( 
) 
55 
i:he leajl Butcher-Bird. 
% 
T his Bird hath already been figured and fuperficially defcribed by Albin \ but, on examin- 
ing his Figure and Oefcription, I find fo rriuch Inaccuracy in both, that I have thought- 
it convenient (it being a Bird little known in England) to give it a Figure and more perfed Defcri^ 
tion : To which I have added its Hen, which I believe was never before figured j it is cmled by 
Albin the Beardmanica^ or Bearded "Tiumufe, but it agreeing with the Butcher-Bird in molt of its- 
Charaflerifticks, I conclude it to be a Species of that Genus. • t nt • i 
Thefe Birds are here reprefented of their natural Bignefs •, the lower Figure in the Pla^ is the 
Cock, he hath the Bill fomething arched, as have the others of this Kind, of a fine light Orange- 
Colour. I could perceive no Angle in the Bill. The Circle round the Eye is of a bnght 
Orange- Colour : From the Bafis of the Bill is a broad Bar of Black, which encompafles the Eye, 
and tends downwards beneath the Eye, where it terminates in a Point, as exprefled in the Figure 
The Throat and Sides of the Flead are white, which Whitenefs encompafles the above-mention d 
black Spot 5 the Crown of the Head is of a blueilh Afli-colour ; the Breafl: is faintly tindlured with 
a Rofe or Bloflfom Colour ; the Belly is firft whitifh, the Thighs and towards the Vent being, 
darker ; the Sides under the Wings are clouded with Orange-colour ; the covert Feathers under 
the Tail are black ; the upper Side, Neck, Back, and Tail are of a red Brown, ^ inclining to' 
Orange-colour; the greater Quills of the Wings are black, edged with White ; the inner next the 
Back are black, edged with Orange-colour *, the two innermoft, fave one, have their inner Webs- 
white; the leaft and innermoft Quill Is wholly white ; the firft Row of tlie upper covert Feathers' 
of the Wings anfwer exactly in Colour to the Quills they cover ; though in the Orange-colour 
they are tipp’d deeper and brighter than the Quills, which makes a Bar of Orange a-cro.s the 
Wings ; the lefTer Coverts are black ; the Ridge of the Wing is white ; the covert Feathers within- 
fide of the Wings are of a yellowifti White ; there are intermixed between the Back and the 
upper Coverts of the Wing a few light or whitifh Feathers; the Tail confifts of tv/elve Feathers,, 
longeft in the Middle, fhortening gradually towards the Sides, tolefsthan half the Length of the 
Middle Feathers ; the Tail beneath declines from Orange to an Afh-colour the Legs and Feet 
are black. The Hen differs from the Cock, in that ftiehath no black Mark about her Eyes ; the 
Coverts under her Tail are light Brown ; the middle Feathers of her Tail are like the Cock s ; the 
Side Feathers are black, with pretty deep white Tips ; her Head on the Top is of a dirty Brown,, 
which in the Cock is blueifh ; her Back is fprinkled with fome dulky Spots, tending length-ways 
the Point of her Bill is black ; fhe hath not the role-coloured Tindlure on her Breaft ; but in all 
other Refpedls Ihe agrees with the Cock both as to Shape and Colour • _ . , -o n. 
What Mr. Albin fiys of the Care the Cock takes to cover the Hen with his Wing when at Roolf,, 
I have heard reported by others. The Right Honourable the Coiintefs of Albemarle brought with- 
her from Copenhagen a large Cage full of thefe Birds, when fhe returned from her Attendance on 
one of the Princeffes of Great Britain^ who was efpoufed by the Prince Royal of Denmark, Jn the 
Year 1743. I was favoured with a Sight of them by the Countefs, and have feen fbme others of the 
lame Kind, both Cocks and Hens, fhot among the Reeds in Marflies near London^, though they are 
not well enough known in Englandio have a Name. 
Mr. Albin has figured and defcribed tw'o Birds, Male and Female, in one Plate, vol. ^.p. 53. 
by the Name of Mount ainA'its, which he had from Drawings of Sir Thomas Lowthery which I take 
to be no other than his Bearded Tit-moufe, or Beardmanica \ which fee in his Hiftory of Birds, 
Vol. I. p. I the more confirmed in this Opinion, fince I have feen, 1 believe, the originaL 
Drawing, which is now in the Colledlion of Mead, M. D. Phyfician to the King, 
