9° 



The Hijlory of 



Book I. 



ARRAS. 



THe Arras are a kind of Birds extremely beautiful, about 

 the bigoefs of a Fheafant. but as to the figure of the bo- 

 dy they are like Parrots : They have all heads big enough, 

 fprightly and ftedfaft eyes, crooked beaks, and a long tail con- 1 

 ilfting of very fine feathers of feveral colours, according to 

 the difference of the Iflands where they are bred. There are 

 fome have their heads, the upper part of the neck, and the 

 back, of a bright fky-colour, the belly, the lower part of the 

 neck, and the wings of a pale yellow, and the tail all red : O- 

 thers have almoft all the body of a flame-colour, fave that 

 they have in their wings fome feathers which are yellow,azuxe, 

 and red. There are yet others have all their parts diverfify'd 

 with a mixture of red, white, blew, green and black, that is, 

 five lively colours, making a delightful enamell : They com- 

 monly flye in companies : A man would think them very da- 

 ring and confident , for they are not ftartled at the difcharg- 

 ing of guns, and if the firft (hot hath not hurt them, they will 

 continue in the fame place for a fecond : but this confidence is 

 attributed rather to a natural ftupidity then courage. They 

 are eafily tam'd, and may be taught to fpeak, but their tongues 

 are too thick to do it fo plainly as the other kinds of Parrots, 

 to wit the Camdes, and ordinary fort of Parrots, call'd by the 

 French Perrigues. They are fuch enemies to cold, that they 

 are hardly brought over Sea alive. 



*He Canities are much about the fame bignefs with the 



JL precedent, but of a much more beautiful plumage, and 

 therefore the more efteem'd. Monfieur du Adontell, who hath 

 made many Voyages into \America, and vifited all the Iflands, 

 and faw one of them in that of CoraJfao } gives us this account 

 of it. cc It deferves to be numbred, faith he, among the moft 

 " beautiful Birds in the world. I took fo particular notice of 

 £C it, having had of them in my hands many times, that I have 

 " the Idasas of it ftill frefh in my memory. Under the belly, 

 " wings, and neck, it was of a waving Aurora-colour, the back 

 " and one half of the wings of a very bright fky-colour, the 

 cc tail and greater feathers of the wings were mixt with a 

 " fparkling carnation, diverfify'd with a fky-colour, as upon 

 " the back a grafs-green and a fhining black, which very much 

 ct added to the gold and azure of the other plumage : But the 

 cc moft beautiful part was the head, cover'd with a murrey 

 " down, checquer'd with green,yellow,and a pale blew, which 

 " reach'd down wavingly to the back : The eye-lids were 



CANIDES. 



white. 



