The length of this ſpecies is about thirteen inches and a half; the breadth more than two feet; the weight eight ounces; the female is exactly like the male both in form and colour, but is rather ſmaller.

[]It lays four eggs, of a dirty olive caſt, ſpeckled with black ^*, in a ſlight neſt compoſed of bents, or on a bed of dried graſs, ſcraped to⯑gether on the ground; the hen fits about three weeks; the young as ſoon as hatched run together like chickens.

The old birds ſhew a remarkable ſolicitude for their young, flying with great anxiety about them if diſturbed; and uſing every ſtratagem to decoy the diſturber from the neſt; feigning to flutter as if wounded on the ground at a little diſtance, or running along as if lame: ſhould thoſe artifices prove uſeleſs they become deſperate, and will ſtrike at the perſon or animal whom they cannot entice away.

Towards winter both young and old aſſemble in flocks of four or five hundered on the heaths or marſhy places, at which time they are caught in nets for the uſe of the table in the ſame manner that Ruffs are.

They are common in moſt parts of Europe, as far as Iceland; change place according to the ſeaſon; are met with in Perſia and Egypt in winter, and Latham ſays he has ſeen a ſpecimen from China.

They are eſteemed a delicacy as their nouriſhment is only ſlugs and worms; theſe they draw out of the ground morning and evening. They are ſometimes kept in gardens, and by good treat⯑ment become both uſeful and familiar.

The Creſted Titmouſe is ſo very rarely found in this country, that neither Latham or Pennant has deſcribed it as a Britiſh ſpecies; nor has the latter included it in the Appendix of the Britiſh Zoology, among the foreign birds which viſit us at unſtated periods.

It is met with in many parts of France, particularly in Normandy, and the intermediate country between that and Sweden; writers concur that it is of a very ſolitary diſpoſition, never mixing with other birds, nor in numbers even with its own ſpecies; it is chiefly found among the ever-green trees in the deep and gloomy receſſes of extenſive fo⯑reſts, and is therefore little known even in thoſe parts where the ſpe⯑cies is moſt frequent.

Walcot mentions that they are ſometimes ſeen in Scotland, and once viſited that country in a large flock; the ſpecimen from which our figure is copied was ſhot in Scotland alſo, in company with ſeveral others in the year 1792.

Theſe birds are ſometimes met with in the northern parts of Eng⯑land, but are not common; three males and one female were ſhot in the garden of Mr. Slade, Vauxhall-road, about a fortnight ſince. I care⯑fully [] examined them, and found they varied very much in their colours: it is not indeed ſurpriſing that the accurate Linnaeus ſhould con⯑ſider the Tawny and Mountain Buntings with their varieties, as the Snow Bunting in its different approaches to its ſummer appearance.

Pennant is of a different opinion, and has deſcribed it under the Engliſh name Tawny Bunting, as a diſtinct ſpecies. Latham has alſo deſcribed it as a different ſpecies in his general Synopſis; and in the liſt of the Birds of Great Britain, in the ſupplemental volume, he adds "EMBERIZA FRIGIDA," and refers to the deſcription of the Tawny Bunting in the Britiſh Zoology, N^o 121.

The name "Emberiza glacialis" has been alſo given to the ſame, or a mere variety of this bird.

Our ſpecimens are about ſix inches and three quarters in length, twelve inches and three quarters in breadth; weight an ounce.

The Guillemot is found in immenſe numbers on ſeveral of the Engliſh coaſts in ſummer; they continue in the Orknies ^* the whole year; chiefly breed in the uninhabited Iſle of Prieſtholm, near the Iſle of Angleſea; the Farn Iſles near the coaſt of Northumberland, and among the high cliffs in the neighbourhood of Scarborough ^†, York⯑ſhire. Like the Auk, (which are alſo found with them in vaſt num⯑bers). They lay only one egg, more than three inches in length, of a blueiſh white or pale ſea-green colour, moſt elegantly ſtreaked with black lines croſſing each other in every direction.

They are very ſilly; for though they ſee their companions killed by their ſide, they only make a ſhort circuit, and alight in the ſame place to be ſhot at in turn.

Our bird is ſeventeen inches in length, weight twenty-five ounces, breadth twenty-ſeven inches and a half. Brunnich mentions a variety, [] with a broader and ſhorter bill, and yellow margins. Muller ſpeaks of a variety, with a white ring round the eyes, and a line of the ſame co⯑lour behind.

They are found in moſt of the northern parts of Europe to Spitz⯑bergen ^‡, the coaſt of Lapmark, along the White and Icy Sea to Kamtſchatka; are found at Newfoundland and in ſome parts of North America.

It is called Guillem by the Welch, Guillemot or Sea Hen, at Nor⯑thumberland and Durham; in the ſouthern parts, Willocks.

The length of this Species is twelve inches; they inhabit the fens near Spalding, where they breed; they are found in the northern parts of Europe, and in the temperate parts of Siberia and Iceland. Said by Bougainville to be met with in Falkland Iſlands, wnere it is called the Diver with Spectacles.—Boug. Voy. p. 61.

The neſt, like moſt others of the ſame Genus, is compoſed of twigs, roots and ſtalks of water-plants, and is uſually found floating among the reeds and [...]ags, nearly filled with water. The female lays four or five ſmall white eggs, which are hatched in the water.

Though the Honey Buzzard inhabits various parts of the continent of Europe it is no where common except in the open parts of Ruſſia and Siberia; is ſeen as far north as Sondonor in Norway. In England it is ſcarcely ever met with.

The length of our Specimen is twenty-three inches; weight when taken thirty ounces. In its colours it preciſely correſponds with the deſcription of the Honey Buzzard in Latham's General Synopſis of Birds, but differs very materially from that either of Linnaeus ^*, Briſſon ^†, Pennant ^‡, or Albin ^|.

Albin ſays, "This bird builds its neſt of ſmall twigs, laying on them wool, and upon the wool its eggs. Some of them have been found to [] make uſe of an old neſt of a kite to breed in, feeding their young with the nymphae of waſps, the combs of waſps being found in the aforeſaid neſts, in which were two young ones, covered with a white down, ſpotted with black; their feet of a pale yellow, their bills between the noſtrils and the head white, their craws large: in the crops were found lizards, frogs, &c. In one of them were found two lizards entire, with their heads towards the bird's mouth, as if they fought to creep out."—"This bird runs very ſwiftly like a hen."—Alb. 1. t. 2.

The eggs of the Honey Buzzard are variouſly deſcribed by different authors; the ſpecimens formerly preſerved in the Portland Muſeum were of a very deep red brown, with ferruginous blotches of cheſnut; Mr. Latham ſays he was informed by Mr. Boys, "that they are of a blueiſh white, marked with irregular rufous ſpots; the ſhape of the egg almoſt globular; uſually three in the neſt." Mr. Pennant ſays he was favoured with a deſcription of the eggs by Mr. Plumly; "they were blotched over with two reds, ſomething darker than thoſe of the Keſtril."

The length of this Species is ſeven inches and a half, breadth eleven inches; the female is of a dull ferruginous, mixed with grey: the breaſt, belly, and ſides, dirty white, croſſed with ſemicircular duſky lines: the tail deep brown, except the outer feather on each ſide, whoſe exterior webs are white; the female is rather larger than the male.

[]It viſits this country in the ſpring and departs in autumn; it is common in France and Italy, as well as in the temperate parts of Ruſſia.

It builds its neſt in a hedge or low buſh, and lays ſix white eggs, encircled at the largeſt end with a rufous brown circle; it not only feeds on inſects, but will devour the young of other birds, taking hold of them by the neck and ſtrangling them, then tearing out the eyes, brain, &c. and when ſatisfied ſticks the remainder on a thorn for another meal; when confined in a cage it will do the ſame againſt the wires with beetles, graſhoppers, or pieces of ſheep's kidney.

It is ſaid to imitate well the notes of other birds, though it has none of its own.

Length ſeven inches and a half; extent fourteen inches; weight an ounce and a half.

This Species is very common in moſt parts of Europe, and is ſaid to be found at the Cape of Good Hope; in Jamaica and other Weſt-India Iſlands. They frequent our coaſts in the winter in vaſt flocks, alternately ſwimming and flying in large circles with the greateſt re⯑gularity: they leave our ſhores in ſpring, and retire to ſome unknown place to breed. Mr. Latham ſuſpects that they breed on the coaſt of Kent, having received ſome birds which ſcarcely differed from the deſcription, from Mr. Boys of Sandwich; they were ſhot at Romney, in the month of Auguſt.

Le Cincle of Buffon and L'Alloutte de Mer à Collier of Briſson has much affinity to this Bird, and is ſuppoſed to be only a difference of ſex or age, as they are often taken in company.

On the authority of Mr. Pennant we have ventured to introduce this ſpecies. "Of theſe birds," ſays Mr. Pennant, in the ap⯑pendix to the Britiſh Zoology, "we have heard of only two being ſeen at large in our Iſland; one was ſhot near Helſton-bridge, Cornwal, and an account of it tranſmitted to us by the Reverend Doctor William Borlaſe."

Theſe birds are frequent in moſt parts of Europe; in Germany, Sicily and Malta they are ſo common as to be ſold in the markets ^*. Edwards mentions one ſhot on Gibraltar Rock; it is alſo met with from the ſouthern parts of Ruſſia to the neighbourhood of the Irtiſh ^†.

It makes its neſt in woods, moſt frequently in Birch trees ^‡; never lays more than five eggs, which are of a clear green, ſprinkled with innumerable dark ſpecks ^§. It does not come to its colour till [] the ſecond year; flies in troops in autumn, and is often ſeen in tilled ground, with rooks and other birds, ſearching for worms, ſmall ſeeds, and roots ^‖; it feeds alſo on frogs and beetles ^¶.

By one author it is ſaid ſometimes to make the neſt in holes in the ground, in one of which two eggs were found ^**; by another, it is obſerved never to be ſeen on the ground ^††.

"It is remarkable for making a chattering noiſe; from which it is called by ſome Garrulus." Pennant.

In the deſcription of CORVUS GLANDARIUS, COMMON JAY, we mentioned the ſpecimen from which our preſent figure is taken; it was found in a neſt with four other Jays of the common ſort, and can only be conſidered as a variety.

We have introduced it into this work, as a ſolitary example how far the plumage of birds will ſometimes vary from local circumſtances.

Length fourteen inches, breadth when the wings are extended three feet, weight fourteen ounces.

Mr. Pennant appears to be the firſt author who has deſcribed this ſpecies ^*; he ſays it is a bird of paſſage, has been obſerved to viſit Lincolnſhire the beginning of October, and to retire early in the ſpring; he ſuppoſes its ſummer retreat is Norway. It conceals itſelf in the long graſs in the day-time; when diſturbed it will ſeldom fly far, but will light and ſit looking at one, at which time the horns may be ſeen very diſtinctly. Mr. Pennant further adds, "it is found frequently on the hill of Hoy in the Orknies, where it flies about and preys by day like a hawk. I have alſo received this ſpecies from Lancaſhire, which is a hilly and wooded country, and my friends have alſo ſent it from New England and Newfoundland." Penn. Br. Zool.

[]Dr. Forſter gave it the ſpecific name Brachyotos, in the Philoſo⯑phical Tranſactions; he ſays it is called Mouſe Hawk at Hudſon's Bay. It viſits that part in May, and makes a neſt of dry graſs on the ground: The eggs are white; it departs ſouth in September; is called by the natives Thothoſecauſew ^†. It is very common in the northern and woody parts of Siberia ^†.

Is known in England by the name of Woodcock Owl, as it is ſup⯑poſed to perform its migrations with the Woodcock. Feeds on mice.

This is the ſmalleſt European ſpecies of the Woodpecker genus we have any knowledge of at this time; its length is ſix inches, breadth eleven inches, and weight one ounce.

It viſits orchards, and feeds on the larva of inſects, which it ſome⯑times pecks out of the trunks of trees or decayed wood. It builds in an hole of a tree. Our figure repreſents the male; the female has the crown of the head white.—This ſpecies is not commonly met with in England.

Buffon ſays it inhabits moſt of the provinces of France ^*, and Lin⯑naeus obſerves it inhabits the higher parts of Aſia; it is ſaid alſo to be ſeen as far north as Denmark, Ruſſia, and Siberia.

Pennant remarks it has all the characters and actions of the greater kind, but is not ſo often met with.

This ſpecies is thirteen inches in length, weight ſix ounces and an half. The female has no red mark on the lower jaw; Friſch and Klein obſerve they have no red on the crown of the head; but La⯑tham, in his Synopſis of Birds, ſays, he has had them when they could ſcarcely fly, the red was then mixed with brown, but became full red after the firſt moult.

It is common in many parts of Europe, and is found as high north as Lapmark; in England it is met with in moſt woody places.

They build in the hollow trunks of trees, fifteen or twenty feet from the ground: with their bills, which are very ſtrong, hard, and formed like a wedge, they can bore through the living part of the wood, till they come to that which is rotten; the hole thus formed is [] as perfectly in the form of a circle as if made with the aſſiſtance of a pair of compaſſes, and is hollowed out to a proper depth before the eggs are depoſited. They lay generally five, ſometimes ſix ^* eggs; the young birds climb up and down the trees before they can fly.

According to Pennant the eggs are of a beautiful ſemitranſparent white; greeniſh, with black ſpots, Latham; and greyiſh or yellowiſh white, marked with irregular pale yellow brown lines in the figure of the egg in Sepp's plate ^†.

It feeds on Inſects, which it ſometimes extracts from beneath the bark of trees, or from the ſolid wood by means of its ſtrong, though ſlender barbed tongue; is ſaid to make great havock among bees.

In the Leverian Muſeum there is a variety of this ſpecies, entirely of a ſtraw colour, except the crown, which is faintly marked with red. It was ſhot at Belvoir chaſe.

Length twenty-one inches, breadth thirty-three inches, weight two pounds. We have repreſented the male, the female has only the ru⯑diment of a creſt: the head and upper part of the neck, dull ferrugi⯑nous: chin white: fore part of the neck and the breaſt ferruginous, mottled with black and white: upper part of the neck, back, rump, and ſcapulars, cinerous: the lower part of the breaſt and belly white.

Both male and female are very liable to variation in the colour of their plumage; in ſome the white ſpace on the neck is much more diffuſed than in others; the ſame has been obſerved of the portion of [] white on the wings; and the females differ in the brightneſs of their colour frequently.

Mr. Latham mentions a ſpecimen which was ſhot near Sandwich in Kent; but it is chiefly found in the northern parts of Great-Bri⯑tain; it is obſerved to breed on Loch Mari, in the county of Roſs, and in the Iſle of Ilay ^*.

The neſt is made of withered graſs, and is lined with the down of the bird's breaſt; it lays from eight to thirteen eggs, like thoſe of a wild duck, but ſmaller and whiter; the young are of a dirty brown like goſlings ^†.

It is found in moſt of the northern parts of Europe, in Ruſſia, about the great rivers of Siberia, and the lake Baikal; alſo frequent in Greenland, where it breeds on the ſhores; in Newfoundland and Hud⯑ſon's Bay.

The length of this bird is ſix inches and three quarters; it is diſ⯑tinguiſhed from other ſpecies of the ſame genus by the very ſingular ſtructure of its bill, both mandibles of which curve acroſs each other. The male is generally of a fine orange red inclining to roſe-colour, mixed more or leſs with brown, the female of a dull green; but both ſexes are very liable to variations: the male is ſometimes of a yellowiſh orange; of a deep red; or even inclining to a dark purple hue, intermixed with yellow, red, brown, green, &c. the female varies alſo, but ſeldom ac⯑quires more than a dull intermixture of other colours on the olive-green according to the different ſeaſons. The males are like the females when young, and gradually change to a fine red.

[]Mr. Pennant ſays there are two varieties of this ſpecies, our preſent ſpecimen, and another which is very rare; of the latter he ſays he received a male and female from Shropſhire; they were ſuperior in ſize to the former, the bill remarkably thick and ſhort, more encurvated than that of the common kind, and the ends more blunt ^*.

The Croſs-bill is common in Sweden, Germany, and Switzerland; is found alſo in Ruſſia and Siberia, in North America, Greenland, &c. It is not ſuppoſed to breed in England, but to viſit us generally in ſmall flocks, though it has been ſeen in vaſt multitudes in ſome ſeaſons. As the ſeeds of the Fir, or Pine, is their natural food, they always retire to foreſts where thoſe trees grow in moſt abundance: they feed alſo on Hemp-ſeed; and are ſaid to do great damage in orchards, by tearing the apples to pieces to eat the pips or ſeeds.

It is obſerved, in North America, to build its neſt in the higheſt part of the Fir-trees, faſtening it to the branches by the reſinous matter which exudes from the trees ^†.

Three kinds of Wagtails are found in this country, the Common, or White, the Yellow, and the Grey; the two former we have already figured; the latter is a very elegant bird, and appears to be the rareſt of the three ſpecies, it breeds in the north of England; ſuppoſed not nearer than Cumberland ^*, and departs ſouthward in October.

In the male only the chin and throat are black. Length ſeven inches and an half.

All the birds of this genus frequent watery places; are very lively, and have a briſk motion in their tails. They feed on Inſects. The neſt of the Grey Wagtail is made on the ground; it is compoſed of dried fibres and moſs, lined with wool or feathers within; it contains from ſix to eight eggs, of a dirty white, marked with yellow ſpots.

The earlieſt appearance of the Cuckow in this country is ſuppoſed to be in February ^*, it is rarely in March, but more commonly in April: it has been emphatically called the harbinger of Summer, or the meſſenger of Spring; and its note, when heard early in the year, ſhould never fail to invite the rural oeconomiſt to his uſeful occupation. With Stillingfleet and Pennant we acknowledge the fallibility of human Calendars, for the purpoſes of huſbandry; and with them muſt conclude, that "ſome attention ſhould be given to thoſe feathered guides, who come heaven-taught, and point out the true commencement of the ſeaſon; their food being the Inſects of thoſe ſeaſons they continue with us ^†."

The Cuckow is ſo well known in this, and every other country of Europe, that we are not ſurpriſed to find its Natural Hiſtory has engaged the particular attention of every writer on Ornithology, in whoſe works it could be introduced with propriety: it may hence be difficult, if not impoſſible, to treat of its peculiar habits with an elegance of language ſuperior to the deſcription of Buffon, to ſelect more judiciouſly the beautiful fictions of Antient Bards, than has been done by Pennant [] and other preceding writers; who have thus embelliſhed its hiſtory; or to add to general information any material circumſtance that has evaded the vigilance and accuracy of Latham.

The note of this bird is a call to love, and is peculiar to the male; who, perched on the branch of a tree, or the ſummit of an eminence, thus invites the female from the coppice in which ſhe ſits in ſilence: in a calm evening his note may be heard among the trees far off; and when diſappointed of its mate, the neighbouring woods reecho his hollow note at the diſtance of a quarter of a mile.

All Authors have allowed that the Cuckow does not hatch its own eggs, but depoſits them in the neſt of ſome other bird, generally in that of a Hedge-Sparrow, Water-Wagtail, or a Yellow-Hammer; ſome Writers ſay the Cuckow lays only one egg, others two ^* in the neſt; the foſter-parent attends them with the ſame care as her own, and when the brood is hatched, ſhe ſhews no diſlike to the ſpurious offspring; ſhe treats them with equal tenderneſs, and toils with the ſame aſſiduity to ſupply them with food; the young Cuckow, when fledged, follows its little inſtructor for a ſhort time; but as its appetite encreaſes, and the ſmall Inſects it collects, in imitation of its ſuppoſed parent, ſoon become inſufficient for its ſubſiſtence, they ſepa⯑rate. Its ingratitude is proverbial among the French ^†, from a ridi⯑culous ſuppoſition that it changed into a Hawk, and devoured its nurſe.

About the end of June the call of the male ceaſes, though it does not take its final departure till the end of September or beginning of [] October. Latham obſerves he has heard it call at midnight more than once or twice in the courſe of the Summer, and adds it was bright moon-light every time.

They feed on Inſects, fleſh, &c. in the ſtomach of ſeveral that have been diſſected the Caterpillars of the Fox ^* and Buff-tip ^† Moth have been found; in others vegetable matter, egg-ſhells, Beetles, &c.

They are ſuppoſed to migrate to Africa and Aleppo, and to viſit ſeveral countries in their paſſage; and are known in the northern parts of the world, even to Kamtſchatka.

Le Coucou roux, of Briſſon, is a variety of a young bird, having the upper parts varied with rufous, where the other is white. Birds of the firſt year are very liable to variation, ſcarce two being found alike; the bars are much more numerous in ſome than in others, and the ground colour more or leſs varied with ferruginous, according to the age.

On diſſection, the ſtomach has been diſcovered to be very capacious and long; protruding far beyond the ſternum, that part being ſo very ſhort, as not to be ſufficient to take off the preſſure in incubation, whereby digeſtion may be impeded. This has been aſſigned as the reaſon why it does not hatch its own eggs.

Length of the adult bird is fourteen inches, breadth twenty-five inches, weight two ounces and an half.

The Male of this ſpecies is about nine inches in length; its weight four ounces; the Female is rather larger, the colours are in general more obſcure, the white ſtripe over the eye is narrower, the black on the belly is intermixed with white, and the white line acroſs the breaſt is wanting.

They are found in plenty in ſome parts of England, in others are unknown. Are moſt common in Cambridgeſhire, Lincolnſhire, and Derbyſhire, about the latter end of April, in May and June; during which time they are very fat, and are much eſteemed for their delicate flavour. In April and September they are taken on the Wiltſhire and Berkſhire downs ^*: they are alſo ſeen on the ſea ſide at Meales, in Lancaſhire, in April; where they continue about three weeks; from thence they remove northward to Leyton Haws, where they ſtay about a fortnight ^†. It is ſuppoſed that they breed in the mountains of Cum⯑berland and Weſtmoreland, as they appear there in May, and are ob⯑ſerved there after the breeding ſeaſon. They breed alſo on ſeveral of the Highland hills ^*. Are proverbially ſtupid birds, and eaſily taken in a net, or ſhot.

[] Le Guignard d'Angleterre of Briſon ^* is conſidered as a variety of this ſpecies; the weight and ſize correſpond with the former deſcrip⯑tion; but the fore part of the Neck, Breaſt, Belly, Sides, and Thighs, are pale yellow and white mixed, the Tail white, except the two middle feathers, the Legs and Feet of a ſordid green. Albin has figured this bird; he ſays he received it from Lincolnſhire, by the name of Dotterel ^†.

Thoſe birds are common in the northern parts of Europe; Linnoeus ſays they are frequent in the Lapland Alps, and that they viſit Sweden in May. Breed in the northern parts of Ruſſia and Siberia.

This beautiful bird is rarely met with in this country except in winter; it is only an occaſional viſitor with us, though in France it is not uncommon; and in Germany, Italy, Sweden, and the ſouthern parts of Ruſſia it is very plenty. It has been ſeen in England in the ſummer months once or twice, and Latham ſeems inclined to believe they may ſometimes breed here.

They feed on berries, and on the kernels of cherries, almonds, haws, &c. their bills are very large, and ſo ſtrong that they are able to crack the hardeſt ſtones of any fruit with the greateſt facility.

[]They are ſaid to build the neſt in hollow trees; or between the forked branches, about twelve feet from the ground; it is compoſed of ſmall dry fibres, intermixed with liver-wort; they lay five or ſix eggs ^* of a roundiſh ſhape, of a bluiſh green, ſpotted with olive brown, and interſperſed with a few irregular black markings according to Latham; in the figure given by Sepp the eggs are of a pale purple colour, ſpotted with brown; the neſt appears of a looſe texture, and is placed on an oak.

The length of this ſpecies is ſeven inches, breadth thirteen, weight two ounces; the colours of the Female are not ſo bright as thoſe of the Male, and the ſpace between the bill and the eye, which is black in the latter, is grey in the other ſex.

The general deſcription we have given of its colours muſt not be ſuppoſed to conſtitute its diſtinguiſhing character: they vary exceedingly in different ſpecimens; in ſome the bill is almoſt black, the crown of the head in ſome is whitiſh; in others wholly black: ſometimes the white band acroſs the wing inclines to grey; in others no trace of white can be perceived: it has been ſeen with the body wholly black, and Scopoli mentions one entirely white, the quills excepted.

This ſpecies inhabits the fens of Lincolnſhire, where it is perhaps not uncommon, though ſeldom found elſewhere. Length eleven inches.

In its manners it nearly agrees with the other birds of the ſame tribe already figured in this work.

The Golden Plover is found in ſmall flocks on our moors and heaths, in the winter ſeaſon; it is not a common ſpecies in this country. It breeds on ſeveral unfrequented mountains, particularly on thoſe of the Iſle of Rum, and the loftier Hebrides ^*: and on the Grampian, and all the heathy hills of the iſlands, and Highlands of Scotland ^†.

It is an inhabitant of Sweden, Denmark, Lapland, and other countries towards the frozen ocean; and according to Ruſſel ^‡ ex⯑tends to the ſouth as far as Aleppo.

It lays four eggs, ſharply pointed at the leſſer end, two inches and one-eighth in length, of a pale cinereous olive, blotched with blackiſh ſpots ^§.

In ſome ſpecimens the belly is black, in others black intermixed with white; this is entirely owing to the ſeaſon; early in March the black on the breaſt is firſt ſeen, it increaſes till that part becomes full black; but after the time of incubation that colour diſappears. Inſtead of a hind toe ſome have only a ſmall claw.

This ſpecies is the moſt common of all the gulls. It breeds on the rocks and cliffs on our ſhores and rivers which are contiguous to the ſea, and is ſeen in vaſt numbers on the Thames in ſpring and winter, picking up the ſmall fiſh, worms, &c. left by the tide.

It is ſeen as far north as Iceland, Lapland, and the Ruſſian Lakes, and alſo on the coaſt of Newfoundland. It is an inhabitant of the warmer climates of the ſouth, as Greece, ſome parts of Italy, and moſt of the ſhores of the Mediterranean Sea.

The length is ſeventeen inches: breadth thirty-ſix inches, and weight one pound. The eggs are two inches and a half in length; of a deep olive brown, marked with irregular deep red reddiſh blotches ^*.

They differ a little in their markings: Mr. Latham mentions one, the head and half the neck of which were marked with ſhort duſky ſtreaks.

The Kite is very common in England, and is well known in ſe⯑veral parts of the continent of Europe ^*; but it inhabits the more northern countries only during the hotteſt months of ſummer. Boſman mentions it as a native of Guinea ^†; Linnaeus alſo ſays it in⯑habits Europe, Aſia, and Africa. No author has yet deſcribed it as a native of America.

It breeds in woods. The neſt is formed of different materials; the outſide of ſticks, the lining of rags, bits of flannel, rope, paper, &c ^‡. It lays two or three eggs, which are roundiſh, and of a whitiſh colour, ſpotted with dirty yellow. The egg of the Kite is deſcribed by Mr. Latham (in his Supplement to the Synopſis of Birds) from the ſpe⯑cimen formerly preſerved in the Portland Muſeum; it was of a bluiſh [] white, inclining to red at one end, blending itſelf with the white by ſmall markings.

As a bird of prey, the Kite is known to be very deſtructive among poultry; it devours alſo ſmall birds and animals, and Mr. Latham ſays it will ſometimes eat fiſh, as it has been found feeding on the remains of one by the ſide of a pond, after having probably beaten off its firſt poſſeſſor.

The forked tail of the Kite diſtinguiſhes it from every other bird, and ſerves to direct its flight with the greateſt preciſion. It ſome⯑times appears ſuſpended, and quite motionleſs at a conſiderable height, then glides with aſtoniſhing velocity through the ſky, without the ſmalleſt apparent action of its wings. When it deſcends on ſmall birds, it generally carries them off in its talons, to devour them.

The length of this bird twenty-ſix inches: breadth five feet. They differ very frequently in their colours. Mr. Pennant mentions a beautiful variety entirely of a tawny colour that was ſhot in Lin⯑colnſhire.

This elegant bird is commonly met with in marſhy places, or near rivers where willows, reeds, and ſedges grow. The neſt is generally made among the reeds. It is compoſed of ſtraw, and dried fibres of plants, lined with hair, and contains five eggs, of a dirty white co⯑lour, marbled with brown ^*.

It feeds on flies, ſpiders, &c. which it finds on the willows, or among the ruſhes, where it conceals itſelf. It imitates the note of the ſwallow, ſky-lark, houſe-ſparrow, and other birds, in a pleaſing but hurrying manner, and ſings all night ^†.

Some authors have ſuppoſed that it leaves us before winter, but that is uncertain.

Length of this bird is ſix inches and an half.