i}8 



o^^ciTHOLogr, Bookii. 



* In the 

 Chapter of 

 the Cuckow. 



rare in the Southern : Either becaufe it is impatient of cold, or for want of meat 5 

 Flies, and other winged Infects, on which it chiefly feeds, being not to be found in 

 Winter-time. In the Gizzard of one diflefted we found Infe&s like to Meal-worms. 

 Gefoer writes, that the Fowlers in his Country have obferved the Cuckgw-chicken 

 hatched and brought up by this bird : The (ame^Albertus, and our experience alfo con- 

 firms, as we have* elfew here (hewn. 



One or two ounces of the powder of this Bird put in a Pot clofe-ftopt and bak'd 

 in an Oven together with the feathers, taken in Saxifrage water, or ftrong White- 

 wine is (aid to be good againft the Stone, efpecially that of the Kidneys. But Alex- 

 ander BenediBus thinks, that the modern Phyficians, who commend this Medicine 

 through miftake, mean the If ren when they name the Wagtail: As if the Wagtail Were 

 of no force in breaking the Stone. Gefner ( to whom alfo we readily alTent ) thinks 

 that it matters not much what bird be burnt, fith the vertue of the athes of almoft all 

 birds teem to be the fame. Yet ( faith he ) if there be any difference, 1 would prefer 

 thofe forts of birds which feed upon Infects, as Flies, Ants, and the like. 



* Cinereous, 

 i.e. Afh-co- 

 loured. 



$. 11. 



The yellow Water-Wagtail: Motacilla flava. 



N bignefs and (hape of body it agrees with the white. It weighs five drachms 3 

 from the tip of the Bill to the end of the Tail being almoft feven inches long 5 to 

 the- end of the Claws fix. The under part of the Body is yellow, the Breaft being 

 darker than the reft. The upper part is of a dark green, the middle of the Back be- 

 ing black. The crown of the Head is of a yellowifh green. Above the Eyes is a 5 el- 

 low line reaching to the hinder part of the Head. 



The Tail is two inches three quarters long, confiding of twelve feathers, the mid- 

 dle two whereof are (harper than the reft. The outmoft on each fide are above half 

 white, the intermediate eight black : All of equal length. The figure of the Wings 

 is the fame with that of the precedent. The quil-feathers in number eighteen 3 of 

 which the fixteenth is longer than thole next it,and hath the outward limb white. The 

 tips of the middle covert-feathers are of a greeniih white 5 elfe the Wings are all over 

 dusky. The Bill is black : The Tongue cloven, but not hairy. The hides of the 

 Eyes from cinereous incline to a hazel-colour. The Feet are black: The outer fore- 

 toe is joyned to the middle one at bottom. The Spur or Claw of the back-toe is 

 long as in a Larks : The blind guts fhort. Some birds in this kind are much yellower 

 or greener than others. 



It builds upon the ground among the Corn 5 making itsNeft of bents and the ftalks 

 of herbs, fpreading hairs within under the Eggs. It lays at one time four or five Eggs, 

 varied with dusky (pots and lines drawn without any order. 



§. III. 



The grey Wagtail. Motacilla cinerea, an flava altera Aldrov ? 



T is of the bignefs of the common or white W> agtail. Its note is thriller and louder : 

 Its Bill black, ftreight, (lender, and (harp-pointed : Its Eyes grey : Both upper 

 and lower Eye-lid white. Moreover, above the Eyes a whitifh line is all along ex- 

 tended. The upper furface of 1 the body is * grey. The Head ( which in proporti- 

 on to the body is fmalland compreffed) is fomething dusky. The Wings are blackifh, 

 eroded in the middle by a whitifh, yet not veryconfpicuous line. The Chin and 

 Throat are particoloured of white and grey : The Breaft and Belly white, darned 

 with yellow : The Rump round about of a deeper yellow. The Tail made up of 

 twelve feathers, longer than the whole body 5 its outmoft feather on each fide is all 

 over white 5 the two next white on the infide, blackifh on the out 3 the fix middle- 

 moft all over blackifh. The Legs ( which are long ) and the Feet ( which are rugged 

 or rough J are of a pale colour, but duskifh. The Claws crooked, and the back- 

 claw longer than the reft. 



The bird heredefcribed was a Hen, as we learned by its Vitellary or bunch of Eggs, 

 wherein more than forty Eggs were very confpicuous and eafie to be difcerned. The 

 Cock differs little, fave that under his Chin he hath a black fpot. They frequent ftony 

 Rivers, and feed upon water-Infe&s.- 



The 



