THE CRANE KIND. 337 



plumage of the whole body is scarlet, except 

 some of the feathers in the wings, that still retain 

 their sable hue. Of these beautiful plumes the 

 savages make various ornaments ; and the bird is 

 sometimes skinned by the Europeans to make 

 muffs. But these have diminished in their price, 

 since we have obtained the art of dying feathers 

 of the brightest scarlet. 



CHAPTER IX. 



OF THE AVOSETTA OR SCOOPER, AND THE CORRIRA 

 OR RUNNER. 



THE extraordinary shape of the Avosetta's bill 

 might incline us to wish for its history ; and yet 

 in that we are not able to indulge the reader. 

 Natural historians have hitherto, like ambitious 

 monarchs, shown a greater fondness for extending 

 their dominions than cultivating what they pos- 

 sess. While they have been labouring to add 

 new varieties to their catalogues, they have ne- 

 glected to study the history of animals already 

 known. 



The avosetta is chiefly found in Italy, and now 

 and then comes over into England.* It is about 



* This bird is variegated with black and white. It is frequently seen, 

 during the winter, on the eastern shores of Great Britain, and it also fre- 

 quents the Severn, and the pools of Shropshire. It occasionally visits the 

 < oast of Picardy in France, but does not appear to wander farther south in 

 VOL, IV. Y 



