SINGULAR. 

 NERS-. 



A N I. 36E 



ridge at top ; the colour of it a brownifh black : the colour of 

 the whole bird is black, in fome parts glofied with purple, and 

 about the neck faintly tinged with green on the margins : the 

 bafe of the bill is furnifhed with black briftles, which turn for- 

 wards : the eye-lids have long hairs, like eye-lafhes : the tail is 

 fix inches long, and much cuneated : the legs are black : toes 

 placed two before and two behind. 



This fpecies is found in Jamaica, St. Domingo, and other iflands Place a»& 

 in the Weft-Indies ; alfo at Cayenne, and other parts of South- Ame- ^ ° 

 rica. Contrary to all other birds, they have the fingularity of 

 many laying in the fame neftj to make which, they all unite in 

 concert, and after laying their eggs, fit on them clofe to each 

 other, in order to hatch them ; each unanimoufly ftriving to do 

 the beft for the general good % and when the young are hatched, 

 the parents, without referve, do the beft to feed the whole flock. 

 Still a greater fingularity occurs, which is, that as foon as each fe- 

 male lays her eggs, fhe covers them with leaves *, doing the fame 

 thing whenever fhe is obliged to leave the neft for food : this 

 might be neceflary in a cold climate ; but why it fhould be 

 wanted in a hot one, feems not clear, efpecially as it has not been 

 obferved in other birds. It generally has two broods in a year, ex- 

 cept accidents happen ; in which cafe, it has been known to make 

 three nefts. The eggs are about the fize of thofe of a Pigeon j 

 of a fea-green colour, fpotted at the ends. 



Their food is various ; worms, infects, fruits, and grain % ac- 

 cording to the feafon. Both this and the next fpecies have the 



* Hift. des oif. 



f To thefe . may be added the ticks which they pick from the backs o£ 

 <oxen, Linn, 



3 A fame 



