh THE COJjX.Ai6> TUKTiB. Xifi. M'JÔ k TirE. TN'UIU'R TtTK-TIiK . COMMON TURTLE. 487 XiK Common Turtle : tlic fccond the Collared Tur^ tic *, fo called, becaufc it bears on its neck a fort of black collar. Both of them arc found in our climate, and when they mix together, they produce a hybrid. The one which Schwentkfcld defcribes, and which he calls Tnrlur m'lxtus^ was the offspring of a common male Turtle, and of the female Collared Turtle, and rcfembled more the father than the mother. I have no doubt but thefe arc prolific. The Collared Tur- tle is only fomewhat larger than the common kind ; irs inflinds and habits are the fame. In general we may fay, that all the three tribes of the Pigeon arc more analogous in their difpoli- tions than in their figure. Tiicy eat and drifik in the fame manner, without lifting their head till they have fwallowed as much as they want ; they fly in flocks ; their voice is a loud mur- mur, or a plaintive moan, rather than an ar- ticulated fong ; they lay only two eggs, fome- times three; all of them hatch, fevcral times in the year in warm countries, or when kept in voleries. [A] * Columba Riforia, Linn, nnj Gmcl. La Tourterelle à Collier, B-.tff. Turtur Torqualuï, Br'tff. The Indian Turtle, Min, \3 Will. The Collared Turtle, Lath. Specific charaéter; — " Above yellowiil), w'di a black crefccnt on *' the neck." [A] Specific charafter of the Turtle, Culumla.'Tui-iiir :—" Its " tail-quills are tipped with white, its back gr;iy, its brcallcarna- " tion ; a black lateral fpot on its neck, with whitt ftrokes." The Turtle is found in the weft of England, where it breeds retired iu the oak-woods. I 14 FOREIGN BIRDS, WHICH ARE RELATED TO THE TURTLE. I- I. Columha Marginata, Linn, and Gmel. ^urtur jlmericanus , BriiT. The Marginated Pigeon, Lath. np H E Turtle, as well as the Common Pigeon "*' and the Ring Pigeon, has fuffered varieties in different climates, and occurs likewife in both continents. That which Briffon has mentioned by the name of the Canada Turtle, and which is figured No. 1 76. PL Enl. is rather larger, and its tail longer, than that of the European Turtle; but the differences are not fo great as to confti- tute a diftinâ: fpecies. I think that we might re- fer to it the bird which Edwards calls (PI. XV.) the Long-tailed Dove, and which Briffon names the American Turtle, Thefe birds much re- femble each other, and as they are diftinguifhed from our Turtle only by the length of their fail, we regard them as varieties produced by influence t)f climate. JI, The IDS, E TURTLE. 1. ommon Pigeon iffered varieties ikewife in both has mentioned 7^, and which ther larger, and jropean Turtle; at as to confti- it we might re- calls (PI. XV.) Briflbn names irds much re- re diftinguifhed length of their es produced by II. The FOREIGN BIRDS, Ifc, 4S9 11. The Senegal Turtle and the Collared Turtle of Senegal, both mentioned byBriC- fon, the fécond being only a variety of the firft, as the Collared Turtle of Europe is only a variety of the common fort ; they appear not diftinâ: fpecics from our Turtles, for they are of the fame fize, and fcarce differ but in the colours, which muft be afcribed to the influence of climate. We prefume that the Spotted throated Turtle of Senegal, being of the fame fize and climate with the preceding, is alfo but a variety. III. The TOUROCCO. Columba Macroura, Gmcl. The Great-tailed Pigeon, Lath. But there is another bird of Senegal, which has hitherto been noticed by no naturalift, and which we have caufed to be engraved PI. Fjif, No. 329. under the name of the Broad- tail Turtle (f Senegal, this denomination being given it 490 FOREIGN BIRDS uibUh are it by Adanfon when be prefcntcd it. However, as it feems to difFer from the European Turtle, carrying its tail like the Hocco, and having the bill and other charadlers of the Turtle, the term TouroccQ may denote its mixed qualities. [A] [A] Specific char.iftcr of the Cdumha Macroura : — " It is «' cinnamon-coloural, below partly whitilh, the tip of its tail «' v.liite." ^ IV. The TURTLETTE. Ccihimha Cttpciifisy G'.r.el. Ihe CaJ'e Figccii, Latli. Another bird a-kin to the Turtle ; which is that dcfcrihcd by Bridbn, and figured PI. EriL No. 140. by the appellation of Black Cravated Turtle of the Cape of Good lijpc : but we iiave appropriated a name to it, becaufe it appears a peculiar fj^ecics, cilacrent from that of the Turtle. It is much fmailer than our Turtle, and its tail much longer, though not fo broad as that of the Tourocco : the two feathers in the middle of the tail only are very long. The male alone is reprcfcnted in the PL Enl,\ it is diftinguidicd from tlic female by a kind of cravat of a Ihining black under the neck and on the I h are However, ^ean Turtle, d having the tie, the term lities. [A] 'aa-oura:—" It i* the tip of its t^il related to the TURTLE. 49t the throat, while the correfponding part in the female, is gray mixed with brown. This bird is found at Senegal, as well as at the Cape of Good Hope, and probably in all the fouthern parts of Africa. [A] [A] Spccili': ch::raac;- of the CdimLa Capenfis :~ " Its p;iin:try " wing-qiiills arc rufous, on t.ic iniide." rE. rtle ; which is c^^urcd PI' Efi!' Black Cravated ;; but weiiave lufe it appears )m that of the lan our Turtle, [\ not fo broad o feathers in the :vy long. The he PL EnL\ it le by a kind of \\z neck and on the I 1 V. The T U R V E R T. * We give this name to a green bird which bears fome refeniblance to the Turtle, but appears to he a fpecies entirely diftindt from all the reft. Under the Turvert we include three birds ; No. 142, 214, and 117. of the Pl.Enl. The iirlt has been dcfcribed by Briilbn, under the appellation ai Grc.cn Amhoyna l^irrtle.^ and mi the PI. Enl. by the Purple-throalcd Turtle 1 f Am- Loy?i(j *, becaufe that colour of the throai' is the moll ftriking tjliarader of the bird '\. The fécond * CoUmibri Viruli^, Lrui, and Gn !. The Green Turtle, Lnth. Specific charader :— " It is copper-coloi'.rcd, the undcr-fideof its ■" body piirplo violet." f Totliis fpL'cics tlie following paflages probably refer. " In *' the ifland of Java, thciv is an infinite number ciï Turtles of dif- ** ferent colours ; green with white and b'acl-; fpnts ; yellow and " white, white and blade, and a fpecies of an alh-colour. Their <■* bulkis as dilL-rent as tli^iir colours ar;.- various ; fjmoare as large *' as 492 FOREIGN BIRDS xvt>ich are fécond is the Turtle of Batavia"*^ which has not been noticed by any naturalift. We may pre- fume that being a native of the fame climate ■with the Turvert, and differing little in fize, fliape, or colours, it is only a variety arifing from the age or fex. The third is termed the yava Turtle f , becaufe it is faid to inhabit that ifland ; it feems alfo to be only a variety of the Turvert, but ftill more charaûerifed than the former, by the diiference of colour in the lower parts of the body. ii. k VI. Thefe are not the only fpecics or varieties of the Turtle tribe ; for, in the Old Continent, we find the Portugal TurtleX^ which is brown, with bkck and white fpots on each fide, and near the " as a Pigeon, and others are finallcr than a Thrufh." Lc Gentil Voyage au Tour lilt Monde, " In the Philippine iflands js a fort of Turtle \vh"ch has the •' feathers on the bacli gray, and thofe on the ilomach wl)itc; in *« the middle of uhich we per:eive a red fpot like a frefli wound " flowing wit!i bloc J," Gemei. li Carrer i, torn. v. p. 266. * Columba Mclanocephala, GmcL The Black-capped Pigeon, Lath. f Columba Javanicn, Gmd, The Javan Turtle, Lia;/^. :| Columba Turtur, Vaw 3. Gmd. Turtur Lufitanicus, Brijf. middle ich are whicîi has not We may pre- fame vdimatc little in fize, ariety arifing is termed the 0 inhabit that variety of the rifed than the r in the lower or varieties of Continent, we is brown, with ;, and near the ,n a Thrulh." Lc urtle wlvch has the e ilomach white; in ot like a frefh wound Ri, torn. V. p. z66. Jlack-capped Pigeonj Turtle, Lath. ur Lufuanicus, Brljf. middle rdattd to the T U R T L E. 493 middie of the tail : The Jîrlated Turtle of China *, which is a beautiful bird, the head and neck being ftreaked with yellow, red and white : The Jlriated Turtle of India f , which is not ftriped longitudinally along the back as the preceding, but tranfverfely on the body and the wings : The Amboyna Turtle Xy which is alfo ftriped tranf- verfely with black lines on the neck and breaft, with a very long tail. But as we have not feeu thefe four birds, and as the authors who dcfcrihe them term them Doves or Pigeons^ we cannot decide whether they belong to the Pigeons or to« the Turtles. • Columba SInica, L!}tn. and Gmel. Turtur Sinenfis Striatus, BriJJl Dove from China, Jib. Specific charafter :— " It is dufky, ftriped with black ; its bcTly *' fomewhat blood -coloured ; its wings yellow, the wing-quills " and the bill black." f Columba Striata. Li?in. and Gmel. Turtur Indicus Striatus, Brij: The Barred Turtle, Lath. Specific charaâer :-~" Its orbits and ftraps bright \vhite ; its body " cinereous, ftriped with black, below riifous." X Columba Amboincnfis, I^imt. and ChneL Turtur Amboincnfis, Brijf. TVujdefcribed by Briflbn, "Rufous; tail very long; neck " and breaft covered with feathers ftriated tranfverfely with black- " jfti ; wing-quilli dufky ; tail-qiiiUs of a dulky-rufous./' Vît. The 494 FOREIGN BIRDS tuhkh are VII. Ipfq ^ The TOURTE. > Linn, and Gmel. I Brlff. It Penn. and Lalh. Columba Carolifienjts, Columba CanadenJtSt lurtur Carolinenjts, Ttirtttr Canadtnjis, The Carolina Pheon, ^he Canada Pigeon, ~i In the New Continent we meet firft with the Canada Turtle, which, as I have faid, is the fame fpecies with the European Turtle. Another bird, which we have called after the travellers, l'ourle^ is what Catefby has termed the Carolina Turtle^ ^ It appears to be the fame, the only difference being a gold-coloured fpot, mixed with green and crimfon, which in Catef- by's bird is placed below the eyes and on the fide of the neck, but which is not to be feen in ours. This would incline me to fuppcfe that the firft is the male, and the fécond the female. It is likely that the Ptcacuroha of Brazil, mentioned by Marcgrave, belongs to this fpecies. I prefume alfo that the Jamaica Turtle f , no- ticed by Albin and afterwards by Briffon, being * This Pigeon refidrr the whole year in Carolina, and feeds on the Sitrries of poke {FhvtolaccaDecandria, Linn.) and the feeds of the mug-apple. (Podophyllum Pellaium, Linn.) Its flefli is delicv-'te. •f Columba Cyanoccphnia, Z..''««. and Gmc/. Turtur Jamaicen- fis, Brijf. The Turtle Dove from Jamaica, Alb. The Blue-head Turtle, Lath. Specific character :—" Its head is blue, with a white ilripe under " its eyes.'' a na- : ; are related to the TURTLE. 495 nel. ilh. ~i fii-a with the id, is the fame :alled after the has termed the be the fame, coloured fpot, /hich in Catef- and on the fide le feen in ours. fe that the firft female. It is Lzil, mentioned :ies. a Turtle t, no- Briflbn, being irolina, and fteds on in.) and the fteds of ) Its flefli is deliune. Turtar Jamaicen- Alb. The Blue-head ih a white aripe under a na- a native of the fame climate with the preceding, and differing but little from it, mull be regarded as a variety of it. We Ihallalfo remark, that this bird bears a great rtfemblance to the one given by Edwards, which is probably only the female of ours. What alone feems oppofed to this opinion, is the difference between the climates. Edwards was informed that his bird came from the Eaft Indies, and ours was brought from America. Might not there be fome miflake with regard to the climate of Ed- wards's ? Thefe birds are fo much like each other, and to the T'otirte, that we cannot be per- fuaded that they are the inhabitants of climates fo widely different; and we are certain that ours was fent from Jamaica to the Royal Cabinet. viir. The C O C O T Z I N. t Cdumha PaJJiriv.a, Linn, and Gmel. Tiii-tur Pavvus Amcricaniis, Brilf. Columbus Minutus, Klein. The Ground Dove, Catefb/, Penn. and Lath. We have retained this name given by Fernan- dez, becaule the bird on which it was beftowed feems to differ from all the others. As it is fmaller than the Ordinary Turtle, many natura- lifts have called it the Little Turtle *. Others * Ray, Sloane, Bjown, &c. have 333ri3 496 ) FOl^EIGN BIRDS, (fc. have called it the Ortolan *, becaufe it is n much larger than that bird, and is excellent ea ing. It was reprefented PL Enl. No. 243 ; b the name of Little Turtle of St. Domingo, fig. and Little Turtle of Martinico^ fig. 2. But afte| a clofe examination and comparifon, we are co vinced that they are the lame bird; fig. 2. bein the male, and fig. i. the female. It would all feem that the Picuipinima of Pifo and Mar grave, and the Little Turtle of Acapulco, mei tioned by Gcmelli C "rerif, belong all to tl; fame kind. And thus this bird is fpread'throu all the fouthern parts of the New World. [A • Martinico Ortolan, Dutertre. — •• The birds which our iflan •* ers call Orinlans, are only Turtles much fmaller than thofe •• Europe . . . Their plumage is of an ain-gray, the under-fi •* of the throat inclines fomevvhat to rufous: tlicy always go •* pairs, and many of them are found in the woods. Thefe bii •• are fond of feeing people, and come into the roads without bei •• feared. When taken young, the/ g^ow very tame : they ; " lumps of fat of a lufcious taile." Kawu. Voy. aux îles de l* An rique, xom. li. p. 237. f " In the neighbourhood of Acapulco, Turtli^s are feen fmal •* than our?, with the tips of the wings cuiiiureJ ; they fly e\ ** into houfes." Gemelh Carrh k i, torn. vi. p. g. [A] Spcc'.c: chara(h}cr of the Columba Pajferina: — '- The qu »* of its wirg* and tail are da-^vifh, its body ij purpliih, its bill : *• legs are nd." This Pigeon is not larger than a Lark, fometimes advances to the coaft of Carolina, where it feeds on berries of llnubs, eipecialiy chofc of the peilitory. END OF THE SECOND VOLUME. fe it is n xcellent eat *»Jo. 243 ; b] niingOy fig. 2. But aftel , wc are coi fig. 2. beinl [t would allj » and Man apulco, meij ig all to tlj preadthrou{ iVorld. [A; Is which our iflan| aller than thofe ray, the under-fil tlicy always gol ooJs. Thefe bii roads without bei cry tame ; they : oy. aux îles de l^ -An rtl'-'s are feen fmal irc'J; they fly e\ I. vi. p. 9. rina:—^- The qu purpliih, its bill : T than a Lark. where it feeds on tory. DLUME.