I ( 36 ) 



The Water-Ouzel Merula aquatica. 



Numb. XXXIX. 



TTS Weight is two Ounces and a half; its Length from the Point of 

 •*• the Bill to the End of the Tail, eight Inches and a half, to the End 

 of the Claws nine ; Breadth, when the Wings were expanded, fourteen 

 Inches. It hath a fhorter Body than the Blackbird^ and a thicker Neck ; 

 its Bill is ftreight, fharp pointed, tenderer than the Blackbird' s.^ mea- 

 furing from the Point to the Angles of the Mouth about an Inch long, 

 or fomewhat lefs, black coloured ; the Head and upper Side of the 

 Neck are of a dark du^ky Colour or black, with a Tindture of red; all 

 the Back, and both prime and covert Feathers of the Wings are party 

 coloured of cinereous and black, the middle of the Feathers being black, 

 the Edges blue; the under Side of the Neck and fore Part of the Bread 

 are milk white, the Feathers contiguous to the white are redifh, the 

 lower Belly towards the Tail black ; the Eye-lids white round about. 



It hath in each Wing eighteen Quills ; the Tail is fhorter than in 

 the reft ^i this Kind, fcarce two Inches and a half long, compofed of 

 twelve Feathers of equal Length; the Legs, Feet, and Claws are black; 

 the outmoft fore Toe at Bottom joined to the middlemoft; the Tongue 

 is black, flender, and a httle cloven at the Tip ; the Circles encompaffing 

 the Pupils of the Eyes great, broad, and of a fair hazel Colour; the Eyes 

 furnifhed with nidating Membranes ; the Noftrils long, the Plumage co- 

 vering the whole Body thick fet as in water Birds. 



It frequents ftony Rivers and water Courfes in the mountainous Parts 

 . of IFales^ Ncrthumbe'rla^id.^ Wejlmoreland-^ Torkpire^ ^c. 



This Bird was fliot by Sir Robert Abdy^ and fent to me out oi Cum- 

 .hcj^land. 



It feeds upon Fifh, yet refufeth not Infeds ; fitting on the Banks of 

 Rivers it now and then flirts up its Tail ; although it be not webfooted 

 yet it will fometimes dive or dart it felf quite under Water. It is a foli- 

 .tary Bird, accompanying only with its mate in coupling and breeding 

 Time. 



Hie 



