umus. 283 



the insects are most likely to be abroad, the swallows are for ever 

 upon the winp, and seem pursuing their prey with amazing 

 swiftness and agility. All smaller animals, in some measure, 

 find safety by winding and turning, when they endeavour to avoid 



never heard any person whistle but carters ; and it wliistled like them, with 

 the same streniith and coarseness. The bullfinoh also learns to articulate 

 words and sentences ; and utters them with so tender an accent, that we 

 might almost suppose it felt their force. These birds are also susceptible of 

 personal attachment, which is often strong- and durable. — Some have been 

 known, after escaping and living a «-liole year in the woods, to recognise 

 the voice of their mistress, and return to forsake her no more. Others have 

 died of melancholy, on being removed from the first object of their attach- 

 mout. They will also remember injuries received. A bullfiiich that had 

 been thrown to the ground in its cage by some of the rabble, though it did 

 not appear niuili atl'ected at the time, fell into convulsions ever afterwards 

 at the sight of any mean-looking person, and expired in one of these fits 

 eight mouths after its first accident. 



Although this note has already extended to an unusual length, we are ob- 

 liged here to notice the Widow-Birds. Such is the appellation of a handsome 

 family of birds, found not only in Africa, but also in Asia, as far as the 

 Philippine Islands, lliis name, w-hich seems to suit them \vi-\l enough, 

 whether by reason of the black which predominates in their plumage, or their 

 long sweeping tail, has, however, been given them through mistake. The 

 Portuguese gave them the name of birds of IVhidha, from a kingdom of Africa, 

 where they are very common ; and the resemblance of tliis word to that 

 signifying widow in the Portuguese language, proved a source of deception 

 to foreigners, more especially as the latter name agreed so well with many 

 characters of the birds. The females are never adorned mth the long tail, 

 and the males have it only during six months, which are not the same for 

 all. With the young it appears to depend on the day of their birth ; with 

 the adult, on the climate which they inhabit. The first moulting in which 

 the males assume their bridal habits, and begin to sing, takes place in 

 spring, and the second in autumn, or, to speak more correctly, at the epochs 

 which correspond to those seasons in intertropical coiuitries. After the last 

 moulting, the males resemble the females so nearly, that they may be very 

 easily confounded together, without that very acciurate knowledge of them, 

 which can only be obtained by frequent and almost habitual comparison, 

 nie females also undergo two moultings, but suffer no changes except that 

 in growing old ; some are observed to assume colours almost similar to 

 those of the male, during the season of reproduction. 



The varied changes of pliunage which take place during the year in this 

 family of birds, is not less extra<irdiiiary than useful in pointing out to the 

 ornithologist how careful he should be in not at all times depending oil 

 colour, or even the structure of the feathering, in descriptions of species. 

 There is no doubt but in many instances these are good grounds of distinc 

 tion, and when taken in conjunction with other specific marks, are general- 

 ly of much use in characterizing species. In almost the whole of the 

 feathered creation, considerable change of plumage takes place, from the 

 yoiiug to the adult state ; and in many instances so great is this alteratiou 



