Erwtfuri? of Natural 



1 1 opportunity of observing this species : it was 



ne same dead branch, but never in such . 

 numbers as to deserve the appellation of WRASSE. (Za&rt/s.) There are severa 

 flocks : each bird appeared to act inde- !P eci ^ s of thls Acanthopterygious fish, viz 

 pendently of the other ; each, as the desire H 16 BALLA ^ WRASSE (Lalrus tinea), th 

 for food prompted it, sallying from the "KEEN-STREAKED WRASSE (. lineattts 

 branch to capture a passing insect, or to tnet/OOI 5 WRASSE or BLUE-STRIPED WRASSE 

 soar round the tree and return again to the * ' var ^{/a^is), the COMBER WRASSE (L 

 same spot; on alighting it repeatedly throws n6er), and the RAINBOW WRASSE (Julis 

 up and closes one wing at a time, and spreads v !''ff arts >< all of which are more or less plen 

 the tail obliquely prior to settling. At other tlful on the eastern, southern, and westeri 

 times a few were seen perched on the fence oast8 of England ; it is hardly necessary 

 surrounding the paddock, on which they Jlowever . to describe more than one, and we 

 frequently descended, like starlings in search Sr 6 J? 6 first men tioned as an example 

 of coleoptera and other insects. It is not The BAI -LAN WRASSE, called also the 

 however, in this state of comparative quies- ANCIENT WRASSE or OLD WIFE (Labrus 

 cence that this graceful bird is seen to the **??> The Ballan Wrasse frequents deep 

 greatest advantage, neither is it that kind of u lhes among rocks, where it shelters itself 

 existence for which its form is especially amon g the larger kinds of sea-weeds, and 

 ,^of^ . *,_ -nvv -x_ ^__ v. y I fioprfo ,,^ on crabg and other crustaceous ani- 



t_ takes a bait freely, and fishermen 

 they first fish in a place, 



g a f; I ""=.x m^c "i Jew, and those of large size; but 



once points out the air as its peculiar pro- on tr y jll 8 the same spot a few days after, they 

 vince : hence it is, that when engaged in catch a Skater number, and those smaller ; 

 pursuit of the insects which the serene and 

 warm weather has enticed from their lurk- 

 ng-places among the foliage to sport in 

 higher regions, this beautiful species in these 

 aerial flights displays its greatest beauty, 

 while soaring above, in a variety of easy 

 positions, with white-tipped tail widely- 

 spread." Another very extraordinary and 

 singular habit of this bird is its manner of 

 suspending itself in perfect clusters, like a I 

 Bwarmof bees ; a few birds suspending them- *m A s 8 

 selves on the under side of a dead branch, , 

 while others of the flock attach themselves l ro _ m when ce they conclude that the large 

 one to the other, in such numbers, we are , h ^ume the dominion of a district, and 

 told, that they have, been observed nearly keep . the younger at a distance. The genus 

 of the size of a bushel measure. | ls distinguished b ,y an elongated body, co- 



gle dorsal 



- v _ , . , edges of some of the I a he . back ' P art of the rays spinous, the others 



primaries white, and the tail feathers tipped " exlt)le i behind the point of each spinous 

 with white ; bill blue with a black tip ; feet ra y a short membranous filament ; lips large 

 lead colour. The nest, which is variously and fleshy; teeth conspicuous, conical, sharp; 

 placed, sometimes in the naked fork, and at S!} eek , and Perculum covered with scales, 

 others in a thickly foliated bough near the ie flesh ls 80 "' and they are not in much 

 ground, is about five inches in diameter estimation as food. A fine specimen, eigh- 

 round, and rather shallow. teen inches long, and weighing three pounds 



seven ounces, Mr. Yarrell observes, was 



The other species described by Mr. Gould X?? in Jan uary 1831, in Swansea Bay, of 

 are the GRAY-BREASTED WOOD-SWALLOW, 7 v*, 1 ?. .* 10 ? and short description was 

 (Artamus cinereus), which is the largest of fu f ni8h ed him by L. W. Dillwyn, Esq. The 

 the genus : the LITTLE WOOD-SWALLOW ?? lour was red, becoming pale orange on 

 (Artamus minor), which in colouring bears y ' the bodv ornamented witli bluish 



considerable resemblance to the one above g f een oval spots : the dorsal fin had spots 

 described ; the WHITE EYB-BROWED WOOD- * on .f the base onl y- T1 s fish spawns in 

 SWALLOW (Artamus superciliosus), yielding April, and the young, scarcely more than 

 to none in the variety and beauty of its an i nch m , len gth, are seen about the margin I 

 plumage ; the MASKED WOOD-SWALLOW the rocks m sha llow water through the 

 (Artamm personatus), a species that is more summer - 



the House Marten of our own country." I The bill 



OM> WIFE. (r.A 



or uie S1 ze of a bushel measure. ls tusunguisnea by an elongated bod 



The head, neck, and whole of the body I ered with lar S e thin 8Cal es ; a single < 



fuliginous gray ; wings and tail dark bluish fi j 1 ' extending nearly the whole len 



black ; the external edges of some of the * he . back ' P a rtof the rays spinous, the < 



