4(3 HUrriSII lilKDS. [vol. VI. 



of a bird sent l)y Dalechaui]),* hut it has this mistake, that the 

 thighs ai-e nuich shorter than the tibia, and it figiiies the bird 

 M'ith bent legs, because that Avas the position of the legs in 

 the skeleton, in Avhich perhaps the legs had shrivelled up, 

 which errors, most recent writers about birds have copied in 

 their drawings. 



I have taken care that my figures should represent the bird 

 as it actually is, and I have given as accurate a description of 

 the biid as 1 am able, from tlie bird itself. 



In size it slighth' exceeds the Lapwing. The length of the 

 \\hole bird from the top of the head to the end of the middle 

 toe is twenty inches. The beak straight, and tMO and a half 

 inches in length, the upper part of the beak is longei- than the 

 lower, by the ninth part of an inch. The neck is three inches 

 long ; from the neck to the tip of the tail is seven inches and 

 one-eighth. The length of the wings from end to end is eight 

 inches and seven parts of an inch. 



The length of the legs, tibia, feet and toes, from the trunk 

 of the bird, where they join on, to the claw ol the middle toe 

 is about twelve inches. The upper part of the leg. covered 

 with feathers and muscle, measures one and a half inches ; 

 from Avhere the feathers cease to the joint, connecting the 

 tibia with the leg, three and a half inches. 



The tibia, from the joint of the thigh to the joint of the foot, 

 is four inches and six parts of an inch in length. The foot 

 from the joint of the tibia to the end of the middle toe, is one 

 inch and five parts of an inch long. 



The middle toe is longer than the second, or outer toe, by 

 two parts of an inch. The outer toe exceeds the inner and 

 shortest toe by one part of an inch. 



The whole beak is black, furrowed on each inner side. The 

 tongue is white, short, and tapering from a broad base to a 

 narrow point, at its extreme end it reaches to no more than a 

 third part of the beak. 



The wings extend on each side beyond the end of the tail, by 

 one and a half inches. The tail is three inches and one part 

 of an inch long. The body is light and slender, almost like 

 those birds of the marshes which we call Water-hens. 



The colour on the head and lower neck is Avhite, on the back 

 and wings, black, mixed somewhat A\ith a greenish tint. 



The upper part of the tail, and upper neck, shaded from 

 white to ash colour, the under parts are all white, and the 

 upper part of the head is also white. 



* James Dalechamp (1513-88), a celebrated French physician and 

 annotator of Pliny. 



