lj6 o^&ciTHQLogr, BooIT i. 



the fame with the other Birds of this kind, viz. Bill-berries, Crow-berries, Blacl^ber- 

 ries,&c. and in the Winter-time the tops of Heath, Fir, and other ever-green fhrubs: 

 But whether they do eat the Catkins of Hazel ( as Albertus affirms, and from whence 

 they feem to take their name ) we know not. 



V $. v. 



The white Game, erroneoufly called the white Partridge, Lagopus avis, Aldrov. 



FOr figure and bignefs it comes near to a tame Pigeon, lave that it is fomething 

 bigger 5 weighs fourteen ounces : From the tip of the Bill to the end of the Tail 

 or Feet ( for they are equally extended ) is about fixteen inches long 3 between the 

 extremities of the Wings fpread twenty four inches broad. The Billfhort, black, 

 like a Hens, but lefs: The upper Chap longer and more prominent. The Nofthrils 

 are covered with feathers, fpringing out of a skin on the lower fide the holes. Above 

 the Eyes, in the place of the Eyebrows is a naked skin of a fcarlet colour, and of the 

 figure of zCrefcent. 



In the Cock-birds a black line drawn from the upper Chap of the Bill reaches fur- 

 ther than the Eyes towards the Ears 3 which in the Hens is wanting : All the reft of the 

 body, excepting the Tail, is as white as Snow. 



Each Wing hath twenty four prime feathers, of which the firft or outmoft is fhor- 

 ter than the fecond, the fecond than the third. The (hafts of the fix outmoft are black. 

 The Tail is more than a Palm long, compounded of fixteen feathers, the two middle- 

 molt whereof are white 5 the outmoft on each fide without the (haft alfb white, all 

 the reft black. [ Thofethat I ( J. it.) defcribed in Rh&tia had the two middle fea- 

 thers of their Tails only white, all the reft black.] The feathers next the Tail, in- 

 cumbent on it, are of equal length with the Tail it felf 3 fo that they do wholly co- 

 ver it. The Legs, Feet, and Toes, to the very Claws, are covered with foft fea- 

 thers, thick-fet, like Hares feet, whence it took the * name. The Claws are very 

 long, not unlike the nails of fome Quadrupeds, as for example Hares 3 of a dark 

 horn or lead colour. Its back-toe or heel is fmall, but its Claw great and crooked. 

 The fore-toes are joyned together by an intervening membrane, as in the other 

 fowl of this kind. The Claw of the middle Toe is fomething hollow all along the 

 middle, the edges of this furrow or channel being (harp. Under the Toes grow long 

 hairs very thick. 



The Craw is great, and in that we diflected full of the tops and leaves of 

 Fir, Heath, Bill- berry Jkc. The Stomach or Gizzard mufculous : The Guts forty inches 

 long : The blind Guts long, great, and ftriate. 



In the Alps of Rhtztia, and in other high Mountains, which are for a great part of 

 the year covered with Snow, it is frequently found. Wherefore Nature, or the 

 Wifdom of the Creator, hath fenced its Feet againft the fharpnefs of the cold with a 

 thick covering of feathers and down. 



Thefe Birds, for the excellency of their flelh, are commonly called White Par- 

 tridges, and thought to be fo by the Vulgar 5 whereas indeed the Partridge And La- 

 gopus are far different Birds. Yet the Savoyards, and other Alpine people, who are 

 not ignorant of their difference, call them fo ftill 5 at firft perchance by miftake from 

 their agreement in figure and magnitude they began to be fo called, and now they 

 continue the old name. 



$. VI. 



* The other or particoloured Lagopus ofGefner. 



THere is another fort of Lagopus found on the Mountains of Switzerland. The 

 Bird we defcribed of this kind was a Male. Its Belly white, its Wings alfo 

 milk white : Yet on the hinder part were fome feathers partly dusky, partly fpotted. 

 The Head, Neck, and Back particoloured, with dusky and fpotted feathers. The 

 Neck underneath had a great deal of white, and but a little black 3 above was co- 

 vered partly with pied, partly with white feathers. Above each Eye was a femicir- 

 cular skin of a red colour. Its Bill was very fhort, and black, the ^ upper Chap 

 whereof was crooked, and received Q within its edges] the nether, which was chan- 

 nelled. The Tail was five inches long, confifting of twelve black feathers, and two 



white 



* Lagopus 

 fignifies a 

 Hares foot. 



