188 
NATURAL HISTORY 
sage, and are seen in immense flocks traversing the Me- 
diterranean sea, from Europe to the shores of Africa, in 
the autumn, and returning again in the spring, frequently- 
alighting in their passage on many of the islands of the 
Archipelago, which they almost cover with their num- 
bers. On the western coasts of the kingdom of Naples 
such prodigious numbers have appeared, that an hun- 
dred thousand have been taker) in a day within the space 
of four or five miles. The female makes her nest like 
the partridge, and lays to the number of six or seven 
eggs of a grayish colour, speckled with brown. The 
young birds follow the mother as soon as hatched, but do 
not continue long together; they are scarcely grown up 
before they separate; or, if kept together, they fight ob- 
stinately with each other, their quarrels frequently ter- 
minating in each other’s destruction. 
Trumpeter. (PI. 28 .) The trumpeter, so called from 
the singular noise it makes, is a native ol the dry and 
mountainous forests of South America. It is about the 
size of a large fowl; the general plumage of the body 
black, with the fore part of the neck, and upper part of 
the breast of a fine changeable green. The legs are naked 
and scaly a little above the knees, with three toes placed 
before and one behind. 
This bird is easily tamed, and discovers a considera- 
ble degree of attachment to those who notice and feed 
it. When bred in the house, it loads its master with ca- 
resses, and even follows him through the streets, like a 
dog. In a state of nature these animals associate in nu- 
merous flocks, feed on wild fruits, and walk and run with 
great celerity. 
The most remarkable characteristic of these birds con- 
sists in the wonderful noise which they often make, either 
of their own accord, or when urged by their keepers. 
To induce them to this, it is sometimes necessary to en- 
tice the bird with a bit of bread to come near; and then 
making the samekind of sound, which the keepers make, 
the bird will imitate it. This noise sometimes resem- 
bles that of a trumpet, and gradually lowering to the 
moaning of a pigeon. 
