§. in. 



* onithoU * T/ie Bine-bird of Bellonius, PafTeri folitario congener, f Aldrov. 



THere is alfo ( faith Ge/wer ) another bird akin to the folitary Sparrow, of the 

 B/^fc/kind, frequenting rocky places, whence by the Grecians it is called 

 Petrocojfypkus, [ that is,the R^Oz/fce/ or Blackbird"] by our Country-men Steinrotele 

 efteemed in like manner for its finging. Tn another place he thus difcourfes concern- 

 •c^ u- ing the fame bird : This ( viz. which * Bellow**, whofe words he had cited, calls 

 Meruld torquata, i. e. Ring-Ouzel ) feemsto be the very fame with that bird of which 

 Raphael Seitterius of Augsburg lately wrote to me in thefe words. The bird which 

 from its blue colour the Germans call Blauvogel is of the bignefs of a Stare, hath his 

 Breaft, Loins, and Neckof a lovely blue, yet darker than the Kingfijher. The Back 

 and Wings arefomewhat black, yet (hewing fomething of blue. The Bill is an inch 

 and half long, under the Nofthrils dusky, the upper Chap being hooked, and co- 

 vering the nether, for the moft part. The.Feet are divided, as in other birds. It 

 lives in thehigheft parts of the Alps, neither is it contented to abide in the tops of the 

 Mountains, but chufes the mod: rocky and craggy places, and fuch as are covered 

 with Snow, neither doweknow certainly that it is found in any other place than the 

 Mountains about the River Athefis, efpecially near the City of Injfruck, For this 

 caufeit is had in great account even by the Inhabitants themfelves ofthofe places, and 

 is fed with fuch meat as men ufually eat, and fuch as isufually given to Blackbirds and 

 Thruflesdeftgned for fowling. It fpeaks with an articulate voice very pleafant and 

 various 5 and is it felf fo docile, and obferves things fb diligently, that it will express 

 moft things by fome articulate found. Being awakened at Midnight, and called up- 

 on by a by-ftander, as if it were bidden, it will fing with a clear and loud note. Like 

 other birds, it aims at mens Eyes, becaufe feeing in them, as in aLooking-glafs, its 

 own image, it is affected with a defire of its like, and thinks to joyn it felf in compa- 

 ny with it. Before the Autumn, at what time other birds fit, and are bufie in bring- 

 ing up their Young, together with its colour it changeth alfo its voice. Its colour 

 about the beginning of Winter of blue becomes black, which about the beginning of 

 next Spring it changes' again into its own natural blue. Being fully fledg'd, and once 

 got out of theNefl, and a little accuftomed to flying, it cannot any more (as all the 

 Fowlers affirm ) by any allurement or deceit be enticed and taken, fb naturally crafty 

 it is. It makes its Nell: in deep holes in very high and unacceffible folitudes, having 

 found a fecure place, to which it may fafely commit it felf and its Young. And by 

 its cunning doth not only remove it from theaccefs of men by placing it on the higheit 

 ridges of the Mountains, but alfo hide it in deep Caverns from the Chamois, and other 

 wild beafts, and thereit feeds three or four Young with worms, till it brings them out 

 of the Neft, and turns them loole to fbift for themfelves. Now the Fowlers having 

 either by chance, or by lying in wait, found out the place, taking with them a long, 

 round, fmooth ftik or (take, made of a lingular piece of wood, hard to be found 

 ( fuch as the climbers of Rocks and hunters of Chamois are wont to make ufe of to 

 affifr. them in getting up the crags and cliffs of Rocks ) mount up there where you 

 would not think it poffibje for them to find room to fet one foot. And to omit no- 

 notfying, they wrap their heads with cloth, covering their faces fo far that they may 

 fee fide-ways, to avoid dizzinefs^ and this they do partly to fence them againff. 

 the old birds, partly, and chiefly ( this being the true caufe of their fo doing ) to hin- 

 der their prolpect any ways but juft forward, to fee where they are to pitch their 

 flake, or clap on their hands. So at length, not without extreme toil and danger, 

 they arrive at the Neft, which with that long pole or flake I mentioned they draw 

 up out of the deep hole where it was placed, and carry away with them, cherifhing, 

 and bringing the Young up at their own houfes : And afterwards either fell them 

 dear, or preient them to Gentlemen and great perfons of their knowledge. Thus far 

 Seillerius. I fufpecf that this very bird, which Gefner calls Blauvogel, is the fame 

 which about Chnr in the Grifo ns Country and elfewhere is called Steirotele, or near 

 akin to it. • 



* Lti>.\.ob[ttv. *Bdlomus, who thinks this bird to be the Cyanus or fas Gaza translates it ) 

 cap. 11. t k e Cdruleus of Ariftotle, writes thereof in this manner. That bird which Arifiotle 



calls Cyanus, Pliny, Carnlem^ becaufe it haunts among the Rocks of the highMoun- 

 tains, and is like a Blackbird, is now by the Grecians commonly called PetrocoJJypho, 



that 



