DO 



Hornbills. At the bottom of case 41 are the beautiful 

 Violet Plantain-Eaters. 



Cases 45 to 57 contain Gallinaceous Birds, which lay 

 their eggs on the earth, as Pheasants, Peacocks, Par- 

 tridges, and Grouse. 



Cases 58 to 60 contain Wading Birds, among which 

 is the family of Herons, Storks, and Snipes. The 

 Heron genus consists of not less than eighty-two spe- 

 cies. The common Heron is very light, but exceedingly 

 rapacious, cowardly, and indolent. They are the great 

 terror of fishes, those too large to take away, it will 

 strike at and wound. They feed principally on the 

 small fish, of which it is said to destroy more in a week 

 than an otter in three months : so that fish driven to the 

 shallow waters by the greater ones fall a sacrifice to the 

 heron. The Storks are birds of passage. In 



Cases 65 and 66 is a large Ostrich, with its Eggs 

 laying by its side. This is considered as the largest of 

 birds, and was known previous to the time of Moses, as 

 we find its flesh interdicted by the Jewish Legislator. 

 It is peculiar to the torrid regions of Africa. 



Cases 68 to 71. The family of Cranes and Rails is 

 the next in order : among the latter are the Screamers, 

 remarkable for the Horn in the centre of the Head. 



Cases 72 to 80 are the Water Birds, including the 

 family of Ducks and Swans, Geese and Divers ; which 

 latter live on the surface of the water and subsist on 

 fish, for which they dive : with such confidence do the}' 

 rely on this peculiarity that they often approach the 

 boats of fishermen. They are very common in the Ork- 

 ney Islands ; and are said to carry their young under 

 their wings when alarmed. 



Cases 81 and 82. Pelicans: these are slothful and 

 voracious ; and abound in Africa and America. They 

 are only excited to activity by the stimulation of hunger; 

 and when under this sensation they with difficulty raise 

 themselves about thirty feet above the surface of the sea 

 and continue to fly over it with the head turned on one 

 side, and when a fish is discovered they dart down upon 

 it with the swiftness of an arrow, seize it with unerring 



