z 7 & O^WLlTHOLOgr. Book II. 



$ v. 



Thi Hortulaneof the Italians. Hortulanus Aldrov. Tordino Berluccio at Venice. 



JT is equal and very like to the Yellow-hammer [ That which I J. R. faw and de~ 

 fcribed at Florence teemed to me fomewhat lefs, and longer-bodied. ] The Hen 

 meafured from Bill to Tail exceeded feven inches length 3 being in our ufual way of 

 meafuring ten and an half broad. Its Bill was fhort, viz,, from the tip to the corners 

 of the Mouth fcarce half an inch long, thick atbafe, (harp at point 5 of a red or flefh 

 colour in the Cock. In the Hen the upper Chap is black, the lower blue. The knob 

 on the upper Chap is mnch lefs than in the TeUow-hammer. The tides of the Bill are 

 fharp. 'The upper Mandible hath on each fide an angle or furrow impreffed, to 

 which anfwereth a tough or angular eminency in the lower, as in the Buntings the 

 figure whereof for the clearer apprehenfion and^ underftanding of what we (ay 

 is to be viewed. The Feet are of a pale dusky: The Claws black. [In the Cock 

 the Legs are reddifti. ] The back-toe is great. The inner and outer fore-toes are of 

 equal length. The outmoft from the bottom to thefirft joynt fticks faft to the mid- 

 dlemoft without any membrane intervening, as in moft fmall birds. The Throat and 

 Breaft are afh-coloured, the reft of the underfide to the very Tail is red. The Rump 

 of a deeper red. The Head of a brown or dusky afti-colour, the middle parts of the 

 feathers being black : As they are like wife on the Back, having their edges of a red- 

 difh afti-colour. / [ In the Cocks the Breads are more red. ] Under the Bill isa yellow 

 fpot. The Head is of a colour mingled of green and ciner^nis; The middle parts 

 of the Back-feathers are black, the edges of a colour mingled of red and cinereous, or 

 red and green 5 the Rump is green. 



The quil-feathersof the Wings, as in almoft all fmall birds, are eighteen in num- 

 ber, of which the greater have their edges of a greenifh white, the lefler or interi- 

 our of a red. The tips of all the feathers of the fecond row have their tips white, 

 and exteriour edges red. The tips of the third row are alfo white. The edges of 

 the lefler coverts are cinereous. The Tail is almoft three inches long, and made up 

 of twelve feathers : Of which the middle and outmoft are fomething fhorter than 

 the reft. For colour the two middlemoft are of a dark brown, with red edges : 

 The three next on both fides black : The outmoft but one have the upper half of their 

 interiour Webs white. The outmoft have more white on the interiour Web, and 

 fome alfo on the exteriour. The Gall-bladder is little, and the Gall within yellow. 



It is very like om Reed-Sparrow, with a white ring about its Neck, yet differs ma- 

 nifeftly from it in {ome marks, fo that there is no doubt but it is a diftintt kind. 1 . In 

 its place, this abiding chiefly among Reeds: Whereas the Hortulane frequents Gar- 

 dens efpecially, as the name imports. 2. In colour : The Hortulane being more red, 

 and wanting the ring about the Neck, which this hath : And befides, having a yellow 

 fpot under the Throat, which this wants. 

 * omthol. * Aldrovand fets forth fix kinds or varieties of this bird. 1 . The frfi was all yel- 



lib.13.cap.24. j OWj almoft f a ftraw-colour, excepting the ridges of the Wings, and tips of the 

 quil-feathers, which were white. 2. The fecond was all over white. 3. The third, 

 called alfo by the Fowlers a Hortulane, is indeed a bird wholly of the fhape of a 

 Hortulane, but fomething different in colour. Its Head from cinereous inclined to 

 yellow : Its Neck was cinereous, but fpeckledwith black: Its Belly, Legs, and Feet 

 yellow. The ridges of the Wings and the quil-feathers white 5 the other parts part- 

 ly black, and partly cinereous. The whole Tail brown, but yellow on the fides. 

 4. ThejfoarfAhada green Head and Neck 5 a red Bill 5 alh-coloured Legs , elfe it was 

 black. Yet hath it on the crown of the head, and alfo in two of the quil-feathers 

 only an oblong white fpot. 5. Theffih I may call a white-tail' d Hortulane : For its 

 Tail was white, elfe it was like the common Hortulanes, but in all parts paler. 6.The 

 loft fome of our Fowlers reckoned a kind of Spipola, others a kind of Hortulane 3 and 

 indeed I ftiould make it congenerous rather to the SpipoU than the Hortulanes. For 

 its Bill is longer, and its Legs and Feet dusky, which in the Hortulanes are wont to 

 " 2 body alfo is dusky, the Breaft only and ends of the Wings be- 



be yellow. Its whole 

 ing white. 



§. VI. 



