304. O^^ClTHOLOqt. Book III. 



fpots appear, yet the Breaft is darker than the Belly, and inclined to red. The blind 

 guts are an inch and half long. The Stomach not very mufculous. Thefe birds live 

 upon the Tandy ihores of the Sea, and fly in flocks. We faw many of them on the 

 Sea-coafts of Cornwall. 



Chap. X. 



* The Rotknuffel offialtner, Rotkmillis or Gallinula Melampus of Gefner, 

 *Lib. 2 o, * Jldroy. 



cap. 4$, 



THe German mme Rotkmittw ( faith Gefner*) feems to be compounded of the 

 colour. For this Bird is of a red or ruilet Colour, with dusky fpots in the 

 Neck and about the Eyes. But Kmillfr ( I know not whence derived ) is a 

 more common or general word, fith another Water-hen of this kind is alfo called 

 MatkmiUk. We from the colour of the Legs have impofed on it the name Melampus, 

 which fignifies Blach^foot. For there is no bird I know of this kind that hath blacker 

 feet. The body is dusky, with fome fpots of a fordid and dark colour. The Bill alfo 

 is black : The Wings marked with black fpots. 



To this Bird ( faith Aldrovand) that which I here give you, called by our Fowlers 

 Giarola, a name common to many birds, is very like, if not the fame. For on the 

 Head, Neck, and Breaft, down to the middle of the Belly it is red, fprinkled with 

 brown, and fometimes alfo white fpots. Its Feet [ and Legs ] are cole-black. The 

 fmall Wing-feathers are diftinguifhed with cinereous and black: The great ones are 

 black. The Bill is long, and a little bending, (harp at point. The Belly is white, 

 with a tin&ure of red, and curioufly ipotted with black fpots. The Tail alfo is white, 

 but black at the end. 



Chap, XL 

 * Matkneltzel of <Baltmr : Gallinula Erythra of Gefner. 



THis Bird the Germans call Matkern i but for what reafon ( faith Gefner ) I know 

 not. I from the colour of its whole body have called it Erythra. But 

 though almoftthe whole body ( I except the Belly, which is whitiih, with a 

 faint tincture of red, and the Legs,which are alh-coloured ) be red, yet is that rednefs 

 darker on the Back, and intercepted with white fpots : Brighter in fome of the Wing- 

 feathers 5 the longeft whereof approach to the colour of red Oker. In the Neck be- 

 neath are fome white fpecks. The Bill is black, not without fome what of red, fhor- 

 ter than in moft others of this kind. It is taken among Reeds with fhares. It hath a 

 cry fomewhat refembling the found of Fullers ftriking of Wool. 



Leonard Baltner defcribes his Matkneltzel ( if at lead it be the fame bird with Gef 

 vers Matkem )thus: It is a very fair beautiful bird. From the tip of the Bill to the 

 end of the Claws it is a full Strasburgh Ell long. It weighs fix Lots and an half, that 

 is, three ounces a quarter : For a Lot is about half an ounce. It Guts are an Ell 

 long. It frequents Waters, and feeks its meat in watery places. The Cocks are 

 adorned with beautiful feathers, like thofe of Partridges, and have pale-red Feet. 

 The feathers of the Hens are lefs beautiful, and their Feet grey. Some alfo weigh 

 thirteen Lots, and are three quarters of a Ell long. Thefe birds in figure, magnitude, 

 and colour do very nearly refemble the Female Ruffs , which they call Reeves. 

 Whether they be the fame or not let the Virtmft at Strasburgh, where they are found, 

 examine. 



Chap. 



