( *9 ) 
The Chinese Starling or Black-Bird. 
HPHIS Bird is called by our Sailors, who bring it from China, a Martin ; but it 
“*■ being not of Kin to that Genus, I have taken the Liberty to change its Name, 
it being nearer of Kin to the Starling, , than to any other European Bird ; though it 
comes nearer to the Minor before defcribed, and is about the Bignefs of the lelfer 
Sort of Minor; the Bill is pretty thick towards the Head, ftraight, grows gradually 
more flender, and ends in a Point, of a yellow Colour; yet the lower Mandible, 
towards the Head, inclines more to Red; the Noftrils are low on each Side, pretty 
near the Slit of the Mouth; the Eye is of a fine Gold or Orange-colour; it hath 
on the Forehead, juft at the Bafts of the Bill, a remarkable Tuft of Feathers, 
which it can ered at Pleafure in form of a Creft; the Crown of the Head is flat; 
the Head, Neck, whole Body, Wings, and Tail, are of a black Colour, not glofly 
and fhining with fplendid Colours, as in the Minor , nor quite fo dark as our com¬ 
mon Black-Bird, but feems to incline a little to a dirty Blue; the Bottoms of fome 
of the firft Quills, next the Belly, are White* which form a white Spot in each 
Wing; though the Tail is Black, yet the Side-feathers are tip’d with White; the 
Legs and Feet are of a dull Yellow; the Claws of a light Colour. 
I take this Bird to be a Cock, becaufe Willoughby s Defcription, P. 194. tranf- 
lated from Aldrovandus, fays the Hen hath not fo bright a Black as the Cock; it is 
faid to frequent Dung-heaps. Willoughby s Defcription feems to be too brief, there¬ 
fore I choofe ftridly to defcribe this Bird from Nature, having the Advantage of 
feeing it, which Mr. Willoughby had not: But whoever will take the trouble to 
compare this Defcription with that of Aldrovandus , I believe will agree with me 
that this muft be the fame Bird he has defcribed. You may fee this Bird very 
perfed, curioufly fluffed and fet on a Perch at Salter s Coffee-houfe at Chelfea , where 
I had Liberty to draw it. Though this Bird is not a Native of England, yet it was 
fhot at Norwood, near London ; for it often happens that Birds, not Natives of our 
Ifland, are, through Storms or other accidental Caufes unknown to us, brought 
over hither. The Upupa or Hoopoe, being alfo a foreign Bird, was fhot at Norwood 
and is likewife preferved at Salters Coffee-houfe with this. 
The 
