2 1 6 History of Nature. [ BOOK X . 



of lute (and it is now rare) that from the Apennine toward 

 the City, a kind of Pica 1 began to be seen ; they are distin- 

 guished by their long Tails, and are called Varise. It is their 

 Property to become bald every Year, at the Time when Rape 

 is sowed. The Partridges 2 in Attica do not fly over the Bor- 

 ders of Breotia : and not a Bird in the Pontus, in the Island 

 where Achilles was buried, will pass beyond the Temple con- 

 secrated to him. In the Territory of Fidenge, near the City, 

 Storks build no Nests, and have no Young. But into the 

 Country about Volaterrse every Year a Quantity of Stock- 

 doves fly from beyond Sea. At Rome no Flies or Dogs enter 

 the Chapel of Hercules in the Beast-market. I could alledge 

 many such Examples in other kinds, which I purposely 

 pass over, because I would not be tedious : for Theophrastus 

 reporteth, that the Doves, Peacocks, and Ravens in Asia 

 have been brought thither from other Countries ; and in 

 Cyrenaica the vocal Frogs. 



There is another admirable Thing concerning the Singing- 

 Birds (Oscines) 3 : for usually at a certain Time of the Year 

 they change their Colour and Voice, so as of a sudden to 

 become other Birds : a Thing that doth not happen to the 

 larger kinds of Fowls, except only to Cranes : for they 

 become black with Age. The Merula from black turneth 

 reddish ; in Summer it singeth, in Winter it babbles ; and 

 about the Solstice it is mute. When a Year old, in the Cock 

 at least, their Bill turns to be like Ivory. The Turd us, in 

 Summer, is mottled about the Neck ; but in Winter it is all 

 of one Colour. 



The Nightingale, 4 for fifteen Days and Nights together, 

 never giveth over its chaunt, rattling away incessantly at 

 the Time when the Trees begin to put out their Leaves 

 thickly. And this Bird is not to be set among the last 



1 Pzca, varue. Cor vus pica, LINN. Magpie. Ch. xlii. Wern. Club. 



2 Perdix cinerea, LINN. Ch. xxxiii. Wern. Club. 



3 This word was originally applied to singing-birds, only as their 

 music was observed in augury ; but it would appear that subsequently it 

 was understood of singing- birds in general. Wern. Club. 



4 Syhia luscinia, Cuv. Wern. Club. 



