62 



The Maiidariu Tuul, or Em-ycomj of tlit; Cbi- 

 n^ae, it also mudbi and justly admired. The 

 plttmage of the drake m remaritably degant, 

 that of du: femalaplaiii aiul uiidet'orated. The 

 mah; bird, however, during' fom* iiioutli.s of the 

 year, tliat is, from Mliv to August, cliaiioes its 

 beautiful pluuiagCj and bears a close rcsoinblaiicL", 

 at di^siliiEi^y miht hrndxt^ This iilxange is not 

 ^itSiuad solefy to tb& tmk ^ i^e feafihmt 

 but extends even to the epidermis of the man- 

 dibles. This bird, unlike the tribe, [2,'euerally 

 roosts ill elevated situations, upon trees, liigli 



Wi^ isjpfeatoes axe rsegaijAed 1^ ite^ Chi- 

 nese as eml)k'nis of conjugal fidelity, ai^d ^re 

 usually carried about 'm tlieiy maarriage proces* 



sions. 



The following curious instance of fidelity was 

 men^oned to me, a» Mi^ttg msmti^ in the 



£qiiStaiQG4^ of tvvo birds of this species : — A drake 

 was stolen one night, with some other liirds, from 

 Mr. Beale's aviary ; the beautiful male was alone 

 taken ; the poor duck, in spite of her ijuaeks 

 dumif ^ i^mva^ mm^^ M b^icd. 



England as a specimen of China manufkcture. Do not we 

 aee tlveae follies cotnmitted hy ouf onmtrymeii almost every 



