ER1TISH BIRDS. 
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are of a dark green, gloffed with purple and blue 
reflections ; the quills are black, the four firfl tip- 
ped with white ; the breafl and belly are of a 
pure white ; the upper tail coverts and vent pale 
cheflnut ; the tail is white at the bafe, the end is 
black, with pale tips, the outer feathers almofl 
wholly white ; the legs are red ; claws black ; 
hind claw very fhort. 
This bird is a conflant inhabitant of this coun- 
try; but as it fubfifts chiefly on worms, it is forced 
to change its place in quefl of food, and is fre- 
quently feen in great numbers by the fea-fhores, 
where it finds an abundant fupply. It is every 
where well known by its loud and inceffant cries, 
which it repeats without intermiffion, whilfl on the 
wing, and from whence, in moll languages, a name 
has been given to it as imitative of the found.-— 
The Pee-wit is a lively aCtive bird, almofl con- 
tinually in motion ; it fports and frolics in the air 
in all directions, and affumes a variety of atti- 
tudes ; it remains long upon the wing, and fome- 
times rifes to a confiderable height ; it runs along 
the ground very nimbly, and fprings and bounds 
from fpot to fpot with great agility : The female 
lays four eggs, of a dirty olive, fpotted with black; 
fhe makes no nefl, but depofits them upon a little 
dry grafs haflily fcraped together ; the young birds 
run very foon after they are hatched during this 
period the old ones are very affiduous in their at- 
Y 3 
