Z34- 0^£ \ClTHOLOg<r. Book II. 



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The Whin-chat^ under which alfo we treat of the Anthus or Floras of Aldrovand. 



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JN bignefs itfcarce exceeds a Wagtail. The upper fide of the body, viz. The Back, 

 Head, and covert-feathers of the Wings are of a pale feuille-mort colour, varie- 

 gated with black fpots, placed in rows. If you heed each (ingle feather, the middle 

 part of it about the (haft is black, the fides of a feuiHe-mort, or dusky yellow. The 

 Belly is white, with a tincture of red. The fides and upper part of the Bread from 

 red incline to yellow. The Bread: in fome is variegated with black (pots. From the 

 Nofthrils above the Eyes to the hinder part of the Head is drawn a pale whitifh line : 

 Under the Bill alfo on each fide is a white line. The intermediate fpace between 

 thefe lines in fome birds is black. Qln one Bird of this kind I obferved a white fpot 

 behind each Eye.] Thequil-feathersofthe Wings are brown, with yellowiih edges 

 [_ or of a feuille-mort colour. ] From the ninth the tips of the eight following are white. 

 The covert-feathers next above the quils are black, with red edges. In which two 

 white fpots do mark or characterize each Wing, one under the baftard Wing, the 

 other at the firft joynt, by which note this Bird may be cafily diftinguifhed from all 

 others of its kind. The middle quil-feathers towards the bottom are white. The 

 Tail is two inches and an half long, confiding of twelve feathers, of all which, ex- 

 cepting the two middlemoft, the lower half is white, the upper black, the utmoft 

 edges being red. The two middlemoft in fome birds are wholly black, in all for the 

 greater part 5 having red or feuille-mort edges. They all end in (harp points. The 

 feathers next to the incumbent on the Tail both above and beneath reach further than 

 its middle, fo that they wholly hide its white part. 



Its Bill is (lender, ftreight, fhort, black, not only without, but alfo within : The 

 hides of the Eyes hazel-coloured. The Legs (lender: The Feet, Toes, and Claws 

 black : The lower joynt of the outmoft Toe fticks faft to that of the middle one. 



In the Female thofe white fpots of the Wing fcarce appear, and the whole body is 

 of a duller colour. It frequents banks and ditches, feeding upon Beetles., and other 

 Infe&s. 



Nature fometimes fportsher felfinthe colours of this Bird ; For in fome birds the 

 two middle feathers of the Tail are wholly black excepting the edges, which are red- 

 difh 5 in others their bottoms are white, &c. 



It differs from the following bird chiefly by thefe notes, 1. That the upper fide of 

 the body is more beautifully coloured, the feathers having their middle parts about 

 the fhaft black, and their borders red. 2. That in each Wing they have two white 

 lpots. 3. That the lower part of their Tails is white. 4. That the feathers imme- 

 diately incumbent on the Tail both above and beneath run out as far and further than 

 the middle of the tail, fo that they wholly hide the white part thereof. 5. In the 

 white lines reaching from the Bill to the back of the Head. 



The Bird which Aldrovand faith is called commonly Spipola, which perchance may 

 The Anthm be the Anthus or Florus ofArifiotle, is nearof kinto, if not the fame with this. Itis 

 S'lSrcf °^ near tne f ame bignefs : Lives about Rivers and Fens, eipecially in moift meadows 5 

 and if it be driven away by Horfes feeding there, it flies away with a certain chat- 

 tering, wherein it feems after a falhion to imitate the neighing of a horfe. Whether 

 it be dim-fighted or no I know not, but I hear that it flies with difficulty. As for its 

 colour,that is rather to be called beautiful than otherwife $ on the upper fide through- 

 out the Neck, Back, and Wings being of a dusky red, and varied with femilunar fpots. 1 

 The Head above is of the fame colour, but hath not thofe fpots. The prime-fea- 

 thers of the Wings, and thofe that cover them are black, having their fides and tips 

 yellowiih. The Bill is fit to catch Infects, being neither (lender, nor thick, of a white 

 colour tinctured with yellow. The nether fide from the Bill to the Tail is of the fame 

 colour, but variegated with fpots, fome long, fome round, and fome of another fi- 

 gure. Its Feet are black. This differs from our Whin-chat in the colour of its Bill, 

 and in the place where it lives j fith our Chat abides efpecially in heaths, and among 

 Furze-hfies, 



§ . III. 



