The Hiftory of ANIMALS. % 91 
fible on the nictitating membrane: the beak is moderately long, very ftrong, black 
in colour, and pointed ; the upper chap is prominent on the back, and a little bent; 
the tongue is black, and is divided into two parts at the extremity $ the Tides of the fift* 
fure of the palate are hairy. 
The head is of a fine deep black, but with a fhade of a changeable blue, with a 
mixture of green thrown over it: the neck, the throat, the back, and the lower part 
of the belly, are alfo of the fame deep black, with the fame variegating colour dif- 
fufed over them, only the lower part of the back, toward the rump, is greyifh: the 
bread; is of a fine and delicate fnow-white; the Tides are alfo fnow-white, and the 
feathers which cover the firft joint of the wings are alfo of the fame bright colour. 
The wings are fhorter than in almoft any other bird of the fame fize, but then- 
long feathers, as alfo thofe of the tail, are of the fame black with the head, fhaded 
over with the changeable green or blue tinge, in more ftrength than any other part 5 
and there is often, when the bird is in high vigour, a kind of deep purple, dififufed 
among the green and blue, in this fhading variation. 
The long feathers in the wings are twenty; to each of thefe the outer one is not 
half fo long as the fecond, this alfo is confiderably fhorter than the third, and the third 
than the fourth; but the difference in the length is not fo much in thefe, as between 
the firft and fecond ; the fourth and fifth are longeft of all : the eleven firft feathers 
are all ftained with white 5 this is in a larger proportion in the foremoft, and becomes 
lefs and lefs in the others, till in the eleventh, inftead of occupying the greater part of 
the feathers^ the white is no more than a fpot. 
The tail is very long, and of a lingular fhape and ftru&ure j it is compofed of the 
ufual number of feathers, that is, twelve; the two middle ones are greatly longer 
than the other ten; thefe became gradually fhorter, till the exterior ones are very in- 
confiderable, in proportion to the others: the whole tail is of a cuneiform figure j 
and the two principal or middle feathers are of a mixed greenifh, purplifh, and blu- 
ifh hue, with a deep black for the ground colour under all. The lower part of each 
is purplifh, and the very tips are blue. 
/ 
The legs are flender, not very long, and black; the toes are iong, and the outer 
one is joined, toward the bafe, to the middle one; the claws are long and black, and 
that of the hinder toe is confiderably longer than any of the others. 
This is a very common bird with us, but it is fubjetft to fome variations in co¬ 
lour, under which it makes a very lingular appearance : it is fometimes met with of 
an uniform brown throughout, and fometimes quite white, but thefe variations are rare. 
It builds with us in trees, and fometimes in tall hedges. The neft is of a very lingu¬ 
lar ftrudture $ it is not open at the top, as thofe of moft other birds, but is covered 
clofe on every part, only a narrow entrance being left in one place for the bird to go 
in at j and the whole is guarded from attacks, by being covered with fharp thorns, 
the points of which are turned outwards. It lays five, fix, or fometimes feven eggs; 
they are fomewhat fmaller than thofe of the rook, and are of a pale colour, fpotted 
with red. It feeds on infe&s and on fruits, but it is a bold bird, and fometimes in¬ 
vades the properties of thofe which are expreflly carnivorous: it is frequently feen to 
attack fparrows ; and Ray, an author of undoubted veracity, declares, that he faw one 
feize on a thrufh, and eat it. All the writers on birds have mentioned it. Moft of 
them, limply, under the name of Pica* fome under that of Pica varia and Pica 
caudata. 
Cor ms 
