{ 7 * > 
755^ Brown Spotted HeathcocKo 
I T is fomething bigger than an Englijh Partridge ^ or near the Bignefs of our fmaller 
Sort of domeftick Poultry j it feems to be a little longer bodied, and hath a longet 
Tail, in Proportion,, than the Partridge. 
The Bill is Black, covered with brown Feathers, which turn forward over the Nof- 
trils 5 it hath a Imall Space of red Skin above the Eye; from the Balls of the Bill to the 
Eye there is a white Line; from the Eye backwards there proceed two white Lines,, 
the lowermoft being the longell: The Top of the Head, upper Side of the Neck and 
Back, are covered with Feathers of a dark Brown, intermixed with dirty Orange and^ 
Alh-colour; the covert Feathers of the Wings are dark Brown, edged with a lighter 
Brown, having a Line of light Brown within them running parallel with their Edges j; 
the greater Qmlls are dulky or black, powdered with White on the Edges of the outer 
Webs; the lelTer Qmlls next the Back are light Brown, with tranfverfe Bars of darker 
Brown ; the covert Feathers within Side of the Wings are dulky, with white Tips;, 
there are fome Feathers between the Back and Wings with white Dalhes long-ways 
drawn at their Tips j the Tail is of a dulky Brown or Black, the middle Feathers barred^ 
a-crofs with light reddilhBrown inclining to Orange; the Side Feathers powdered anch 
tipped with the fame Colour: The Throat, beneath the Bill, is of a yellowilh White,, 
with fmall dulky Spots; the Neck and Bread: below that, of a dull Orange-colour,, 
barred a-crofs with black Spots in the form of Half-Moons, with their Points upvvards ; 
there is fome White mingled with the Orange and Black on the Bread: The Remain¬ 
der of the under Side,, from the Bread to the Coverts under the Tail inclulive, are 
White, a little clouded with Cream-colour, and fpotted with Black in the fame Form 
as the Neck and Bread : The Legs, frpm above the Knees down to the Feet, are co¬ 
vered with Feathers having the Appearance of Hair, of a Brown-colour, variegated with 
dne tranfverfe Lines of Black: The Feet are of a reddilh Brown-colour; the three 
Toes that dand forward in each Foot are pedinated or toothed on each Side; the 
hinder Toes are fmooth on the Sides; the Claws are pretty long, and of a Black Colour, 
I take this Bird to be a Species of the Attagen. I have compared it with all the De- 
fcriptions I can find of this Genus, and find it fo different, that I think I may pronounce 
it a Species hitherto undeferibed. It was fent to me from Hudfon's-Bay by my Friend 
Mr. Light, who fays it continues in. thofe Parts all the Year. This Tribe of Birds in 
North America are Inhabitants of the low and plain Country : in Europe they are 
found only in high Lands and on the Tops of Mountains, whofe Altitude caufes a- 
Coldnefs in the Air equal to that- of the lower Lands iwHudfon's-Bay, which is the mod 
Northern inhabited Part of America. Among Authors there is much Obfeurity and' 
Difagreement in what they have faid on this Genus of Birds, mod of which Mr. Wil¬ 
loughby has colleded in his Ornithology, whei'.e they may be confulted'fitom Page 172- 
toPage 178,, 
