Book ii. oi(5\cir ho lo gr. ~ Tvj 



Head, the Neck, Back, Wings, and Tail feathers are of a brown colour mingled 

 with grey. The Belly is white, asarealfo the feathers under the Tail : The Legs and 

 Feet dusky. 



This bird perchance may not differ fpecifically from our European black Martin or 

 Swift : For that, as we before obferved, the European Swift varies fometimes in co- 

 lour, being found with a white belly. 



§. VII. 



* The Chine fe Swallow of Bontius, whofeNeji is edible, 



IN the Sea-coaft ( faith he ) of the Kingdom of China, a fort of fmall particoloured 

 birds, of the fhape of Swallows, at a certain feafon of the year, vi%. their breed- 

 ing time, come out of the midland Country to the Rocks, and from the foam or 

 froth of the Sea-water darning and breaking againft the bottom of the Rocks gather 

 a certain clammy, glutinous matter, perchance the Sperm of Whales, or other fifties, 

 of which they build their Nefts, wherein they lay their Eggs, and hatch their Young. 

 Thefe Nefts the Cbinefe pluck from the Rocks, and bring them in great numbers in- 

 to the Eaji Indies to fell 5 which are efteemed by gluttons great delicacies, who dif 

 folvkig them in Chicken or Mutton broth, are very fond of them, preferring them 

 fir before Oyfters, Muftiromes, or other dainty and licorifh morfels which moft gra- 

 tifie "the Palate. 



We have feen of this fort of Nefts in the Cabinets of Athanafius Kircher the Je- 

 luite, and other Virtuofi. They are ( as * Olaus Wormius reports ) of a Hemilpherical * Mufth lib.j 

 figure, of thebignefsof a Goofe-Egg, of a fubftance refembling Iling-glafs. Con- ca P* 21 - 

 cerning their faculties or vertues ( iaith John de Laet'm his Epiftle to Wormius ) re- 

 ports vary, fome attributing to them fomething Venereal, others not. But he 

 writes,that he had been informed by thofe who commanded in chief in the Eaji Indies, 

 that the birds that build them were found upon that part of the Sea-coaft that isconv 

 monly called Coromandel, and chiefly about Patane. 



Chap. IV. 

 Slender -bill' d birds that have their Tails all of one colour. 



The Hedge-Sparrow, Curruca Eliot£, An Magnanina Aldrov .<? 



THis is almoft as big as a Titlark^ or Robin-red-breaft. Its Bill is (lender, * pret- * From the 

 ty long, and black 5 the Tongue cloven, horny, and black at the tip : The JJ^ ,,*^^*" 

 Nofthrils of the figure of a Kidney-bean : The hides of the Eyeshazel-co- mouth above 

 loured : The Ears great and wide. half an inchi 



. The upper fide of the body is particoloured of black and dirty-red, the middle 

 parts of each feather about the {haft being black, the outfides or edges red. Thefe 

 colours are fo dull andfullen, that the bird notwithstanding, look'd on at a diftance, 

 appears but of a brown or dirty colour. The Head and Back ihew fomething of ci- 

 nereous, the middle fpots being darker. The Rump is greenifti, and void of ipots. 

 The prime feathers of the Wings dusky, with reddifh edges. The interiour of 

 the fecond row of Wing-feathers have whitifti tips : The lefler covert-feathers of 

 the Wings are of the fame colour with thofe on the body. This hath that extreme 

 ftiort feather in each Wing, which fome birds want. The Tail is about two inches 

 long, made up of twelve feathers, all dusky, without any variety of colours. The 

 nether part of the body is cinereous, yet the lower belly whitifti, but in fome birds 

 darker, and of a lead-colour. The Legs and Feet are of a yellowifti fleih-colour} 

 the Claws dusky 3 the hind-claw greater and longer than any of the reft. The out- 

 moft Toe, as in other fmall birds, at bottom grows tothemiddlemoft. 



The Cock had large Tefticles : The blind Gutsfeemed to us in this to be more round 

 and tumid than in other fmall birds. The ftomach was not very fleftiy. It builds in 

 hedges, and lays commonly five Eggs 5 isafooliftibird, and eafily taken. Its Eggsars 

 of a fine pale blue or Sea-green colour. 



