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VOL. LXXV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 631 



taken the liberty (says Mr. L.) to send a description and drawing of a bird which 

 haunts the reeds of the river Coin, in the neighbourhood of Uxbridge, and which 

 seems to have hitherto escaped the notice of writers on British Ornithology. The 

 nest and eggs of this bird first attracted my attention, and led to the discovery of 

 the bird itself. They were supposed by the fisherman who brought them, to belong 

 to the Sedo-e-bird of Pennant, or Motacilla Salicaria of Linnaeus ; but being well 

 acquainted with the nest and eggs of this, I was very sure he was mistaken, 

 though he actually produced this bird as the true proprietor of the subjects in 

 question. The structure and position of the nest having a singular appearance, 

 and both that and the eggs belonging to a bird unknown to me, I became de- 

 sirous of finding out the secret architect, and to that end made use of such means 

 as I thought most likely to promote the discovery. 



In a short time my expectations were gratified ; for on July iQ, 1783, intel- 

 ligence was brought me, that such a nest as I wanted was found. I had given 

 previous direction, that it should not be disturbed before I had seen it. On 

 examination I instantly perceived it to be of the same kind and structure with 

 that under inquiry, containing 1 eggs, and 2 young ones just excluded from the 

 shell. One of the old birds was sitting at this time on the nest, which a person 

 in company attempting to seize, it flew at him with so much resentment and 

 acrimony, as to draw blood from his hand. Both the parent birds continued 

 hovering about their nest with much watchful care and anxiety, while I made 

 several attempts to take them alive ; but, finding all endeavours in vain, lest I 

 should lose the opportunity of examining them with accuracy, I at length, with 

 reluctance, caused them to be shot ; and from these specimens the following de- 

 scriptions were made. 



From the generic characters delivered by Linneus, our bird must evidently be 

 reduced to the family of his Motacilla, for it has a weak, slender, subulate bill, 

 almost straight ; the mandibles nearly equal ; the nostrils oval and naked, or not 

 covered with bristles ; the tongue lacerated at the extremity ; the legs slender ; 

 the toes divided to the origin, except that the exterior one is joined, at the under 

 part of the last joint, to the middle toe ; the claws of nearly equal length. The 



In 1772 he accompanied Mr. Pennant in a tour into Scotland, and a voyage to the Hebrides. This 

 expedition gave rise to his excellent work, the Flora Scotica, which was published at the expense of 

 Mr. Pennant. 



In November, 1780, Mr. Lightfoot married Matilda, only daughter of Mr. William Barton Raynes, 

 of Uxbridge, a lady who brought him a considerable fortune, and by whom he left two sons and 

 three daughters. On the 20th of February 1788, while in apparent good health, he was suddenly 

 seized with a paralytic stroke, and expired the same day. 



His character was highly amiable and exemplary, and he was extremely liberal in affording his 

 scientific assistance to those who requested it ; never hiding his talents, or considering them impaired 

 by communication. 



