630 A P P E N D I X. 



Besceip. Its weight is about ten pounds-, the length fix 

 feet ; the bill of a darkifh green, four inches long ; 

 and a little depreiTed on the top of the upper man- 

 dible : the top of the head covered with black 

 briftles ; the back of the head bald and red, be- 

 neath which is an afh colored fpot : from the eyes, 

 of each fide, is a broad white line the whole 

 length of the neck : the fore part as far as the 

 bread: is black : the quil-feathers are black : the 

 tail afh colored, tipt with black : all the reft of 

 the plumage is afh colored. The legs are black. 



No author, except Gefner^ takes notice of a large 

 tuft of feathers that fpring out of one pinion on 

 each wing : they are unwebbed, and finely curled at 

 the ends, which the birds have power to erect or 

 deprefs ; when depreiTed they hang over and cover 

 the tail. Gefner tells us, that thefe feathers ufed in 

 his time to be fet in gold, and worn as ornaments in 

 caps. Though this fpecies feems to have forfaken 

 thefe i (lands at prefent, yet it was formerly a native, 

 as we find in Willughby^ p. 52. that there was a 

 penalty of twenty-pence for deflroying an egg of 

 this bird ; and 'Turner relates, that he has very of- 

 ten feen their young in our marfhes. Marfigli* 

 fays, that the crane lays two eggs like thofe of a 

 goofe, but of a bluilh color. 



* Hifu Danub. V. p. 8. 



VII. The 



