atddiraM conchologift Dacofta: Linnaeus, however, 
divides all Bivalves into- fourteen families, which 
he charafterizes bv the peculiar formation of their 
hinges in a very fcieritific manner. 
The fpecies of Bivalves are very few when com- 
pared to the immenfe varieties of univalves; nor 
are they comparable to them in beauty: and far- 
ther, there are no land Bivalves, and few of frefh 
water; whereas the fpecies of land univalves are 
extremely numerous^ and many kinds alfo occur in 
the fre'li water. 
BLACKBIRD. A well-known bird, though 
of a retired and folitary nature, and the deepeft- 
toned warbler of the woods. From the tin of ^-he 
bill to the extremity of the tail is near eleven inches ; 
the bill is an inch long, and of a yellowiili faffron 
colour; but in che female the point and uppei'-part 
areblackifb; and the infideof the mouth is yellow in 
both fexes, as well as the circumference of the eye- 
lids. There are twenty-eight large feathers in each 
wins;, of wiiich the fourth is the lonfi^eft: the tail is 
four inches and a half long; and confifcs of twelve 
feathen of equal lengths, except the lad on each 
fide, which is fomewhat longer than th^- rell. The 
feet are black ; and the exterior and poflerior toes 
are equal, the firft being joined to the middlemoft 
in it's lower part. 
The plumage of the male Blackbird is of a coal- 
black colour, but that of the female of a brown 
or dark miTet: however, when the form.er is young, 
it is rather brown than black, and has a reddifli 
creft, and a greyifn belly;, lb that it is not eafily 
diftinguifhed from, the latter before it is a year old, 
and then the colour becomes fixed. The liver of 
this bird is divided into tv/o lobes, of which the 
right is the biggeft: it has alio a gall-bladder; 
but the ftomach is not fo mufcular as in other birds 
of this kind. 
The note of the Blackbird, during the fpring 
and fummer feafons, when heard at a diftance, 
is perhaps the moft pleafing of all the fongfters of 
the grove ; but, when the bird is connned in a 
cage, it's fong is rather unplealant, being loud and 
deafening. It may be taught, however, to whiftle 
any tune, and even, to imitate the human voice. 
It builds it's neft v/ith a confiderable degree of art, 
lining the iniide with hair and other foft materials ; 
and the female lays four or five blueifli eggs 
fprinkled with brown fpots. In fbme very cold 
countries, and particularly on the Alps, Black- 
birds are found of a pure white colour; but they 
are by no means numerous, and are therefore re- 
garded as curiofities when imported into Britain. 
If young Blackbirds be taken from their nefts 
at the age of twelve days, they m.ay generally be 
reared with great facility, care being taken to keep 
them clean, and to feed them with lean frefli meat 
cut very fmall, and mixed with a little moiftened 
bread. 
Blackbiixls, even in a ftate of bondage, are ufa- 
ally very healthy ; but when they begin to droop, 
it is proper to give them two or three houfe- 
fpiders, v/ith a little cochineal in their water. Thefe 
birds are extremely ambitious of pluming their 
feathers; and therefore, when grown up, they 
fliould always be fupplied with plenty of water. 
Blackbird, PvEd-Bp.easted. This very curi- 
ous bird is a native of Surinam, and is fuppofed to 
be the fame with that dcfcribed by Marcgrave un- 
der the appellation oftheiacupu. The ftrudture 
of the bill is very extraordinary, the lower mandi- 
ble reaching very flir into the fides of the head,, and 
being confiderably broader and thicker at tfie bafe' 
than the upper m.andible. The bill is of a black- 
er dufi-cy colour, except the broad bales of the lower' 
mandible, which are of a blueifh afh. The whole' 
body is covered withdufky black feathers, without 
any glofs, except on the fore-part of the head, the' ' 
throat, and the beginning of the bread, where 
they are fringed with a fi.ne crimifon colour, ex- 
ternally appearing wholly red, but diminifliing 
gradually on the fides of the breaft, and on the bel- 
ly, till wholly loft in the black. The infides of the 
wings are black ; the tail is of the fame colour, of a 
moderate length, and compoied of twelve feathers, 
the middlemoft being foincwhat longer than the 
reft; and the legs and feet are of the common 
ftruclure, and of a blackifli colour. 
BLACK AND WHITE BIRD, SMALL. 
This bird, which is a native of Jamaica, is only 
four inches long from the tip of the bill to the ct~ 
tremity of the tail, and feven broad wlien the wings 
aie extended. The bill is ftraight, roundifb, black 
above, white below, and half an inch long ; tiie tail 
is an inch and a half long; the upper-part of the 
body is blackifh variegated with white lines, the 
under-part being white, mixed with a final! portion 
of black ; the feet are of a greeniih brown and the 
claws are yellowifh. 
BLACK AND ORANGE BIRD. This fpe- 
cies is likewife a native of Jamaica; and meafures 
about four inches in length, and fix in breadth 
when the wings axe expanded. The biU is a quarter 
of an inch long, and broad at the bafe ; and the tail 
is an inch and a half long. The head, neck, an4 
back, are black, except that on the latter there is a 
flight tinfture of orange; the wings and tail are 
brown, v/itli ftripes of an orange colour ; the brealV 
and covert-feathers of the wings are alio orange ; 
tiie breaft is white ; and the feet are black. This 
bird is faid to fubfift chiefly on ants. 
BLACK CAP. A very finall bird, fcsrcelj 
weighing half an ounce. The crown of the head, 
in the male, is black, from whence it derives it's 
name. The hind-part of the neck is of a light afii- 
coiour; the back and coverts of the wings are of a 
greyifh green; the ouill-feat'ners and tail are duflcy^ 
edged with dull green ; the breaft, and the upper 
part of the belly, are of a pale afli-colour; the vent- 
feathers are whitiftj ; and the legs are of a leaden 
hue. The female is diftinguifhed from the male 
by the'fpot on the head, which in the former is of 
a dull ruft-colour. 
The Black Cap is a bitxl of palTage, and leaves- 
the BriLifh Ifies before the comaiiencement of v^^in- 
ter : however, during it's ftay, it gratifies us with it's 
fong, VN^hich is fo fweet, that in Norfolk this bircf 
has obtained the nairiC of the mock-nightingale. 
It's notes are generally full, fweet, deep, and loud^ 
but of fliort continuance; and it's modulations are 
defultoiy : 'out when the little warbler fits calmly^, 
and is eai-neftly engaged in finging, it pours forth 
very fweet, but inward melody; and expreffes a 
great variety of pleafant and gentle harmony, fupe- 
rior perhaps to that of any of our fongfters of the 
grove, the nightingale excepted. 
Orchards and gardens are the favourite retreats 
of the Black Cap : it generally builds it's neft m 
fome tree or ftirtib at a fniali diftance from the 
, ground, and lines it with the fibres of roots thinly 
covered with black horfe-hair. It commonly lays 
four or five eggs of a palereddifh brown, nicttled 
witli a deeper colour, and fprinkled wi!:h a few 
dark fpots » 
