CHAPTER IX. 



VARIOUS BIRDS NOT INCLUDED IN THE FOREGOING 

 CHAPTERS. 



1\J OTWITHSTANDING the comprehensive titles of the 

 preceding chapters, there are several birds mentioned by 

 Shakespeare which cannot, with propriety, be included in 

 any of them. We have, therefore, deemed it advisable to 

 notice them separately under the above heading. 



Naturalists have frequently remarked upon the propen- 

 sity which some birds have to become restless and noisy 

 before rain. Familiar examples are, the Peacock ; the 

 Green Woodpecker, which, on this account, in some parts 

 of the country, is called " rain-bird ; " the Golden Plover, 

 whose Latin and French name, Pluvialis and Pluvier, 

 have reference to the same peculiarity ; and the Woodcock, 

 which, as Gilbert White says, has been observed " to be 

 remarkably listless against snowy, foul weather." Shake- 

 speare has noticed this peculiarity in the Parrot : 



