iwiiT o^nciTHOLogr. %i 9 



add no more concerning it, efteeming fuch Pictures left exact, and not much to be 

 relied upon, who will may fee the defcription ifi Gefnet, or Aldrovand out of 

 him. 



3 . The Bird called Wegfeckjin about Strasburgh, Gefh. Its Breaft was blue, thepart 

 between the Breaft and Belly of a pale or yellowifh red $ which colour alfo the up- 

 per fide of the Tail feathers, butnottotheend, and thofe about the Rump, were of 

 The Bill is (hort, the Belly cinereous, not white, as the Strasburgh Picture reprefents 

 it 5 the Legs dusky, not red, as in that Picture 5 and the feathers under the Bill not 

 blue,but dusky and particoloured. The German name is impofed upon it partly from 

 the ways; for it is much converfant about high ways, roads, and fields, and thence 

 ( as we guefs ) picks up worms and feeds that it finds on the ground 5 partly from the 

 blue lpot on its Breaft, as I conjecture. 



The Redftart (faith Aldrovandus ) abides with us all the Summer, but in the end of 

 the Autumn it either flies away, or hides it felf, and in the Spring-time returns to us 

 again. It feeds upon the fame things the Robin-red-breaji doth, to wit, flies, crums 

 of bread, Ants Eggs, and if I be riot deceived, Spiders too. It builds its N eft in hol- 

 low trees. 



Chap. VIII. 

 • Ih'egUpbin-red-breaft or Ruddock , Rubecula five Erithacus^droV* 



'Eg^x©^ Chrift. 



THis bird denominated from its red breaft, is Co well knowri in almo'ft all Coun- 

 tries, that it needs no long defcription. It weighs about half an ounce, being 

 from Bill to Tail half a foot long; and between the tips Of the Wings Ipread 

 about nine inches broad. The Breaft is of a red Or deep Orange colour : which colour 

 compalTes alfo the Eyes and upper part of the Bill. The Belly is white ; the Head, 

 Neck, Back, and Tail of a dirty green or yellow, as inThrtiJhes [ rather cinereous, 

 with a tin&ure of green. ] A line of blue divides between the red colour and the 

 cinereous on the Head and Neck. Under the Wings is alfo feen fomething of Orange- 

 tawny. 



The exteriour borders of- the Wings are almoft of the fame colour with the back : 

 the interiour are fomething yellow. The Tail is two inches and an half long,and made 

 up of twelve feathers. 



The Bill is flender, of a dusky colour,, more than half an inch long: The Tongue 

 cloven and jagged : The Irides of the Eyes of a hazel colour. The Legs, Feet, and 

 Claws of a dusky or blackifh. The outer foretoe joyned to the middlemoft at bot- 

 tom, as in the reft of this kind. 



In Winter-time to feek food it enters into houles with much confidence, being a 

 very bold bird, fociable and familiar with man. In the Summer-time (as Turner faith ) 

 when there is plenty of food in the Woods, and it is not pinched with cold, it with- 

 draws it felf with its Brood into the moft defert places. It is a folitary bird, and feeds 

 fingly, whence the Proverb took its rife, Unum arbufium non alit duos Erithacos. Of 

 the manner of building its Neft thus Turner from ocular infpection. It makes its Neft 

 among the thickeft thorns and Ihrubs in Spineys, where it finds many Oaken leaves, 

 and when it is built covereth it with leaves, not leaving it open everyway, but only 

 one paflage to it. On that fide alfo where the entrance is, it builds a long porch of 

 leaves before the aperture, the outmoft end whereof when it goes forth to feek meat,- 

 it fhuts or ftops up with leaves. What I now write I obferved when I was very 

 young, howbeitl will not deny but it may build alfo after another manner. _ If any 

 have obferved another manner of building let them declare it, and they will very 

 much gratifie fuch as are ftudious of thefe things, and my felf efpecially. What I 

 have feen I have candidly imparted. The Male ( faith Olina ) may be known and di- 

 ftinguifhed from the Female, by the colour of his Legs, which are blacker, and by 

 certain hairs or beards which grow on each fide his Bill. It feeds upon Worms and 

 other Infers, Ants Eggs, Crums of bread,^. For a Song-bird it is by fomeefteemed 

 little inferiour to the Nightingale. 



They build commonly three times a year, in April, May, and June : Seldom have 



above five youne ones, and not under four. You may take them at ten days old 5 ir 



5 Ff2 you 



