Accipitres Alcedo 19 



The Accipiter palumbarius 1 I take to be the Sparrow- 

 Hawk of the English and the Sperwer of the Germans, 

 since it preys on Doves, Pigeons, and Partridges and the 

 bigger sorts of birds. 



The Fringillarius I guess to be the Hobby of the English. 

 Now the Hobby is a very little Hawk of darker colour than 

 the other kinds. It has upon the head two spots of deep 

 black on a lighter ground. It catches for the most part 

 Larks and Finches, nests on lofty trees, and is not seen in 

 winter anywhere. 



The Rubetarius I think to be that Hawk which English 

 people name Hen-Harrier. Further it gets this name among 

 our countrymen from butchering their fowls. It exceeds the 

 Palumbarius in size, and is in colour ashen. It suddenly 

 strikes birds when sitting in the fields upon the ground, as well 

 as fowls in towns and villages. Baulked of its prey it steals 

 off silently, nor does it ever make a second swoop. It flies 

 along the ground the most of all. 



The Subbuteo I think to be that Hawk which English- 

 men call Ringtail from the ring of white that reaches round 

 the tail. In colour it is midway from fulvous to black ; it 

 is a little smaller than the Buteo, but much more active. 

 It catches prey in the same manner as the bird above. 



OF THE ALCEDO. 



'AXfcvtov, alcedo, in English the kynges fisher, in German 

 eyn eissvogel. 



ARISTOTLE. 



The Alcedo, not much larger than the Passer, is 

 remarkable for being in its colour green and blue, 

 and even slightly purple, not, that is to say, in sepa- 

 rate parts, as if it had the colour perfectly distinct, 

 but variably shining over every part alike of the 

 whole body, with the wings and head. The beak 

 is greenish, and is long and thin. The tribe of 



1 Later authors are probably more correct in applying this name to the 

 Goshawk, which suits even Turner's account better. 



