4

BRITISH BIRDS.

young: at this feafon the return of the fmalier birds
affords plenty of prey, and he can with eafe provide
for the fuftenance of himfelf and his mate: at o-
ther times they unite their exertions, and are al-
ways feen clofe together, or at a ſhort diſtance
from each other. Thofe who have an opportunity
of obſerving their motions, ſay, that the one beats
the bufhes, whilft the other, perched on an emi-
nence, watches the eſcape of the prey. They of-
ten foar out of the reach of human fight; and not-
withſtanding the immenſe diſtance, their cry is ſill
heard, and then reſembles the barking of a ſmall
dog. Though a voracious bird, the Eagle can en-
dure the want of ſuſtenance for a long time. A
common Eagle, caught in a fox trap, is ſaid to
have paffed five whole weeks without the leaſt
food, and did not appear ſenſibly weakened till
towards the laſt week, after which a period was
put to its exiſtence.

BRITISH BIRDS.

5

THE GOLDEN EAGLE,

(Falco Chryfatos, Linnæus.—Le grand Aigle, Buffon.)

Is the largeſt of the genus: It meaſures, from
the point of the bill to the extremity of the toes,

B 3

12 BRITISH BIRDS.

Its bill is large, much hooked, and of a blueish colour; its eye is yellow; a row of strong briskly feathered hangs down from its under bill next to its throat, from whence it has been termed the bearded Eagle; the top of the head and back part of the neck are dark brown, inclining to black; the feathers on the back are variegated by a lighter brown, with dark edges; the scapulars are pale brown, the edges nearly white; the breast and belly whitish, with irregular spots of brown; the tail feathers are dark brown; the outer edges of the exterior feathers whitish; the quill feathers and thighs are dufky; the legs and feet yellow; the claws, which are large, and form a compleat femicircle, are of a shining black. It is found in various parts of Europe and America; it is said to lay only two eggs during the whole year, and frequently produces only one young one; it is however widely difperfed, and was met with at Botany Island by Captain Cook. It lives chiefly on fifh; its ufual haunts are by the fea-fhore; it also frequents the borders of large lakes and rivers; and is said to fee so diftin&ly in the dark, as to be able to purfue and catch its prey during the night. The ftory of the Eagle, brought to the ground after a severe conflict with a cat which it had feized and taken up into the air with its ta-lons, is very remarkable. Mr Barlow, who was an eye-witneſs of the faſt, made a drawing of it, which he afterwards engraved.

BRITISH BIRDS.

13

THE OSPREY.

BALD BUZZARD, SEA EAGLE, OR FISHING HAWK.

(Falco Halietus, Lin.—Le Balbuzard, Buff.)

The length of this bird is two feet; its breadth, from tip to tip, above five; its bill is black, with a blue cere, and its eye is yellow; the crown of its head is white, marked with oblong dufky spots; its cheeks, and all the under parts of its body, are white, flightly fpotted with brown on its breast; from the corner of each eye a ftreak of brown ex-

26

BRITISH BIRDS.

deavoured to secure it.—Besides the bird just described, there are many other kinds which were formerly in high estimation for the sports of the field; these were principally the Jer-Falcon, the Falcon, the Lanner, the Sacre, the Hobby, the Keftril, and the Merlin: These are called the long-winged hawks, and are distinguished from the Gofhawk, the Sparrowhawk, the Kite, and the Buzzard, which are of shorter wing, flower in their motions, more indolent, and less courageous than the others.

BRITISH BIRDS.

27

THE SPARROWHAWK.

(Falco Nifus, Lin.—L'Epervier, Buff.)

THE length of the male is twelve inches; that of the female fifteen: Its bill is blue, furnished with bristles at the base, which overhang the nostrils; the colour of the eye is bright orange; the head is flat at the top, and above each eye is a strong bony projection, which seems as if intended to secure it from external injury; from this projection a few scattered spots of white form a faint line running backward towards the neck; the top of the head and all the upper parts of the body are of a dusky brown colour; on the back part of the head there is a faint line of white; the capulars are marked with two spots of white on each feather; the greater quill feathers and the tail are dusky,

36

BRITISH BIRDS.

THE KESTREL.

STONEGALL, STANNEL HAWK, OR WINDHOVER.

(Falco Tinnunculus, Lin.—La Crefferelle, Buff.)

THE male of this species differs so much from the female, and is so rarely seen, that we have given a figure of it from one we had in our possession. Its length is fourteen inches; breadth two feet three inches; its bill is blue; cere and eyelids yellow; eyes black; the forehead dull yellow; the top of the head, back part of the neck, and fides, as far as the points of the wings, are of a lead colour, faintly streaked with black; the cheeks are paler; from the corner of the mouth on each side there is a dark streak pointing downwards; the back and coverts of the wings are of a bright vinous colour, spotted with black; quill feathers dufty, with light edges; all the under part of the body is of a pale ruft colour,

BRITISH BIRDS.

37

freaked and spotted with black; thighs plain; the tail feathers are of a fine blue grey, with black shafts; towards the end there is a broad black bar both on the upper and under fives; the tips are white; the legs are yellow, and the claws black.

THE FEMALE KESTREL.

THIS beautiful bird is distinguished from every other Hawk by its variegated plumage; its bill is blue; cere and feet yellow; eyes dark co-loured, furrounded with a yellow skin; its head is ruft coloured, streaked with black; behind each eye there is a bright spot; the back and wing coverts are elegantly marked with numerous undulated bars of black; the breast, belly, and thighs

D 3

174

BRITISH BIRDS.

LESSER REDPOLE.

(Fringilla Linaria, Lin.—Le Sizerin, Buff.)

LENGTH about five inches: Bill pale brown, point duſky; eyes hazel; the forehead is marked with a pretty large ſpot, of a deep purpliſh red; the breaſt is of the fame colour, but leſs bright; the feathers on the back are duſky, edged with pale brown; the greater and leſſer coverts tipped with dirty white, forming two light bars acroſs the wing; the belly and thighs are of a dull white; the quills and tail duſky, edged with dirty white; the latter ſomewhat forked; legs duſky. In our bird the rump was ſomewhat reddiſh, in which it agrees with the Twite of Mr Pennant, and moſt probably conſtitutes one ſpecies with it and the Mountain Linnet, the differences being immaterial, and merely

BRITISH BIRDS.

175

fuch as might arife from age, food, or other acci-
dental circumftances. I he female has no red on
the breaſt or rump, and the ſpot on her forehead is
of a ſaffron colour; her plumage in general is not
ſo bright as that of the male.

Birds of this kind are not unfrequent in this if-
land; they breed chiefly in the northern parts, where
they are known by the name of French Linnets.
They make a ſhallow open neſt, compoſed of dried
grafs and wool, and lined with hair and feathers:
The female lays four eggs, almoſt white, marked
with reddiſh ſpots. In the winter they mix with
other birds, and migrate in flocks to the southern
counties: They feed on ſmall feeds of various
kinds, eſpecially thoſe of the alder, of which they
are extremely fond; they hang, like the Titmouſe,
with their back downwards, upon the branches
while feeding, and in this fituation may eafily be
caught with lime twigs. This ſpecies is found in
every part of Europe, from Italy to the moſt ex-
treme parts of the Ruffian empire. In America
and the northern parts of Afia it is likewife very
common.

BRITISH BIRDS.

138

BULLFINCH,
ALP OR NOPE.

(Loxia Pyrrhula, Lin.—Le Bouvreuil, Buff.)

THE bill is dufky; eyes black; the upper part of the head, the ring round the bill, and the origin of the neck, are of a fine glofly black;\* the back afh colour; the breast and belly red; wings and tail black; the upper tail coverts and vent are white; legs dark brown. The female is very fi- milar, but the colours in general are lefs bright, and the under parts of a reddifh brown.†

\* Hence in fome countries it is called Monk or Pope, and in Scotland it is not improperly denominated Coally hood.

† The Bullfinch fometimes changes its plumage, and becomes wholly black during its confinement, efpecially when fed with hemp feed. In the Leverian Mufeum there is a variety of the Bullfinch entirely white.

BRITISH BIRDS.

139

This bird is common in every part of this if-
land, as well as moſt parts of Europe; its ufual
haunts, during ſummer, are in woods and thickets,
but in winter it approaches nearer to cultivated
grounds, and feeds on feeds, winter berries, &c.;
in the ſpring it frequents gardens, where it is uſe-
fully bufy in deſtroying the worms which are lod-
ged in the tender buds. The female makes her
neſt in buſhes; it is compoſed chiefly of moſs; the
lays five or fix eggs, of a dull blueiſh white, mark-
ed at the larger end with dark ſpots. In a wild
ſtate, its note is very ſimple; but when kept in a
cage, its ſong, though low, is far from being un-
pleafant. Both male and female may be taught to
whiſtle a variety of tunes, and there are inſtances
of two Bullfinches having been taught to ſing in
parts; a wonderful inſtance of docility! They are
frequently imported into this country from Ger-
many, where they are taught to articulate, with
great diſtinſtneſs, ſeveral words.