PLATE CXLIX 



had appeared. In this work, Gmelin notices this bird as a variety of 

 the common Turtle, with the following diftinBive charaQer 

 ** Turtur pennis ad colli latera omnibus nigris macula prope apicem 

 rotunda alba notatis." It is worthy of remark, that though Gmelin 

 refers for the Common Turtle to Latham's Synopfis, and notwith^ 

 Handing that, he mentions the refpe6iive authors, upon the teftimony 

 of whom, every other fuppofed variety of the fpecies is recorded, he 

 is entirely filent, as to the fource, from whence his knowledge of 

 this particular variety is derived. From the literal accordance of his 

 latin charafter with the defcription given in the General Synopfis, it 

 is neverthelefs eafy to perceive that the authority upon which he refts 

 muft be Dr. Latham 'a,. 



Deeming it a fubje£l of more than ufual intereft, our inveftigation 

 of authors did not terminate with Gmelin, we fought further in- 

 formation refpe61ing this curious bird, but with no material fuccefg 

 The bird appears to be unknown to continental writers, fo far as we 

 can obferve. In a collation of the genus Touterelle by Viellot, the 

 continuator of the Hiftory of Birds by Audebert, there is a flight 

 account of it which only tends to confirm our fufpicion that the bird 

 is unknown upon the continent^ for he mentions it as an accidental 

 variety of the Common Turtle which has been killed in England, 

 and is defcribed by Latham : it refembles, he fays, the common 

 Turtle, except in having the fides of the neck black, with a round 

 white fpot near the extremity of each feather 



* There appears to be fome mifconception, or perhaps it may be an overfight on the 

 part of the French tranflator, in rendering the meaning of ourEnglifli author into his own 

 language j for his words are thefe :—-« A Ics cotes du cou noirs, dont chaque plume eft 

 terminec de blanc, avcc unc tache r»nie blanche vers fons extremite.1' 



The 



