Phcenix — Pica 143 



a tail of blue, tufts beautifying the face, a feathery 

 crown the head. First of our citizens and with great 

 care Manilius wrote of it, that noted senator, of such 

 high birth ; of his own knowledge he asserts that nobody 

 exists who ever saw it eat. He says that in Arabia 

 it is considered sacred to the sun, and lives for 

 six hundred and sixty years. When it grows old it 

 makes itself a nest with cassia and twigs of frank- 

 incense, this nest it stores with scents and on the 

 top it dies. Then from its bones and marrow is pro- 

 duced what seems a little worm, but afterwards be- 

 comes a chick. 



Of the Pica. 

 Klrra, pica, in English a py or a piot, in German cyn 

 elster or eyn atzel. 



Aristotle. 



The Pica oftentimes changes its notes, for almost 

 every day it utters different cries. It lays about nine 

 eggs. It makes a nest in trees, of hair and wool, and 

 when acorns grow scarce, it gathers them and keeps 

 them hidden in store. 



Pliny. 



Less fame, because it does not come from distant 

 lands, though more distinct loquacity characterizes a 

 certain sort of Picai than the Psittaci. Not only do 

 they learn, but they delight to talk, and meditating 

 carefully and thoughtfully within themselves hide not 

 their earnestness. They are known to have died 

 when overcome by difficulty in a word, and, should 

 they not hear the same things constantly, to have 

 failed in their memory, and while recalling them to 

 be cheered up in wondrous wise, if meanwhile then- 

 have heard that word. Nor' is their beauty of an 



1 Or perhaps, 'their form is not commonplace, though not showy to 

 the eye.' 



