The once-believ'd fable of blood from her breast
Hath long since been set, and for ever, at rest.

work-bags, &c. It is used in Egypt by the sailors, whilst attached to the two under chaps, for holding or baling water. The pouch extends from the point of the under mandible to the throat; it admits of being greatly contracted. In disgorging the food the bird presses the bottom of the sack upon her breast, and thus the contents are discharged: hence the fable of feeding her young with her blood. It is an indolent lazy bird; the female takes very little care either of her eggs or her young. When it cannot obtain fish, it will feed on rats and small quadrupeds. Although the general colour of this bird is white, it becomes, it is said, as it advances in age, in many parts of the body, red. It lives sometimes 100 years.

The Carbo, CORMORANT, Corcorant, or Sea-Crow, is black; the neck long, size nearly that of a goose; found in almost every part of the ocean; flesh eaten by navigators; it abounds on the seacoasts of these kingdoms, but chiefly the north: it is very common also on the shores of the Bristol Channel. This bird was formerly domesticated in this country, and trained to fish for its owner; it is still used in China for this purpose. It is subject to much variety both in size and colour: one described by MONTAGUE, unquestionably very large, was three feet three inches long, breadth four feet eleven inches, and weight eight pounds! It is usually, however, much less than this: not so large as a goose. Eggs three, white; nest, composed of sticks and sea-weed, is generally found on the summit of the highest rocks, near the sea. It is in the winter seen sometimes in freshwater rivers, at a considerable distance from the sea.

This bird has been usually considered greedy and rapacious; so much so, indeed, that it has been often cited by writers, and particularly by the poets, as well as in the common language of Jife, as an emblem of greediness :—

"Spite of cormorant devouring time."

SHAKESPEARE.

The imbecile fool BOOBY, the GANNET, the SHAG; DUCKS of all kinds; and GEESE, amongst which the GREY-LAG.

There were, too, FRIGATE-PELICANS soaring on high; Those who sometimes proceed man himself to defy;

"Hence up he flew, and on the tree of life

Sat like a cormorant."

MILTON.

The Graculus, or SHAG, called erroneously sometimes Crane, is black above, beneath brown; two feet and a half long; two other varieties; in its general manners similar to the Cormorant, but keeps wholly to the salt water. Inhabits Europe and Ireland, and is common also to this country. Perches on and sometimes builds (as well as one of the varieties of the Cormorant) in trees, although both these birds have palmate feet.

The Sula, or BOOBY, has a whitish body, quill feathers tipt with blackish; beneath white; length two feet and a half; bill five, tail upwards of ten inches long. Inhabits South America and the neighbouring islands. It is an indolent, senseless, and cowardly bird, submitting to all sorts of depredations upon its happiness with indolent imbecility; yet is,occasionally, when much excited, ferocious. The man-of-war-bird (see the next species,) no sooner perceives it in the air, than it pounces upon it, not to destroy it, but to make it disgorge the fish which it has swallowed, which is snatched up by the voracious plunderer before it reaches the water.

The Aquilus, FRIGATE-PELICAN, Great-Frigate-Pelican, Frigate-Bird, or Man-of-War-Bird, has a forked tail, body black, bill red; the male has the pouch deep red; wing coverts rufous; female belly white; three feet long; extent of the wings fourteen feet; builds in rocks and trees; eggs one or two, flesh-colour, spotted with red; feeds principally, if not entirely, on fish. This bird is one of the most formidable tyrants of the

Fierce warriors o'er ocean pursuing their way,
And who merciless pounce, as they pass, on their prey.

ocean. When in flocks their audacity has sometimes prompted them to brave even man himself. It is said a cloud of them attacked a crew of French sailors upon the Island of Ascension, and, till some of them were struck down, endeavoured to snatch the meat from their hands. From the length of their wings, when upon the ground or on the water they cannot easily take flight; they are, therefore, rarely, if ever, seen on the water. Although having palmate feet, they perch commonly on trees or other eminences, where they also build: eggs one or two, flesh-colour, spotted with crimson. Inhabits within the tropics. See the preceding article.

The Bassanus, GANNET, Common-Gannet, or Soland-Goose, has a white body; bill and primary quill feathers black; face blue; length three feet; three varieties; one inhabits Cayenne, the other two Europe and America. The gannets are birds of passage, arriving in this country in March, and quitting it in August or September. Their chief food is herrings, although, it is said, they cannot dive for them. They are found in vast numbers on the rocky recesses of Scotland; and particularly on the Bass rock, at the entrance of the Frith of Forth, whence this bird has obtained its specific name. Egg one; but, if that be carried away, the female will lay twice or even thrice. The young grow very fat; and, in St. Kilda, with the eggs, contribute to the support of the inhabitants, who contrive to take them by being suspended by a rope from precipitous rocks, two hundred fathoms from the ground. The eggs and food thus procured are preserved in pyramidal stone buildings, covered with ashes, to defend them from moisture. Their winter retreat is said to be off the coast of Cornwall, far out at sea, and in every part of the British and Irish Channel, pursuing herrings and pilchards. See the INTRODUCTION.

The GRAKLE (2), loquacious, whose nests will be found The marge of the Osprey's to cluster around;

(29) Order, Piæ, (Linn.) GraKLE the MINOR, the BOATTAILED, the CRESTED, the PURPLE, &c.

The genus GRACULA, (Linn.) or GRAKLE, consists of nearly forty species, natives of India and South America, some of them of Europe. They have a thick convex bill, compressed at the sides, with small nostrils, and sharp hooked claws, the middle toe connected at the base with the outer. The following are the chief:

The Religiosa, or MINOR-GRAKLE, is violet black, spot on the wings white; hind head with a yellow naked band. Another variety much larger; both inhabit Asia; the first is ten inches and half long; feeds on cherries, grapes, and other fruits: when tamed exceedingly loquacious.

The Barita, or BOAT-TAILED GRAKLE, is greyish, shoulders blue; quill feathers outside green; tail rounded and concave when folded, as it is when on the wing; flat when spread; thirteen inches long; feeds on insects and fruits; inhabits America and the West Indies.

The Quiscala, PURPLE-GRAKLE, or CROW-BLACKBIRD, is violet black, tail rounded. Male thirteen and a half, female eleven and a half inches long; sings finely; lays five or six bluish eggs, with black striped spots; nests in great numbers on the same tree; and also sometimes near the Osprey's. See note 1, part I., article HALIÆETOS. When domesticated, feeds on all kinds of grain. Although very destructive to plantations, it clears them in a considerable degree from noxious insects, on which account the breed has been of late encouraged in the West Indies. It is a native of Mexico, the warm parts of America, and Jamaica.

The Sturvina is hoary, black on the crown and back; between the wings violet black; tail and wings with a shade of green.

The HORN'D-SCREAMER (30), too, from the Savannah

was there,

Arm❜d with spines on his wing, yet is said still to be Of birds the most harmless, affectionate he. And GROSBEAKS, whose nests with what can we compare?

Fame reports, too, with worms* noctilucent and bright, They illumine their domes in the darkness of night! But FAME oft misleads us from NATURE and TRUTH, Her excitements deceive age, and manhood, and youth.

In its eggs and nest resembles those of the thr ush; inhabits the osier banks of Dauria.

The Cristellata, or CRESTED-GRAKLE, is eight and a half inches long; inhabits China; is very loquacious, and makes a hissing noise.

(30) ORDER, GRALLÆ, (Linn.) SCREAMER, the HORNED, the CRESTED.

The genus PALA MEDEA, (Linn.) or SCREAMER, consists of three species, having a conic bill, the upper mandible hooked, feet four-toed, cleft; a very small membrane connecting the toes at the root. They are as follow:

The Cornuta, or HORNED-SCREAMER, has the wings with two spurs at the head of each; front horned; the head and upper part of the neck covered with short bristly feathers; the rest of the plumage is longer, of a dark brown colour, mixed with green. The feet four inches long; size of a large swan. The first spur on the wing is two inches long; the second half an inch. Notwithstanding this armour, it is said that this bird is the most gentle of all animals; that the male and female are always found in pairs, evincing great attachment for each other; that they are inseparable; and that, if one dies, the other does

• Lampyris noctiluca, or GLOW-WORM. See page 177.