: I 278 ] 



Mr. Adanfon in this pafTage feems to have deduced 

 two falfe inferences from having feen a few white 

 Canary birds in France, which he afterwards com- 

 pares with thofe of TenerifF, and fuppofes the change 

 of colour to arife merely from alteration of climate : 

 it is known, however, almoft to every one, that there 

 is an infinite variety in the plumage of the European 

 Canary birds, which, as in poultry, arifes from their 

 being pampered with fo much food, as well as con- 

 finement *. 



Monf. Adanfon, in another part of his voyage "f*, 

 defcribes a Roller, which he fuppofes to migrate 

 fometimes to the Southern parts of Europe. 



This circumflance thews that he could not have 

 looked much into books of natural hiftory, be- 

 caufe the principal fynonym of this bird is 

 garridus Argent or at en fis J ; and Linnaeus informs us 

 that it is found even in Sweden ||. 



* \n the fame paflage, he compares the colour of the African 

 Canary bird to that of the European linnet, and fays it is d'un 

 gris prefque aujfi fonce, whereas the European linnet is well 

 known to be brown, and not grey. The linnet affords a very 

 decifive proof that the change of plumage does not arife from 

 the difference of c'imate, but the two caufes I have affigned. 

 The cock bird, whilft at liberty, hath a red breaft : yet if it is 

 either bred up in a cage from the neft, or is caught with its red 

 plumage, and afterwards moults in the houfe, it never recovers 

 the red feathers. 



That moft able naturalift, Monf. de Buffon, from having 

 feen fome cock linnets which had thus moulted off, or perhaps 

 fome hen linnets (which have not a red breaft) confiders them 

 as a diftincl: fpecies, and compares their breeding together in 

 an aviary, to that of the Canary bird and goldfinch. Ornith. 



p. XXII. 



f P. 16. % Or of Strafburgb. 

 !| Faun. Suec. 94. 



The 



