VOL. XLVIII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 451 



moor-game, or grouse. It is nearly as large as a pheasant, is of a brownish 

 colour on the head and upper side, and white on the breast and belly ; it is beau- 

 tifully variegated with lighter and darker colours on the back, and spots of black 

 on the under side. Its legs are feathered down to the feet. This bird is wholly 

 unknown to the curious of our country. It was sent to England, a year or two 

 ago, by Mr. John Bartram, with a letter giving some account of it, and other 

 matters ; out of which letter is extracted what follows : ' our pheasant was wholly 

 unknown to Catesby, it being more northern than Carolina. They have been 

 common in Pennsylvania, but now most of them are destroyed in the lower set- 

 tlements, though the back Indian inhabitants bring them to market. When 

 living, they erect their tails like turkey-cocks, and raise a ring of feathers round 

 their necks, and walk very stately, making a noise a little like a turkey, when 

 the hunter should fire. They thump in a very remarkable manner, by clapping 

 their wings against their sides, as is supposed, standing on a fallen tree. They 

 begin their strokes at about 2 seconds of time distant from each other, and re- 

 peat them quicker and quicker, till they sound like thunder at a distance, which 

 lasts about a minute, then ceases for 6 or 8 minutes, and begins again. They 

 may be heard near half a mile, by which the hunters find them. They exercise 

 their thumping in a morning and evening in the spring and fid! of the year. 

 Their food is berries and seeds. Their flesh is white, and good. I believe they 

 breed but once a year in the spring, and hatch 12 or 14 at a sitting ; and these 



of his History of Birds was published ; the reception of which was so highly favourable as to induce 

 him to continue it in a similar manner, till in 1751 the fourth volume came from the press, accom- 

 panied by a dedication to the Creator of the universe, in devout gratitude for all the good things he 

 received in this world. 



In 1758 he continued his labours under a new title, viz. Gleanings of Natural History, containint^, 

 as before, various kinds of rare birds, quadrupeds, and other animals : a 2d volume appeared in 1760, 

 and the 3d and last in 1764. The whole work therefore consists of seven volumes in 4to, containing 

 engravings and descriptions of no less than 6OO subjects in Natural History. To the work, thus com- 

 pleted, Linneus added a list of his own trivial names. Linneus indeed appears to have entertained a 

 very high esteem for Mr. Edwards, and to have considered his work as of the highest importance in 

 Natural History, and, in the Systema Naturae, publicly declares its superiority over other production* 

 of a similar kind. 



By the time Mr. Edwards had finished his Natural History, the decay of his sight, together with 

 other infirmities of age, induced him to resign all further employment, and to retire to a small house 

 which he purchased at Plaistow, Essex, where he continued to pass the remainder of his life, and 

 died on the ^23d of July, 1773, having completed the 80th year of his age. 



Mr. Edwards, we are informed, was of middle stature, rather inclined to corpulence ; of a liberal 

 disposition and a cheerful conversation. All his acquaintance experienced his benevolent temper, and 

 his poor neighbours frequently partodk of his bounty. 



In consequence of the merits of his publications in Natural History, Mr. Edwards was elected a 

 r.ii.s. He was also a f.a.s., as well as a member of several Academies in different parts of 

 Europe. 



3 M '2 



