21,8 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS. 



Long-tailed Capons C^) came also, whose singu- 

 lar nest, 

 With its skill and its comfort hath many impress'd. 



The Aterrima, or Great kr-Coot, with a blackish body, in- 

 habits, like the last, our own country, and other parts of Eu- 

 rope, but is by no means so common a bird. It differs from the 

 preceding chiefly in size and the deepness of its black colour. 



The Purpureoy or Crowing-Gallinule, is purple j inhabits 

 the marshes of New Spain, and crows like a cock. 



The Porphyrio, Purple-Gallinule, or Sultanu, inhabits 

 most of the temperate and warm places of the globe j seventeen 

 inches long ; head and neck glossy violet and violet blue ; body, 

 for the most part, of a dull glossy green; eggs three or fourj 

 time of incubation from three to four weeks ; associating with 

 other fowls, and, like them, scratching the ground. It is docile, 

 and easily tamed, and is altogether a curious bird; it stands on 

 one leg, and lifts its food to its mouth with the other j feeds on 

 fishes, roots, fruits, and seeds. 



(35) Order, Pass eres, (Linn.) Titmouse, the Long-tailed, 

 the Great, the Blue, or Tomtit, the Marsh, the Bearded, 

 the Amorous, the Crested, &c. 



The genus Parus, {Linn.) or Titmouse, comprehends nearly 

 forty species, of which the CaudatuSf or Long-tailed Capon, 

 is one. Tliey have a straight, strong, sharp-pointed bill; nostrils 

 round, covered with reflected bristles, tongue truncated ; toes 

 divided to their origin, back toe long and strong. It is a very 

 fertile tribe, laying sometimes from ten to twenty eggs; feeds 

 on seed, fruit, insects, and a few on flesh. They are restless, 

 bold, and cruel to birds less than themselves, and will attack 

 such as are three times their own size. The following are the 

 chief: 



The Caudatus, Long-tailed Titmouse, Long-tailed Capon, 

 Huch-muckf Bottle-Tom, Bum-barrel, Bairel-Tit, Long-tail Mag, 



1 



