Mr* Lightfoot's Account of a new Englifli Bird. g 
that . and the eggs belonging to a bird unknown to me, I became 
defirous of finding out the fecret architect, and to that end made 
ufe of fuch means as I thought moft likely to promote the 
difeovery. 
In a fhort time my expeditions were gratified ; for on the 
26th day of July, 1783, intelligence was brought me, that 
fuch a neft as I wanted was found. I had given pre- 
vious direction, that it fhould not be difturbed before I had 
feen it. Upon examination, I inftantly perceived it to be of 
the fame kind and ftructure with that under enquiry, contain- 
ing two eggs, and two young ones juft excluded from the (hell. 
One of the old birds was fitting at this time upon the neft, 
which a perfon in company attempting to feize, it flew at him 
with fo much refentmerit and acrimony, as to draw blood from 
the hand that dared to moleft its inftindlive operations. Both 
the parent birds continued hovering about their neft with much 
watchful care and anxiety, while I made feveral attempts to 
take them alive ; but, finding all endeavours in vain, left I 
fhould lofe the opportunity of examining them with accuracy, 
I at length, with reludtance, caufed them to be {hot. From 
thefe fpecimens the followdng deferiptions were made, which, 
with an accurate drawing of one of them, together with its 
neft and egg, are humbly fubmitted to your notice. 
From the generic charadters delivered by Linnzeus, our bird 
muft evidently be reduced to the family of his Motacilla , for it 
has a weak, (lender, fubulate bill, almoft ftraight ; the man- 
dibles nearly equal; the noftrils oval and naked, or not covered 
with briftles ; the tongue lacerated at the extremity ; the legs 
(lender ; the toes divided to the origin, except that the exterior 
one is joined, at the under part of the laft joint, to the middle 
toe ; the claws of nearly equal length. 
Yon. LXXV. C 
The 
