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The Blue Creeper. 
T HE Figure (hews the natural Bignefs of this Bird: It hath a final 1 Head, and 
a fhort Tail; the Bill agreeing in Shape with the Certhia or Creeper. I have 
given it that Name, tho’ the Bill is a little longer, it being about an Inch long, flender, 
and bowed downward, of a blackilh Colour ; at the Bafe of the upper Mandible the 
Feathers are Black, which join with a black Line drawn from the Corners of the Mouth 
to the Eyes; under the Bill alfo is a black Mark, drawn a pretty way down the Throat, 
as in the Cock-Sparrow, the whole Head and Body is of a fine deep Blue; the lefl'er 
Covert-feathers of the Wings are alfo Blue; the prime Feathers, and the Row next 
above them, are Black; the Tail is fhort, very little exceeding the Length of the 
Wings, of a black Colour; the Legs, Feet, and Claws, are of a light yellow Brown, 
The Goldek-he are d Black Tit-mouse. 
T HERE is no Genus of European Birds to which I can liken this Bird: It is 
pretty big-headed, round-body’d, fhort-tail’d and leg’d ; it hath the Feet form’d 
direCtly as in the King-jijher , and wanteth only a long Bill to make it a perfect King- 
JiJher , I believe by its Feet and fhort Legs, it is of that Tribe, and may perhaps live 
and feed on InfeCts in Cane Swamps, as th q'K ing-JiJher does on Fifh, on the Borders of 
Rivers; but this is Conjecture. This Figure fhews the Bird of its natural Size. I 
have feen Dutch Drawings of thefe Birds, entitled, Manakins , which is a Name the 
Hollanders give to fome European Birds alfo; it hath a fhort Bill, not thick or very 
flender, but fhap’d like the Bills of Tit-mice, of a white Colour; the Crown, hinder 
Part of the Head and Cheeks under the Eyes, are of a bright Orange or Golden-co¬ 
lour; the Throat, whole Body, Wings and Tail, are black, yet fhining with a blue or 
purplifh Glols when expofed to a good Light; the Feathers covering each Knee are 
of an Orange-colour; the Legs very fhort; the Toes as in King-Jifhers, with final! 
Claws; the Legs, Feet, and Claws, are all of a Flefh-colour. 
Thefe two curious Birds, above defcrib’d, were lent me by his Grace the Duke of 
Richmond. They are neatly fet up, with many others, in Glafs-Cafes: they were fent 
to the Duke from Holland, who told me they came from Surinam; a Dutch Settlement 
on the Continent of South America , which lies in a very warm Latitude. I have 
called it a Tit-moufe , becaufe it hath a Bill like that Tribe of Birds, and is of the fame 
Size; but I do not think it a Species belonging to that Genus. I have feen Drawings 
of both thefe Birds in the Collections of the Curious; but no Figures of them hive 
been publifh’d with Defcriptions, that I know of, 
G The 
