254- O^^ClTHOLOgr, Book II. 



after the tenth continued through the tops of the covert-feathers. That part of 

 this white fillet which paffes through the tips of the coverts is tinctured with 

 yellow. 



The Tail is two inches and an half long, and made up of twelve feathers, of which 

 the outmoft on each fide have their bottoms, and alio their tops on the outfide the 

 fhaft black, their middle part white. The next to thefe have left white, viz. only near 

 the top, andon the outfide the (haft: The three fubfequent on both fides are black: 

 the two middlemoft cinereous with greenifh edges. * 



The Liver is divided into two Lobes, the right being the biggeft. The Stomach 

 not very fleihy. The outmoft Toe in each foot, as in other fmall birds, grows to the 

 middlemoft at bottom. 



This bird fometimes varies in the colour of its feathers. For Gefaer affirms, that 

 himfelf had feen a Chaffinch all over white: And Aldrovandus describes two others, 

 one whofe whole body from white declined to yellow : Another that was partly yel- 

 lowing and partly blackifh. 



They are ( faith Aldrovandm ) birds of paffage: They love moderate cold, but 

 are offended by immoderate. But with us in England they fear no cold, abiding here 

 all Winter, be the weather never fo (harp : Neither is there any Bird more frequent 

 in all parts of this Land, excepting perchance the Lark., the Sparrow, and the Tel/ow- 

 hammer. 



>. H. 



The Bramble or Brambling : Fringilla montana feu Montifringilla, '0&><nxnQ), Arifl. 



"I N weight and bignefs it agrees with the precedent. Its Bill is thick, ftrong,ftreight, 

 I from a broad bafe diminithinginto a (harp point, almoft like a Cone or Funnel 5 in 

 tome birds wholly black, in others black at point, and yellow at bottom. Its Tongue 

 like the Chaffinches 3 the upper Chap of equal length with the lower, its fides ftrong 

 and thin'd into fbarp edges. £ The Bill of the Female hath no part yellow. ] Its Feet 

 of a pale dusky colour .* The outer Toe joyned to the middle below, as in other fmall 

 birds. From the head to the middle of the Back the colour in the Cock is like that of 

 ^Starling, a fhining black, the edges of the feathers being of a reddilh aih-colour. 

 The lower part of the Back is white. The Throat is of a yellowilh red 3 the Bread 

 white 5 the feathers behind the Vent reddiih. 



In the Female the Head from red or dusky inclines to cinereous : The Neck isafh- 

 coloured : The feathers of the Back have their middle parts black, their borders of 

 that fame reddiih alb-colour. The Throat is not fo red as in the Cock. Within the 

 ridge of the Wing it hath lels yellow, and without no Orange colour. In brief it is 

 every where more difcoloured. 



The interiour quil-feathers of the Wings are red, the inmoft of all black, with red 

 edges. Beginning from the fourth, feventh, or eighth of the fubfequent feathers 

 have a white (pot on the outfide their (hafts, by the tips of the feathers of the fecond 

 row. Underneath alio their exteriour edges are whitiih 5 elfe the quil-feathers are all 

 black. The Plumage near the bafe of the Wing^underneath is of a lovely yellow, 

 above of an Orange colour. 



The Tail is four inches^ long, compounded of twelve feathers, of a black colour, 

 but the exteriour Web of the outmoft feather on both fides is white, and fometimes 

 alfo the interiour. The tips and edges of the two middle feathers are of a reddiih 

 aih-colour. 



At Venice we found great numbers of thefe birds in the Poulterers (hops in Winter 

 time 5 whence we infer that they are common in the Country thereabouts at leaft in 

 that tea fon of the year. They are found alfo in England, but more rarely. 



Thefe birds alfo fometimes vary in their colours. Hence in Aldrovandus we have 

 three figures and defcriptions of Montifringilla : Of which that in the fecond place is 

 of a paler colour, and hath its head wholly white. The third is altogether like the 

 firft, fave that under the Bill it hath no black: And befides that fecond yellow ftroak 

 which is in others, in this was far more confpicuous. 



$ . III. 



