BIRDS. 327 



part (plate 52) of the valuable " Illustrations of Ornitho- 

 logy," so well conducted by Sir William Jardine, Bart., and 

 Mr. Selby. Several species of shrike likewise occur in the 

 island of Madagascar. 



With species pertaining to the beautiful and melodious 

 family of the thrushes, Africa is by no means abundantly sup- 

 plied. The Cape thrush (genus Brachypus, Swainson) is 

 found, as its name imports, in Southern Africa, and another 

 species (T. Phcznicopterics, Temm.) occurs in Senegal. It* 

 plumage is of a fine bronzed black, glossed with blue and violet 

 the wings and tail are dull black, with all the feathers edged witb 

 metallic green ; the wing-coverts are bright red ; the beak and 

 legs are black. If, however, we were to regard the genus 

 as formerly constituted, we should here name some of the 

 most splendid of the feathered race ; for example, the shin- 

 ing thrush, and that other species called the blue and green 

 daw by Edwards, both of which probably belong to the 

 genus Lamprotornis, the greater proportion of which seems 

 peculiar to Africa. The rose-coloured ouzel, one of the 

 rarest and most beautiful of British birds, is also found in 

 Africa, where its love of locusts is more amply gratified 

 than we hope it will ever be in this cold and cloudy clime. 



Passing over the extensive family of the sylviadcz^ which 

 includes the finest song-birds of temperate countries, we 

 shall here present the remark that the feathered tribes 

 of tropical and other sultry regions are in general more 

 distinguished for their gorgeous plumage than the harmony 

 or varied intonation of their voices. It is chiefly among the 

 obscure and monotonously-plumed species that we find the 

 most accomplished warblers, such as the sombre nightin- 

 gale, which in the leafy arbours of France and England 

 makes such rich amends for his unadorned and quaker-like 

 attire : 



"The wakeful bird 

 Sings darkling, and, in shadiest covert hid, 

 Tunes her* nocturnal notes." 



Among the FringillidcB we may notice the buntings, of 

 which the Whidah-bird, or long-tailed bunting (genus Vidua, 



* We are not aware that the female nightingale sings, — hut the words 

 •f Milton are sacred. 



