jwihT jo^s^ciTHOLogr. i# 



In the Autumn after Sun-fetthefe birds are wont to, (bar aloft in the air with a fpiral 

 afcent fo high till they get quite out of fight : In the mean time making a Angular kind 

 of noife, nothing like to lowing. 



As for the interiour parts, The annulary cartilages of the Wind-pipe after its diva- 

 rication, are not entire [_ or perfectly round ] but only femicircular : The other part 

 of the circle being mpphed by a thin, loofe membrane: They ftandalfo at a greater 

 diftance one from another than before. The Liver is divided into two Lobes, and 

 hath its Gall-bladder annexed. The interiour membrane of the Stomach is wrinkled, 

 and full of papillary glandules. Beneath the lower Orifice of the Stomach was as is 

 were a fecondary ftomach, of a lingular ftructure, and of the figure of the Letter co , 

 having a thick coat, and being rugged and uneven with folds or wrinkles within. The 

 firft ftomach was lax and membranous rather than mufculous, like a Dogs ftomach, as. 

 Bel/onius rightly compares it. It hath no Craw : Only one blind gut, like the reft of 

 this kind, half an inch long. The Gullet juft below the Bill may be vaftly dilated, fo 

 as to admit a mans fift. In the ftomach differed we found the fur and bones of Mice. 

 Inftead of the tranfverfe ribs are only fmall Appendices. The Vertebres next the Head 

 are bent downwards, all the reft upwards. The Breaft-bone is * arcuate. The angle l^Tsm, 

 or aperture of the Breaft-bone isfilled up with a thin, loofe, pellucid membrane. The 

 Gullet and Windpipe defcend down the right fide of the Neck. It hath alfo a bony 

 Appendix mthz angle of the Merrythought, but lefsthan the common Heron.^ 



It is called by later Writers, Butorius and Botaurus, becaufe it feems to imitate boa- 

 tumtauri, the bellowing of a Bull. The Author of \PhilomeU calls it Butio : But his 

 miftakes are fo many, that no account is to be made of his authority. Some have 

 made it to be the Onocrotalus,becauCe of its voice 5 which,tofay the truth,feems to me 

 much more to imitate the braying of an Afs than the lowing of a Bull : But Pliny hath 

 fo exaclly defcribed the Onocrotalus, that no man that (hall compare the notes with 

 the bird, can poflibly doubt that it is that we commonly call the Pelecan: Though 

 thofe that have feen and obferved it, never heard it make any fuch braying noife 

 when kept tame: Which isfomething ftrange junlefs perhaps being difcontented with 

 its captivity, it delights not to make that noife it doth when at liberty. The Bittern 

 is faid above all o^er birds to ftrike at mens eyes. It builds upon the ground, com- 

 monly in a tuft of Rufhes, lays four or five Eggs, of a round figure, and whitifti 

 colour, inclining to cinereous or green, notfpottedatall. 



This without doubt is that bird our common people call the Night-raven, and have 

 fuch a dread of, imagining it cry portends no lefs than their death, or the death of 

 fome of their near Relations : Forit flies in the night, anfwers their defcription of be- 

 ing like a flagging Collar, and hath fuch a kind of hooping cry as they talk of. 



§. XIII. i 



* Aldrovandus hk third fort of fyeckled Heron. 



THis Bird, fent from Epidaurus, was all over of one and the fame colour, to wit 2 ' 

 reddiih, deeper above, lighter underneath. This lame, or at leaft one very 

 like toit,taken in our Fens, had a Bill a palm long,of a horny colour,ftreight,and,iharp- 

 pointed. The upper Mandible was a little hooked at the end, and longer than the ne- 

 ther, with fome blacknefs. The crown was black : The Neck ferrugineous,two palms 

 long : The Back was black, and fo was the Tail, which was very fhort 5 the Rump be- 

 neath white : The Wings partly ferrugineous, partly white.The Legs nine inches long. 

 The Iris of the Eyes was yellow. This feemed as yet to be a young bird,that had not 

 tnewed its firft feathers. 



§. XIV. 



The greater fpectyd or red Heron of Aldrovand* 



His feems to be a baftard kind between the Bittour and the common Heron, but 

 to partake more of the common Heron, whence it would be more rightly inti- 

 tuled, The aft-coloured or blue Heron with red breaji and fides. 



In its bignefs, ftiape, and ferrate Claw it agrees with the common Heron. The 

 crown of its Head is black, adorned with alongCreft: Its Back aih -coloured, but 

 darker than the common Herons. On the fhoulders grow long, red, briftly hairs. 



Oo 2 The 



T 



