IOO 
birds. 
[Clafs II. 
SPECIES V 
Robin red-breaft, or Ruddock. 
IVih orn . 219. 
RailJyn. av. 78. • 
^ H I S familiar bird requires no defcrip- 
tion. Tho’ it is fo very petulant that 
it is at conftant war with its own tribe ; 
yet it is remarkably fociable with mankind : in the 
winter it frequently makes one of the family; and 
takes refuge from the inclemency of the feafon 
even by our fire fides. Thompfon * has prettily 
defcribed the annual vifits of this gueft. The 
great beauty of that celebrated poet confifts in his 
elegant and juft defcriptions of the oeconomy of 
animals; and the happy ufe f he hath made of 
natural knowledge, in descriptive poetry, {bines 
thro almoft every page of his Seafons. The af- 
* In his feafons vide Winter , line 246. f Vide our Preface. 
The Red-breaft. 
Briffon av. III. 418. 
Rubecula. Gejner av. 7 30. 
Motacilla rubecula. Lin. fyft. 188. 
fetftion this bird has for mankind, is alfo recorded 
in that antient ballad. The babes in the wood ; 
a compofition of a moft beautiful and pathetic 
fimplicity. It is the firft tryal of our humanity : 
the child that refrains from tears on hearing that 
read, gives but a bad prefage of the tendernefs of 
his future fenfations. 
In the fpring this bird retires to breed in the 
thickeft covers, or the moft concealed holes of 
walls and other buildings. Its fong is remarkably 
fine and foft; and the more to be valued, as we 
enjoy it the greateft part of the winter, and early 
in the fpring. 
SPECIES VI. 
JVil.orn. 220. 
Rail Jyn. av. 78. 
BriJJbn av. III. 397. 
W~^\ H E nightingale takes its name from 
night, and the Saxon word galan to fing; 
expreftive of the time of its harmony. 
In fize it is equal to the redftart ; but longer bo¬ 
died, and more elegantly made. The colors are 
very plain. The head and back are of a pale 
tawny daflied with olive: the tail is of a deep s 
tawny red : the throat and breaft from afii-color 
incline to green ; the lower belly almoft white ; 
the exterior webs of the quil feathers are tawny \ 
the interior of brownifli afti-color : the irides are 
hazel: the legs and feet a deep afti-color. 
This bird, the moft famed of the feathered 
tribe, for the variety, length and fweetnefs of its 
The Nightingale. 
Lufcinia. Gefner av. 59 2> 
Motacilla lufcinia. Lin. fyft. 184, 
notes; vifits Great-Britain the beginning of 
April, and leaves us in Auguft. It is a fpecies 
that does not fpread itfelf over the ifland. It is 
not found in North VTales \ or in any of the 
Englifh counties north of it, except Torkjhire , 
where they are met with in great plenty about 
DoncaJler. Sibbald places them in his lift of 
Scotch birds ; but Mr. Jonfton * denies that they 
have the fame harmony as thofe of Italy. Pof- 
fibly they may be found in that part of our ifland, 
as they vifit Sweden , f a much more inhofpitable 
climate. With us they frequent thick hedges, 
and low coppices; and generally keep in the mid¬ 
dle of the bulb, fo that they are very rarely feen. 
Mr. TVilloughby informs us that they make their 
neft in May, of the leaves of trees, ftraws and 
* JonJlpn hift. nat. av. 89, -j- Fauna fuec. 88. mofs j 
