THE RED LEGGED HORSEMAN. 77 



Description. 



THE-RED LEGGED HORSEMAN. 



THIS singular and uncommon bird, is supposed 

 to be a native of the low countries; very few of 

 them have been seen in England, and those few 

 in the eastern parts of Essex, where they ac- 

 quired their name, which cannot, however, be 

 justly applied, on account of the colour of their 

 legs, for although those of the cock are of a pale 

 red, those of the hen are green. The top of the 

 head and the neck are of a fine light brown, the 

 bill is slender, and near two inches long, of a red- 

 dish colour at the base, and black at the point. 

 The covert-feathers in the middle of the wings 

 black, but downwards, within two inches of the 

 end of the tail, they are of a brown colour edged, 

 with white. The legs are pretty long, the claws 

 small, and black. They are said to be about six- 

 teen or eighteen inches from the point of the bill 

 to the end of the claws; and in breadth, when the 

 wings are fully expanded, two feet. Its weight 

 $ibout half a pound. 



THE BRASILIA^ NIGHT BIRD. 



SOME say that this bird is seldom larger than 

 a fowl, while others maintain it is bigger than a 

 goo be ; the probability is, that there are some not 



