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GENERAL HISTORY

BIRDS.

BY JOHN LATHAM, M.D.

F.R.S. A.S. ano LS.

Acapb. Czs. Nat. Curios. Rec. Hotm. ET Soc. Nat. Scrut. BEROLIN. Soc, &c. &e.

VOL. III.

WINCHESTER:

PRINTED BY JACOB AND JOHNSON, FOR THE AUTHOR:—SOLD IN LONDON BY G. AND W. B. WHITTAKER, AVE-MARIA-LANE; JOHN WARREN, BOND-STREET, Ww. WooD, 428, sTRAND; AND J. MAWMAN, 39, LUDGATE-STREET.

1822.

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BIRDS.

GENUS XIV.—WATTLE-BIRD.

THE bill in this Genus is incurvated ; the upper mandible exceed- ing the lower in length.

At the gape on each side a carunculated Wattle, arising from the under mandible.

Nostrils depressed, half covered by a membrane, of a texture somewhat cartilaginous, and tufted at the end.

Tongue subcartilagmous, divided at the end, or rather deeply serrated, and ciliated.

Legs made for walking; toes three before and one behind, the shins carinated at the back part.

Ca

CINEREOUS WATTLE-BIRD.—P. XXXVIII.

Calloeas cinerea, Ind. Orn.i. 149.

Glaucopis cinerea, Gm. Lin.i. 363. Daud. ii. 293. pl, 21. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 388. pl. 42. Tem. Man. Ed.ii. Anal. p. li.

Der Aschgraue Lappen vogel, Schmid Vog. p. 65. t, 53.

Cinereous Wattle-Bird, Gen. Syn.i. 364, pl. 14.

SIZE of a Jay; length fifteen inches. Bill black, strong, and

curves downwards, in length one inch and a quarter ; nostrils placed VOL, Ill. B

2 WATTLE-BIRD.

m a hollow at the base, and half covered with velvety feathers, and those between the bill and eye of the same texture. The tongue is singularly shaped, the end being indented into three or four angles, and furnished with short bristles ;* at the base of the under mandible, on each side, a round, flat, blue substance, not unlike the wattle of a cock, changing by degrees, from the base, to a fine orange; irides blue; the plumage on the forehead--and between the bill and eye is black ; the rest dark ash or slate-colour, quills and tail darker. The tail consists of twelve feathers, about five inches in length, and cuneiform in shape, the outer feather one inch shorter than the two middle ones; the wings, when closed, reach only to the base; legs long, black, stout ; the hind claw much longer than the others.

inhabits New-Zealand : is often seen walking on the ground, though sometimes observed to perch on trees, but less frequently : it feeds on berries of all kinds, and imsects; and it is said, on small birds also.

The flesh is good to eat, and by some even accounted savoury ; has a nete not unlike a whistle, and now and then a kind of mur- muring, though not an unpleasant one.—I am indebted to the late J. R. Koster, for the above account.+ In one of these I observe the hind claw to be singularly placed ; not sprmging as usual from the end of the toe, but from a kind of process, a little above it, and which I have not noticed in any other bird. This came from New- Holland.

* See the Tongue at the bottom of the Plate.

+ Dr. Foster talks of the shrill notes of Thrushes, the graver pipe of the Wattle-Birds, and the enchanting melody of various Creepers, resounding on all sides.—See: Voy. vol. i. 148.

1 Raven A Cross-billed R. B Northern white R. C Pied R. D White R. South-Sea R. White-necked R. Carrion Crow A Clerical Cr. 5 Rook 6 Enca Cr. 7 Bald Crow 8 Hooded Cr. 9 White-breasted Cr. 10 Jackdaw A Collared J. B White J. C Black J. 11 Jay 12 Russian Crow A Siberian Jay 13 Nutcracker 14 Alpine Cr. 15 Red-legged Cr. 16 Hermit Cr. 17 Red-billed Cr. 18 African Cr. 19 Caribbean Cr. 20 Rufous Cr. A Var. 21 Magpie

me WW

CROW.

GENUS XV.—CROW.

22 New Caledonian M. 23. Changeable Cr.

24 Velvet-faced Cr. 25 Plush-faced Cr.

26 Indigo Cr.

27 Rufous-breasted Cr.

28 Pacific Cr.

29 Tropic Cr.

30 Australasian Cr. 31 Sydney Cr.

32 Blue Cr.

33 Senegal Cr.

34 Rufous-bellied C. 35 Variable Cr.

36 Kent’s Cr.

37 New Caledonian Cr.

38 White-eared Jay A Var. 39 White-cheeked Cr. A Var. 40 Wave-breasted Cr. 41 New-Guinea Cr. A Var. 42 Papuan Cr: 43 Black-faced Cr. 44 Black-breasted Cr. 45 White-naped Cr. 46 White-crowned Cr. 47 Blue and white Cr.

48 Black and white Cr.

49 Hottentot Cr.

50 51 52 53 54 55

56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63

64

65 66 67 68 69 70 71

Six-shafted Cr. Crishna Cr. Purple-headed Cr. Macao Cr.

Plain Cr. Hunting Cr:

A Chinese Roller Brown Cr.

Blue Jay Steller’s Cr. Chattering Cr. Downy Cr.

Fish Cr. Peruvian Jay Paraguan J. Yellow-bellied J. Lesser Mexican Cr. Cinereous Cr. Cayenne Cr; Surinam Cr. €lark’s Cr. Blue-tailed Cr. Short-tailed Cr. A Var.

B Var.

C Var.

D Var.

E Var.

F Var.

G Var.

IN the Crow Genus the bill is strong, the upper mandible a little convex, the edges cultrated, and in most of the species a small notch

near the tip.

Nostrils covered with bristles reflected over them. Tongue divided at the end.*

* Except in the Black-faced Species, and perhaps one or two others.

B2

4 CROW.

Toes placed three forwards and one backwards, that of the middle attached to the outer as far as the first jomt.*

The different species belonging to this Genus, found in every climate. They are in general clamorous, promiscuous feeders ; build chiefly in trees, and lay about six eggs.

Several species inhabit England, whose nature is well known, and may serve to give an idea of the manners of the rest.

1.—RAVEN.

Corvus Corax, Ind. Orn.i. 150. Lin. i. 155. Gm. Lin.i. 364. Faun. Suec. No. 85. Scop. Ann:i. No. 45. Brun. No. 27. Muller. p.11. Kram. El. 333. Georgi 164. Faun. arag. p. 72. Faun. groenl. No.38. Ph. Trans.lvi. 347. Gerin.ii. 32. t. 140. Bor. Nat. ii. 103. Bris.ii. p. 8. Id. 8vo.i. 156. Rai. Syn. p. 39. A 1. Will. p. 82. t. 18. Frisch. t. 63. Klein. Av. p. 58. Scheff. El. t. 30. Cett. Uc. Sard. p.69. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 341. Amer. Orn. ix. 113. pl. 75. f.3. Lin. Trans. xi. p. 530. Tem. Man. d’Orn. p. 66. Id. Ed. ii. p. 107.

Grand Corbeau, Buf. iii. 13. pl. 2. Pl. enl. 495. Kolb. Cap. ii. 1462 ~Levail. Ois. pl. 51. Daud. ii. p. 224. Gunth. Nest.U, Ey. t.71. Bartr. Trav. p. 286:

Kolkrabe, Naturf. ix. s. 140. 42. Schmid Vog. p. 44. t. 29.

Raven, Gen. Syn.i. 367. Id. Sup. 74. Id. Sup. ii. 106. Br. Zool. i. 218.74. 9 Id. fol. p. 75. Id. Ed. 1812. 1. 279. Arct. Zool. ii. 134. Russ. Alep. p. 69. Alb. ii. pl. 20. Bewick.i. pl. p. 66. Lewin. Birds, i. pl. 33. Id. Eggs. pl. vi. f. 1. Will. Engl. 121. t.18. Walcot Syn.i. pl. 32. Wood's Zoogr.i. p. 435. Orn. Dict. & Sup.

THIS, the largest of the Genus, weighs from two and a half to three pounds ; length about two feet, extent of the wings four. Bill two inches and three quarters long, and covered with bristles for two- thirds of its length, hiding the nostrils; colour of the plumage fine, rich, glossy blue-black ; beneath more dull, mclining to dusky.

The female a little bigger than the male.

This is not uncommon in England, but more rare than any of the other species; seen only in pairs, and the connection supposed to

* In one or two doubtful Species, the toes are cloven to the bottom.

CROW. D

continue for life; for the most part makes the nest in a tall tree,** and does not suffer any competitor within a moderate distance.

The nest is composed of large twigs, lined with wool, hair, &c. placed between the forks of a tree. ‘This bird builds very early in the spring,+ and lays five or six pale bluish eggs,t spotted with brown; seems more fond of carrion than other food, which it will scent at a vast distance, yet is found to destroy many living animals: rabbits, young ducks and chickens fall a prey, as well as their eggs ; and it will peck out the eyes of lambs, which are weak, whilst the creature is yet alive; will also pick up shell-fish on the shore: is a crafty bird when at large, and not easily shot; and when brought up tame has been known to pilfer, and hide valuable articles, so as to cause blame and disgrace on persons suspected of the theft.

It seems an universal species, being found on both Continents from Iceland§ to the Cape of Good Hope on the one, and from Canada to Mexico on the other. Known at Hudson’s Bay, by the name of Ka-ka-kew : has been killed also in Greenland, but mentioned as a solitary instance: with the natives of Hudson’s Bay held in detesta- tion ; yet the Magicians, when they visit the sick, invoke the Raven, and imitate its voice: seen every where in Russia and Siberia, except within the Arctic Circle, and our Circumnavigators found it in Sandwich Islands, in the village of Kackooe; also at Owhyhee, where it was ranked among the Eatous.|—The bird which M. Le- vaillant found at the Cape of Good Hope was bigger, and the bill more curved ; and according to this author, unites into flocks, attack- ing Antelopes, and killing them.

* Weare told that a pair of Ravens has been known to build in one beech tree for above one hundred years —Lin. Trans. iii. p. 15. + Sometimes before the end of February.

+ The egg weighs scarcely seven drams, and the female Raven about two pounds ten ounces ; therefore, forty-eight of them will only make up the weight of the bird. The ege of the Cuckow is less disproportionate, requiring only thirty-eight to equal the parent in weight.— Montagu.

§ Hooker’s Iceland, p. 31.—but the Crow is not found there. || Cook’s Last Voy. ni. 161,

6 CROW.

M. Sonnini* mentions it as a bird of Egypt, a few appearing with flocks of other ‘sorts of Crows, which frequent the inhabited places about Rosetta, ini February.

Mr. White observes, that while at Gibraltar a single pair inhabited the South point of the Rock, and were masters of the district, suffer- img no intruders whatever, and that he has received a specimen from Algiers, no way differmg from the common sort.t Mr. Markwick ¢ mentions the antipathy between the Raven and Rook, and gives two imstances of all the Rooks forsaking a rookery, on a Raven buildmg a nest on the spot, and that in the latter instance§ the flight of the Rooks was considered by the country people as ommously portending the death of the possessor, who then was ill; but he afterwards recovered.

A.—Corax crucirostra, Daud. ii. 226.

This variety has the two mandibles crossing each other.

B.—Corvus borealis albus, Bris. vi. App. 33. t.2. f. 1. Jd. 8vo.i. 165.

The head in this is white, spotted with black; neck and body above, and breast, glossy black, under parts white; quills white, with the outer margins dusky ; tail varied black and white.

Found in the Island of Ferroe.

* Trav. i. 239. + Lin. Trans.1. p. 127.

+ Rookery at Broomham, near Hastings, at the Bishop of Chichester’s.-It was, how- ever, the arrival of the Raven which was considered portentous of death, as Lady Macbeth sayS——

«* The Raven himself. is hoarse «¢ That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan “¢ Under my Battlements.” Macb. Act I, Sc. V.

§ It was received by the name of Graab_ el Sahara; by which name a bird is mentioned by Shaw, but this had the bill and legs red; called also the Red-legged Crow, and Crow of the Desert.—See Shaw’s Trav. in Barbary, p. 251.—probably this may be-our Red-legged, or the Hermit Species ?

CROW. 7

C.—Corvus varius, Bris. u. p.12. Jd. 8vo.i. 157. Cacabotl, Fern. Hist. N. Hisp. p. 48. Pied Raven, Gen. Syn. i. 369. A.

Differs from the commmon sort, only in having a mixture of white feathers, and mhabits Mexico.

D.—Corvus candidus, Bris. 1. p.12. B. Id. 8vo.i. 151. Schw. Av. Sil: 245.

This is white throughout, and met with in Norway and Iceland ; more than one instance has also occurred to us, wherein the whole brood was white, and in one buff-coloured ; a mixture of white in the black plumage is not uncommon; and we are told that Crows in the Orknies change more or less to white in the winter. Of these Mr. Bullock had one in his Museum, in the intermediate state of change.

2.—SOUTH-SEA RAVEN.

Corvus Australis, Ind. Orn.i. 151. Gm. Lin. i. 365. Daud. ii. 226. South-Sea Raven, Gen. Syn.i. 363. Cook’s Last Voy.i. 109.

LENGTH nineteeen inches. Bill strong, compressed on the sides, in length two inches and three quarters, and black ; plumage dusky black; the feathers beneath the chin remarkably loose in texture ; quills and tail brownish black, the latter eight inches long ; legs and claws black.

Inhabits the Friendly Isles, in the South Seas; found also at New-Holland ; not uncommon in Van Diemen’s Land: is probably a further Variety of the Common Raven.

8 CROW.

3.—WHITE-NECKED RAVEN.

Corvus albicollis, Ind. Orn.i. 151. Daud. ii. 227.

Vulturinus, Shaw’s Zool. vii. 848.

torquatus, Spalowsk. Vog. ii. t. 10.

Corbiveau, Levail. Ois.ii. pl. 50.

South-Sea Raven, Gen. Syn. Sup. 75. Id. Sup. ii. 107. Bruce’s Trav. App. p. 152.

LENGTH eighteen or nineteen inches; size smaller than the common species. Bill ridged, and arched on the top, as in the Ani, but not sharp-edged ; general colour of the plumage glossy black, except a large patch of white at the nape, and an irregular, broken stripe of the same on each side, surrounding the neck before, as a crescent ; the tail is cuneiform, and the wings, when closed, reach beyond it ; the feathers of the head and neck seem elongated, and dishevelled.

The female is smaller than the male, with less white on the neck ; the plumage less glossy, and inclined to brown.—M. Levaillant adds, that the feathers of the throat are forked, the webs extending beyond the shafts, and colour less black than the others. He found it every where in his African travels, but particularly among the great Nama- quas, and in Swarteland, but less common than at the Cape itself, and did not think it to be a bird of passage.

This is a bold species, attacking young lambs and antelopes: it feeds also on Carrion, and may be esteemed a link between the Crow and Vulture Genus.

I observed a figure of one among the late Mr. Bruce’s drawings, which differed merely in having the shoulders of the wings brownish, the tip of the bill white, and the back of the neck brownish, with a large triangular patch of white on the nape,* having no other mark of white, for the general colour of the plumage was black.

* Mr. Bruce calls this ‘‘a figure like a cup or chalice of white feathers on the occiput, or hind part of the head.”

CROW. 9

Mr. Levaillant found a nest of one in October, it was of a vast size, composed of large branches of trees, lined within with soft materials. The eggs, four in number, of a greenish colour, marked with brown; called at the Cape Ring-hals-kraai, or Ring-necked- Crow.

In the British Museum is a specimen twenty inches long, in which all the back part of the neck is white, passing forward, and forming a crescent before; tail even at the end, consisting of twelve feathers.

4.—CARRION CROW.

Corvus Corone, Ind. Orn.i. 151. Lin.i. 155. Gm. Lin. i. 365. Faun. Suec. No. 86; Scop: Ann. i. No. 36. Brun. No. 29. Muller. No. 87. Georgi. p. 165. Faun. Arag. p. 72. Frisch. t. 66. Bor. Nat.. 110. Sepp. Vog. ii. t. 115. Daud.ii. 226. Hist. Prov.i. 486. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 345. Amer. Orn. iv, pl. 35. f.3. Tem. Man. d@’Orn. p. 67. Id. Ed. ii. p. 108.

Cornix, Razi. p. 39. A.2. Will. p. 83. t.18. Bris.ii. p. 12. Jd. 8vo,i. 157. Klein. Av. p. 58. 6?

Schwarze Krahe, Naturf. ix. s. 41.

La Corneille, Buf. iii. 45. pl. 3.. Pl. enl. 483.

Carrion Crow, Gen. Syn.i. 370. Id. Sup. 75. Id. Sup.ii. 108. Br. Zool.i. No. 75. pl. 34. Id. fol. p. 75. Jd. 1812. 1. p. 281. pl. 35. Arct. Zool. ii. 135. Alb. iii. pl. 21. Hist. Selb. p. 97. Will. Eng. 122. pl. 18. Bewick. i. p.68. Lewin Birds,i. pl. 34. Id. Eggs, pl. vi. f.ii. Walcot. Syn.i. pl. 33. Orn. Dict. § Sup.

THE length of this species is eighteen inches ; breadth thirty-six; weight, twenty ounces. The bill black ; irides dusky ; the plumage violet black, but less glossy than in the Raven; tail nearly even at the end; the female has the colours less bright. The two sexes are for the most part seen together, and the opinion is, that they remain so during life. The nest is made on tall trees, chiefly in woods, and the eggs five or six in number, similar to those of the Raven, but smaller.* Like that bird, the Crow is fondest of carrion and animal

* Weight five drams; that of the Raven between six and seven. VOL. Il. Cc

10 CROW.

food ; not unfrequently makes great havock of young game of all kinds, and has also been known to peck out the eyes of young Jambs. This bird, like the Raven, is very tenacious of its own residence, not suffermg any bird to approach within a moderate distance without an attack, and for the most part defeating the enemy.

This species is found in many parts of the world, though not so far spread as the Raven: is scarce in Russia, only in the northern parts; grows more numerous in Siberia, especially beyond the Lena, where the Hooded Crow is not seen: pretty common about the Lake Baikal ; but most of all plentiful about Astrachan; where, in com- pany with others of the Genus, they do immense damage to the vine-yards, and oblige the owners to drive them off with clappers,* &e.; not uncommon at Aleppo,t and may be noticed in drawings from China and India; not often seen. in Prussia,t and very rare in Sweden, § but in France and: Germany as common as in England. We hear of it at Madeira. ||—Dampier met with it at New-Holland, and. New-Guinea;** and Dr. Forster at. New-Caledonia. ++—On the New Continent it is frequent about Hudson’s Bay, where it is called Hahaseu ; is more plentiful in-land, beimg rarely seen on the coasts ;++ not.always in Canada in the winter, for according to Kalm, it is not.at Quebec at that season.§§° More of the manners need not be mentioned, as the species is so generally known. |j|{

* However they may join the company of their congeners, as observed above, they cer- tainly do not form themselves into flocks of their own species. + Russel Alep. p. 69. + Klein. Ord. Av. p..d8. § Only; seen once, Maun. Suec. || Forster’s Voy. p.25. ** Damp. iv. 138. +f Vol. 11. 402. +t Mr. Hutchins. 8§ Trav. ui. 206. ||\| A-singular anecdote of this bird is welljattested. In March 1783;-aCrow was observed to build a nest on the yane of the top of the Exchange at Newcastle, and the more remark-~ able, as the spindle on which it was constructed, being fixed to the vane, moved with it, and in course turned round to every point of the compass. A small copper-plate was engraved, with a representation ofthe circumstance, of the size of a watch-paper, and.so pleased were the inhabitants with it, that so many were sold at sixpence each, as to produce the sum of ten pounds.

CROW. , 11

A.—Corvus clericus, Ind. Orn.i. 152.4. 8B. Gm. Lin.i. 365. Muse. Carls. fase. i. t. 2.

This chiefly differs from the common one, in having the base of the bill ash-coloured, the chin white, and the black in some parts more inclined to dusky.

Ray, in his Letters, p. 108, mentions one wholly white.

5.— ROOK.

Corvus Frugilegus, Ind. Orn.i. 152. Lin.i. 156: Faun. Suec. No. 85. It. Oel. 67. Gm. Lin. i. 366. Kram.333.2. Bor. Nat. . 105. Rai. p. 83. A.3. Will. $4. t.18. Frisch. t. 64. Gerini, 11. 35. t. 143.145. Bris.ii. 16. Jd. 8vo. i. 158. Klein. Av. p. 59. Id. Stem. p. 10. t.10. f. 3.a.b. Id. Ov. t. 8. f.10. Daud. ii. 229. . Sepp. Voy. iii. t. 103. Shaw's Zool. vii. 347. Tem. Man. d’Crn. p. 69. Id. Ed. u. p. 110.

Saatkrahe, Waturf. ix. s. 41.

Le Freux, on la Frayonne, Buf. 11.55. Pl. enl. 484.

Corneille du Cap, Levail Otis. 11. p. 11. No. 52.

Rook, Gen. Syn. i. 372. Id. Sup. 76. Id. Sup. ii. 109. Bart. Trav. 286. Br. Zool. i. pl: 84. Td. 1812, 282. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 250. A. Alb. ii. pl. 23. Will. Eng. 123. Bewick. Birds, pl. p. 71. Lewin,i. pl. 35. Id. Eggs pl. vi. f.3. . Walc. Birdsi. pl. 34. Orn. Dict. & Supp.

THIS and the Crow are not easily distnguished while young, though the former is somewhat bigger, but the Rook, when at mature age, appears bare about the nostrils, and root of the bill, arising from the Jatter being thrust into the earth after worms and other insects, which the Crow never does, and therefore retains the bristles over the nostrils as long as it lives. In the Rook too, the tail feathers are more rounded at the end. The Rook feeds also on grains of all sorts, hence is injurious to the husbandman, and would be more so, did it not at the same time destroy. vast quantities of the larvee of the Chafer Beetles,* which in‘ some seasons ruin whole crops of corn, by feeding on the roots.

* Scarabevs Melolontha, & Solstitialis.—Lin. C2

12 CROW.

This species is common every where in England, and at all times. gregarious, and great numbers often form themselves into societies, particularly in breeding time, chusing a clump of the largest and tallest trees whereon to make their nests. These are called Rooke- ries, and from their perpetual chatter, and litter they occasion, are to most people a great annoyance. The eggsas in the Crow, but smaller, and the spots larger; they begin to build early in March; the male and female sit by turns, and after the breeding season roost elsewhere; in their gomg and returning from their haunts, they sometimes are in such vast flocks as to darken the air. In England they remain throughout the year, but in France and Silesia are migratory. We do not see it in Aso’s list, as a bird of Spain, though the Crow is mentioned; and Mr. White has assured me, that he never met with either Crow or Rook in Gibraltar. Linnzeus ranks it among his Swedish birds; but neither Brunnich nor Muller mention it as be- longing to Denmark ; noris it in Georgi’s list of the birds of Lake Baikal. It is, however, not uncommon in Russia, and the west part of Siberia, particularly in the more southern latitudes.

M. Levaillant met with many at the Cape of Good Hope,* but observes, that they are not bare about the nostrils; and if so, this no doubt must arise from some different mode of procuring food. I do not find it mentioned as an American species.

It is said that there are no Rooks in the Isle of Jersey, although Crows and Magpies are not unfrequent, nor is it certain that the Jay inhabits that Island.

* Whether it is this or the Hooded Crow we are not clear, but Linschoten, in his Voyages, p- 84, says, that in India ‘‘ there are a most wonderful number of black Crows, which do ““much hurt, and are so bold, that oftentimes they come flying in at their windows, and take *¢ the meat out of the dish, asit standeth on the table before them that are set down to eate; ‘‘and as I myself sate writing above in a chamber, the windowes being open, one flew in at the “‘ window, picked the cotton out of my inkehorne, and blotted all the paper that lay on my ‘table, do what I could tolet him. They sitte commonly uppon the Buftles backes, and << pecke off their haire.”? &c, &c. I suspect these not to be the common Crow, as this is not known to congregate.

CROW. 13

Crows are said by M. Landt* to be singularly troublesome in the Ferroe Islands, deriving great part of their subsistence from plunder ; picking seeds from the field; digging up the newly planted potatoes ; destroying barley before it is ripe; cutting off cabbage roots, and those of almost every other garden vegetable ; devour the fish which is hung up to dry, and carry off goslings and ducklings ; will often enter houses where people are sitting, in search of prey; and also feed on shell-fish, which they let fall on the rocks from a considerable height. Mr. L. talks of their extraordinary assemblies or Crow- courts ; from which it may be suspected that the birds he talks of may be Rooks, and not Crows.

The Rook, as well as the Crow, varies in plumage, aac some- tunes found quite white, even the bill. I have also seen others black and white; and one quite brown, the colour of a Jay.

6.—ENCA CROW.

Fregilus Enca, Cuvier, Lin. Trans. xin. p. 164.

LENGTH seventeen inches. Plumage, for the most part, glossy blue-black, beneath more dull; forehead, cheeks forwards, and chin black ; the lower and posterior parts of the space surrounding the eye are naked.

Inhabits Java; known there by the name of Enca. Dr. Horsfield refers, for the general characters of the Genus Fregilus, to Cuvier, and gives only the above short description. From the length, it should appear to equal a rook in size, except the excess is made up of the length of tail, which is not mentioned.

* Description of the Ferroe Isles.

t A curiosity now presents itself in the Tower of London. It is of a Rook’s nest lately erected, and inhabited in the centre of the Crowns that surmount the weather-cock on the top of the White Tower.—=Salisb. Journ. Ap. 3. 1815.

14 CROW:

7.—BALD CROW.

Corvus calvus, Ind. Orn. i. 153. Gm. Lin. i. 372. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 352. Choneas chauve, Buf. ii. 80.. Pl. ent. 521,

Le Chauve, Levail. Am. § Ind. i. 147. pl. 49.

Coracine, Tem. Man. Ed. ii. Anal. p. \xii.

Bald Crow, Gen. Syn. i. 383.

THIS is thirteen inches in length. Bill strong, rather bent, and dusky black ; the breadth at the base about. half of the total length; plumage, on the upper parts of the bird, ferruginous brown, beneath paler, mclining to red ; upper tail coverts the same ; the fore part of the head, as far as the crown, and beyond the eyes, totally bare of feathers, and the chin but sparingly covered with them. This bald- ness is probably the effect of rooting into the ground with the bill, in the manner of our Rook, and will account for the want of feathers in the same parts, as in that bird.

Inhabits Cayenne.—Mr. Levaillant says, it is common through- out Guiana, and known there by the negroes, under the name of Oiseau mon Pere, having, as they think, the robe of the Capucins, who are so called. The male said to be atrifle bigger than. the female, and when young, the head covered. with feathers as well.as the nostrils: im some the chin is also destitute of feathers, and like the rest of the head. Mr. L. ranks this, bird among his Cotingas, or Chatterers.

One of these, in the collection, of Mr. MsLeay, brought. from Berbice, was.called Kwaa.

CROW. 15

8.—HOODED CROW.

Corvus Cornix, Ind. Orn. i. 153. Lin. Syst. i. 156. Faun. Suec. No. 88. Gm. Lin.i. 366. Scop. Ann.i. No.37. Mull No. 88. Brun. No.30. Georgi. 165. Kram. el. 388. Bor. Nat. ii. 105. -Sepp. Vog. iii. pl. 106. Daud. Orn. ii. 231. Sehr: d. Berl, Nat. iii. 198. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 348. Tem. Man. d’Orn. p.68. Id, Ed. ii.

p: 109. Cornix cinerea, Bris. iis 19. Id. 8vo.i. 159. Klein. Av. 59. Id. Stem. 9. t. 11. f. 1. ab. Jd. Ov. 21. t.8.f.9. Frisch. t. 65. Rati. Syn.39. A.4. Will. 84. t. 18.

& 77. Gerin. ii. 35. t. 144? 146. 147.

Le Mulacchia, Cet. uc. Sard. 71. Zinn. Uov. t. 10. f. 61.

Nebelkrahe, Naturf.ix. s. 41.

La Corneille mantelée, Buf. iii. 61. pl.4. Pl. enl. 76.

Royston Crow, Alb. ii. t. 23. Will. Engl. 124. pl. 18. & 77. Russ. Alep. p. 69.

Hooded Crow, Gen. Syn.i. 374. Id. Sup.77. Id. Sup. ii. 109. Br. Zool. i. No. 77. Id. fol. t. D.1. Td. 1812. 286. Arct. Zool. ii. 251. B: Flor. Scot.i. t.2. Bewick. i. pl. p. 69. Lewin. Birds, i. pl. 36. Id. (Eggs) pl. vi. f.4. Donov.v. pl. 117. Walc. Syn.i. pl. 35. Orn. Dict. Grav. Br. Orn.

SIZE of the Rook; weight! twenty-two ounces; length 'twenty- two inches. Bill two inches long, black ; irides dusky hazel ; the head) fore part of the neck, wings, and tail fine glossy blue-black ; the rest of the body pale ash-colour; legs black; toes broad and fiat.

This bird; in the northern parts of this kingdom; Scotland, and the northern Islands,** is a’constant inhabitant, and breeds there ; is gregarious, buildmg the nest in trees, laymg six pale green eggs, spotted with brown; but separate into pairs in the breeding season,+ after which they unite into bands: it also continues the year through in several parts of Ireland: in the southern parts of England is only a winter inhabitant, coming in October, and retiring the end of March, or beginning of April; during their stay, -seen frequently in flocks of ten or more on our heaths and downs, and not unfrequent on the shores of the Thames, in Kent and Essex,+ where they pick up

* In the Hebrides it is the only one of the Genus.

+ An instance is given of the male of the Hooded Crow, pairing with a female of the Carrion Species, which attachment lasted for three or four years.—-Compend. of Ornith.

+ Hence, called Essex Crow ; by some, Dun-Crow.

16 CROW.

offal and shell-fish; but will be content with insects, seeds, and berries; _on the Continent they are alike migratory; in Carniola,* and in Swe- den, where they breed, as well asin the south parts of Germany ; in the woods of the Islands of the Danube ;+ and is probably the species mentioned by Fryer,$ as inhabiting Ispahan, in Persia, and has been brought from the Philippine Islands, by M. Sonnerat; is common throughout Russia and Siberia, but not beyond the Lena. Migrates to Woronesck, and passes the winter there; grows very large beyond the Ob, and often varies to tense blackness ;§ found also at Aleppo, and about the Lake Baikal, probably extending to other parts of Asia; as I have been informed, that in some parts of India they are common, and so bold, as to snatch the food from the dishes, while the servants are carrying them across the Court-yard ; not unfrequent on the West Coast: of Africa.** Itis said, that the propagation of the cinnamon tree is owing to Crows, but what species is uncertain ; these birds eat the quick-tasted, and red fruit of this tree,- and swallowing the kernels with the fruit, scatter them every where with their excrements; on this account, none dare shoot a Crow, under a severe penalty. t+ Independent of the Black Variety near the River Ob, we know of no other, except one mentioned by M. Schrank, which had the two mandibles curved across each other, as in the Cross-bill. ++

* Scop. Ann. Hist. i. p. 25. + Kram. el. 333. + The Crows here are like our Royston Crows, grey on their backs and wings.—Fryer’s

Trav. p. 318. § Arct. Zool. ; || Mr. Pennant. This is among Gen. Hardwicke’s drawings, but painted of a less size.

** Life and Adventures of Christian Wolf. Mem. This circumstance is attributed ta the White Nutmeg-Pigeon.

+t Captain Tuckey met with them in his voyage up the River Congo,

£5 See Schrift. der Berl. Nat. iii. s. 119. tab, iv. fig. 10.

PLXXXTX.

Ni ik ¢ pepe (Four

cRow. 17

9.—W HITE-BREASTED CROW.—PL. xxxix.

Corvus Dauricus, Ind. Orn. i. 154. Gm. Lin.i. 367. Pall. It. iii. 694. Georgi. 165. Shaw's Zool. vir. 349.

Corvus scapulatus, Daud. Orn. ii. 232.

Corneille A scapulaire blanc, Levail. Ois. ii. 14. pl. 53.

Corneille du Senegal, Buf. iii. 67. Pl. enl. 327.

Chinese black Raven with a white neck, Osb. Voy.i. 377.

White-breasted Crow, Gen. Syn. i. 367. pl. 15, Id. Sup.ii, 110. Kolb. Cap. ii. 146. Fryer. Trav, p. 21.

SIZE of a small Crow; length at least twelve inches. Bill black; head and throat black, glossed with blue; neck and breast, and some- times the belly white ; the rest of the body, wings, and tail blue-black; legs lead-colour ; claws black, The wings are long, and reach three-fourths on the tail.

Inhabits Senegal, and various other parts of Africa, but no where more plentiful than at the Cape of Good Hope, where it makes the nest in trees, or bushes, not well clothed with leaves, and lays five or six green eggs, spotted: with brown. The Hottentots hold this, and some others of the Crow Genus, in great estimation ; being of singular use in picking out insects from the backs of oxen, with which they are sometimes so covered as to be in danger of losing their lives. Pallas observes, that the Corvus dauricus, or Chinese Jackdaw, comes early in the spring, in great flights from China, and the South Monguls Country, into the parts about the Lake Baikal, most fre- quent about the towns and villages on the River Lena; in which part the Jackdaws and Royston Crows are seldom seen :* found also in Persia.

It inhabits likewise the Island of Johanna, where it lives on insects and fruits; and Mr. Bruce found it in Abyssinia, as did Lord Valentia the beginning of January, about Dhalac.t—It is subject to

* Ind. Orn. i. p. 154. 8. B. t+ See Trav. ii. 225, TOL, IlI. D

18 CROW.

variety, independent of the difference of the belly; for Pallas men- tions one which was almost wholly black, with the nape of the neck and throat brown.—Such an one is in Lord Stanley’s' collection. In this the neck and breast are fine brown ; belly and vent black ; the outer quill not half the length of the fifth, which is the longest. T have observed this variety too, in several drawings of Indian birds.

10.—JACKDAW.

Corvus Monedula, Ind. Orn.i. 154. Lin. i. 156; Faun. Suec. No. 89. Gm. Lin. i. 367. Scop. Ann.i. No. 38. Brun. No.32. Muller. No. 89. Georgi. 165. Ph. Trans. lvii. 347. Bris. ii. p. 24. Id. 8vo.i. 160. Kramer. 334. Frisch. t. 67. Rati. 40. A.5. Will. 85. t. 19. Borowsk.ii. 106. Gerini. t. 144? Sepp. Vog. ii. t. 113. Daud. ii. 232. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 350. Tem. Man. d’Orn. p.70. Id. Ed. ii. p. 112.

Cornix garrula, Klein. Av. 59. Id. Stem. 10. t. 11. f.2. a.b. Zd. Ov. 21. t. 8. f. 4.

Le Choucas, Buf. ii. 69. Pl. enl. 523.

Dohle, Gunth. Nest. U. Ey. 51. t. 11. fig. inf. Naturf. x1. s. 42.

Taccole. Cett. Uc. Sard.72. Zinnan. Ov. 71. t. 10. f. 62.

Jackdaw, Gen. Syn.i. 378. Id. Sup. 78. Id. Sup.ii. 110. Br. Zool. i. No. 81. pl. 34. Id. fol. p. 78. Id. 4812. 296. pl. 35. Arct. Zool. ii. 251. C. Hist. Selb. 59. 60. Alb.i, pl. 14. Will. Engl. 125. pl. 19. Bewick,i. pl. in p.73. Lewin, i. pl. 37. Id, Eggs. vu. f.1. Walcot,i. pl. 36. Orn. Dict.

THE Jackdaw is thirteen inches long, and weighs about nine ounces. Bill black ; irides nearly white; hind head and back part of the neck elegant cinereous grey, passing on each side towards the breast; the rest of the plumage glossy blue-black, but the under parts incline to dusky ; legs black. Male and female much alike.

This is a common species in England, remaining the whole year; builds in trees, more commonly in rocks, and ruimed edifices, out of the reach of common intruders ; and now and then in rabbit burrows, as well as in hollow trees; the nest composed of sticks and twigs, having a lining of wool, &c. lays five or six eggs, smaller than those of the Crow, paler, and marked with fewer spots; sometimes also in

cRow. 19

chimnies, for want of other convenience.* Independent of our own Island, this bird is found in France, Austria, and many other parts of Germany and Spain; very frequent at Athens: common at Gib- raltar, breeding in vast numbers on the loftiest precipices, and staying throughout the year; feeds on both vegetable and animal food ; grapes, figs, corn, pulse, and shell-fish, frogs, young birds, eggs, young poultry, and carrion; will also, like the Raven, keep vora- cious birds at a distance.t In most parts of the Continent, however, it is more or less migratory ; common all over Russia and the West of Siberia: but is seen in winter only in the South-west of Russia; a few beyond Lake Baikal. It is subject to some variety of plumage.

A.—Collared Jackdaw, Gen. Syn. i. 379. A. Helvetian Daw, Charlt. Ex. p. 75. No.7.

This differs in having a collar of white round the neck, and is jound in Switzerland.

B.—White Jackdaw, Gen. Syn.i. 379. B. Ray’s Letters, p. 108.

Wholly white, with a yellowish bill. That recorded by Ray was met with at Hurworth, near Croft Bridge.

* A person in the Isle of Ely, having occasion to kindle a fire ina room, which had not been used for some time, the chimney took fire, owing to the materials collected by the Jackdaws, which were in such quantity, as to make it the greatest difficulty to prevent the house itself from being destroyed.

+ Rey. Mr, White.

90 CROW.

C.—Black Jackdaw, Gen. Syn.i. 379.C. Frisch. t. 68.

This is smaller, with spots of white about the eyes, bluish inides, and wanting the greyish tint about the head; such an one is found about the Volga ;* others are mentioned bemg black, with flesh- coloured bill and legs: one with a mixture of white in the wings, and the mandibles crossing each other.—In the Museum of the late Dr. Hunter, was a buff-coloured specimen, with white shoulders.

11.—JAY.

Corous glandarius, Ind. Orn.i. 157. Lin.i. 156. Faun. Suec. No. 90. Gm. Lin. i. 868. Scop.i. No. 39. Brun. No. 33. Muller. No. 90. Kramer. p. 334. Georgi, 165. Faun. Arag.72. Frisch. t.55. Rati. 41. A2. Will. 88. t.19. Gerini.ii. t. 161. Sepp. Vog. t. p. 1. Gunth. Nest. U, Ey. t.38. Borowsk. i. 108. 8. Daud. ii. 247. Shaw’s Zool. vu. 356. Tem. Man. d’Orn. p. 73. Id. Ed.ii. 114.

Garrulus, Bris. 11.47. Id. 8vo. 1.168. Scheff. el. t. 39. Robert. ic. pl. 18.

Pica glandaria, Klein. dv. 61. Id. Stem, t.12. f.4.a.b. Id. Ov. t. 8. f. 2.

Jeay, Buf. ii. 107. t. 8. Pl. enl. 481.

Ghiandaia, Olin. 35. Zinnan. Uov. t.10. f.58. Cet. Uc. Sard. 76.

Der Holzhaher, Naturf. 9. s.43. Schmid Vog. p. 45. t. 31.

Jay, Gen. Syn.i. 384. Id. Sup. 79. Br. Zool.i. No.79. Id. Fol.x. D. Id. 1812. 291. Arct. Zool. ii.252. E. Will. Eng. 130. Pl.19. Russ. Alep. 69. Alb. i. pl. 16. Hayes Birds, pl. 7. Bewick, pl. p.80. Lewin’s Birds, pl. 38. Id. Eggs, pl. vii. f. 2. Walcot, pl. 37. Nat. Misc. pl. 549. Orn. Dict.

Graves Br. Orn. Donov. v. pl. 2.

LENGTH thirteen inches; weight seven ounces. Bill dusky; irides whitish ; the head crested; feathers of the forehead white, dashed with black ; chin white; from the angles of the mouth a broad black streak passes beneath the eye; the plumage for the most part vina- ceous buff-colour ; lesser wing coverts light bay; the greater most

* Ph. Trans. lvi. 347. 7.—According to M. Levaillant, the black one, and that with the grey head and nape, only shew difference of sex—See Ois.ii. 129. but I doubt this, as we have no such distinction in England, where they are sufficiently common,,

CROW. 21

elegantly barred, rich blue and black alternately, the rest black ; quills part ash-colour, part black ; the base of some, and the edges of others white; the imner ones chestnut, with black tips; rump white; tail black, the feathers edged with dusky, the outer ones wholly dusky ; legs brown.

The female differs chiefly in the colour being less brilliant.

The Jay is not uncommon in all the woods of this kmgdom ; is a restless and noisy species, alarming by its screams the rest of the feathered tribe, on the approach of any one; yet at intervals has a sort of note not unpleasant; it will also imitate the cries of various animals in the wild state; but when kept tame, may be taught to mimic many more; and we have witnessed one that mewed so exactly like a cat as to be mistaken for one.-—The Jay feeds on various things, especially fruit, and grains, also acorns; likewise birds eggs, and sometimes the parent birds, as well as mice; makes the nest in woods, of sticks, fibres of roots, &c. and lays five or six eggs, the size of those of a Pigeon, cimereous-olive, marked with paler brown.*

This species is by no means so far spread as many of its congeners : said to be common in France, Italy, and Spain, as far as the woody parts in the neighbourhood of Gibraltar, but not on the rock itself; frequents the woods of Russia and Siberia, but not beyond the Lena. Georgi mentions its being near the Lake Baikal; and Russel at Aleppo. I have also seen it in drawings done in China,+ and there- fore we may suppose it indigenous to that country. Both in Sweden and Spain it is brought to market promiscuously with other birds for the table, but is rarely used for this purpose in England.

I have observed only two Varieties, the one wholly white,+ the other with white quills only, the rest of the bird as in common.§

* In Sepp’s Plate they are white. + Gen. Syn. i. 386.. A. Said to be frequent there. Penn. China. p. 193. ~ Gen. Syn.i.386. A. Donov. pl.34. § Spalowsk. Vog. i. t. 2.

22 CROW.

12.—RUSSIAN CROW.

Corvus infaustus, Ind. Orn.i.159. Lin. Faun. Suec. No.93: Brun.p.10. Muller, No. 93. Mus. Carls. Fasc. iv. t. 76. Georgi. 164? Tem. Man. d’Orn. p. 176. Id. ed. ii. p. 116.

Lanius infaustus, Lin.i. 188. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 302.

Geai orangé, Levail. ois. de Parad. i. pl. 47.

Corvus Russicus, Gmel [t.i. 50. t. 11.

LENGTH nine inches or more. _ Bill black ; head dusky brown ; chin and face whitish, mixed with ferruginous and ash-colour; neck, shoulders, back, and breast cinereous ; belly and thighs pale rufous ; rump and vent ferruginous; some of the wimg coverts the same; others incline more to rufous ; quills dusky, the outer one shortest ; tail the length of the body, cuneiform ; the two middle feathers dusky ash, the others pale ferruginous, with the ends more or less dusky ; legs black.

Inhabits Sweden ; found also in Lapland ; common in the North of Russia and Siberia, in all the woody parts ; but not in Kamts- chatka; is a bold bird, approaches the traveller while enjoying his meal in the open air, that it may partake of the scraps. ‘The figure in the Carlsonian Museum seems pretty correct.

A.—Corvus Sibiricus, Gm. Lin. i. 373. Geay de Siberie, Buf. in. 118. PI. enl. 608. Siberian Jay, Gen. Syn. i. 390.

Less than a Jay ; length ten inches. Bill dusky ; crown brown- black, and somewhat crested ; upper part of the body and wings cinereous, verging to brown on the back ; quills cmereous; forehead and sides, chin, and neck before, pale, with a tinge of blue on the

CROW. 23

sides of the head, and a shade of buff on the breast; the breast itself,

and the under part of the body, and rump, ferruginous orange ; the

two middle tail feathers cinereous, the others orange; legs ash-colour. Inhabits Siberia, and is no doubt a variety of the other.

13.—NUTCRACKER.

Corvus Caryocatactes, Ind. Orn. i. 164. Lin. i. 159. Faun. Suec. No. 91. Gm. Lin. i. 370. Scop. An.i. No.40. Raii. p.42. Will. 90. t. 20. Brun. No. 34. Muller, No. 91. Georgi, 165. Kram. 334. Sepp.Vog. t.3. Gerin. ii. p. 163. Borowsk. ii. 108. Spalowsk. ii. t. 12. Daud. ii. 251. pl. 17. Bechst. Deutsch. ii. 457. Shaw's Zool. vii. 353. t. 43.

Nucifraga, Bris. ii. 59. t.5. f.1. Id. 8vo.i.171: Klein. Av. 61. Id. Stem. p. 12. f. 2.a.b. Frisch. t.56. Schef. el. t. 49. Tem. Man. p. 74: Id. Ed. ii. p. 118.

Casse noix, Buf. iii. 122. t.9. Pl. enl. 50.

Nushraehe, Nusshaeher, Schr. Nat. 67. Gunt. Nest. U. Ey. 38. Naturf. ix. s. 44.

Nutcracker, Gen. Syn.i. 400. Id. Sup. 82. Will. Eng. 132. pl. 20. Br. Zool. ii. App. pl. 3. Id. 1812. 298, pl. 37. Arct. Zool. 252. D. Edw. pl. 240. Bewick, i. pl. 79. Lewin, pl. 40. Walcot, pl. 88. Orn. Dict. & Supp.

SIZE of a Magpie; length thirteen inches. Bill two inches long, black ; irides hazel; nostrils well covered with feathers, edged with brown; general colour of the plumage rusty brown ; crown and nape inclining to dusky ; most of the feathers marked with triangular white spots; largest on the under parts; vent white; quills and tail black, the latter tipped with white; legs black.

This is very rare in respect to England, not having been met with more than three times to our knowledge; is more common on the Continent, but no where so plentiful as in Germany; sometimes comes in vast flocks into France, especially Burgundy; frequents the mountainous parts of Sweden and Denmark ; met with as high as Sondmor: common im the Pine Forests of Russia and Siberia, and

all over Kamtschatka ; now and then seen in America, but not near the sea coast.

24. CROW.

It is said to resemble the Jay in manners, laying up store of acorns and nuts, on the latter of which it most delights to feed, but will eat insects of various kinds. Makes the nest in the holes of trees, and, like the Woodpecker, enlarges them with the bill; the eggs five or six, pale yellow, marked with small black spots.

According to Klein, there are two Varieties, a smaller and a larger. Muller also mentions two, the one rufous, the other spotted black and white; and Mr. Bechstein saw a specimen wholly white. M. Temminck forms a distinct Genus of this, of which it is the only species.

14.—ALPINE CROW.

Corvus Pyrrhocorax, Ind. Orn.i. 165. Lin.i. 158. Gm. Lin. i.376. Bris. ii. 30. t. 1. f.2. Id. 8vo.i. 162. Shaw's Zool. vii. 380. Tem. Man.d’Orn. p.71. Id. Ed. ii, p. 121.

Coracias, Gerin. 11. t. 150, 151.

Crave des Alpes, Daud. ii. 252: Neu. Schw. Abh.iu. s. 104.

Choucas des Alpes, Buf. iii. 76. t. 6. Pl. enl. 531.

Alpine Crow, Gen. Syn. 1. 381.

SIZE of the Jackdaw ; length fifteen inches; breadth two feet seven inches. Bill hike that of a Jackdaw, but rather longer, colour yellow ; plumage wholly black ; tail even at the end, and reaching but little beyond the wing when closed ; legs and claws black. *

Inhabits the Alps; has a sharp, disagreeable voice, lives on grain and fruits, and does much damage to the harvest: the flesh accounted good: makes the nest generally in crags and clefts of rocks, rarely in trees; and lays four white eggs, marked with dusky yellow spots.

* Peyrouse observes, that the colour of the legs differs according to the age; in some black, in others orange, and in old birds deep crimson.

cRow. 25

15.—RED-LEGGED CROW.

Corvus graculus, Ind. Orn. i. 165. Lin. i. 158. Gm. Lin.i. 377. Faun. Arag 72, Daud. ii. 253. Bechst. Deutsch. ii. 447. -Shaw’s Zool. vii. 378.

Pyrrhocorax Coracias, Tem. Man. p. 72. Id. Ed.ii. p. 122

Corvus docilis, Gm. It. 111. 385. t. 39.

Gracula Pyrrhocorax, Scop. i. 46.

Upupa Pyrrhocorax, Hasselq. It. 238.19. Id. Engl. 197.

Coracias, seu Pyrrhocorax, Rati. 40. A. 6. Will. 86. t. 19. Bris, ii. p.3.t. 1, f. 1. Td. 8vo.i. 154. Shaw’s Trav. 251. Gerini, 1. t. 149. Klein. Av. p. 60. 11. Buf. iii. 1. pl. 1. Pl. enl. 255.

Cornish Chough, 4/b.ii. pl. 24. Borl. Cornw. 248. pl, 24. Will. Engl. 126, pl. 19. Hayes, pl. 6.

Red-legged Crow, Lin. Syst.i. 401. Id. Sup.82. Id. Sup. ii. 115. Br. Zool. i. pl. 35. Td. fol. 83. t. L.* Td. 1812. 294. pl. 36. Bewick. 1. pl. p. 77. Lewin. pl. 4. Id. Eggs. pl. vii. f.4. Walcot, pl. 40. Orn. Dict.

SIZE of a Jackdaw; length sixteen inches; extent of wing two feet nine inches; weight fourteen ounces. Bill two inches long, much curved, and sharp at the point; colour that of red sealing wax ; irides grey, with an outer circle of red; eyelids red; plumage wholly purplish black ; legs red;* the wings reach three-fourths on the tail.

The female is smaller, and the bill somewhat shorter.—This is- called by some Cornish Daw, Cornish Kae, Killigrew, and Chauk ; pretty common on some of our English coasts, particularly the western: in Devonshire and Cornwall, in Wales and Scotland. We have also received it from Dover Cliffs, where they breed, but said to have arisen from a pair originally sent from the West; found also to fre- quent the South Downs about Beachy-Head and East-Bourn, and there called the Red-billed Jackdaw.t Makes the nest in the clefts

* Scopoli says, in autumn the feet in some are black—According to Bechstein, it is in the spring that this colour in the feet is seen; and others affirm, that in the first year the bill and legs are black ; these seeming contradictions can only be reconciled by supposing the describers to mean two different species, as in this kingdom, the young birds have the bill and legs red the first year. + Lin. Trans. iy. p. 14.

VOL, Il. E

26 CROW.

of rocks, of sticks, lmed with hair, and lays four or five white eggs, bigger than those of a Jackdaw, spotted with yellow, or pale brown,* weighing three drams and a half.+ I do not see it mentioned asa bird of France, but is not uncom- mon in the Alps and Carinthia: { migrates into Lower Egypt, towards the end of the inundation of the Nile, in September and October :§ is seen about all high rocks of the south latitude of Siberia, and Mount Caucasus, the mountams of Persia,|| and the Island of Candia ;** also common on the Northern Alps and Switzerland ; feeds on juniper berries ; roots corn out of the ground; feeds, too, on insects, as locusts, &e. tf does not migrate with us in England, at any season ; is a greedy, restless, and clamorous bird, fearmg neither dog nor wolf: in general imitates the Jackdaw in manners ; is thievish, fond ef glitter, and dangerous to be kept tame, as it has been known to catch up lighted sticks, whereby houses have been set on fire.

16.—HERMIT CROW.

Corvus Eremita, Ind. Orn.i. 166. Lin.i. 159. Gm. Lin.i. 3. 377. Borowsck. ii. 107. t.71. 9. B. Daud. ii. 254. Bechst.u. 470. t. 17. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 382.

Coracia cristata, Bris. 1. 6. Id. 8vo.i. 155.

Corvus sylvaticus, Gesner. pl. in p. 309. Will. 306. Gerin. ii. t, 252? Johnst. Av. pls A7 ito.

Upupa montana, Alein. Av. 111.

Coracias hupé, Buf. ii. p-. 9.

Wood Crow from Switzerland, Alb. i. pl. 16. Will. Engl. 396.

Hermit Crow, Gen. Syn.i. 303. Id. Sup. ii. 115.

SIZE of a Hen. Bill long, pointed, bent and red; head crested, dusky yellow, streaked with red; plumage in general black, glossed with green; tail short; legs dull red.

* Smutty-coloured, Bechstein. + Col. Montagu. + Scopoli. § Hasselquist. || At Jerom, the bills and feet (of the crows) are as red as vermilion. ** Belon. Obs. p.17. ++ Scopoli says,. they sometimes come down in the low meadows by hundreds, in the latter hay time, for this purpose.

CROW. 27

This bird, first described and figured by Gesner, is said to be found on all the high mountains of Italy, Stiria, Switzerland, and Bavaria, and the rocks on the borders of the Danube, but more common in Switzerland than elsewhere, and there called Waldrapp, and Stemrapp; flies very high; is gregarious and migratory ; arrives at Zurich with the Storks, the beginning of April: the female lays two or three eggs, and the young fly the beginning of June; is easily tamed, if taken young, and is accounted good eating. The food is chiefly small fry of fishes, frogs, and all sorts of insects. Neither the young, nor very old birds have the crest, whence they have been called Bald Crows.* According to M.'Temminck, this bird has no exis- tence, being made up from the Red-legged, by forming a crest of additional feathers. ‘This we cannot contradict, as we have only seen figures of the bird; but if such a fraud has been practised on Gesner, it is, we believe, not the only one known among Ornitho- logists.

17.—RED-BILLED JAY.

Corvus erythrorynchos, Ind. Orn. i. 161. Gm. Lin: i. 372. Daud. ii. 240. pl. 15. Shaw’s Zool. vi. 361.

Geay de la Chine a bec rouge, Buf. iii. 115. Pl. enl. 622.

La Pie bleue, Levail. Ois. ii. 24. pl. 57.

Red-billed Jay, Gen. Syn. i. 390. Id. Sup. p. 80. “Id. Sup. ii. p. 112.

SIZE of a Jay. Bill red; fore part of the head, neck, and breast velvety black ; behind light grey, mixing irregularly with the black on the fore part; body brown above, whitish beneath, with a violet tinge, most conspicuous on the wings ; each feather of which is light violet at the base, black in the middle, and white at the end. Tail

* Neither Albin’s Figure, nor that of Borowski has a crest, which gives the bird the appearance of a bald kind of Ibis, and the figure in Gesner is bare above the knee. I have neyer seen aspecimen, and must therefore rely upon what former authors have recorded.

E 2

28 CROW.

half as long again as the rest of the bird, and fully as cuneiform as that of the Magpie, the feathers blue with black ends, and an oval spot of white at the tip of each.*

Inhabits China, and there called Shannaw : often kept in cages, and becomes very tame ; and by the Chinese taught many tricks, by way of entertaining the multitude.

18.—AFRICAN CROW.

Corvus Africanus, Ind. Orn. i. 163. Gm. Lin. i. 874.. Daud. ii. 240. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 375. African Crow, Gen. Syn.i. 396. Nat. Misc. pl. 561.

LENGTH twenty-two inches. Bill red; head and neck dark purple, the first somewhat crested ; each feather tipped with grey as far as the hind head; back brown; belly dirty ash-colour; quills blue on the outer edges; tail greatly cuneiform, the two middle feathers twelve inches long, the outer very short, all of them tipped with white ; legs red.

Inhabits Africa. These two last seem to resemble each other, so as make us inclined to think them Varieties only.

19.—CARIBBEAN CROW.

Corvus Caribbeus, Ind. Orn. i. 163. Gm. Lin. i. 874. Daud. ii. 242. Shaw's Zool. vil. 375.

Galgulus Antillarum, Bris, 11.80. Id. 8vo. i. 176.

Pica candata Indica, Raii.42. Will. 90.

Pica Antillarum, Raié. 152.

La Pie des Antilles, Buf. i. 101, 129.

Persian Pie, Will. Engl. 132. § vi. parag. 2d.

Caribbean Crow, Gen. Syn. i. 395.

SIZE of a Magpie. Bill red; head and neck blue; the latter surrounded with a white collar; from the base of the bill, passing

* In the Pl. enlum.

CROW. 29

behind the neck, quite to the back, is a white mark, an inch broad, and three long, transversely barred with black ; back and scapulars ferruginous; rump and upper tail coverts yellow; under parts of the body white; lesser wing coverts chestnut; the middle ones green, _ with the edges deeper coloured; greater coverts blue, with white edges and shafts; quills blue green; tail long and cuneiform, the two middle feathers exceed the outer ones by eight or ten inches; colour blue, striated with white; legs red.

The female differs in wanting the transverse stripes on the white mark at the back of the head, and the wing coverts green instead of

blue. Said to inhabit the Caribbee Islands, and to be common about

the rivers of Guadaloupe; but according to Ray, is a bird of Persia. It certainly bears much resemblance to the two last described.

20.—RUFOUS CROW.

Corvus rufus, Ind. Orn.i. 161.. Daud ii. 245. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 368. Coracias vagabundus, Ind. Orn.i. 171. Daud. ii. 265. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 397. La Pie rousse, Levail. Ois. p).59.

Grey-tailed Roller, Gen. Syn. Sup. uu. 112.

Rufous Crow, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. 112.

LENGTH sixteen or seventeen inches. Bill strong, black, rather bent and not notched; tongue bifid; nostrils covered with bristles ; irides red; head and neck black, tinged with brown; body and tail coverts reddish brown; wings black, with a broad grey stripe, which includes the greater and smaller wing coverts near the body, and the outer webs of four or five of the second quills; under wing coverts dirty white, tinged with brown; tail long, consisting of twelve feathers, and is greatly cuneiform; the outmost scarcely three inches long, the two middle ones ten inches in the whole, but stand out beyond any of the others at least four inches; all the feathers are

30 CROW.

grey, and have the ends deeply tipped with black; the wings when closed, reach about one-fifth thereon; legs black.

Tnhabits India, found near Calcutta, but not very common; is called by the Bengalese, Harri Chacha; the women imagine when- ever they hear this bird calling, that it forebodes the approach of religious mendicants, who, by partaking in the fare prepared for thé family, will clear the pots used in cooking ; from which circumstance its native name is derived; builds on large trees, and more than one at a time is seldom observed.

T owe the above to Dr. Buchanan. It may be supposed to vary ; as that described from Lady Impey’s drawings had the breast and belly ash-colour; middle of the wings white; in these drawings the name given to it is the Vagabond.

Among the drawings of Sir J. Anstruther, I observe three or four different representations, varying considerably from each other, in the different shades of brown, though the general division of colours is the same; in one which appears to be most complete, the two middle tail feathers are double the length of the others. The name given to it in the Persian tongue is Makoka ;* is called also Laut.

In another specimen the feathers round the bill and chin are deeper black than the rest ; bend of the wing yellow.

One figured in Col. Hardwicke’s fine collection of Drawmgs of Indian birds, was sixteen inches long, said to be a male, had a lead- coloured bill, with a black poimt; the two mnddle tail feathers ex- ceeded the rest by three inches, were pale ash from the base to as far asthe ends of the adjommg, then white for near two inches, and finally black for more than one inch; the side feathers white for the greater part from the base, then black, with the ends white, but the black oecupymg most space on the outer feathers.

* The Antiguan Coucal also bears this name.

CROW. 31

Inhabits India. The name Kereyh; drawn at Futteyghur, in December; and, as in another drawing, the date of it is in August, it is probable that these birds are permanent in the neighbourhood the year through.

A.—La Pie rousse dela Chine, Son. Voy. Ind. i. p. 186. pl. 136. Rufous Crow, Gen. Syn. Sup. p. 84.

Size of a Blackbird. Bill black ; irides rufous yellow ; head and neck brown, the last paler; breast and belly rufous white; back and rump yellowish, inclining to rufous; lesser wing coverts dirty rufous; the others pale grey; second quills grey, within brown ; primaries brownish black ; tail cuneiform, grey; the two middle feathers brown at the ends; the others grey as far as the middle, the rest of the length brown, with white tips; legs black.

Tnhabits China.

21.— MAGPIE.

Corvus Pica, Ind. Orn.i. 162. Lin.i. 157: Faun. Suec: No. 92. Gm. Lin.i. 373. Ph. Trans. \xii. 387. Seop. Ann:i. No. 41. Brun. No. 32. Sepp.Vog’. t. p. 3. Raii p. 41. Awl. Will. 87.t.19. Georgi, 165. Kram. 335. Faweearag. p. 72. Frisch. t. 58. Bris. ii. 35. Id. 8vo. i. 164. Gerin. ii. t. 155. Borowsk. ii. 109. Schef. el. t.56. Daud. ii. 237. Klein. Av: p. 60. Id. Stem. p. 10. t. 12. £. 1. aob.c. Id. Ov. t. 8. f.3. Shaw’s Zool, vi. 369. Amer. Orn. iv. pl. 35v f. 2 Tem. Man. @ Orn. p. 73. Id. Ed. ir. p. 113.

Aelster, Gnnth. Nest. U. Ey. t.53: Bechst. Deutsch. 11. 462,

Gazza con la Coda lunga, Zinnan. Uov. t. 10. f. 57.

Europaisch Elster, Naturf. ix. s. 44. Schmid Vog. p. 45: t. 30:

La Pie, Buf. iii. 85:7. Pl. enl. 488,

Magpie, Pianet, Gen,.Syn.i. 392. 29. Id. Sup. p. 80. Id. Sup. ii. p. 113. Br. Zool.i. No. 78. Id. Fol. p.77. t. D.2. Id. 1812. p. 289. Arcét. Zool. ii. No. 136. Alb.i. pl. 15. Will. Engl. 127. pl.19. Hayes pi! 8: Bewick, i. pl. p. 75. Lewin, pl. 39. Id. Eggs. pl. viii f.3. Donov.iv: 95: — Walcot, i: pl. 39: Graves Br. Orn. Orn. Dict, § Supp.

LENGTE. eighteen. inches ; extent of wing twenty-two; weight eight or nine ounces. Bill black; irides hazel ; scapulars,. and all

32 CROW.

the under parts from the breast, white; the rest of the plumage, wings, and tail black, glossed with green, purple, and blue as opposed to various lights; the eleven first quills are white in the middle on

_the inner web, lessening by degrees as they advance inwards ; the tail very cuneiform, the two middle feathers near eleven inches long; the outer only five inches and half ; legs black.

The above is the description of a bird in the highest plumage in the wild state, but when domesticated, and kept in a cage, the colours lose their brilliancy, and appear to be merely black and white, and the latter far from pure; in short, in its state of nature, we must confess, that our kingdom does not possess a more beautiful species.

The Magpie is very common in England, and feeds both on animal and vegetable substances, frequently killing young ducks and chickens, and sucking the eggs; will sometimes pick out the eyes of lambs, hares, rabbits, &c. if weak ; also eats insects, fruits, and even grain, when distressed for food; makes a large oval nest, of sticks of black-thorn intermixed, having a cover at top, composed of the latter, with a lining of earth, and fibres at bottom: this is built both on high trees, and low shrubs ;* the eggs six or seven, of a pale greenish colour, thickly spotted with black: is a crafty bird: when brought up young, becomes familiar; will talk many sentences, and imitate, like the Parrot, every noise it hears, but in a less distinct manner.

This species is seen more or less throughout Europe: no where more common than in the temperate and southern latitudes of Russia, Siberia, and Kamtschatka, as well as in the adjacent Islands.— Forster met with it at Madeira; Russel at Aleppo;+ and Georgi about the Lake Baikal. It is also seen in Chinese drawings ; and I once saw a specimen from thence, the same as ours, but a trifle smaller.—It certainly is a native of America, and though it very seldom approaches the settlements, is to be found in the interior parts

* Hence the distinction of Tree and Bush Magpie, supposed two different sorts, + Hist. Alep. p. 69.

CROW. 33

all seasons. One caught at York Fort, in a martin trap, was thought a rarity, as the circumstance had not happened for twenty years before. I find that it is called at Hudson’s Bay, by some of the Indians, Oue-ta-kee-aske, or Heart-Bird ; by others, She-pecum memewuck.* We have observed several Varieties; viz. wholly white+—black and white in streakst—white and soot-colour; with other deviations from nature. §

Camden || observes, that Magpies found in the Isle of Man, did not inhabit it originally, but were carried there.

22.—NEW-CALEDONIAN MAGPIE.

Corvus Caledonicus, Ind. Orn. Sup. xxv. Magpie of New-Caledonia, D’ Entrecasteux’s Voy. il. 226. pl. 35. Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. 116.

LENGTH twenty inches. Bill black and stout, the end for one-third yellowish, and slightly notched ; head black, the feathers of it silky, and the webs loose; round the eye somewhat bare; whole of the neck white, and a little of the same in the middle of the belly ; but the general colour of the plumage otherwise black ; tail very cuneiform, formed as in the Magpie, the two middle feathers eleven inches long, the next on each side nine, diminishing regularly to the outer ones, which measure no more than three inches and a half : legs dusky.

Inhabits the woods of New-Caledonia, described from a specimen in the collection of Mr. Thompson, of St. Martin’s Lane, London.

* Mr. Hutchins. + Mus. Carls. t. 53. + Lev. Mus.

§ Viz. an old bird of adun-colour, with the wing coverts, breast, and belly white; also three from one nest wholly cream-colour, with white bills; and a fourth from the same nest of the common hue.—See Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. p. 1138.

|| Magpies haye been lately introduced, as well as Frogs.—Gough’s Camd. Brit. p. 699. Vol. 3.

VOL, ILI, F

34 CROW.

23—-CHANGEABLE CROW.

Corvus varians, Ind. Orn. Sup. xxvi.

Phrenotrix Temia, Lin. Trans. xii. p. 165. Horsf. Zool. Res. No. 1.—plate of the Bird. Td. pl. of bills, N.a. b.

Le Temia, Levail. Ois. ii. p.22: pl. 56. Daud. ii. 244. Shaw's Zool. vii. 372.

Changeable Crow, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. 119.

SIZE of the Song Thrush, but longer. Bill black ;- general colour of the plumage black, and the texture of the feathers delicate and soft ; those round the base of the bill to the eye and chin stiff and short, similar to black velvet; but on the rest of the bird appear glossed with green and purple in different lights; the tail greatly cuneiform, composed of ten feathers, the four middle ones of equal lengths, exceeding the rest of the body, being seven inches long, the others lessen by degrees to the onter, which are very short and broad, colour of the four middle ones black, glossed with green ; the others black, but with a gloss of green only on the outer webs; legs black.

This was received from Batavia, but where it originally came from, quite uncertain. The bill in shape is thick, and not unlike that of the Beef-eater, which may lead to think, that im manners it may somewhat resemble that bird. In Java, known by the name of Chekitut, or Benteot.

Inhabits Java, where it is not uncommon, but is not a familiar bird, never approaching the villages and habitations like many others ; for the most part found near solitary hamlets, situated in tracts re- cently cleared for cultivation, where its food is supplied in abundance, by the insects contamed in the rich mould, and by the wild fruit trees about the skirts.—In Dr. Horsfield’s figure the four middle tail feathers are not equal in length, but those on each side of the two middle ones are shorter, as in the Magpie.

In Mr. Bullock’s Museum was one greatly similar, im which the colour of the plumage was glossy black, inclining to brown on the

cRow. 30

back ; beneath very dark brown, the two middle tail feathers seven inches and half long, the exterior only two inches. The wings reach one-fourth on the tail. This said to have been brought from Java.

24.—_VELVET-FACED CROW.

LENGTH twelve inches and half. Bill black, remarkably stout, and the upper mandible bending as in the Ani; the base of it, and round the eye, the whole face, and chin covered with black velvet- like feathers ; plumage wholly deep bottle-green. Tail five inches and a half long, cuneiform, black, having in some lights, a gloss of purple; legs rather long, stout, and black, claws long and hooked.

Native place uncertain—supposed New-Holland.—Gen. Davies.

One not unlike the above, in Mr. Francillon’s possession, had the plumage slaty-grey, mstead of bottle-green.

A similarone,in Mr. Harrison’s collection, was twelve inches long; in this the plumage was glossy black ; the bill and legs both pale.

This last came from New-Holland.

These seem greatly allied to the Changeable, or last Species.

25.—PLUSH-FACED CROW.

LENGTH twelve inches. Bill black, stout, and rather curved ; the nostrils, and all round incireling the eyes, covered with black feathers like plush, or velvet; plumage otherwise deep bottle-green ; scapulars edged with rufous; from thence a rufous band, about half an inch broad, extends across the back; prime quills black, with pale margins ; tail seven inches long, cuneiform, the feathers broadest at the extremities ; colour deep muddy, blackish green, appearing

undulated on the outer webs ; legs black, not very stout. F 2

36 CROW.

_ Native place uncertain. I observe one in the drawings of Mr. Woodford, which was without the rufous band. This may be probably allied to the foregoing, but the one here described differs greatly in the bill, this bemg considerably stouter and shorter than in the Changeable Species; though im the plush-like feathers round it, and the colour of the plumage not greatly differmg.

26.—INDIGO CROW.

LENGTH twelve inches. Bill one inch long, stout, pale yellow horn-colour, under mandible darker beneath ; the nostrils, forehead between the bill and eye, and the chin, covered with short, downy, plush-like, black feathers; the rest of the plumage in general like © that of a Crow, the feathers inclining to purple on the margins, especially on the back ; but those on the under parts are edged with the gloss of steel ; scapulars, and part of the wing coverts, purplish black, with deep margins of steel blue; quills black; the tail three inches long, nearly even at the end, the two middle feathers blue- black, the others much the same, margined with steel-blue; the wings, when closed, reach three-fourths on the tail ; legs stout, scaly, and brownish yellow.

Inhabits New-Holland.

27.—_RUFOUS-BREASTED CROW.

LENGTH seven inches. Bill three quarters of an inch, pale, the base of the upper, and beneath the under mandible, dusky ; the face quite round the bill covered with velvety tufted feathers, occu- pying the whole chin, and concealing the nostrils; besides which are several hairs half as long as the bill, which is a little bent at the end,

CROW. 5 7/

and somewhat indented ; the head, neck, upper parts, wings, and tail pale cinereous grey ; breast, belly, thighs, and vent fine rufous; quills and tail dusky, edged outwardly with grey, the last of a moderate length, even at the end, and the quills reach just beyond the base : legs slender, black, claws crooked.

Native place unknown.—Gen. Davies.

28.— PACIFIC CROW.

Corvus pacificus, Ind. Orn.i. 157. Gm. Lin. i. 372. Daud. ii. 236. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 354.

Pacific Crow, Gen. Syn.i. 383.

LENGTH ten inches and a half. Bill bent at the end, with a notch near the tip, and black; plumage cinereous, paler beneath, with a tinge of reddish brown; forehead and throat cinereous white ; among the feathers of the latter some slender hairs; hind head and nape dusky black: quills blackish, with dirty white tips; tail black, all but the two middle feathers tipped with white; legs blacks

Inhabits the South Seas.—Place unknown.

29.—TROPIC CROW.

Corvus tropicus, Ind. Orn.i. 157. Gm. Lin: i. 372. Daud. ii. 237. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 355.

Tropic Crow, Gen. Syn. i. 384. Cook’s Last Voy. iii. 119 ?

LENGTH twelve inches and a half. Bill one inch and a quarter long, rather broad at the base, and the tips of both mandibles notched ; plumage glossy black, more dull beneath ; wings and tail black, glossed with green, the last rounded; vent and sides tipped with dusky white ; legs black.

From Owhyhee—one of the Sandwich Islands in the South Seas.

38 CROW.

30—AUSTRALASIAN CROW.

SIZE of a Crow. Bill large, curved the whole of its length to the point, as in the Cornish Chough ; plumage in general black and glossy, the feathers of the head short; the wings reach one-third on the tail, which is cuneiform, or greatly rounded in shape at the end ; legs stout, made hike those of a Crow.

Inhabits New-Holland: in the collection of Mr. Brogden, and in that of the Linnean Society.

31.—SYDNEY CROW.

SIZE of a Jackdaw. Bill as in the Magpie, but not quite equal in strength, and somewhat bent ; tip of the upper mandible brown ; general colour of the plumage black ; some of the inner lesser quills white ; tail much rounded ; legs stout and black.

In Mr. Bullock’s Museum, from New-Holland. Shot at Sydney.

32-—BLUE CROW.

Corvus cyanus, Ind. Orn.i. 159. Gm. Lin. i. 373. Pallas It. iii. 694. Daud. ii. 238. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 362. Nat. Misc. pl, 829.

Corvus melanocephalus, Daud. ii. 24).

Pie bleue a téte noire, Levail. Ois. ii. pl. 58.

Blue Crow, Gen. Syn.i. 394. Id. Sup. ii. 111.

SIZE small; length from eight to twelve inches. Bill black ; top of the head to the nape glossy deep black ; body ash-colour,

paler beneath ; wings and tail most beautiful blue ; the last very long and cuneiform, in shape like that of a Magpie, the feathers white

CROW. 39

at the end; legs black.—In M. Levaillant’s plate the head feathers are elongated, forming a pointed crest, and the whole of the head below the eyes, as well as the chin black ; the body inclining to blue above, and wings and tail fine blue ; tail of twelve feathers.

This species migrates from the Mongolian Deserts and China, only into that part of the Russian Dominions which lies to the South of Lake Baikal. M. Levaillant’s specimen came from China.

33.—SENEGAL CROW.

Corvus Senegalensis, Ind. Orn. i. 163. Lin.i. 158. Gm. Lin. i. 874. Shaw’s Zool. vil. 371.

Corvus Afer, Lin. i. 157. Gm. Lin. i. 375.

Pica Senegalensis, Bris. ii. 40. t. 5. f. 2. Id. 8vo.i. 166,

Corvus Piapiac, Daud. 11. 239. Levail. Ois. 1. pl. 54.

Pie du Senegal, Buf. ii. 97. Pl. enl. 538.

Senegal Crow, Gen. Syn.i. 394. Id. Sup. ii. 114.

LENGTH fourteen inches, size of a Magpie. Bill black; plumage in general violet black above, dusky black beneath; quills and tail brown, in shape cuneiform ; the two middle feathers seven inches long, the outer four, all of them edged with violet black ; legs black.

Inhabits Senegal : found also at the Cape of Good Hope.

The males have the tail much longer than the females ; perches on high trees, sometimes twenty together ; builds on the tops of the highest; and, like the Magpie, defends the nest with thorns, only leaving one opening ; lays from six to eight white eggs, spotted with brown, most so at the larger end; seen in the inward parts of the Cape, but rarely, if ever, at the Cape itself, called Pia piac from its cry.—M. Levaillant mentions a singularity in one of the tail feathers having two shafts arising from one quill, one of these entirely without webs, but whether a lusus nature,* or peculiar to the species, is by

* I have a common goose quill which branches out into two shafts.

40 CROW.

no means certain. Is found also in India, and blended with other birds, under the name of Bhejunga.

34-RUFOUS-BELLIED CROW.

Corvus rufigaster, Ind. Orn. Sup. xxvi. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 377. octopennatus, Daud. i. 243.

Pie a culotte de Peau, Levail. Ois. 1. 20. pl. 55. Rufous-bellied Crow, Gen. Syn. Sup. 1. 118.

SIZE of the Blackbird. Bill and legs black ; whole plumage above glossy black ; tail cuneiform, half as long again as the bird, with a fine blue gloss on all the feathers in some lights; belly, thighs, and vent flesh-colour, or fine rufous ; the vent inclines to brown.

This is figured by Levaillant from one in the collection of M. Ray de Breukelerward of Amsterdam. Said to have been brought from some of the South Sea Isles, and seems to have aftinity with the Senegal Species, from its shape and cuneiform tail; the bill less strong than in the Magpie, approaching to that of a Thrush. In this smgle specimen were only eight feathers in the tail, and no trace of more could be found; if this be really the case with all of the same species, as may be learned hereafter, it is, we believe, an unusual occurrence; for we do not at present know any bird with fewer than ten feathers in its tail, when complete.

35.— VARIABLE CROW.

Corvus versicolor, Ind. Orn: Sup. xxv. Variable Crow, Gen. Syn. Sup.ii. p. 117.

THE true size of this bird is uncertain, but as the drawmg from whence this description is taken was nine inches in length, and men- tioned as one-fourth of the true size, we must consider it as a large

CROW. 41

species. The bill is strong, somewhat less than in the Crow, though clearly characteristic of that Genus, and black; plumage dusky brown, with blue and reddish glosses in various parts ; the outer tail feathers shorter than the others, and the whole of them pale at the tips; legs strong and black.

This was met with in New-Holland, and the only one of the kind seen there.-—Mr. Lambert.

36.—KENT’S CROW.

SIZE of a Crow; length sixteen inches; breadth thirty-two. Bill stout, two inches and half long, and black ; plumage in general brown black ; the first quill three inches shorter than the second, and this one inch shorter than the third, all these tipped with white, but seven or eight of them marked with white within at the base ; several of the secondaries also frmged with white at the tips; the tail is eight inches long, all but the two middle feathers tipped with white, which reaches to double the extent on the mner webs; the quills, when closed, reach full three-fourths on the tail; legs black, stout, the middle claw furnished with a notch or tooth.

Inhabits Kent's Group in New-Holland. One of these was in the collection of the late Gen. Davies.

37.—NEW-CALEDONIAN CROW.

Corvus Caledonicus, Ind. Orn. i, 154. Gm. Lin. i. 367. Daud. ii. 231: Shaw's Zool. yu. 350. New-Caledonian Crow, Gen. Syn. i. 377.

LENGTH above fifteen inches. Bill fourteen lines long, stout, and black, slightly toothed, and ihe end yellowish; irides pale

VOL, Wit.

43 CROW.

yellow ; eyelids black ; general colour of the plumage cinereous; except the tail, which is five inches long, and black ; legs black. Inhabits New-Caledonia. From the drawings of Sir Joseph Banks.

38.—WHITE-EARED JAY.

Corvus auritus, Ind. Orn. i. 160 Daud. ii. 250. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 367. Petit Geay de la Chine, Son. Voy. ii. 188. t. 107.

Little Jay, Penn. China, p. 195.

White-eared Jay, Gen. Syn. Sup. p. 83.

SIZE of the blue Jay, length eleven inches. Bill black ; irides yellowish ; the feathers round the base of the bill, the throat, and fore part of the neck black ; top of the head bluish ash-colour, and the feathers elongated; between the black and ash-colour on the forehead, a few white feathers; on the ears a large patch of white; the colour of the body, wing coverts, and tail cinereous brown ; quills blackish, edged with grey; tail four inches long, rounded at the end, and bends downwards ; legs pale brown.

Inhabits China; common at Canton: seen in flocks in Dean’s Island, Wampoo River, picking up food on the mud of the shore.

A.—Length twelve inches and a half. Bill one inch, stout, and black ; the base above covered with short velvet-hke feathers, tending to the eye on each side; behind this, across the forehead, a narrow white crescent ; the rest of the head above, the nape, and hind. part of neck deep lead or ash-colour; beneath the eye on each side a large patch of white feathers, covering the jaws, and meeting together on the base of the under mandible; the rest of the plumage, wings, and tail brownish olive, but the outer edges of the great quills grey ; tail rounded, two inches and three quarters long; legs black.

Inhabits China, and is probably a variety of the White-eared Jay. said to be remarkable for its singing.

cRow. 43

39.—WHITE-CHEEKED CROW.

Corvus olivaceus, Ind. Orn. Sup. xxvi. White-cheeked Crow, Gen. Syn. Sup. u. 118.

LENGTH eleven inches. Bill one inch long, curved and dusky, base bristly, and the nostrils half covered with feathers ; irides straw- colour; crown black, the feathers elongated; the rest of the head and neck before to the breast black ; on each jaw a large white patch; and on the chin and middle of the breast some mixture of white; all the upper parts of the body, wings, and tail olive-green ; quills rusty brown; tail cuneiform, dusky, the two middle feathers six inches long, the outmost only three and a half; the two outer feathers tipped with white; the wings reach one-third on the tail; legs brown.

Inhabits New-Holland ; differs from the White-eared Jay, in not having the forehead whitish, nor does the white patch come so. near the eye as in that bird; besides, the tail. being cuneiform, forbids further comparison.

A.—Size of the former. Bill compressed on the sides; nostrils imperfectly covered with reflected bristles, colour black; plumage in general much as in the other; a large patch of white extending the whole length of the under jaw; feathers of the throat fringed with white; breast, and beneath reddish brown, marbled on the former with black and white; tail as in the other.

Inhabits New South Wales.—In the collection of Lord Stanley.

40.—W AVE-BREASTED CROW.

LENGTH thirteen inches. Bill stout, bent, with a small notch near

the tip, about one ineh long, and the nostrils covered with feathers; G2

44 CRow.

tongue bifid ; irides white; plumage on the upper parts brownish olive, the shaft of each feather marked with a narrow whitish streak ; under parts of the body dusky white, marked with numerous darker crescents, appearing like waves; more close on the chin, throat, and breast ; wings and tail brown; inside of the wing coverts yellowish, marked with black ; of the quills plain, pale yellow half way from the base; shafts of the quills and tail feathers yellowish, the latter five inches long, even at the end; the wings, when closed, reach to about the middle of it; legs brown, one inch and a half long, the outer and middle toe united at the base; claws stout.

Inhabits New-Holland.—In the collection of Gen. Davies.

Another specimen was one inch shorter, the under parts yellowish olive; each feather margined with darker olive, but on the chin, and neck before the colours seem indistinctly blended, or clouded.

In a third specimen, in the collection of Mr. Harrison, the chin is plain yellowish white.

41.—NEW-GUINEA CROW.

Corvus nove Guinee, Ind. Orn.i. 156. Gm. Lin. i. 371. Daud. ii. 235. Shaw's Zool. vii. 354.

Le Choucas de la nouvelle Guinée, Buf. ii. 80. Pl. enl. 629.

Echenilleur, Tem. Man. Ed. ii. Anal. p. \xii.

New-Guinea Crow, Gen. Syn.i. 381.

SIZE of a Jackdaw; length twelve inches. Bill strong, black- ish: forehead, all round the bill, black, passing im a streak through the eyes, and a little behind them; head, neck, back, and upper part of the breast, dark ash-colour ; wings dusky, edged with white ; lower part of the breast, the belly, and vent, the lower part of the back, rump, and upper tail coverts white, transversely barred with black ; tail black; legs short, and dusky.

Inhabits New-Guinea. ¥

CROW. 45

A.—Ind. Orn. i. 156. 14. 8B. Gen. Syn. Sup. 78. No. 18.

This variety is thirteen inches long: irides reddish; head and neck bluish ash-colour ; upper part of the body and wings the same, but darker; the eyein a bed of black, lengthening behind as in the other; breast, belly, and vent pale ferrugmous ; quills and tail dusky ; the last pretty long, and rounded at the end; legs red-brown, scaly, and rough.

Native place uncertain. On comparmg the above with the fol- lowing, or Papuan Crow ; it seems not improbable that they may be Varieties of one of the same species.

42.—PAPUAN CROW.

Corvus Papuensis, Ind. Orn. i. 157. Daud. ii. 236. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 354. Choncari de la nouvelle Guinée, Buf. iii. 81. Pl. enl. 630.

Echenilleur, Tem. Man. Ed. ii. Anal. p. 1xiii.—female.

Papuan Crow, Gen. Syn.i. 382.

LENGTH twelve inches. Bill stout and black, top of the upper mandible somewhat angular ; at the base a few hairs, covering the nostrils; from thence to the eye a broad black streak ; upper parts of plumage fine blue grey, beneath dusky-white, crossed with dusky narrow streaks on the belly, and vent ; tail five inches and half long, blue grey; quills darker, and reach on the tail more than one-third ; legs dusky blue.

One supposed to differ in sex, is much the same as to colour, but the trace to the eye less distinct, the under parts from the chin to the belly crossed with fine dusky streaks; the belly and vent are plain dusky white.

Inhabits New Guinea. I find both the above well figured among Sir J. Anstruther’s drawings of the birds of India, and the name there

A6 ~ CRow.

given is Cuperssooa. Also in the drawings of Col. Hardwicke, which say, that they are called in Oude, Bessera ; and that the male weighs two ounces and three quarters, the female two and a quarter. Ano- ther figure in the last named drawings had the bill more strait ; general colour of the plumage as in the female, barred wholly beneath, but the bars less numerous ; lesser wing coverts blue grey, middle of the wing white, outer parts and quills black with pale fringes; one or more of the outer tail feathers white on the outer webs.

Found at Cawnpore.—From the above description we may sup- pose that these birds are subject to much variety.

43.—BLACK-FACED CROW.

Corvus melanops, Ind. Orn. Snp. xxiv. Echenilleur, Tem. Man. Ed. ii. Anal. p. |xi.—male Black-faced Crow, Gen. Syn. Sup. uu. 116.

LENGTH twelve inches; size of the Jay. Bill black, broad at the base, and stout, one mch or more in length, sharp-ridged, and furnished with a few bristles; tongue rounded at the end; whole face from the nostrils, forehead, chin, and throat black ; plumage in general bluish ash-colour, paler beneath ; under wing coverts, belly, and vent white; quills blackish, with pale edges; tail six inches and a half long, dusky black, the two middle feathers plain, the others tipped white, with most white on the outer ones; legs dusky blue black.

Tnhabits New-Holland, and there called Kai-a-lora. Said to be a bird of prey. Among the drawings of Mr. Lambert is one with a bill apparently more stout ; the head black fora greater space beyond the eyes, and the plumage darker in general ; tail of one colour.

One, in the collection of Gen. Davies, had the black occupymg half way on the neck before, and all but the two middle feathers tipped with white; legs black; toes cloven to their origi. Said to “be the male of the last.

cRoW. 47

44.—BLACK-BREASTED CROW.

Corvus melanogaster, Ind. Orn. Snp. xxv. Black-breasted Crow, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. 371.

SMALLER than the last; length ten inches. — Bill black, with a minute notch at the tip; upper parts of the plumage from the crown to the tail coverts, and the wings, fine pale blue grey ; face beyond the eyes, chin, throat, and breast black; the rest of the under parts white; outer part of the wing and quills black, edged with white ; tail and legs black.

Inhabits Port Jackson; has much affinity to the last.

One of these, in the collection of Lord Stanley, is one. inch longer, and the nostrils, and sides of the head, taking in the eyes, black ; beneath, to the breast, the feathers frmged on the margins with whitish, and on the chin much more so, as to appear altogether grey; breast and sides white, transversely barred with narrow black lines, two on each feather; under wing coverts, belly, and vent pure white; tail about half the length of the bird, and somewhat forked, the outer feather being a trifle the longest; the quills reach about three-fifths on the tail; legs black, weaker in proportion than in the Black-faced Crow, yet may probably be a further variety.

45.—W HITE-NAPED CROW.

LENGTH thirteen inches. Bill one inch and a quarter long, stout, strait, except at the end, where it is a trifle curved; nostrils elongated, colour pale blue, with a dusky tip; tongue short, pointed; plumage merely black and white; back part of the neck, lower half of the back and rump, the belly and vent white; on the wing coverts a long, curved, broad, white streak; the tail, which is

48 CROW.

rounded at the end, white for three-fourths of the length from the base; the rest at the end black; the remaining part of the plumage is also black ; legs ash-colour.

Inhabits New South Wales.—In the collection of Mrs. Sherard. Known there by the name of Darrung.—General Davies.

46.—W HITE-CROWNED CROW.

Corvus leucolophus, White-crowned Crow, Lin. Trans. vol. xi. 208. pl. 15.

LENGTH eleven inches and three quarters; size of a Jackdaw. Bill one inch and a quarter Jong from the gape, and black; on each side of the upper mandible four or five black hairs; nostrils small, oval, not covered, but the short feathers of the front turn forwards, and approach very near them; forehead black, passing to the eye, and just surrounding it above, but beneath proceeding as a streak behind it for more than half an inch; the rest of the head, neck, and breast white; feathers of the crown longer than the rest, so as to form a fine crest, and stand nearly upright; the rest of the body, wings, and tail, ferruginous brown, and between the white on the neck and the brown, a band of rufous, surrounding the bird; tail four inches long, even, the feathers rounded at the end ; the quills reach very little beyond the base; legs stout, pale ash-colour; claws large, black, the hind one much larger than the others.

Inhabits India, by the name of Rawil-Khuy, or Rawil-Kuhy. General Hardwicke. By the English is called the Laughing Crow ; they assemble in numbers from twenty to fifty, and make a noise exactly resembling many persons laughing together. This bird is common in the forests between Hurdwar and Sireenagur ; it feeds on the fruits which it there meets with.

cRow. 49

47.—BLUE AND WHITE CROW.

Corvus cyanoleucos, Ind. Orn. Sup. xxv. Blue and white Crow, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. 117,

RATHER smaller than a Magpie. Bill yellow brown, formed somewhat as in the Thrush, with very few bristles at the base, and less stout than in the Crow Tribe; the forehead, chin, and throat white ; breast, and all beneath the same; from behind the eye a streak of white, growing broader as it passes down on each side of the neck, at the bottom of which it bends forward to join the breast; top of the head, all the neck behind, to beyond the middle of the back, deep blue; wings brownish blue, the ends of the quills brown ; the inner half of the wing coverts white, forming a broad streak ; lower part of the back, the rump, and tail white, but the ends of the feathers of the last are deep blackish blue; on the two middle ones to about one-third, occupying less of the feathers as they are more outward; tail rather long, even at the end, and the wings reach to about three-fourths of it; legs brown.

Inhabits New South Wales, there called Karrock, met with in April. It is esteemed a rare species.

48.—_ BLACK AND WHITE CROW.

Corvus melanoleucus, Ind. Orn. Sup. xxv. Black and white Crow, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. 117.

SIZE of the last; length twenty inches. Bill and legs dusky black ; irides bluish; chin, throat, middle of the greater quills, ramp, vent, and middle of all but the two centre tail feathers, white; the rest of the plumage black.

Inhabits New South Wales, chiefly seen in May.

YOu. IE. H

50 CROW.

49.—HOTTENTOT CROW..

Corvus Hottentottus, Ind. Orn.i. 156. Lin.i. 155.. Gm. Lin. i. 364. Bor. Nat. ii. 103. Daud. ii. 234. Thunb. Trav. ii. p. 11. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 351.

Monedula Cap. B. Spei, Bris. ii. 33. t.2. f. 2. Id. 8vo. i, 263. Gerin. ii. 36. t. 148.

Choucas moustache, Buf. iii. 79. Pl. enl. 226.

Hottentot Crow, Gen. Syn. i. 380.

SIZE of a Blackbird ; length eleven inches and a.quarter. Bill black, a little bent, about the nostrils feathers like black. velvet; above them arise some long hairs, above three inches in length, and others shorter, and stiff like bristles, at the corners of the mouth ;, the feathers.on the head, throat, and neck shining black green; those on the upper part of the neck narrow, and longer than the rest, falling over the back, and waving with every motion thereof ;, the rest of: the plumage greenish black, appearing in some lights blue ; legs black.

Inhabits the Cape of Good Hope.—M. Thunberg saw these sitting on the backs of cows at Honingklipp, and picking the ticks from them; they are also accustomed to take the wheat out of the field, immediately after it is sown.

50.—SIX-SHAFTED CROW.

Corvus crinitus, Daud. ii. 253. —— sexsetaceus, Shaw’s Zool. vii. p. 380. Le Sicrin, Levail. Afr. 1. 127. pl. 82.

THIS, in make, shape, and size, resembles the Alpe Crow. . Bill yellow, inclining to erange about: the nostrils; which are not -quite covered \with hairs; -feathers of) the head soft, andvelongated: into a: sort of crest; the plumage in general glossy black, varying: some lights to green on the wings and tail;,over the: eyes, ferruginous,

PL XL.

CROW. 51

bounding the under part of the crest:; ‘from behind the eye on'each side, spring three long, naked shafts, endmg im points, the shortest seven inches in length, thesecond ten inches, and the third so long as to reach seven inches beyond the tail ; these°are> black, but the ends are more or less rufous; legs dusky black.

Inhabits the Cape of Good Hope.—M. Levaillant met with two specimens, but could never find the Hottentot Crow, from all his enquiries.

51.—CRISHNA CROW.—PL. xt.

LENGTH twelve inches and a half. Bill more than one inch Jong, cultrated, highly bent, and notched near the end; tongue edged with bristles ; several black ones project over the nostrils and gape; feathers of the front erect, and from them proceed eight or nine long black bristles, which hang down.on the shoulders ; indes dark brown; the head and neck feathers narrow, and acuminated ; general colour of the plumage black, glossed in parts with green and blue; second and third quills nearly of equal length, the first rather shorter ; tail forked, consisting of ten feathers, bent towards the sides, the outmost six inches long, has a very narrow outer web, and towards the point turned up spirally ; legs black.

This is the Crishna Rai, and Kishen Rai of the Bengalese, and an enemy to the common Crow; is named Crishna after one of the Hindu Deities, who is represented as of a shining black colour, with a crest on his head, having been a great warrior. It is common in the neighbourhood of Calcutta,* and builds among the Bamboos, living in pairs, and feeding on insects; remains there throughout the year.—Mr. Cook, Surgeon, of Sylhet, observes, that it is there called

* And probably in that of the Kristna, a river of Hindustan, if similarity of sound can bear any weight. H 2

o2 CROW.

Bujunga and Caprage, and that it imitates the voice of other birds, though the natives do not allow of it. Mr. C. adds, that in the cold season it visits the high mountains, but returns to the plains of oe at the commencement of the rains.

Among the drawings of the late Sir J. Anstruther, I observed two of these birds, answering to the general description. From the forehead spring twelve or more bristles near three inches long, falling backwards on the shoulders; irides red; in one the neck feathers appear curled, and silky, with a green tinge; but those of the chin and throat have a gloss of blue; hence we may suppose the two glosses to arise from different reflections of light, but the general colour in both black, tinged with green, perhaps arising from sex.

52.— PURPLE-HEADED CROW.

Corvus purpurascens, Ind. Orn.i. 161. Daud. ii. 251. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 368. Purple-headed Crow, Gen. Syn. Sup. p. 83.

BILL lead-colour; nostrils covered with feathers; plumage on the upper parts of the body pale rufous, beneath yellow, inclining to purple on the head; quills and tail black, the last rather long;

legs flesh-colour. Inhabits China.—From the drawings of the late Dr. Fothergill.

53.—MACAO CROW.

Corvus Sinensis, Ind. Orn.i. 161. Daud.ii. 244. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 369. Pie de Macao, Son. Voy. Ind. 1. 187. Macao Crow, Gen. Syn Sup. p. 84. LENGTH fourteen inches and a half. Bill one inch and a quarter, stout, black, rather bent at the pomt; irides yellowish ;

* From the papers of Dr. Buchanan.—The Philippine Shrike is also known at Hindustan, by the name of Bujunga.

CROW. ; 53

whole face, including the eyes, black ; hind part of the head, nape, and neck fine ash-colour; chin, throat, sides of the neck and breast, brown; back the same, growing pale ash-colour towards the rump ; belly and thighs paler ash; vent pale red ; wings black, about the middle an irregular white spot; tail cuneiform, the two middle feathers seven inches long, and ash-coloured; the others black, shortening by degrees, the outer one bemg only four inches and a half; legs black.

Inhabits India: common also about Macao, in China; chatters like a Magpie ; is apt to vary much in plumage.

54.—PLAIN CROW.

LENGTH nine inches. Bill one inch long, a little compressed, with a slight notch at the tip, and a few hairs at the base; nostrils covered with reflected bristles; the crown, and below the eye on each side ash-colour ; body above dusky black brown, towards the rump ash-colour; back and wings rufous brown; beneath dusky white; chin and throat streaked with ash-colour ; tail four inches long, even at the end, and with its coverts ash-colour ; quills dusky with pale edges ; legs black ; the quills reach half way on the tail.

Place and manners unknown.

55.—HUNTING CROW.

LENGTH thirteen mches. Bill strong, upper mandible crooked at the tip; colour orange; at the base, above the gape, fine black bristles ; nostrils covered with reflected feathers ; tongue cleft ; eyelids orange; irides crimson; general colour of the plumage sky-blue, with a tinge of verdigrise on the belly and sides; through each eye

54 cRow.

to the nape a*broad black band’; the feathers of the crown elongated, so.as to form a crest at will; quills dusky, with an obscure, gilded gloss, ‘and a few nextthe body have white tips; lesser wing ‘coverts blue; the larger like the quills ; tail cuneiform, and disposed in two rows; the feathers for two-thirds of the length blue, then: marked with white‘on the inner web, after that black ‘on both \webs, \ with the tips white ; the two middle feathers rather pointed, have no black, but the tips are white hike the rest; legs orange, the hind toe very strong, and armed with a much larger claw than the others. This is the Shirgunge of the Bengalese and Musulmans ; and inhabits the hills of Tipperah and Sylhet. It is said to be capable of instruction, and may be taught to hunt like a Hawk, so as to catch small birds ; besides a kind of chattering like a Jay or Magpie, it has an agree- able note, and will become very tame.

A.—Coracias Sinensis, Ind. Orn.iz 171. Gm. Lin. i. 381. Daud. ii, 265. Galgulus Sinensis, Bris. 1, 77, t.6. f.2. Jd. 8yo.i. 175.

Corvus speciosus, Shaw’s Zool, vii. 364.

Rolle de la Chine, Buf. iii. 1382. Pl. enl. 620,

Chinese Roller, Gen. Syn. iv 414.

Size of a Jay; length eleven inches, breadth fifteen. Bill and irides red; head and upper part of the body green ; through the eyes a black stripe; under part of the body, from chin to vent yellowish white, tinged with green; thighs grey; wing coverts olive brown; quills the same, with a mixture of chestnut in some, and those nearest the body tipped with white; tail five iches long, cuneiform, the two middle feathers the colour of the back, green without, and green- ish white within, after that dusky ; and lastly, greenish white at the tips ;-legs pale red—Such is the description given by Brisson, sup- posing the bird to be a Roller; but as the feathers fully cover the nostrils, and the legs are longer than are usual, added to the great similarity it bears to the Hunting Crow, we cannot but suppose it to be a Variety of that bird.

cROW. 55

56.—BROWN CROW.

LENGTH twelve inches. Bill very stout, yellow, with a notch near the tip of the upper mandible ;, nostrils covered with hairs; and. some longer than the rest ; body above pale brown, with dashes of darker brown or blackish ; breast paler than the parts above, a little mottled ; belly dusky white ; prime quills dusky, on the outer web tawny, to within half an inch of the ends; the inner webs the same, but for a shorter length; the first: quill very short, the third longest-of all; tail six inches and a half long, cuneiform; the outer feathers bemg only three and a half, all of them rounded: at the ends; legs very: stout, black.

I found a specimen of the above in the collection’ of Mr. Lead- beater.

57.—BLUE JAY.

Corvus cristatus, Ind. Orn. i. 158. = Lin. i. 157. Gm. Lin. i. 369. Borowsk. ii. 102. p. 9. A. Bartr. Tr, 286. Daud. ii. 248. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 359. Nat. Misc. pl.313,

Garrulus Canadensis coeruleus, Bris) 11.54. t.4. f.2; Ids 8vowi! 170;

Garrulus Indicus ceeruleus, Robert Ic. pl. 20.

Pica glandaria cristata, Klein. dv.61. Rob. Ic. 1676. t. 14.

Le Geay bleu du Canada, Buf. iii. 120. Pl. enl. 529.

Blue Jay, Gen. Syn.i. 386. Arct. Zool. ii. 138. Catesb.i. t. 15. Edw. pl. 239. Am. Orn.i. pl. 1.

SMALLER than our Jay. Length eleven inches; breadth fifteen inches; weight two ounces and a half. Bill black, and above one inch long; round the base of it black; the hairs covering the nostrils pale blue; through the eyes a black streak, passing to the nape; above this the feathers of the head are full, and may be raised as acrest, whichis blue; from thence the black streak passes forwards to the breast, there forming a crescent; breast blossom-colour ; belly and under tail coverts white; sides of the head and throat bluish

36 CROW.

white; over the eye a spot of the same; neck behind, back, wings, and tail blue; all the feathers of the last, except the two middle ones, tipped with white, and nearly as long as the rest of the bird; both wing and tail feathers elegantly barred with black; greater wing coverts and second quills tipped with white; legs dusky brown.

The female is less bright, and the white at the end of the tail smaller in extent.

Inhabits America, common at New York and New England in April and May; feeding on hazel nuts, chestnuts, &c. breaking the shells with its bill; not seen farther north than Albany; fond of maize, and often seen in flocks of forty or fifty, which alighting ona field of ten or twelve acres, soon lay waste the whole; sometimes eats snails and other vermin; continues in Georgia the whole year, but rarely uniting into flocks, as in the more northern States; hence, although they will attack the tender ears of Indian corn, are much less destructive thereto than the Red-Headed Woodpecker, for they will frequently be satisfied with acorns and berries; the nest is built in the forks of oaks and pines, lined with fibrous roots, thirty feet from the ground or more, but concealed with so much art as to make it difficult to find; the eggs are white.* This bird has a variety of notes, and some musical; will learn to talk; extends to Paraguay; observed to inhabit an extent of country more than seventy degrees from east to west, and more than thirty from north to south.

58.—STELLER’S CROW.

Corvus Stelleri, Ind. Orn.i. 158. Gm. Lin. i. 370. Daud.ii. 248. Shaw's Zool. vii. 365. Pica glandaria ccerulea non cristata, Bartr. Trav. 170? Steller’s Crow, Gen. Syn. i. 387. Id. Sup. ii. 111. Arct. Zool. iu. No. 139.

LENGTH fifteen inches. Bill black, at the gape five or six bristles ; head crested, the crest composed of narrow, brown feathers ;

* Mr. Abbot.—In the Amer. Ornith. they are said to be dull olive spotted with brown.

CROW. 07

the rest of the plumage purplish black, inclining to green on the rump; half the wing coverts brownish black, the others deep blue ; second quills deep blue, crossed with eight or nine black bars, as in the last species; greater quills black, edged with blue green, fore part of the neck and breast dusky; belly and vent pale blue; tail six inches long, cuneiform, blue, the outer feathers shorter by one inch than the middle ones, shafts black; legs black.

Inhabits North America, in the woods of Nootka Sound ;* Steller was the first who noticed this species, being shot there when Bering’s Crew landed upon America. Mr. Bartram met with a bird in the journey between the lower trading house and Rock Point, supposed to be no other than this. He says, it is of an azure blue, no crest on the head, nor so large as the blue Jay of Virginia, but equally clamorous in the clumps and coverts.

59.—CHATTERING CROW.

Corvus Jamaicensis, Ind. Orn.i. 154. Gm. Lin. i. 367. Daud. ii. 230. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 345. Cornix Jamaicensis, Bris. ii. p- 22. Jd. 8vo. i. 160.

Cornix nigra garrula, Raii Syn. 181. Sloan. Jam. 298. Brown Jam. 473, Klein Av.d9. Corneille de la Jamaique, Buf. ii. p. 67. Chattering Crow, Gen. Syn. i. 377.

SIZE of a common Crow. Length eighteen inches. Bill one inch and a half long, black; plumage in general, also the legs, black. Inhabits the north side of the mountains of Jamaica; makes a chattering noise, different from that of the European Crow, and is thought not to be strictly the same bird; it feeds on berries, beetles, &e. and by some esteemed good meat; is probably found in Georgia,

* A Bird, not greatly differing, was met with in New Caledonia, described as a kind of Crow, not half so big; the feathers tinged with blue.—Cook’s Voy. ii. 124, VOL, 111. I

28 CROW.

as Mr. Abbot mentions a Crow seventeen inches long, thirty-one inches and a half broad; the bill one inch and three-quarters long ; and observes, that the wings reach within one inch of the end of the tail. He adds, that it makes great havock in the fields, by pulling up the corn and maize, when they first spring from the ground, some- times in flocks, destroying the green or roasting ears. It also sucks birds eggs, and those of the great Land Tortoise, called Gopher, which are laid in the earth, at the entrance of their dens; is certainly distinct from the Carrion Crow,as Dampier* talks of that, and the Chattering Crow,+ as two distinct species ; both are said to be called, at Brazil, Mackeraw.

60.—DOWNY CROW. Corvus leucognaphalus, Daud. 11.231. Damp. Voy. p. 81.

SIZE and shape of the Chattermg Crow, and the plumage as in that bird, of a full deep black, and furnished with fine white down at the base of the feathers; tail rounded, and reaching but little beyond the wings when closed.

Inhabits Porto Rico. A specimen of one is in the Museum at Paris; it is probably allied to, if not the same as, the last described.

61.—FISH CROW.

Corvus ossifragus, Fish Crow, Amer. Orn. vy. p. 27. pl. 37. f. 2.

THIS is sixteen inches long, and thirty-three in extent of wing ; the upper mandible notched near the tip, and the edges of both

* Voy.3. p.73. + The Ani is also called the Chattering Crow.

CROW. o9

turned inwards about the middle, with large and long recumbent hairs or bristles; irides dark hazel; plumage wholly black, with reflections of steel-blue and purple; the chin bare of feathers round the base of the under mandible; first quill feather little more than half the length; the fourth the longest, which reaches to within two inches of the end of the tail; this last is rounded, seven inches long. Bill and legs black.

Inhabits North America, observed first on the sea coast of Georgia, approaching the shores of the river Savannah by break of day, retiring to the interior as evening cameon. Its food dead fish or other garbage, that floated on the surface of the water, and which it picked up on the wing, by means of the claws; will also perch on the backs of cattle like the magpie; is seen sometimes to pick up small lizards, while they are swimming with their heads above the water ; this sort never mixes with the common Crows, and is supposed, by Mr. Wilson, to be a new and undescribed species; both from the manners and yoice, which is more hoarse and guttural than in the common Crow; seen near Philadelphia, from the middle of March to the beginning of June; they build in tall trees, near the sea or shore, and fromthe circumstance of six or seven being usually seen together in July, it is probable that they have four or five young at a time.

The male and female are much allied to each other.

62:—PERUVIAN JAY.

Corvus Peruvianus, Ind. Orn.i. 161. Gm. Lin. i. 373. Daud. ii. 249. Shaw’s Zool. vil. 363.

Geay de Perou, Buf. iii. 116. PI. enl. 625.

Peruvian Jay, Gen. Syn.i. 391. Nat. Misc. V. 6. pl. 213.

LENGTH eleven inches. Bill dusky; forehead, and a patch on

each jaw, fine blue; back part of the head, from the eye to behind

the neck, whitish ; sides of the neck under the eye, the chin, throat, 12

60 CROW.

and breast black, the feathers appearing like velvet; from thence to the vent yellow ; back, wings, and two middle tail feathers green, the others yellow; shape of the tail cuneiform, pretty long; legs dusky. Inhabits Peru.

63.—PARAGUAN JAY. L’Acahé, Voy. d’Azra, iii. No. 53.

THIS is thirteen inches and a half long. Bill black, strong, and strait, nostrils covered with feathers; the top and sides of the head black, soft, and velvety ; a pale blue patch on the hind head, reaching an inch on the neck ; another over the eye like an eyebrow, a third on the lower eyelid, and a fourth at the base of the under mandible; the top and sides of the head, whole neck, all the upper | parts and tail deep blue, end of the last white; under parts of the body yellow in the male, and whitish in the female; legs black.

M. D’Azara thinks this to be the Peruvian Jay, but M. Sonnini esteems it distinct, and a new species; it certainly differs from that bird in many points, but possibly may be an incomplete specimen.

It is said to be common in Paraguay; comes near habitations, and is often domesticated; the nest is not known, but a pair in confinement produced eggs, which were whitish, inclining to dull blue at the large end, and every where spotted with brown.

64.—YELLOW-BELLIED JAY.

Corvus flavigaster, Ind. Orn.i. 162. Gm. Lin.i. 373. Le Garlu, ou Geay a Ventre jaune, Buf.iii. 119: Pl. enl. 249. Yellow-bellied Jay, Gen. Syn.i. 392. LENGTH nine inches. Bill stout, dusky black ; plumage on the upper parts of the body greenish brown, darker on the head and

CROW. 61

nape; chin white, from thence to vent yellow ; down the middle of the crown a golden yellow streak ; over each eye, from the nostrils, a streak of white; wings and tail reddish brown, margins of the feathers paler; legs slender, short, and lead-coloured.

Inhabits Cayenne. We have hitherto only seen figures of this bird, and it may admit of a doubt, whether it is different from the Brazilian Shrike; for if we compare Nos.213 & 249, of the Pl. enlum. very little difference will appear as to distribution of colours, however essentially they may be from each other mm the bill ; we are certain, from a specimen in our possession of the former, that this part in the PI. enlum. is much exaggerated, nor does the bill in 249, convey any other idea than belonging to the Crow Genus; hence we can only recommend the two birds in question to future investigation.

65.—LESSER MEXICAN CROW.

Corvus Zanoe, Ind. Orn.i. 164. Gm. Lin. i. 375. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 367. Sturnus Zanoe, Daud. ii. 319.

Pica Mexicana minor, Bris.ii. 44. Id. 8vo. i. 167.

Tzanahoei, Rati. 162. Buf. ii. 106.

Lesser Mexican Crow, Gen. Syn. i. 397.

SIZE of a Magpie. Bill black; plumage in general blackish, but the head and neck incline to fulvous ; tail very long; legs black.

Inhabits Mexico, has the manners and cunning of the Magpie, learning to talk like that bird; said to cry like a Starling, from which circumstance, we may suppose, M. Daudin thought fit to place it in that Genus.

62 CROW.

66.—CINEREOUS CROW.

Corvus Canadensis, Ind. Orn. i. 160. Lin.i. 158. Gm. Lin. i. 376. Daud. ii. 250: Shaw’s Zool. vii. 365. Amer. Orn. iii. pl. 21. f. 1.

Garrulus Canadensis fuscus, Bris. ii. 54. t. 4. f.2. Id. 8vo. 1. 170.

Geay brun de Canada, Buf. ini. 117. PI. enl. 530.

Cinereous Crow, Gen. Syn. i. 389. Id. Sup. ii. 112. Arct. Zool. ii. No. 187. Ph. Trans. |xii. 386.

LESS than the Jay, length ten inches and half; breadth fifteen ; weight two ounces and a half. Bill blackish; irides dark hazel ; forehead and throat dirty yellowish white; hind head and sides blackish brown; neck whitish ; upper parts of the body, wings, and tail brown, the last somewhat cuneiform, and tipped with white ; under parts of the body pale ash, lighter coloured on the breast ; legs blackish.

Male and female much alike. The plumage of this species, especially about the head, is very soft, and loose-webbed, and so full, as to prove a very warm covering.

Inhabits Canada, and breeds there early in the spring, chiefly in the pine trees ; laying three or four blue eggs, and the young fly in May ; is not gregarious; feeds on moss, worms, and flesh; mostly seen in pairs throughout the year ; are bold, pilfering birds, stealing from the traveller even salted meat ; devour the baits from the traps set for the Martins; said to lay up stores for the winter, when they approach habitations; do not bear confinement well, nor are the natives desirous of it, as they detest the bird. The natural note said to be like that of the Baltimore Oriole; and like our Jay, it will imitate others, so as to deceive many ; very frequent about Hudson’s Bay, and known there by the name of Whiskiyjohn, and Whiskijack ; seen more often on the ground than on trees; is for the most part solitary, being rare to meet with two or three together.

CROW. 63

67.—CAYENNE JAY.

Corvus Cayanus, Ind. Orn. 1. 160, Lin. 1.157. Gm. Lin. i. 370. Daud. 11.242. Shaw's Zool. vii. 360.

Garrulus Cayanensis, Bris. 11.52. t. 4. f. 1. Id: 8vo.i. 169.

Geay de Cayenne, Buf, iii. 118. Pl. enl. 373.

Cayenne Jay, Gen. Syn. i. 388. Id. Sup.ii. p. 80.

SIZE of our Jay; length thirteen inches. Bill grey, round the base of it, the forehead, cheeks, throat, and lower part of the neck black ; on each side of the head three spots of white; back, wings, and tail violet, with a tinge of ash-colour ; tail rounded, violet, with brown edges, and white tips; the two middle feathers violet brown ; legs grey.

Inhabits Cayenne.—-In Brisson’s figure, the white spots are blended into one, and form a curved patch of white from the eye to the chin on each side; and in a specimen in the Leverian Museum, the whole space in front is black, except a small perpendicular dash of white under the eye.

68.—SURINAM CROW.

Corvus argyropthalmus, Ind. Orn.i. 164. Gm. Lin. i. 369. Jacq. Vog. t.1. Shaw's Zool. vii. 366.

Corvus Surinamensis, Gm. Lin. 1. 375.

Surinam Crow, Gen. Syn.i.897. Id. Sup. 81. Brown Til. t. 10.

SIZE of a Crow. Bill dusky; Head deep brown; at the back of it rich blue, beneath that pale green; under each ear, and on the hind part of the neck, a spot of the same; neck, breast, belly, and wing coverts deep changeable green; prime quills dusky, the ends rich blue; tail dusky ; legs flesh-colour.

64 CROW.

According to Jacquin, the general colour of the plumage is black; irides silvery; above and beneath the eye a blue spot; breast and outer part of the wing, the colour of Prussian blue; tip of the tail white; bill and legs black.

The first mentioned was in the collection of the late Mr. Tunstall ; the latter said to mhabit Carthagena, in South America, and there called Oiseau de Plata; has a monotonous voice, frequents woods, is easily tamed, and often kept in houses.

69.—_CLARK’S CROW.

Corvus Columbianus, Clark’s Crow, Amer. Orn. iii. pl. 20. f. 2.

LENGTH thirteen inches. Bill dark brown; the general colour of the head, neck, and body, light silky drab, darkening almost to a Dove-colour on the breast and belly, vent white; the wings, two middle tail feathers, and inner vanes of the next, except at the tip, black, glossed with steel blue; the second quills except three next the body, white for one inch at the extremities, forming a large bed of white, when the wing is closed; tail rounded, yet the two middle feathers are shorter than those adjoining, all the rest pure white; legs black ; claws hooked, particularly the middle and hinder one; the quills, when closed, reach to the end of the tail.

Said to inhabit the banks of Columbia, and country adjacent, in great numbers ; frequenting the river and sea shore, where it pro- bably feeds on fish. It greatly resembles our Jackdaw, but the claws are formidable, and most likely enable it to strike living animals,

CROW. 65

70.—BLUE-TAILED CROW.

Turdus cyanurus, Ind. Orn.i. 361. Gm. Lin.i. 818. Corvus cyanurus, Shaw’s Zool. vii. 384. pl. 47.

L’Azurin, Buf. iii. 410. Id. iv. 470.

Merle dela Guiane, Pl. enl. 355.

Pitta, Breve, Tem. Man. Ed.ii. Anal. p. lvii.

Blue-tailed Thrush, Gen. Syn. iii. 88. Nat. Mise. pl. 617.

LARGER than a Blackbird. Length eight inches and a half. Bill one inch, brown; top of the head to the nape black; from the nostrils over the eye, an orange band, meeting at the neck behind ; from the gape springs a broad stripe of black, including the eye, and passing on each side of the neck to the back; scapulars and adjoining wing coverts reddish brown; but those next the outer parts and quills are black, except the greater wing coverts, which have white tips, forming an oblique indented band on the wing ; tail only two inches and a half long, cuneiform, blue; all the under parts of the body, from the breast, transversely striped alternate yellow and blue; legs brown.

Inhabits Guiana.

A.—This variety differs a little from the former; the crown is black ; over the eye a yellow streak, changing at the back part into orange ; through the eye abroad black band ; beneath this, from the chin, a broad yellow one passing backwards on the sides of the neck ; upper parts of the body rufous brown; all beneath from the throat pale blue, nearly white; on the sides of the breast several curved orange lines; wings black ; on the outer edge, near the bend, a patch of white, and a few of the second quills have the ends white ;

tail as in the other, blue; legs long, brown. VOL. Ill. K

66 CROW.

B.—In the collection of the late General Davies we observed a further variety; length eight mches. Bill brownish yellow ; crown chestnut, paler over each eye, nearly orange; through the eye black ; chin and throat buff-colour ;‘ across the throat, above the breast, a band of blue black, arising at the nape; plumage above brown; five or six of the outer wing coverts black, with an oblique, longish spot at the tip ofeach, on the outer web; greater quills dusky; tail cuneiform, the two middle feathers brown, the others blue; side coverts blue; legs one inch and a half in length; thighs three- quarters of an inch; colour brown; outer and middle toe connected to the first joint.—It has hitherto been a doubt where to fix this bird, partaking so much of both the Thrush and Crow as to create a difference of opmion among authors. We have now placed it with the Crows, led thereto by the opinion of Dr. Shaw ; in addition to which, M. Temminck prefers making it into a separate Genus, and taking in the short-tailed under the name of Pitta, or Breve.

C.—Mpyiothera affinis, Lin. Trans. xin. p. 154.

THIS is smaller than the last, being no more than seven inches and a half in length; the colour of the plumage above is rufous brown ; beneath the body pale fulvous, with numerous violet bands ; chin pale ; cheeks black ; continued in a broad streak on each side of the neck ; throat divided from the breast by a band of black, terminated posteriorly with blue in the male, and with dusky grey in the female; the upper part of the head in that sex is nearly the colour of the back, and the lateral stripes testaceous chestnut ; on the wings an irregular band of white, formed as in the first described, from the tips of the coverts being of that colour.

Inhabits Java, known there by the name of Punglor.

CROW. 67

71—SHORT-TAILED CROW.

Corvus brachyurus, Ind. Orn. i. 166. Lin.i. 188. Gm, Lin.i. 375. Shaw's Zool. vii. 385. t.48. Nat. Misc. pl. 553.

Merula viridis Moluccensis, Bris. ii. 316. t. 382. f.1. Id. 8vo. i. 246.

Breve de Bengale, Buf. iii. 414. Pl. enl. 258. Tem. Man. Ed. i. Anal. p. lvii.— Pitta.

Short-tailed Crow, Gen. Syn. i. 398.

SIZE of a Blackbird; length seven inches. Buil grey brown, corners of the mouth orange ; irides whitish; head and throat black; over the eye a fulvous stripe; hind part of the neck, the back and scapulars fine green: all beneath fulvous, under the wings black ; lesser wing coverts shining blue green; quills black, on the six first a white spot about the middle; tail not above one inch long, black, tipped with green ; legs dirty red.

Inhabits the Molucca Isles.

A.—Merula viridis atricapilla, Bris. ii. 319. pl. 32. f.2. Id. 8vo.i. 246. Breve des Philippines, Buf. iii. 413. Pl. enl. 89. Gen. Syn.i. 398. A.

This is rather smaller, has the plumage more or less green in parts, but differs in having the whole of the head and neck black ; the under parts not fulyous, but pale green, the lower belly black, with the tips of the feathers rose-colour. Bill and legs brown.

Found with the former.

B.—Coturnix Capenis, Klein. Av. 115.

La Breve, Buf. iii. 413.

Madras Jay, Raii Syn. 195. 12. t. 1. f. 10.

Short-tailed Crow, Gen. Syn. i. 399.37. B. Edw. pl. 324. Nat. Misc. pl. 353.

In this variety the head is net black, but marked merely with

three black stripes, one from the forehead, passing over the crown K 2

68 CROW.

and nape to the back, and one on each corner of the mouth down the sides of the neck; over the eye an orange brown stripe, a white line through the eye, and a second under the black line on the sides of the neck ; plumage on the back and wings green, inclin- ing to blue on the lesser wing and tail coverts ; beneath from chin to vent buff-colour ; towards the vent reddish; quills and tail black ; the former white in the middle, with yellowish or white tips, the latter with green. Bill flesh-colour ; legs reddish yellow.

Inhabits India.—One of these in General Hardwicke’s drawings, met with at Futtehghur, in June, called Norunga; is also found at Ceylon.

C.—Breve de Madagascar, Buf. ii. 414. Merle des Moluques, Pl. enl. 257. Gen. Syn. i. 399. C.

The head in this variety is blackish brown at the top, with a little yellow at the back and sides, bounded by a crescent of black, encircling the neck behind ; also two bands of the same, passing beneath the eyes, and terminating at the corners of the mouth ; breast white and yellow; beneath the body yellow brown; wings asin Var. A. Tail tipped with blue green.

D.—Turdus triostegus, Mus. Carls. fasc. iv. 84. Short-tailed Crow, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. 115. G.

In this bird the head and nape are dull green, with stripes of black, as in Var. B. but that at the angle of the mouth is bifid ; beneath from the chin buff-colour; towards the vent rose-colour ; shoulders blue, also the ends of the tail feathers; on the quills a patch of white as in the others.

M. Thunberg brought this from some of the East India Islands.

cRow. 69

E.—Breve de Malacca, Son. Voy. Ind. 11. 190. t. 110. Short-tailed Crow, Gen. Syn. Sup. p. 81. 37. D.

This varies chiefly in having the head and back part of the neck black ; over the eye a greenish streak, bounded beneath with blue; chin white; fore part of the neck and back green; belly rufous, vent red.

Inhabits Malacca.

F:—Breve de Malabar, Son. Voy. Ind. 1. 191. Gen. Syn. Sup. 82.

This differs principally in having the head and neck black; down the crown a longitudinal rufous stripe; breast pale rufous; belly, thighs, and vent red.

Found on the coast of Malabar.

G.—Short-tailed Crow, Gen. Syn. Sup. p 82. F.

The crown in this variety is rusty-brown ; through the eye, and round the head a streak of black ; under this a collar of white; the upper parts of the body green, the under white; on the middle of the belly a red spot; vent crimson; quills black; tail green, tipped with black ; legs pale red.

Inhabits China—from the drawings of the late Dr. Fothergill.

Independent of the above, we have observed some other dis- tinctions of less note, and therefore not worth discriminating; serving, however, to shew the great variety of this species, all of which are beautiful. Whether they may be more allied to the Thrushes, as some suspect, than to the Crows, is not easily to be determined, as their manners are as yet imperfectly known. In some India drawings one of these is called Gooda.

70

1 Garrulous Roller : 2 Bengal R. A Spotted R. 3 Indian R. 4 Long-tailed R. 5 Senegal R. 6 Abyssinian R. A Var. B Var. 7 Pacific R.

IN this Genus the bill is strait, bending towards the tip, edge

cultrated.

ROLLER.

GENUS XVI.—ROLLER.

8 Oriental R. 9 Specious R. 10 Cape R. 11 Madagascar R. 12 Blue-striped R. 13 Black R. 14 African R.

A Var. 15 Black-headed R. 16 Docile R,

17 Varied R. 18 Striated R: 19 Streaked R. 20 Hairy R. 21 Mexican R. 22 Cayenne R. 23 Piping R. 24 Pied R.

25 Noisy R. 26 Fairy R.

Nostrils narrow, and naked. Legs, for the most part, short. Toes placed three before and one behind, divided to their origin.

1.—GARRULOUS ROLLER.

Coracias Garrula, Ind. Orn.i. 168. Lin. Syst.i. 159. Faun. Suec. No.94. Gm. Lin. i. 878. Seop. Ann.i. No.44. Brun. No.35. Muller. No:94. Bor. Nat.ii. 111. t.10, Daud. ii. 257. Bechst. Deutsch. ii. 472. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 388. +t. 50. Tem. Man. d’Orn: p.78. Id. Ed. ii. p. 126.

Coracias coerulea, Gerin. ii. t. 153: Id. p. 45. t. 164.

Galgulus, Bris.ii. 64. t.5. £.2. Id. 8vo.i. 173. Sch. el. t. 35.

Cornix coerulea Gesneri, Raii Syn. p.49. Will. p, 85.

Pica marina, Raii Syn. p.41. Will. p.89.

Garrulns Argentoratensis, Raii Syn. p.41. 3. Will. 89. t.20. Klein. Av. 62. 7. Id. Stem. t.12. f.3.a.b. Jd. Ov. t. 8. f.1. Frisch. t.57.

Die blaue Rache, oder der gemeine Birkheher, Schmid Vog. p. 46. t. 32.

Nussheer, Mandel Haher, Wirs. Vog. t.5. Gunth. Nest.u. Ey. t. 34.

Mandelkrahe, Naturf. ix. 3.49.

ROLLER. 71

Gazza marine, Zinnan. Uov. 68. t. 10. f. 59.

Rollier, Buf. iii. 135. t.70. Pl. enl. 486.

Roller, Gen. Syn.i. 406. Id. Sup. p.85. Br. Zool. App. pl.2. ‘Id. Ed. 1812.1. p. 300. pl. 38. Edw. pl. 109. Will. Engl. 131. pl. 20. Arct. Zool. ii. 235. G, Bewick. Birds, i. pl. p.85. “Donov. Br. Birds, ii, pl.33. Lewin. Birds, ii. pl. 42. Walcot,i. pl. 41. Orn. Dict.

SIZE of a Jay; length thirteen inches, breadth two feet three inches. Bill black, one inch and a half long, strait, hooked at the point, beset with bristles at the base, but not covering the nostrils ; space about the eyes somewhat bare; irides of two circles, brown and grey; the head, neck, breast, and belly are light bluish green ; back and scapulars reddish brown; coverts, on the ridge of the wing, rich blue, beneath them pale green; upper part and tips of the quills dusky, the lower parts fine deep blue; rump the same; tail forked, light blue; the outer feather tipped with black above, and beneath with deep blue; the same with such parts of the quill feathers as are black above; the other tail feathers are dull green; legs short, and of a dirty yellow. The female has the head, neck, breast, and belly ash-grey, with little gloss, nor in that sex any where so brilliant as the male, which does not come to the complete plumage till the second year.

This bird is sufficiently common in many parts of Europe, in most of which it is migratory. To the northward it is found in Sweden and Denmark; also met with in Russia, but only from the southern parts to the neighbourhood of the Irtish,** and none farther to the east; has a screaming voice, like a Magpie, or Jackdaw; said to build on birch trees, in preference to any others, laying as far as five eggs, of a clear green, sprinkled with innumerable dark specks; will also build in the holes of old oaks ;+ the chief food is insects. In Germany, Malta, and Sicily, these birds are so common, as to be sold in the markets and poulterers shops, for they are accounted good food, the flesh tasting like that of the Turtle; has been called the

* Arct. Zool. + Dec: russ. i. 108.

72 ROLLER.

Strasburg Jay, but for what reason it is not easy to say, since it is very scarce there. Adanson says,* they come to reside for some months of the summer in the south parts of Europe, going back to spend the remainder of the year at Senegal, where they are sometimes seen in flocks, with the Cardinal Sparrows. In its passage from Barbary to Europe, it frequently rests for some time at Gibraltar, though not in great numbers; and in respect to England, it is very rarely seen, not more than two or three ever having been met with. + On the Continent is often found in tilled grounds, with Rooks, and other birds, searching for worms, small seeds, and roots,+ and will sometimes make the nest in holes in the ground ; the nest said to be filthy, from the young evacuating themselves therein, whence it has by some been said to make the nest of excrements. This, perhaps, is the Shagarag of Shaw,§ which he met with in Barbary ; about the size of a Jay; body brown; head, neck, and belly, light green ; wings and tail spotted with blue; and is probably the bird which Russel found at Aleppo. ||

2.—BENGAL ROLLER.

Coracias Bengalensis, Ind. Orn.i: 168. Lin. Syst.i, 159. Gm. Lin.1. 380. — Bor. Nat ii. 112. Daud. ii. 259. Nat. Mise. t.273: Shaw’s Zool. vi. 390.

Galgulas Mindanoensis, Bris. ii. 69. t.6. f.1. Id. 8vo. i. 174.

Rollier de Mindanao, Cuit, Buf. iii. 144. Pl. enl. 285.

Jay from Bengal, Alb.i. pl. 17

Bengal Roller, Gen. Syn. i. 410.

LENGTH twelve inches and a half. Bill blackish; top of the head green, verging to blue near the eyes; hindpart of the neck

* Adans. Voy. + Br. Zool. Once killed in Sussex.—Lin. Trans. p. 14.

+ Also beetles and frogs. —Faun. Suec. § Trav. p. 251.

|| A kind of Jay, beautifully variegated with blue, green, and a sort of brown.—Russel. Alep. p. 70.

ROLLER. 73

fulvous, tinged with violet; back and scapulars the same; with a gloss of green and olive; lower part of the back and rump blue, mixed with green; throat rufouswhite; cheeks and fore part of the neck violet, dashed with bluish white down the shafts; breast rufous, inclining to violet: belly, sides, thighs, under wing and tail coverts blue green ; lesser wing coverts deep blue; the greater outer ones blue grey ; those of the middle blue and green mixed ; the five first quills deep blue ; the middle of the outer webs blue green ; tail even, the two middle feathers dull green, tinged with blue down the shafts ; the rest blue for one-third from the base, then blue green, with blue tips; legs grey.

Inhabits Bengal, and the Isle of Mindanao, where it is called Cuit. It may be suspected, that this is related to the following species, for the reasons therein given.

One of these met with at Mosambique, by Mr. Salt.

A.—Coracias Bengalen sis, Ind. Orn.i. p. 168. 2 var. Rollier tacheté, Daud. Orn. ii. p. 258. Spotted Roller, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. 120, var.

Size of the Common Roller; length thirteeninches. Bill black; head rufous, with a whitish mixture in the face; general colour of the plumage rufous, tinged with dirty green on the back, and inclining to red beneath, marked with a longitudinal white stripe on each feather; wings dull, pale green; quills sky-blue; tail rufous brown, pretty long, and the feathers of equal lengths; legs dusky.

A specimen of this bird is in the Museum at Paris, brought trom Senegal by M. Geoffroy de Villeneuve. It has been also killed in Caffraria, by M. Levaillant. It is probably a young bird of the Bengal Roller.

VOL. Itt. L

74. ROLLER. .

3.—LONG-TAILED ROLLER.

Coracias caudata, Ind. Orn. i. 169. Lin. Syst.i. 160. Gm. Lin.i. 380. Bor. Nat. ii. 112. Daud. ii. 260.

Coracias Angolensis, Shaw’s Zool. vii. 394. t. 51.

Galgulus Angolensis, Bris.1. 72. pl. 7. f.1. Id. Svo.i. 174.

Rollier d’Angola, Buf. ii. 144. Pl. enl. 88.

Long-tailed Roller, Gen. Syn.i. 409.

LENGTH fifteen inches and a half. Bill blackish; hindhead and neck green; back and scapulars fulvous, glossed with green ; wing coverts, lower part of the back, and rump fine blue; throat, neck before, and breast violet, the feathers on the two first marked with a streak of white down the shafts; belly, sides, thighs, under wing, and tail coverts sea-green; quills the same for half the length, the remainder deep blue on the outer webs; shafts and imner webs black; tail feathers even at the end, except the outmost, which is twice the length of the others; the two middle ones are deep green ; the others blue-green, and the outer one, as far as it is longer than the rest, deep blue; legs grey.

Inhabits Angola, m Africa, and probably differs from the last only in sex, m bemg a young male, which does not gain the elongated outer tail feathers till the second year.

4.—INDIAN ROLLER.

Coracias Indica, Ind. Orn.i. 170. Lin. i. 159. Gm. Lin. i. 378. Daud. ii. 262. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 390.

Blue Jay from the East Indies, Edw. pl. 326.

Indian Roller, Gen. Syn.i. 412.

LENGTH eleven inches. Bill black; crown of the head blue green; throat, neck, breast, and back reddish brown; sides of the

ROLLER. 79

head and throat darkest, streaked with white; rump, tail, and under parts, from the breast, fine blue; tail even, the two middle feathers green, the outer ones blue at the bottom and tips, and sea-green in the middle; wings green and blue.

Inhabits Ceylon, and various parts of India; not unfrequent on the Coast of Coromandel. Seems to be greatly allied to the Bengal Roller, if not the same bird.

A.—This measures also eleven inches. Crown of the head furnished with loose feathers of a fine light verditer green; the rest of the head and neck deep blue black; those of the chin and sides narrow, and pale blue; back and second quills deep green; wing coverts and outer part of the wing deep blue; quills dusky, edged with blue; under parts of the body blue; rump the same, but brillant; tail three inches long, the two middle feathers deep blue black, the outer ones more or less paler blue; legs stout, short, and yellow-brown; claws black.

This, in many points, agrees with the last description, but appears to be a stouter bird.

5.—_SENEGAL ROLLER.

Coracias Senegala, Ind. Orn.i. 169. Gm. Lin. i. 379. Daud, ii. 261. —albifrons, Shaw’s Zool. vii. 392.

Roller du Senegal, Buf. iii. 143. PI. enl. 326.

Swallow-tailed Indian Roller, Edw. pl. 327.

Senegal Roller, Gen. Syn.i. 408.

LESS than a Jay. Bill black; the whole face, as far as the eyes, white; head, neck, and under parts of the body, upper parts of the wings and tail bluish sea-green; shoulders and quills deep blue; the outer feathers exceed the others im length, as in the last described.

Inhabits Senegal.

76 ROLLER.

6.—ABYSSINIAN ROLLER.

Coracias Abyssinica, Ind. Orn.i. 169. Gm. Lin.i. 379. Daud. ii. 260. ——-— albifrons, Shaw’s Zool. vii. 392.

Rollier d’Abyssinie, Buf iii. 143. Pl. enl. 626.

Sheregrig, Bruce’s Trav. App. pl. in p. 182.

Abyssinian Roller, Gen. Syn.i. 404.

LENGTH eighteen inches. Head, to beyond the eyes, white; the rest of the head, neck, and wing coverts, fine green; shoulders, quills, and rump blue; back, and second quills orange brown; tail asin the last described, and the general colours of the bird very. brilhant.

TInhabits Abyssinia, and seems to vary but little from the Senegal Species, and perhaps not sufficiently distinct from the two preceding. Mr. Bruce calls this Sheregrig, and the Senegal one is named Shagarag, which appears to be the Barbary name for Rollers in general, therefore ought not to be appropriated to one species.

A.—Length, to the end of the shorter tail feathers, eight inches, but to that of the exterior ones three inches and a half more. Bill dusky , head, neck, and breast pale ferruginous, or testaceous brown, with paler streaks; back black, or very dark brown ; from the breast, all the under parts and thighs fine blue; wing coverts the same, but black down the middle; the middle of the wing pale blue; quills deep blue, within black, the outer margins more or less pale blue ; tail pale blue, the feathers two inches and a half in length, except the outmost on each side, which is three inches longer; legs dusky yellow. From the drawings of Mr. Woodford.

B.— One, similar to this, in the collection of General Davies, had the head and neck, to the breast, pale greenish grey, the feathers

ROLLER. 77

appearing streaked; back deep brown; wing coverts fine deep blue; on the middle of the wing a pale blue, irregular patch ; rest of the quills deep blue, changing to black near the ends; under parts from the breast deep blue; tail bluish sea-green, with two elongated outside feathers, as in the last described; bill black, with a band of black passing through the eyes, and ending in a point behind; legs stout, black.

7.—PACIFIC ROLLER.

Coracias pacifica, Ind. Orn. Sup: p: xxvul. Pacific Roller, Gen. Syn. Sup.ii. 371.

LENGTH nine inches. Bill and legs red; head and neck chestnut; down the middle of the chin and throat black, bounded on each side with a line of white; the lower part of the neck, from the chestnut, changes to green, and from thence all beneath paler green ; wings fine blue; base of the quills white, forming a spot when expanded ; rump, and upper tail coverts, green; the tail, and ends of the quills, dusky blue black.

Inhabits Port Jackson, in New South Wales.

8.—ORIENTAL ROLLER.

Coracias Orientalis, Ind. Orn.i. 170. -Lin.i. 159. Gm. Lin: i. 379. Daud.ii. 261. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 403.

Galgulus Indicus, Bris.ii. 75. t.7. f.2. Id. 8vo.i. 175.

Colaris Orientalis, Lin. Trans. xiii: p. 162.

Rollier des Indes, Buf. iii. 147. Pl. enl. 619.

Colaris, Rolle, Tem. Man. Anal. p. liii.

Oriental Roller, Gen. Syn.i. 411. Nat. Misc. pl. 509.

SIZE of a Jay; length ten inches and a half, breadth twenty-two. Bill pale yellow, broad at the base, and more hooked than in any of

78 ROLLER.

the Genus; head, and neck behind, brown; back, rump, scapulars, wing and tail coverts, green brown; throat fine blue, down the shaft of each feather a pale line; rest of the under parts blue green; quills mixed blue and black, on the middle a pale blue spot; wings longer than usual, reaching almost to the end of the tail, which is short, and even at the end; the two middle feathers green at the base, the rest of the length black, the others first blue, then green, with black ends; legs yellowish; claws black,

Inhabits the East Indies. One of these, said to be a female, measured twelve inches in length. Bill and legs red; plumage in general brownish blue ; top of the head nearly brown ; middle of the chin deep blue, shafts of the feathers pale; wings, except the coverts, blue green; quills dusky, on the middle of the six outer a patch of glowing, pale, greenish blue; tail even, four inches anda half long, the base half dull blue, the rest dusky to the tip.

9.—SPECIOUS ROLLER.

AMONG the drawings of Mr. Woodford is a Roller, which I cannot exactly liken to any other. The bill black ; crown of the head, and nape, pale dull green, streaked with brown; chin, throat, and sides under the eyes, streaked yellowish, rufous, and brown; back and scapulars rufous brown; rump heary blue green; breast rufous, from thence, to the vent and thighs, pale green; shoulders of the wings fine blue, the rest of the coverts mixed pale blue, the immer green; beyond this again deep blue; quills deep blue, but several of the outer ones pale on the outer margins in the middle; the tail three inches in length, nearly even, the two middle feathers pale brown, the others deep blue, crossed about the middle with a broad bar of pale blue green; legs rufous yellow.

ROLLER. 79

A second of these answered to the same description, with the

addition of two elongated feathers of double the length of the others, and these are green. How far the above birds have connexion with other long-tailed Rollers, 1 am at a loss to determine, but certainly they do not exactly coincide with any. In the wings and outer tail feathers they are most like the Bengal Species.

10.—CAPE ROLLER,

Coracias Caffra, Ind. Orn.i. 170. Lin. i. 159. Gm: Lin.i. 379. Daud. 11. 262. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 398. Cape Roller, Gen. Syn.1. 412.

THIS bird is said to be blue, with the outer edges of the quills

luteous. The female of a bluish black.

This very slight description, given by Linnzus, informs us in

addition, that the bird mhabits Ethiopia.

11.—MADAGASCAR ROLLER.

Coracias Madagascariensis, Ind. Orn.1. 170. Gm. Lin.i. 379. Daud. ii. 263. Shaw's Zool. vii. 404.

Rollier de Madagascar, Buf.ii. 148. Pl. enl. 501.

Colaris, Rolle, Tem. Man. Anal. p. li. i

Madagascar Roller, Gen. Syn.i. 413.

SIZE of the common Roller; length ten inches. Bill stout at

the base, rather short, and yellow ; plumage im general rusty, purplish brown; rump and vent blue green; quills deep blue above, and blue green beneath, inner webs black; tail blue green, near the end a purplish band, the tip blue-black ; legs reddish brown.

Inhabits Madagascar.

80 ROLLER.

12.—BLUE-STRIPED ROLLER.—PL. x11.

Coracias striata, Ind. Orn.i. 171. Gm. Lin.i. 381. Daud. i. 264. Shaw’s Zool. vil. 396. Blue-striped Roller, Gen. Syn. i. 414. pl. xvi.

LENGTH eight inches. Bill three quarters of an inch long, bent at the tip, and black ; irides red; general colour of the plumage deep blue-black, dashed with streaks of greenish blue; the tail and _ legs black.

The female is cinereous grey; crown of the head darkest; wing coverts and quills black, edged with cinereous, but not streaked with blue; tail plam grey ; legs black.

This we believe to be an exceedingly scarce species. ‘The figures were supplied to us by Sir Joseph Banks’s drawings, taken from specimens met with at New Caledonia, in the South Seas, by Dr. J.

R. Forster. We have never seen more than a single, mutilated specimen of the male.

13.—BLACK ROLLER.

Coracias nigra, Ind. Orn. i. 172. Daud. ii. 266. Shaw's Zool. vii. 396. Black Roller, Gen. Syn. Sup. p. 85.

LENGTH sixteen inches. Bill one inch and a quarter, strong, curved at the point; nostrils at the fore part of a depression, not far from the base, and covered with a membrane; colour of the bill brownish horn; general colour of the plumage glossy black ; the outer quill half the length of the adjoining ; tail cuneiform, the two middle feathers six inches long, the outer four and three quarters, the feathers rounded at the ends; legs deep blackish brown, the feathers hang over the joint, and are short and scaly; the middle toe very long, and the claw larger than the others.

PI

MEE.

y Lis srified: Lie

ROLLER. 81

One of these was preserved in spirits in the British Museum, but the place from whence it was brought not mentioned. We have seen a second, in the possession of Mr. Comyns, of Dawlish, which came from Ceylon.

14.—-AFRICAN ROLLER.

Coracias Afra, Ind. Orn.i. 172. Daud. ii. 267. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 405. Wat. Misc. pl. 401. African Roller, Gen. Syn. Sup. p. 86.

LENGTH eight inches and a half. Bill stout, yellow, bent at the tip ; plumage on the upper parts pale cinnamon, ‘beneath paler, inclining to lilac; vent, and under tail coverts pale blue green; quills deep blue; the ends of the two middle tail feathers black, the others blue green, tipped with black; legs brown.

Inhabits Africa. Described from a specimen in the British Museum; it seems a stout bird in respect to the length.

A.—Length eleven inches and a half. Bill stout, one inch and three quarters long, black, with a conspicuous hook at the tip, inside yellow ; upper parts of the head, back, and inner wing coverts fine cinnamon-colour, inclining to brown on the back; feathers of the crown elongated ; under parts of the body the same as the upper, but paler, streaked on the chin, throat, and breast, with dusky white ; outer wing coverts, and the rest of the wing deep blue, the colour paler at the base, and the inner webs of the feathers black ; tail near six inches in length, marked as the quills, but the two middle feathers are dusky, with a greenish cast; legs yellow, strong; claws black.

Inhabits Abyssinia.—Mr. Salt.

VOL. Il. M

82 ROLLER.

15.—BLACK-HEADED ROLLER.

Coracias melanocephala, Ind. Orn.i. 170. Daud. ii. 267. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 397. Black-headed Roller, Gen. Syn. Sup. p. 86.

SIZE of a Jay. Bill red; head and neck black; hindhead greyish; upper parts of the body bluish purple, the under white; quills brown; the two middle tail feathers blue, the rest purplish, all of them tipped with white ; legs red.

Supposed to inhabit China.—Described from drawings made in that country.

16.—DOCILE ROLLER.

Coracias docilis, Ind. Orn. i. 172. S. G. Gmel. It. iii. 378. t. 42. Daud. ii. 266. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 403. Docile Roller, Gen, Syn. Sup.ii. 120.

SIZE of a Jackdaw. Bill yellow, rather bent, feathered on the sides, and the under part covered with white feathers at the base ; eyes black, round them dull grey, behind and beneath whitish, with a slight mixture of red; the upper parts of the head, neck, and breast, much the same; belly and vent chestnut brown; the nine first quills half white, half black, the rest wholly black; tail black, with the tip white.

Tnhabits Persia; and, according to Gmelin, has obtained its name from imitating the words and actions of those around, such as crying, laughing, and the like.

ROLLER. 83

17—VARIED ROLLER.

LENGTH thirteen inches. Bill stout, one inch and a quarter Jong, greenish yellow; irides red-brown; nostrils visible; plumage parrot green beneath, sides of the neck paler, inclmed to brown, and each feather marked with a slender white streak down the shaft, swelling in the middle; vent plain; second wing coverts and quills marked with a small white spot at the tips, and the latter with three or four spots of white down the shafts; greater quills brown, edged with green; tail four inches and a half long, even at the end, all but the two middle feathers tipped with a white spot; legs stout, lead-colour; claws hooked and large. Said to be a male bird.

Inhabits New-Holland.—General Davies.

Another specimen in the collection of Mr. Harrison; it is also in the Linnean Museum.

18.—STRIATED ROLLER.

Coracias sagittata, Ind. Orn. Sup. xxvi. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 400. Striated Roller, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. 122.

LENGTH twelve inches. Bill, from the gape, one inch and a quarter, stout, red brown; head, neck, back, rump, and lesser wing coverts green, the shafts of the feathers dark, appearing as lines; on the chin and throat a mixture of ash-colour; breast and under parts dusky white, marked with black streaks, broader and bifid beneath, appearing like the barbs of arrows; under wing coverts and sides tinged with yellow green; greater wing coverts and quills dark within, and ash-coloured on the outer web, each marked at the

tip with white; tail of twelve feathers, even, four inches and a half M 2

84 ROLLER.

long, all but the two middle marked at the tips with a large oval white spot on the inner, and just tipped with the same on the outer web, deepest on the outer feathers; the legs stout, short, brown; claws hooked. | TInhabits New South Wales. In a drawing of this bird the tongue appears to be bristly at the end, not unlike that of the Honey-eater.

19.—STREAKED ROLLER.

LENGTH eleven inches and a half. Bill stout, brown, with a slight notch on the upper mandible, at the tip; plumage above olive brown, inclining to green on the rump; all the feathers streaked down the middle with dusky; from the bill a mottled paler streak, passing over the eye, and surrounding the hindhead as a wreath, but not eminently conspicuous; under parts, from the chin, white, with dusky streaks, most numerous on the breast; vent white; wings brown, the feathers edged with tawny; under wing coverts mixed pale tawny; tail four inches and a half long, even, brown, all but the two middle feathers marked with a large oval white spot on the inner web at the end, and just tipped with the same on the outer ; legs stout.

Another, supposed to be a female, wanted the tawny edges of the coverts, and the wreath round the head less conspicuous.

Inhabits New-Holland ; has some things m common with the Striated Roller, and might pass for a young bird, or differing in sex, but the feathers of the tail in this have the ends pointed, and more narrow than in the Striated, which has the tail feathers in general broader, yet the white ends in both are precisely the same, and therefore gives a suspicion of their being allied to each other.

From the collection of Lord Stanley.

ROLLER, 85

20.—HAIRY ROLLER.

Coracias pilosa, Ind. Orn. Sup. xxvii. — crinita, Shaw’s Zool. vii. 401. Hairy Roller, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii: 122.

THE bill and legs in this bird are dusky blue; neck, breast, and belly testaceous brown, streaked with white, the feathers rather loose and elongated; over the eye a streak of white, and through it a darker one; back and wing coverts green brown, edged with blue, and changeable purple; quills deep blue; upper tail coverts pale blue; tail long, even at the end, and the same colour as the quills, which, when closed, reach to about one-fourth of the length.

Taken from the drawings of Mr. Woodford.

21—MEXICAN ROLLER.

Coracias Mexicana, Ind. Orn.i. 171. Gm. Lin.i. 381. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 399. Galgulus Mexicanus, Bris. ii. 83. Id. 8vo.i. 177.

Merula Mexicana, Seba.i. 101. t.64.5. Klein. Av. 62. 5.

Mexican Roller, Gen. Syn. i. 413.

THIS is much larger than the Missel Thrush. Upper parts of the body dingy rufous grey; the under parts and wings light grey, mixed with flame-colour.

Inhabits Mexico.

22.—CAYENNE ROLLER.

Coracias Cayana, Ind. Orn.i. 172. Gm, Lin. 1. 381. Daud. ii. 265. Shaw's Zool. vii. 400.

Grivert, ou Rolle de Cayenne, Buf. iii. 134. Pl. enl. 616.

Cayenne Roller, Gen. Syn.i. 415.

LENGTH nine inches. Bill strong, reddish, a little bent at the point; general colour of the plumage brownish green; over the eye

86 ROLLER.

a white streak ; chin white; bounded on each side with black; fore part of the neck and breast dirty white, or pale ash-colour ; tail cuneiform, the edges of the feathers greenish; legs longer than usual in the Roller, pale grey.

Inhabits Cayenne; approaches greatly to the Crow Genus.

23.—PIPING ROLLER.

Coracias Tibicen, Ind. Orn. Sup. xxvii. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 405. Cassican, Tem. Man. Ed.u. Anal. p. li. Piping Roller, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. 122.

LENGTH eighteen or nmeteen inches. Bill bluish white, two inches or more in length, strait, except at the end of the upper mandible, which is bent; tip black, with a very slight notch near the point; general colour of the plumage deep black, but the nape, wing coverts, some of the greater quills at the base, rump, vent, and base of all the tail feathers, for two-thirds of the length, are white ; the remainder of the tail is black, as is the whole of the outer feather on the outer web; legs dusky slate-colour. In some specimens those parts are cinereous grey which are white in others.

Inhabits New South Wales, by the name of ‘Tarra-war-nang. It has a soft note, not unlike the sound of a well-toned flute; preys

often on small birds.

24.-PIED ROLLER.

Coracias varia, Ind. Orn. i. 173. Gm. Lin.i. 381. Nat. Misc. 781. Gracula varia, Shaw’s Zool. vii. 464.

Cassican de la nouvelle Guinée, Buf. vii. 137. t.7. Pl. enl. 628. Barita, Cassican, Tem. Man. Ed.ii. p.hi.

Pied Roller, Gen. Syn. i. 415.

LENGTH thirteen inches. Bill two inches and a half, bluish, with a dark tip; head, neck, and upper part of the back, black; the

ROLLER. 87

rest of the back, rump, and upper tail coverts, breast, and vent, white, inclining to blue on the breast; wing coverts black and white mixed; some of the secondaries black, some white; greater quills - black; tail five inches long, even at the end, and black; all but the two middle feathers tipped with white; legs lead-colour ; claws stout, sharp, and black.

Supposed to inhabit New Guinea; seems of a doubtful Genus, between the Oriole, Toucan, and Roller, yet strictly belonging to neither. We have, however, placed it in that of the last named, till its character and manners may be better known.

25.—NOISY ROLLER.

Coracias strepera, Ind. Orn.i. 173.

Gracula strepera, Shaw’s Zool. vii. 462.

Cassican, Tem. Man. Ed. ii. Anal. p. li:

Reveilleur de Isle de Norfolk, Daud. ii. 267.

Corvus graculinus, White-vented Crow, White's Bot. Bay, t. p. 25. Noisy Roller, Gen. Syn Sup. ii. 121.

LENGTH nineteen inches; larger than a Jackdaw. Bill two inches and three quarters long, curved at the point, with a slight notch at the very tip, colour black ; nostrils elongated ; irides orange; general colour of the plumage black, the feathers about the head short and stiff; the first quill feather is half the length of the fifth, which is the longest of all; the first six are white at. the base, producing, when closed, a white patch on the wing; vent, and base of all the tail feathers white; tail eight inches long, even at:the.end, the feathers pointed at the tips, and marked on the innerwebs, with white, but the two middle ones are wholly black; the wings, when closed, reach more than half way on the tail; legs strong, feathered rather below the heel; hind toe very large and strong.

88 ROLLER.

Inhabits Norfolk Island ; very clamorous, especially in the night; and called by our sailors a Magpie, perhaps on account of the colour, added to the similarity of voice. It is a very foolish bird, running after every person, and suffering itself to be knocked down with a stick ; most frequent in June. M.Temminck unites the three last described and our Blue-green Paradise Bird into one Genus, by the name of Cassican.

26.—FAIRY ROLLER.

Coracias Puella, Ind. Orn.i. 171. Daud. ii. 264. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 998.

Irena Puella, Lin. Trans. xiii. p. 153. Horsf. Zool. Res. No.1. pl. of male and female. Id. Plate of Bills. K. a.b.

Fairy Roller, Gen. Syn. Sup. p. 87.

SIZE of a Jackdaw. Bill stout, black, rather broad at the base, and a little curved at the point, at the base a few hairs; head, sides, front of the neck, and all beneath black, belly dusky; nape, neck behind to the beginning of the back, and Jesser wing coverts fine splendid blue; middle of the back, and the rest of the wing black, with three or four spots of blue at the base of the quills; lower part of the back, rump, and vent fine blue; tail dusky blue; legs lead- colour; the wings reach just beyond the base of the tail.

- Inhabits India, and there called the Blue Fairy Bird. In various drawings from that part, I observe that the blue differs considerably in shade, being in some much paler, and the tail blue-black, the blue upper coverts reaching to at least half the length of it. At Chittygong it is known by the name of Nealumpurry, and in some other places is called Ootrool. In one of the drawings of Lord Mountnorris’s Collection, it is said to have been met with at Malacca ; it also is found in Java, and there called Bressi, but is very rare, and does not exceed nine inches and a half in length; found also in Sumatra, under the name of Biang-kapoor ; is seen likewise in the adjacent Islands.

ROLLER. 89

In Dr. Horsfield’s figures the tail of the male is full black; the plumage of the female chiefly of a dull blue, in some lights havmg an obscure reflection of sea-green; greater quills brown; the lesser and the greater coverts the same, edged outwardly with dull blue; wings and tail both brown beneath. Is said to mhabit woods and forests, feeding on fruits and wild grains, concealing itself on solitary- hills, distant from habitations, preferrmg rather elevated and cool situations. It is a most beautiful species.

VOL, It. N

90 ORIOLE.

GENUS XVII.—ORIOLE.

1 Black and yellow 19 Red-winged 41 Fork-tailed A Black and yellow Daw || 20 White-headed 42 Whistler 2 Red-rumped A Var. | 43 Red-breasted A Brown Cassique B Hudsonian A Guiana 3 Crested 21 Para B Bengal A Var. 22 Black-crowned 44 Rusty-crowned 4 Red-billed 23 Olive 45 Rufous-winged 5 New-Holland | 24 Blue || 46 Yellow-throated 6 Southern | 25 Crimson-billed | 47. Sharp-tailed 7 Ruff-necked | 26 Icteric | 48 Aoonalashkan 8 Rice , 27 Baltimore 49 Red A Hudsonian Thrush A Spurious | 50 Antiguan yellow B New-York Thrush | 28 Weever ; 51 Kink C Labrador Thrush 29 Bonana 52 Golden 9 Cowpen 30 Hang-nest | A Mango A Brown-headed Stare | 31 Chestnut and black || 53 Yellow B Lesser black | 32 Lesser Bonana || 54 Black-cheeked 10 Cayenne Olive || 33 Least Bonana | A Var. 11 Chestnut | 34 St. Domingo B Yellow Thrush 12 Carthagena || 35 Jamacaii C Var. 13 Red-headed 36 Yellow-winged || 95 Cochinchina 14 Mexican 37 Gold-headed || 56 Indian A New Spain | 38 White-winged | 57 Black-headed 15 Ring-tailed 39 Yellow-headed || 58 Mottled 16 Brasilian Ay Var: 59 Nun 17 Japacani 40 Schomburger | 60 Striped-headed 18 Grey | A Spotted Troupiale | 61 Yellow-backed

THE Oriole has a strait, conic, sharp-pointed bill, the edges cultrated, inclining inwards, both mandibles equal.

Nostrils small, at the base of the bill, partly covered.

Tongue divided at the end.

Toes three before and one behind, the middle one united to the outer near the base.

ORIOLE. 91

These birds are for the most part mhabitants of America; are a noisy, gregarious, frugivorous, granivorous, and voracious race, very numerous, and often have pensile nests.

Several are comprised in this Genus as Orioles, although mhabit- ing the Old Continent, from the similarity of bill, &c. and some from New-Holland, which, in our opinion, could not well be brought under any other Genus.

The Golden Oriole, with all its branchings, is well known to inhabit only the Old Contment, and although called by some authors a Thrush, by others a Grakle, and agam supposed to approach to the Chatterer as well as the Oriole, it might seem doubtful where to place it. In this case, the manners will assist in forming a situa- tion ; and its making a pensile nest like other Orioles, determined our predecessor, Linnzeus, to add it to that Genus, and we of course

cannot do better than to follow the opimon of so distinguished a naturalist.

1.—BLACK AND YELLOW ORIOLE.

Oriolus Persicus, Ind. Orn.i. 173. Lin.i. 161. Gm. Lin. i. 388. Borowsck. i. 117. Daud. ii. 827. pl. 24. Onolus Cassicus, Shaw’s Zool. vii. 413.

Tanagra albirostris, Ind. Orn.i. 430. Lin. i. 315, 12 & 18. Mus. Adolp. ii. 31. Gm. Lin. i. 894.

Cassicus luteus, Bris. ii. 100 t. 9. f. 1. Id. 8vo.i. 183.

Pica Persica Aldr, Rati 424. Will. p. 90.

Jupujuba, Raz 46. Will. 98. t. 23. Id. Engl.142. Spalowsck. Vog. ii. t. 18. L’Yapu noir et jaune, Voy. d’ Azara. ii. No. 59.

Le Cassique jaune, Buf. iii. 235. PI. enl. 184.

White-billed Tanager, Gen. Syn. iii. 241.

Black and yellow Oriole, Gen. Syn.iii. 418.. Id. A. 419.

LARGER than a Blackbird ; length eleven or twelve inches ;

extent of wings seventeen inches. Bill sixteen lines long, pale N2

92 ORIOLE.

yellow ; irides blue; the plumage consists of two colours only, the greater part full black, but on the middle of the wing is a large patch of golden yellow; the lower part of the back, rump, belly, and vent also yellow ; and the tail, for three-fourths of the length, of the same fine yellow, the rest black ; thighs yellow, in some black ; legs blaek.

Inhabits Brazil and Cayenne, and other warm parts of America, as far as Paraguay, and makes a most curious nest, in the shape of an Alembic, about one foot and half m length, composed of dried grass, and a substance like hair,* or what appears to be so: the bottom for one foot upwards is hollow like a purse, the remainder or upper part, for half a foot being solid ; and it hangs by the top, on the extremity of a branch of a tree; often built near houses ; and one tree has been known to contain above 400 nests; the bird said not unfrequently to bring up three broods in a year.

A.—Black and yellow Daw of Brazil, Edw. pl. 319. Gen. Syn. i. 419. B.

This seems a trifle bigger; has a purplish lustre in the black of the plumage, and some of the yellow feathers, which compose the

spot on the wings, tipped with black. One of these in the collection of Mr. Mc. Leay, was named

Assewaka; the feathers had a musky, castor-like, smell.

* Probably the Tillandsia usneoides, which may easily be mistaken for horse-hair. The bird may perhaps be the Petite Pe of Fermini, but his description merely is, that the colours are prettily diversified, and yellow from the middle of the back to the rmnmp. He adds, that it easily learns to talk a number of words; makes the nest on the tops of high trees; lays six or eight eggs, spotted with black, living on insects, and small birds, also their eggs; advances by hopping, and always flirts up the tail; is bold enough to attack birds of prey, as well as leverets, and other such game.—Descrip. de Surin. ii. p. 167.

ORIOLE. 93

2.—RED-RUMPED ORIOLE.

Oriolus hemorrhous, Ind. Orn.i. 174. Lin. i. 161. Lin. Gm.i. 387. Shaw's Zool. vil. 417. Nat. Misc. pl. 365.

Cassicus ruber, Bris. ii. 98. t. 8. f. 2. Jd. 8vo.i. 183. Daud. ii. 328.

Cassique rouge, Buf. ii. 238. Pl. enl. 482.

Red-rumped Oriole, Gen. Syn. ii. 420.

LENGTH eleven inches. Bill sulphur-coloured, thick at the base, and passing far back into the forehead, where it is rounded, and bare of feathers; plumage chiefly black, with a greenish gloss ; the lower part of the back, rump, upper and under tail coverts* fine glowing crimson ; wings and tail dusky black ; and the quills, when the wing is closed, reach almost to the end of the latter; legs black.

Inhabits Brazil and Cayenne, and called Cassique ; said to have the same manners as the former, making the same kind of nest, and building it promiscuously with that bird; hence, has been by some esteemed only as a Variety, but of this we are not competent to judge.

At Berbice it is known by the name of Jabbani; about Brazil it is called Guasch.

A.—Cassique brun, Orn. de Salerne 112. Gen. Syn. ii. 420. A.

Tn this the whole body is black brown ; rump and upper part of the tail the colour of wine lees ; under tail coverts light yellow.

This is found at Guiana, and known by the name of Quiacagou. Said to frequent shady places, near water, and to scream like a Jay.

* One in the collection of Mr. Francillon, had the under tail coverts black, not red.

94 ORIOLE.

3.—CRESTED ORIOLE.

Oriolus cristatus, Ind. Orn.i. 174. Gm. Lin. i. 887. Daud. ii. 326. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 414.

Xanthornus maximus, Pall. Spic.vi. 3. t. 1.

L’Yapu proprement dit, Voy. d’ Azara, ii. No. 57.

Troupiale, Tem. Man. Ed. ii. Anal. p. liv.

Cassique huppé de Cayenne, Buf. iii. 241. Pl. enl. 344.

Crested Oriole, Gen. Syn. ii. 421.

SIZE of a Magpie; length eighteen inches and a half. Bill strong, two inches long, dirty yellow, bare, somewhat gibbous, and rounded at the base; nostrils in a furrow; tongue jagged ; irides blue; head crested; head, neck, and body, to the middle, black; beyond this, the rump, and vent, deep chestnut; wings black ; tail eight inches long, the two middle feathers brownish black, and seven-eighths of an inch shorter than the next on each side, but the shape is cuneiform, for the outer one is only five inches and a half long; all but the two middle feathers are yellow ; legs black.

Inhabits Cayenne, and other warmer parts of America. One, in the collection of Mr. M‘Leay, received from Berbice, was called Boeke roe roe. The female is crested as well as the male; it lives equally on fruits and insects, but particularly on a sort of Grenadilla;* also another plant, called by the Creoles, Grains cols jaunes ; when the bird eats the latter, the excrement becomes yellow ; found for the most part in pairs or single, though sometimes in flocks of 100, perch- ing on the tops of trees; the nest in the shape of a purse, three feet in length, and ten inches broad at the lower end, which is hemispheri- cal, the entrance at top, the bottom furnished within with a thick bed of dry leaves, and hung from the ends of branches, sometimes six hanging on the same tree; it is constructed of fine strips of the Caraguata, +

* Passiflora lauriflora. + Tillandsia, as before mentioned under the first Species.

ORIOLE. 95

interwoven by the birds, both sexes of which contribute their labour, and the threads so fine as to be easily mistaken for horse hair; the eggs are not described, but the young said to be fed with worms, and the adults to be fond of oranges and ananas. M. d’Azara mentions one which had five white and yellow spots, irregularly placed, at the beginning of the back, and upper tail coverts. Found at Paraguay, but not common, nor seen beyond the 26th degree of latitude; has a loud cry, but not disagreeable; the common name Yapu,* also Yapuri and Acahé-saiyu, or Yellow Acahé.

A.— Gen. Syn. ii. p. 421.

This is full twenty inches in length. The bill two inches and a quarter, yellow, with an orange tip; the feathers of the head elongated into a crest, as in the former, besides which, there are two slender feathers, two inches and a quarter long, springing from the hindhead, and hanging down behind; the plumage in general olive, with a hue of orange; lower half of the back, the rump, belly, and vent chestnut; tail rounded, the two middle feathers chestnut, the others yellow, but the outer one dusky on the exterior web; legs black.

4.—RED-BILLED ORIOLE.

Oriolus cristatus, Ind. Orn.1. 175. y. Gen. Syn.ii. 422. B. — rufirostris, Shaw’s Zool. vii. 416,

Xanthornus virens, Waturf. 18. s.1. tab, 1.

Cassique vert de Cayenne, Buf. iii. 240. Pl. enl. 328.

LENGTH fourteen inches, breadth twenty. Bill red; general colour of the plumage dull green, but the hind part of the body,

* Yapu signifies Error.

96 ORIOLE.

rump, vent, and thighs are chestnut; quills black; tail as in the others, the two middle feathers black, the others yellow. In the Pl. enlum. the two middle feathers are dusky black, but the exterior of the yellow ones dusky black on the outer web, for three quarters of an inch from the tip; the two middle in the plate of Waturforscher are dull green, and shorter than the adjoining, which is also seen m the first described.

Inhabits Cayenne, Brazil, and Guiana, and though greatly similar, is probably distinct ; for, according to Sonnini, it does not associate, or frequent the same haunts. It generally builds on high trees hike the others, and the flesh is said to be well flavoured, not having the rank scent of castor, so observable in the first Species.

5.—NEW-HOLLAND ORIOLE.

THIS is a large Species; length twenty-two inches. Bill stout, as in the Crow, but pointed at the end, in length two inches and a half, blackish, with a horn-coloured tip, the base for one imch, passing backwards, on the forehead, and rounded as in the Red- rumped Species ; nostrils a narrow slip, covered with a kind of flap; plumage cinereous grey, or pale soot-colour, beneath the same, but paler; belly and vent nearly white; the second quills very short, and the eight first are white for three-fourths of the length from the base within. Tail nine inches long, consisting of twelve feathers, in shape rounded at the end, the two middle ones more pointed than the others, and of one colour, the rest white for one inch on the imner webs, but the outer web is white quite to the end; the quills reach to about the middle of the tail; legs two imches and a half long, stout, the two middle and outer toes united at the base.

Inhabits New-Holland.—Mr. Thompson.

ORIOLE. 97

I observed another in the collection of Mr. Brogden, in which was a very minute notch near the tip of the bill; the feathers of the neck and breast of adowny or loose texture ; second quills white at the ends, the outer edges of the prime ones whitish ; tail feathers, the two middle ones excepted, white at the ends for full one inch. — Whether these slight differences refer to sex, or are Varieties, is quite uncertain.

6.—SOUTHERN ORIOLE.

LENGTH fourteen inches. Bill stout, slightly curved, with a minute notch at the tip, nostrils lnear ; tongue bifid at the end, full as long as the bill; irides yellow orange; head and throat dusky green; upper part of the neck, body, and wings olive-green, the middle of each feather marked with a narrow dusky streak ; throat, breast, and belly, dusky white, marked with longish dusky streaks ; vent plain; wings as the back, the margins of the feathers whitish ; greater quills black ; tail longish, rounded at the end, olive; the wings reach to one-fourth beyond the base ; legs stout, dusky blue.

Inhabits New South Wales: manners unknown. One of these in a drawing had four of the outer feathers of the tail tipped on the inner webs with a spot of white ; legs black.

7.—RUFF-NECKED ORIOLE.

LENGTH fifteen inches or more. Bill one inch and a half, stout, and pointed at the tip, the base above passing far back into the forehead, and rounded behind; general colour of the plumage fine

glossy black, with a tinge of violet, green, and copper, in different VOL, Ill, oO

98 ORIOLE.

lights; the feathers round the eye and chin short, like velvet; those of the neck much elongated, and capable of beimg erected, in the manner of the Ruffed Grous; the feathered part of the thighs reaches below the jomt; quills and tail deeper black, and have much less gloss than the other parts; the tail, somewhat rounded at the end, consists of twelve feathers, and is five inches and a half in length; when the wing is closed, the quills reach to about the middle of it; legs black ; outer and middle toes united at the base.

Inhabits South America; brought from Trinidad by Lord Seaforth.

Ts said to erect the feathers of the neck in a beautiful and singular manner.

8.—RICE ORIOLE.

Oriolus niger, Ind. Orn.i. 185. Gm, Lin.i. 393. Shaw's Zool. vii. 442.

—— orizyvorus, Ind. Orn.i. 176. Gm. Lin.i. 386.

——— ferrugineus, Ind. Orn.i. 176. Gm. Lin. i. 393. Daud.ii. 351. Shaw’s Zool. vil. 445.

Cassicus niger, Daud. ii. 329. Shaw's Zool. vii. 439.

Icterus niger, Bris. ii. 103. t.10. f.1. Zd. 8vo.i. 184.

Cornix parva profunde nigra, Klein. Av. p, 59.

Gracula ferruginea, Rusty Grakle, Amer. Orn. ii. pl. 21. f. 3.

Troupiale noir, Buf. ii. 320. Pl. enl. 534.

Yapu noir, Voy. d’Azara,in. No. 58 and 60.

Black Oriole, Gen. Syn. ti. 445. Arct. Zool. ii. No. 144.

Rice Oriole, Gen. Syn.ii. 423.

LENGTH nine inches; extent of the wings fourteen. Bill one inch and a half long, black, stout, sharp, and somewhat bent at the tip, the base passing backwards on the forehead, as in some of the former Species; irides silvery; plumage in general black, glossed with purple on the head, neck, and breast; tail five inches long, even at the end, and the wings, when closed, reach a little beyond the base; legs black; hind claws large.

ORIOLE. 99

The female is one inch shorter. Head, neck, and breast wholly brown; over the eye a pale-coloured Ime; lore black; belly and rump ash-colour; upper and under tail coverts skirted with brown; wings black, edged with ferruginous: tail black, glossed with green.

Young birds, of both sexes, have the feathers of the head, neck, breast, and back, margmed with ferrugimous, the rest of the plumage black, but less clear than in the adult.

Inhabits various parts of America; comes into Pennsylvania, from the north, early in October, and associates with the Redwings, and Cowpens, chiefly in the corn fields, and where grasshoppers are plentiful, but is most fond of Indian corn; retires the middle of November. In Georgia frequents plantations, and there called Cowpen Blackbird.

As this bird does not gain the full plumage the first year, it is often seen mixed with the young ones, which have variegated plumage, and will easily account for such bemg esteemed different Species. Said to build in trees, at about eight feet from the ground, making a nest of moss and grass, laying five dark-coloured eggs, spotted with black; is easily domesticated, but not frequently, as it is not valued for having any song.

The Yapu noir of Azara seems to be this. He mentions the having a nest brought to him, found hanging at the ends of branches, and saw another, made of rushes and other flexible materials ; it was the size of that of the Crested Species, but narrower ; in this was an egg almost round, white, marbled with deep brown: the cry of this bird is Gaaa, at other times hike the word Pupui; is a solitary and rare Species, only found in the deep thickets. The three following appear to be the same, in different stages of plumage.

A.—Turdus Hudsonicus, Ind. Orn. i. 362. Gm. Lin. i. 818. Vieill. Amer. ii. p. 16. Hudsonian Thrush, Gen. Syn. Sup. 143. Arct. Zool.ii. No. 204.

Length seven inches and a half. Plumage black, every feather

more or less edged with chestnut: probably a young female. 02

100 ORIOLE.

B.—Turdus Noveboracensis, Ind. Orn. i. 362. Gm. Lin.i. 818. New-York Thrush, Gen. Syn. Sup. 144. Arct. Zool. ii. No. 205.

In this, the head, neck, and breast, are mottled light rust-colour and black; back very glossy, edges of the feathers ferruginous; from the bill, above and beneath the eye, a band of black to the hindhead; belly dusky; wings and tail greenish glossy black.

C.—Turdus Labradorus, Ind. Orn.i. 842. Gm. Lin.i. 832. Sturnus Jamaicensis, Daud. ii. 317. Labrador Thrush, Gen. Syn. ii. 46. Phil. Trans. 1xii. 400. Arct. Zool.ii, No. 206.

General colour glossy shining black, varied with blue and green in different lights.

The female dusky black, breast dark grey. Said to come in flocks to Severn River, in June, and to return South nm Autumn; suppposed to feed chiefly on worms and maggots; called at Hudson’s Bay, the Blackbird; lives among the willows, and builds in all sorts of trees. The three last, though hitherto ranked with the Thrushes, are no other than the Black Orioles, im various stages of life.

9.—COWPEN ORIOLE.

Fringilla Pecoris, Ind. Orn.i. 443. Gm. Lin. i. 910.

Emberiza Pecoris, Cow Bunting, Am. Orn. uu. pl. 18. f. 1, 2, 3.

Sturnus stercorarius, Bartr. Trav. 289.

Fringilla Virginiana, Bris. in. 165. Id. 8vo.i. 352.

Le Troupiale commun, Voy. d’ Azara, iii. No. 61.—male.

Le Chapi, Voy. d’ Azara, ili. No. 62.—female.

Le Brunet, Buf. iv. 138. Id. Tolcana, Buf. iii. 193.

Troupiale de la Caroline, Pl. enl. 606. 1.

Troupiale, Tem. Man. Ed. ii.Aunal. p. liv.

Cowpen Finch, Gen. Syn. iii. 269. Id. Sup. 165. Cates. Car.i. pl. 34. Arct. Zool. ii. No. 241. Gen. Zool. ix. 501.

THIS is from seven to eight inches long, and eleven broad. Bill blackish ; head and neck fine brown, the rest of the body glossy black ; tail somewhat forked, or hollowed out in the middle.

ORIOLE. 101

The female is less, all over brown; pale ash beneath, chin nearly white.

Young birds have pale bills and legs, the plumage brown, and the margins of the feathers paler reddish brown ; chin, and middle of the belly white; under the eye an obscure dusky narrow streak, which bounds the white on the chin; just within the bend of the wmg an oval dusky patch.

Inhabits America.—I am obliged for the above account to Mr. Abbot, of Georgia, who gives reason to suppose, that they vary greatly in different periods of age. They frequent places where rice grows, fly in flocks, both sexes generally together,* but are less common about Savannah, his place of residence, than in many others.

I find from the Amer. Orn. that the length sometimes reaches to nine inches; that the young birds are altogether brown for a month or more ; bare of feathers round the eye and mouth ; breast spotted as in the Thrush, with light drab, and darker streaks: in two months after leaving the nest, the black begins at the shoulders, and gradually increases along each side, till the bird appears mottled on the back and breast, with deep black and light drab: at three months the colours are complete, and, except in moulting time, does not change colour : appears in Pennsylvania the end of March, or beginning of April, and departs in October ; called Cow Blackbird, Cowpen Bird, and Black Rice Bird. The female has the habit of laying her eggs in the nests of other birds, in the manner of the Cuckow, particu- larly in those of the Red-eyed Fly-catcher, Maryland Yellow-throat, Blue Bird, Chipping Sparrow, Golden-crowned Thrush, Yellow Bird, White-eyed and Small Grey Fly-catcher, and others; but the two first mentioned seem to be the favourite places of deposit. The bird lays but one egg in each nest; it is larger than that of the Blue Bird, dirty white, thickly sprinkled or granulated with pale brown ;

* Mr. Wilson observes, that nothing like pairing, as in other birds, is discovered.

102 ORIOLE.

generally appears in March, and departs about the end of October; passes the winter regularly in the lower parts of North and South Carolina and Georgia ; and is very common as far South as Paraguay ; and also at Buenos Ayres. In January, strmgs of them are seen for sale in the markets of Charles Town, for the use of the table: fre- quently accompanying the Red-winged Orioles, but oftener seen among cattle, feeding on seeds, worms, and such like, picked out of the excrements, hence called Cowpen Blackbirds.—M. d’Azara says, they build in the holes of trees, walls, rocks, and under the eaves of houses: the nest made with sticks and straw, lined with feathers, and other soft materials.

A.—-Sturnus Junceti, Ind. Orn. i. 326. Razz. 168.—(Tolocatzanatl). obscurus, Gm. Lin.i. 804.

—— nove Hispanie, Bris.ii. 448. Jd. 8yo.i. 283.

Icterus Emberizoides, Daud. 11. 350.

Oriolus fuscus, Gm. Lin.1. 393.

Brown-headed Stare, Gen. Syn. ii. p. 11.

Oriole, Arct. Zool. i. p. 259.

This has the head rusty brown ; body and wings black, glossed with green; tail dusky.—Ray’s description is, less than a Starling, but like it in shape, wholly black, except the head, which is brown.

Tnhabits New York, and other parts of North America.

B.—Oriolus minor, Ind. Orn. i. 185. Gm. Lin.i. 394. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 443. Sturnus Mexicanus, Ind. Orn.i. 326. Gm. Lin.i. 804.

TIcterus niger, Daud. 11. 351.

Cotinga Mexicana, Bris. 11. 247. Id. 8vo. 1. 254.

Caxaxtototl, Raitt 167. Buf. ii. 195.

Petit Troupiale noir, Buf. in. 221.

Mexican Stare, Gen. Syn. iii. p. 12.

Lesser black Oriole, Gen. Syn. ii. 446. Arct. Zool. 1. 144.

Length from six to seven inches. Bill black ; irides reddish ; the whole plumage fine glossy black, tinged with blue about the

ORIOLE. 103

head.—Ray’s description, from Fernandez, says, the bird is wholly deep blue or blackish, the size of a Starling ; yellow irides, and a longish, sharp-pointed black bill. There is scarcely a doubt of this, as well as the last, being allied to the Cowpen.

In the collection of Lord Stanley is a bird supposed to be the same in early plumage; length seven inches ; general colour dusky olive black ; chin, neck, and breast, waved with grey, but not very conspicuous.

10.—CAYENNE OLIVE ORIOLE.

Oriolus olivaceus, Ind. Orn.i. 186. Gm. Lin.i. 394. Shaw’s Zool.vii. 448. Icterus olivaceus, Daud. ii. 352.

Troupiale olive de Cayenne, Buf. ili. 225. Pl. enl. 606. 2.

Cayenne Olive Oriole, Gen. Syn. ii. 447.

BILL black ; head, throat, and fore part of the neck: glossy brown, deeper on the throat, and inclming to orange on the breast ; quills dusky black, mixed with brown ; legs black.

Inhabits Cayenne.

11.—CHESTNUT ORIOLE.

Icterus castaneus, Daud. ii. 353. Olive Oriole, Var. Gen. Syn. Sup.ii. 125.

SIZE of the Olive Oriole. Bill black; head, neck, and general colour of the plumage fine velvet black ; throat; breast, belly, back, rump, and vent fine glossy chestnut; belly and thighs dusky ; wings and tail black; greater wing coverts tipped with white, forming. a transverse band of that colour ; legs black.

The female is less deep in colour, inclining to brown above; and to rufous beneath ; vent grey.

104 ORIOLE.

M. Daudin received the above from Cayenne, with the Olive Oriole, to which he seems to think it allied, if not the same in any change of plumage. It is said to make a plain, round, hemi- spherical nest, of dried roots and fibres, and that many nests are commonly found on the same tree.

12.—CARTHAGENA ORIOLE.

Oriolus Carthagenensis, Ind. Orn. Sup. xxviii. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 445. Coracias Cartagenensis, Scop. Ann. i. 40. Carthagena Oriole, Gen. Syn. Sup. ii. 126.

SIZE of acommon Oriole. Bill and head black ; throat white ; back yaried rufous and brown; breast, belly, and rump yellow ; wings and tail rufous, spotted with black ; from the base of the upper mandible to the nape, on each side, a white streak.

This was brought from Carthagena, in South America, by Cl. Jacquin, and placed in the Menagerie of the Emperor of Germany, at Vienna; it was an unquiet, and clamorous bird.

13.—RED-HEADED ORIOLE.

Le Troupiale a téterouge, Voy. d’ Azara iv. No. 73.

LENGTH eight inches and a quarter, extent twelve. Bill one mch, strong, strait, flattened at the base, but having the point as m other Orioles; tongue short, forked; head, and almost the whole neck before, a flaming red, so bright and glowing, that one might suppose those parts composed of glass instead of feathers; yet they are rough to the touch ; thighs bright orange ; the rest of the bird black, of which colour are also the bill, mouth, legs, irides, and

ORIOLE. 105

edges of the eyelids; tail cuneiform, the outer feather half an inch shorter than the others ; legs covered with scales. Inhabits Paraguay, and from thence extends to the River Plata.

14.—MEXICAN ORIOLE.

Onolus Nova* Hispania, Ind. Orn.i. 176. Gm. Lin.i. 885. Daud.ii. 341. Shaw's Zool. vii. 419.

Icterus Mexicanus, Bris. ii. 88. Id. 8vo.i. 179.

Acholchichi, Sebai. 90. t.55. f.4, Buf- iii. 206.

Mexican Oriole, Gen. Syn. ii. 425.

SIZE of a Blackbird. Bill yellowish; head, neck, throat, quills, and tail black; neck, back, rump, breast, belly, sides, thighs, upper and under tail coverts, fine yellow; lesser wing coverts black, the greater tipped with yellow.

. Inhabits Mexico.

A.—Oriolus Costototl, Ind. Orn.i. 177. Gm. Lin.i. 385. Daud. ii. 841. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 440. Zool. Misc. tab. 2?

Xochitototl, Razz, 167. Costototl, Id. 90. young bird.

Icterus Nove Hispanie, Bris. 11. 95. Jd. 8vo.i. 182.

Xochitol et Costotol, Buf. in. 210.

New Spain Oriole, Gen. Syn. ii. 407.

Size of a Starling. Head, throat, neck, back, rump, and upper tail coverts black; breast, belly, sides, and under tail coverts saffron- colour, mixed with black; thighs black ; wings cinereous, beneath mixed with black and white ; tail saffron-colour, varied with black.

Inhabits Mexico. ‘The young birds are said to be yellow, except the tips of the wings, which are black. It is probable that the two last described form but one Species, of which the latter is the female,

if not an imperfect male. VOL. II. P

106 ORIOLE.

15.—RING-TAIL ORIOLE.

Oriolus annulatus, Ind. Orn.i. 177. Gm. Lin.i. 385. Daud.ii. 342. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 418.

Icterus caudé annulata, Bris. ii. 89. Id. 8vo. i. 179.

Cornix flava, Klein. Av. 59.

Avis Ocotzinitzcan, Seb. Mus. i. 97. t. 61. f. 3.

Arc en queue, Buf. ii. 207.

Ring-tailed Oriole, Gen. Syn. ii. 425.

SIZE of a Pigeon. Bill yellow, a trifle bent at the point; head | throat, and neck, black; the rest of the body yellow, shaded with . a deeper colour on the upper and lower tail, and lesser wing coverts; the greater and quills blackish, edged with pale yellow; tail yellow, each feather marked with a broad, transverse, blackish band, appear- ing, when the tail is spread, as a crescent, with the concave part towards the bedy; legs grey.

Inhabits America, where, according to Seba, it is accounted a bird of prey; how far it is an Oriole or not, must solely depend on his authority.

16.—BRASILIAN ORIOLE.

Oriolus Brasiliensis, Ind. Orn.i. 177. Gm. Lin. i. 385. Daud. ii. 343. Shaw’s Zool. vil. 448.

Icterus Brasiliensis, Bris.ii. 93. Id. 8vo.i. 181.

Muscicapa e fusco et luteo varia, Sloan. 309. Raw Syn. 186. 35.

Brasilian Oriole, Gen. Syn.i. 426.

ENGTH four inches, breadth seven. Bill half an inch long, and black ; head and back hght brown, spotted with black ; tail one inch and a half long, brown; wings the same, with the ends whitish; about the eyes, the throat, sides of the neck, and tail coverts yellow ; breast the same, spotted with brown; belly white; legs brown, toes yellow.

ORIOLE. 107

Inhabits Jamaica: common about the town of St. Jago, among bushes.— In Brisson, the size is said to be equal to a Starling, and if so, it must measure more than four inches. This species, therefore, wants further elucidation.

17.—JAPACANI ORIOLE.

Oriolus Japacani, Ind. Orn.i. 177. Gm. Lin.i. 385. Daud. ii. 343. Shaw’s Zool. vu. 440.

Japacani, Raii Syn. p. 84. 12. Will. 173. Id. Engl. 240. Buf. ii. 208.

Japacani Oriole, Gen. Syn. ii. 426.

SIZE of a Starling; length eight inches. Bill long, pointed, a little curved, and black; irides gold-colour; head blackish; hind part of the neck, back, wings, and rump varied with black and brown; tail blackish above, spotted with white beneath; breast, belly, and thighs mixed white and yellow, with transverse black lines ; legs dusky.

These two species are made but one by Brisson, but they surely cannot be the same, the latter being twice the size of the other.— The description of the Japacani is from Margrave, as well as the size, not attending to the dimensions of Sloane’s bird ; though they are some what alike in colour to each other.

18.—GREY ORIOLE.

Onriolus cinereus, Ind. Orn.i. 178. Gm. Lin. i. 386. Daud. ii. 8344. Shaw’s Zool. vil. 439.

Icterus cinereus, Bris. 1. 96. Id. 8vo.i. 181.

Ococolin, Tococolin, Rai Syn. 163. Buf. ii. 215.

Grey Oriole, Gen. Syn. ii. 427.

SIZE of a Starling ; the body variegated with black and yellow, :

but the back, thighs, and belly, are aslicenlouel P 2

108 ORIOLE.

‘Inhabits New-Spain, in the forests, where it makes the nest, and brings up its young: is said not to sing: the flesh is savoury. The three last seem to merit further enquiry.

19.—RED-WINGED ORIOLE.

Oriolus pheeniceus, Ind. Orn.i. 178. Lin. Syst.i. 161. Gm. Lin. i. 386. Daud. ii. 344. Shaw's Zool. vii. 421. Nat. Misc. pl. 341.

Icterus pteropheeniceus, Bris. ii. 97. Id. 8vo. i. 182. Will. 302.

Sturnus niger alis rubentibus, Klein. Av. 64.

Sturnus predatorius, Red-winged Starling, Amer. Ornith. pl. 30. f. 12.

Le Commandeur, Troupiale a ailes rouges, Buf. iil. 214. Pl. enl. 402.

Acolchichi, Ratz Syn. 166. Will. Engl, 291.

Red-winged Starling, Catesb.i. t.13. Gent. Mag. V. 22. t.p. 316. Alb.i. t. 38. Du Pratz.ii. 91. Kalm. Trav. t. p. 291. Bartr. Trav. p. 289.

Red-winged Oriole, Gen. Syn. ii. 428. Arct. Zool. ii. 140.

SIZE of a Starling; length nine inches. Bill black ; irides white; the whole bird deep black and somewhat glossy, except the shoulders of the wings, which are of a fine dull red ; the legs are black.

The female is seven inches and three-quarters long, and twelve inches and three-quarters broad; the general colour brown, with every feather having avery pale margin ; beneath lighter, marked with irregular, dusky spots of brown; the sides of the head brownish, margined all round with very pale rufous, or nearly white, especially over the eye, where it appears as a white streak ; chin pale rufous orange.

The young bird of the first summer is like the female, but more buff-coloured about the throat and breast; and the margins of the wing feathers broader, and brighter coloured than in the female; the shoulders of the wings obscurely marked with tawny red.

Inhabits various parts of America, from Mexico to New York: frequents watery places, and builds in Jow bushes, in the islands

ORIOLE. 109

within the ponds, the beginning of May; makes a strong and deep nest, formed outwardly with sticks, and dried stalks, lined with hay ; lays five pale black eggs, spotted with dark brown.* Catesby says, they attach the nest to the reeds; but if so, they must have two modes of building ; on all hands it is allowed to be a very destructive species, for they come often in such vast flocks, that at one draw of the net 300 or more have been taken. ‘These nets are spread in a bare path, at the side of a wood, and the place bemg strewed with rice, &c. it often happens that so many are taken, as to be obliged to kill most of them, in order to secure so vast a number. They are called by many Maize-thieves, from destroying that grain ; and first attack it while green, pecking a hole in the side, by which the rain gets in, and spoils the ear ; but some suppose the bird to do this m search of insects, which would ultimately destroy such ears.

These birds are sometimes kept in cages, and have a pretty kind of note ; it is said also that they will imitate the human voice, but I suspect this to be a rare instance; nor does it appear that the flesh is well relished. +

The Red-winged Orioles enter Pennsylvania about the 20th of March, and separate into pairs in three weeks after; the nest is found the last week in April, commonly made of rushes and tough grass, lined with bents, and secured to the adjoining twigs, though sometimes placed on the ground, or very near it; the young fly the middle of August, and often in flocks, at which time they resemble females. The brown continues to skirt the black feathers for a year or two, so that itis rare to find an old male entirely black, but the red is generally complete the following spring. ¢

One of these birds, completely white, was shot in the winter, in a plantation belonging to Mr. Read, about ten miles from Savannah.

* Am. Ornith. says, faint tinges of light purple and long straggling lines and dashes of black. + Mr. Abbot. t Amer. Ornith.—Mr. Abbot sent to England a bird, having all the black feathers margined with fine rufous, which had the appearance of a young male—

but it was larger than any full-grown bird, and he esteemed it a distinct Species, by the name of Streaked Oriole,

110 ORIOLE.

20.—W HITE-HEADED ORIOLE.

Oriolus leucocephalus, Ind. Orn.i. 175. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 441. Ludovicianus, Gm. Lin. i. 387.

Cassicus leucocephalus, Daud. ii. 328.

Cassique de la Louisiane, Buf. iii. 242. Pl. enl. 646. White-headed Oriole, Gen. Syn. ii. 422. Arct. Zool. ii. 147.

LENGTH ten inches. Bill black, one inch long; head, neck, belly, and ramp, white; quills and tail changeable violet, bordered with white; the rest of the plumage white and black mixed; tail somewhat cuneiform, and the wings, when closed, reach to about the middle of it; legs lead-colour.

Inhabits Louisiana, and other parts of North America.

A.—White-headed Oriole, Gen. Syn. Sup. p. 88.

Length nine inches and a half; breadth thirteen and a half; weight one ounce and three quarters. The head white, except a black spot on the crown; neck and breast glossy black, spotted with white; lesser wing coverts the same, but more faint; bastard wing white and black; outer quills white; the rest of the bird brownish black ; legs pale flesh-colour.

This was brought to Mr. Hutchins, while at Hudson’s Bay, by the name of Wawpawchou Chuckithou, im July 1781. Said to associate with other Blackbirds, but not common.

B.—Oriolus Hudsonicus, Gm. Lin. 1. 387. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 441. Hudsonian White-headed Oriole, Arct. Zool.11. No. 148. Gen. Syn. Sup. 88. sect. 2.

This is about one inch and a half shorter. Head and throat white; ridge of the wing, first primary, and thighs the same, and a

ORIOLE. VT]

few oblong streaks of white on the breast; the rest of the bird dusky, glossed in parts with green.

Found at Hudson’s Bay, with the former, and there can be little doubt of both being Varieties of the White-headed Oriole.

21.—PARA ORIOLE.

LENGTH ten inches. Bill near one inch and a quarter, sharp, and black; from the nostrils a large, bare, dark-coloured space surrounds the eye, and continues behind, for some distance; another of the same on each side of the throat, on the sides of the under jaw ; head, neck, and beneath fine golden yellow; lesser wing coverts, and under the wing the same; the rest of the wing, back, and_ tail, fine glossy deep black ; tail rounded in shape, five inches and a half long, the wings, when closed, reach to about the middle of it; the thigh feathers cover the jot before; legs black; claws hooked.

A second was one inch shorter. Bill one inch; round the eye, and on the jaw bare, but the under part of the bill, and the bare parts are pale; the head, neck, wing coverts, and all beneath as in the other, but the colours less deep; it differs, too, in having the back of the head, from the middle of the crown to the nape, black ; the plumage, which is black im the other, inclines to brown, and the margins of the feathers dull yellow brown ; legs pale.

‘These birds are in the collection of Lord Stanley, and came from Para, in South America; they seem much allied to the Black- crowned or followmg Species, if not the same; but the bare cheeks are not mentioned in the description of that bird, nor is any such character observable in the Pl. enluminées.

112 ORIOLE.

22.—_ BLACK-CROWNED ORIOLE.

Oriolus Mexicanus, Ind. Orn.i. 179. Lin.i. 162. Gm. Lin.i. 888. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 419.

Icterus Mexiceaus, Daud. ii. 347.

Icterus fuscus Nove Hispanie, Bris. ii. 105: Id. 8vo. i. 185.—female.

Troupiale jaune a calotte noire, Buf. iii. 222. Pl. enl. 533.—male.

Black-crowned Oriole, Gen. Syn. ti. 431.

LENGTH eight inches and three-quarters. Bill yellowish ; head, throat, neck, breast, belly, sides, under tail coverts, lesser wing coverts, and beneath them yellow; crown, back, rump, and upper tail coverts black brown ; greater wing coverts the same, edged with yellowish grey ; quills and tail black ; legs yellowish.

The female has the bill and legs pale: crown and under parts of the body dusky brown ; quills and tail dusky.

Inhabits Mexico and Guiana.

23.—OLIVE ORIOLE.

Oriolus Capensis, Ind. Orn.i. 184. Gm, Lin. i. 392. Shaw’s Zool. vu. 447. Icterus flavus, Daud. 11. 338. Xanthornus Cap. B. Spei, Bris. i. 128. Id. 8vo.i. 191. Carouge du Cap de B. Esperance, Pl. enl. 607. 2. olive de Cayenne, Buf. iii. 251. Olive Oriole, Gen. Syn. ii. 444. Arct. Zool. ii. No. 149.

LENGTH seven inches. Bill brown ; plumage in general olive brown above, and yellow beneath; crown greyish; throat, and neck before, inclining to orange; edge of the wing yellow; coverts brown, margined and tipped with olive green; quills and tail brown, edged with olive; legs brown.

Inhabits the Cape of Good Hope; varies in having the forehead, cheeks, and under parts yellow; the upper brown; wings and tail darker, edged with yellow.

ORIOLE, 113

Buffon received one from Louisiana, which differed only in having the throat black, instead of orange, and the general colour inclining to olive, but he is doubtful if the same, being of opinion that no true Oriole is to be found on the Old Continent.

24.—BLUE ORIOLE.

Oriolus ceeruleus, Ind. Orn.i. 185. Gm. Lin. i. 393. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 447. Icterus ceeruleus, Daud. ii. 339.

Xanthornus ceeruleus, Bris. ii. 125. Id. 8vo.i. 190. Pall. Spic. vi. p. 3. a» Pica Maderaspatana minima, Raii 195. t.1. f. 11.

Blue Oriole, Gen. Syn. ii. 444.

BILL rufous; plumage in general black or ash-coloured, except the head, wings, and tail, which are blue.

Inhabits Madras; called by the Gentoos, Peach-Caye. Dr. Pallas is of opinion, that it is certainly an Oriole, though the smallest of its race.**

M. Fermin+ mentions one not unlike, at Surinam. Bill black ; head and upper parts blue, as far as the back; wings and tail black, on the former a long white spot;+ rest of the body sky blue. He adds, that it suspends the nest from the branches of trees.

25.—CRIMSON-BILLED ORIOLE.

LENGTH six inches. Bill three-quarters of an inch, stout at the base, sharp at the pomt, and crimson; plumage fine blue, but the front, chin, and bend of the wing approach to white ; through the eye, from the nostrils, a broad black streak, inclosmg the eye, and ending at the nape in a point; quills brown; tail pale ash- colour, a trifle rounded at the end ; legs red.

* Contra Xanthornus yerus est, quamvis in suo Genere minutissimus, et solo cyaneus, vigesimus octavus Brissonii:

ZT Deser. Surin. ii. 171. ~ Can this Author mean the White-winged Oriole ?

VOL. IT. Q

114 ORIOLE.

A drawing of this is m the collection of Sir John Anstruther, said to inhabit the Eastern Islands in India; probably it may not very widely differ from the blue, or last described.

26.—ICTERIC ORIOLE.

Oriolus Icterus, Ind. Orn.i. 176. Lin. i. 161. Gm. Lin. i. 384. Bris. ii. 86. t. 8. f. 1 Id. 8vo.i. 178. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 420.

Icterus valgaris, Daud. ii. 340.

Merula ex nigro-viridescente, &c. Gerin. 3. t.306.

Coracias Xanthornus, Scop. Ann.i. No. 42.

Pica luteo-nigra varia, Sloan. Jam. 301. t. 259. Razi 81. 10. Klein. Av. 63. 10.

Turdus oculis ceeruleis, Klein. 69. 20. Id. 70. 33.

Guira-tangeima, Rati 45. Will. 97. t. 43. Td. Engl. 141.

Troupiale, Buf, iii. 203. t. 16. Pl. en. 532.

Yellow and black Pye, Cates. Car. App. t. 5.

Bonana Bird, Alb. ii. pl. 40. Brown. Jam. p. 447.

Icteric Oriole, Gen. Syn. ii. 424.

SIZE of a Blackbird ; length nine inches and half. Bill hoary, or black, with a brown base ; skin round the eye naked, and bluish ; irides yellow; head, and neck before to the breast, middle of the back, great part of the wings, and the tail black ; shoulders, and the rest of the bird golden yellow ; on the wing coverts an oblique bar of white, and a patch of the same on the quills; legs as the bill.

In some birds the yellow is much deeper than in others, so as to be completely orange-colour.

Tnhabits Carolina, also Brazil, and all the Caribbee Islands: feeds on insects; hops like a Magpie, but in its actions very lke the Starling; is ferocious, and will attack birds much larger than itself, for which purpose four or five will unite. In some places kept in houses tame, as it kills imsects of all kinds, making them its food ; will often tear up the cases of moths, which are spun up, for the sake of the pupz. ‘The nest is curious, as in many of this Genus, made m the form of a cylinder, and suspended from the end of the outmost

ORIOLE. 115

branch of a tree, not unfrequently near habitations, and by this precaution it is safe from the plunder of other animals. One kept tame at Lady Emily Macleod’s, fed on any vegetable diet; was fond of the kernels of apples, and opened nuts given to it, without difliculty, for the sake of the contents.

27.—_ BALTIMORE ORIOLE.

Oriolus Baltimore, Ind. Orn. i. 180. Lin. i. 162. Gm. Lin. i. 389. Borowsck. ii. 115. t. 11. Spalowsk. Vog. t. 4. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 425.

Icterus Baltimore, Daud. i. 348.

minor, Bris. u. 109. t. 12. f. 1. Id. Svo.i. 186. Klein. Av. p. 68.

Le Baltimore, Buf. ui. 231. Pl. enl. 506. 1.

Baltimore Oriole, Gen. Syn. ii. 432. Arct. Zool. i. 142. pl. 12. Cat. Car. i; pl. 48. Bartr. Tr. p.288. Gent. Mag. xxii. pl. p. 180; Amer. Orn. is pl. 1. £.3.-—-male. Id. pl. 53. f. 4.—female.

LENGTH seven inches. Bill lead-colour; head, neck, and upper parts of the bedy black ; the rest of the body orange; also the bend of the wing and the lesser coverts; rest of the wing dirty brown ; greater coverts and quills black, the first tipped with white, making a bar on the wing; the last margined with white; the two middle tail feathers black, in shape somewhat forked, yet the outer feather is a quarter of an inch shorter than the others, so as to appear doubly rounded ; the four outer feathers are orange from the middle to the tips, the next just tipped with the same; legs black.

The female has the head and back olive, edged with pale brown ; wing coverts the same, with a bar of white; under parts, and_ tail coverts yellow; tail dusky, edged with yellow.

Tnhabits various parts of North America, often in flocks; migrating as far as Montreal to the North, and to Brazil on the South; most common in Virginia, The nest loosely constructed, of

Q2

116 ORIOLE.

some downy matter in threads, formed not unlike a purse, fastened to the extreme forks of the tulip, plane, or hiccory tree; there are four white eggs, marked with rufous spots; called by the common people Fire Birds, and justly, as they appear in their quick movements from tree to tree, like a flash of fire. It is generally three years before the plumage is complete; sometimes the whole tail of the male, in the spring, is yellow; at others the two middle feathers are black, and frequently the back skirted with orange, and the tail tipped with the same; feeds chiefly on caterpillars, beetles, &c.; has a clear mellow whistle, but it can scarcely be termed a song.

A.—Oriolus spurius, Ind. Orn.i. 180. Lin. Syst.i. 162. Gm. Lin.i. 389. Bartr. Trav. 288. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 426. Icterus minor spurius, Bris.ii. 111. t. 10. f.3. Id. 8vo.i. 186. Turdus minor gutture nigro, Klein. Av. 68. 14. Le Baltimore bastard, Buf. iii. 233. Pl. enl. 506. 2. Bastard Baltimore, Gen. Syn. ii. 433. Arct. Zool. ii. 143. Cates. Car.i. pl. 49.

This is a trifle less than the other. Forehead and cheeks black, mixed with yellow ; hindhead and nape olive grey, with a few spots of black; upper part of the back the same, but more dull; lower part of the back, rump, fore part of the neck, to the vent, and under the wings, orange; wing coverts and quills deep brown, the greater tipped with dirty yellowish white; the two middle tail feathers are olive, then blackish, with a longitudinal yellowish spot at the end ; the next on each side olive and black, irregularly mixed; the four outer ones yellowish olive; legs bluish.

This is, we believe, on all hands now acknowledged, as the female Baltimore, or, at least, the male, in imperfect plumage, in which state they differ greatly. We have seen several Varieties; in one, the parts above were olive brown; on the wings two bars of white, from the tips of the coverts; quills with pale edges; and the tail dusky; the under parts of the body olive yellow. Another was

ORIOLE. 117

not unlike this, but the chin brown, and not black ; not far different from the Olive Oriole. Mr. Abbot thinks it distinct, under the name of Black-Throat. He says, the female differs in being paler, but is not a common bird in Georgia.

28.—WEEVER ORIOLE.

Oriolus Textor, Ind. Orn.i. p. 180. Gm. Lin.i. 392. Shaw's Zool. vii. 429. Icterus Textor, Daud. ii. 349.

Cap More, Buf. in. 226.

Troupiale du Senegal, Pl. enl. 375. male. 376. female ?

Tisserin, Tem. Man. Ed.ii. Anal. p. 1xx:

Weever Oriole, Gen. Syn. ii. 435.

SIZE of the Golden Oriole, but the wings shorter in proportion ; length seven inches and a half. Bill horn-colour; irides orange ; head brown, appearing gilded in the sun ; the rest of the body orange yellow; quills and tail dusky, edged with orange; legs flesh-colour.

One, supposed to be the female, had the head, chin, sides, and fore part, to the breast, yellow; belly and thighs nearly white; hind part of the neck, and back brown; wings, tail, and legs as in the former.

These were brought from Senegal, and supposed to be of opposite sexes, but after being kept for two years, the one thought to be a female gained the brown head; and in both birds the head lost its dark colour, and became yellow every autumn, regaining it in the spring; one of them, kept in a cage, had a sharp but lively note, and, having by chance got a bit of sewing silk, wove it among the wires, which being observed, more was put into the cage, when the bird interlaced the whole, but very confusedly, so as to hinder the greater part of one side of the cage from being seen through ; it was found to prefer green and yellow to any other colour. M. Buffon observed a similar occurrence in some in his possession, for having

118 ORIOLE.

first entwined some stalks of pimpernel in the wires, some rush stalks were put into the cage, when they soon formed a nest large enough to hide one of them, but was eften deranged from day to day, as if the fabrication ef the nest im a state of nature was the work of both sexes, and if so, in all probability finished by the female.

29.—BONANA ORIOLE.

Oriolus Bonana, Ind. Orn.i- 181. Lin. Syst.i. 162. Gm. Lin-i. 890. Bor. Nat. ii. 117. Shaw’s Zool. vii. 431.

Icterus Bonana, Daud. ii. 332. Gabin. de Madrid, p.17. lam. 8.

Xanthornus, Bris. ii. 115. t. 12. f.2. Id. Svo.i. 187.

Icterus minor nidum suspendens, Sloane’s Jam. 299, t. 257.1. Fd. 300. 17. t. 258. 3 Rati Syn. 184. 27. Id. 167. 12. Xochitototl.

Turdus minor varius, W/etn, Av. 6S. 13.

Le Carouge, Buf. ni. 243. Pl. enl. 535. 1.

Bonana Bird, Gen. Syn-ii. 486. Brown. Jam. 477.

LENGTH seven inches, breadth eleven. Bill black, base of the under jaw grey; head, neck, and breast chestnut; upper parts of the back velvet black; the lower, lesser wing coverts, rump, belly, thighs, and under the wings deep orange red; greater wing coverts, quills, and tail black; legs grey. The female differs m being less bright.

Inhabits Martinico, Jamaica, and other West India Islands. Et makes a nest of a curious construction, from fibres and leaves, in shape of the fourth part of a globe, sewed, with great art, to the under part of a Bonana