ren PE REV. 
fineft green is the predominant colour of the tail, which changes in 
‘the folds to reddith yellow, with a. gilded hue, fine brown, blue, 
purple, and fhades of gloffy black throughout. "Thefe colours cannot 
be feen at a diftance, becaufe they are produced only by the light 
- falling in a particular direCtion, and all the bright gloffes affimilate 
with the blacker hues when the bird is removed far from the eye of 
the {pectator. 
It would be tedious to enlarge on the pecular habits of a bird, that 
is familiar to every ruftic inhabitant in the kingdom. In all its 
actions it difcevers a degree of inftin& fuperior to moft birds. In 
many refpects it refembles the crow ; like that creature, it feeds in- 
difcriminately on every kind of food, Infects, grain, fmall birds, or 
their eggs, carrion, and even young poultry. Sometimes it procures 
its food by ftratagem, at others by annoying larger animals when it 
has no danger to apprehend from them. It is often feen perched on 
the back of a Sheep or a Cow, picking off the Infects that infeft 
them. In this refpect we allow them to be ufeful ;*but if they re- 
lieve the poor animals from their fmaller enemies, they fubject them 
to their own uncontroulable infolence, and fometimes pick out the 
eyes of animals that attempt to refiftthem. Ina domeftic ftate it 
is often taught to repeat words, or fentences. It does not imitate the 
human voice with the fame facility and propriety as the parrot, but 
fufficiently diftinét to be underftood. 
Its great fhare of inftin& is clearly demonftrated by the fituation 
and manner in which the neft is built: it is placed confpicuoufly on 
the top of fome tree, or ina hawthorn bufh, but is always fenced below 
by brambles and other thick bufhes, that make it difficult of accefs. 
The neft is compofed of thorny twigs well ynterwoven, and has the 
thorns 
