Book II. J^^IT HO LO QT. z± 7 



Chap. III. §. L 



The Sktlfinch, Jlp or !t(ope. Rubicilla feu Pyrrhula* 



THis Bird hath a black, fhort, ftrong'Bill, in figure and ftru&ure like that of 

 the Grosbeak but left. [ In the elder birds it is fomething crooked. ] The 

 Tongue is as it were cut off: Its Eyes are hazel-coloured : Its Claws black. 6 

 Its Legs dusky. The lower joynt of the outmoft Toe (ticks faft to the middle Toe. 



The Head for the proportion of the body is great. In the Male a lovely fcarlet or 

 crimfon colour illuftrates the Breaft, Throat, and Jaws, as far as the Eyes. The fea- 

 thers on the crown of the Head above the Eyes, and thofe that compafs the Bill, are 

 black: The Rump and Belly white : The Neck and Back grey, with a certain tincture 

 of red. £ The Neck, Back, and Shoulders feemed to me blue or afti-coloured. ] The 

 quil-feathers of the Wings are in number eighteen j the laft or inmoft of which on the 

 outer half from the (haft is red, on the inner black and gloffie. Of the reft the inte- 

 riour [/". e. thofe next the body ] are black, with a glois of blue 5 the exteriour duf- 

 ky or black. Of the firft or outmoft five the exteriour edges in the upper half of the 

 feathers are fomewhat white. The tips of the lower covert-feathers are cinereous, in 

 the interiour more, in the exteriour lefs. The next to thefe are of the fame colour 

 with the Back. The Tail is two inches long, black, and (tuning, made up of twelve 

 feathers. 



The Cock is of equal bignefs to the Hen, but hath a flatter crown, and excels her 

 in the beauty of his colours. 



They feed moft willingly upon thofe buds of trees which break forth before, in- 

 deed are pregnant with, the leaves and flowers, efpecially thofe of the Apple-tree, 

 Pear-tree, Peach-tree, and other Garden-trees 5 and by that means bring no fmall de^ 

 triment to the Gardeners, who therefore hate and deftroy them as a great Peft of their 

 Gardens, intercepting their hopes o¥ Fruit. 



Turner writes, that they "are very docile birds, and will nearly imitate the found of 

 a Pipe [ or the Whiftle of a man ] with their voice. They are much efteemed for 

 their finging with us in England, and defervedly in my judgment. For therein they 

 excel all fmall birds, if perchance you except the Linnet. I hear ( faith Aldrovandm) 

 that the Hen in this kind lings as well as the Cock, contrary to what is ufual in moft 

 other forts of birds. 



§. 11. 



* The AmerfUn Bulfnch cr Guiratirica of Marggrave. 



IT is of the bignefs of a Lark-' Hath a thick, rtreight Bill, dusky above, under- 

 neath white, and a little incarnate. Its Legs are cinereous, with four toes ftand^ 

 ing after the ufual manner. The whole Head, with the Throat, and the lower and 

 middle part of the Neck are of a rare fanguine colour. The Eyes blue : The Ear- 

 holes large. The fides of the Neck, the whole Breaft and lower Belly are covered 

 with white feathers. The upper fide of the Neck hath black ones, with which a few 

 white are mixt. The Back is grey ( with a few black feathers interfperfed ) as are 

 alfo the beginnings ofthe Wings : The reft of the Wings is black, as is the Tail, which 

 is about three inches long. The lateral borders of the Wings are white. 



Ghap. 



