The Prince of the Waders, the huge JABIRU, (39)
Up the dell in much haste with a long serpent flew.
The CROWS, Rooks, and RAVENS, arriv'd rather late;
The WILD-TURKIES were many-affected much state.

purple; length ten inches; very noisy; flesh good; inhabits watery places of South America.

The Chavaria, or FAITHFUL JACANA, has the toes long; on the hind head a crest, consisting of about twelve black featliers, three inches long, pendent; body brown, belly light black; wings and tail blackish; wing-spurs two or three, half an inch long; size of a cock, and stands a foot and a half from the ground; inhabits the rivers and inundated places near Carthagena in America. The natives keep one of these birds to wander with the poultry and defend them from birds of prey, which it does by the spurs on its wings: it never deserts its charge, bringing them home safely at night. It feeds on herbs; its gait is slow; it cannot run unless assisted by its wings; it flies, however, easily and swiftly; voice clear and loud.

(39) Order, GRALLÆ, (Linn.) JABIRU, the AMERICAN, the INDIAN, the NEW HOLLAND.

۱۰

The genus Mycteria, (Linn.) or JABIRU, comprises six species, distinguished by a sharp-pointed bill, a little bending upwards; tongue small, or tongueless ; feet four-toed, cleft; the following deserve notice:

The Americana, or AMERICAN-JABIRU, is white, the plumage on the neck excepted, which is red; quill and tail-feathers purplish-black. It is one of the largest birds of Guiaua, being more than four feet high and six in length. Its large black bill is a formidable weapon, being above thirteen inches long, and at the base three in thickness; feeds chiefly on fish, but destroys serpents and other reptiles; is gregarious and migratory; eggs two; nest in trees hanging over water.

The Asiatica, or INDIAN-JABIRU, is white; band over the

The FLY-CATCHERS (4°) also flew darting along, While the MoCKING-BIRD warbled some other bird's

song:

eyes, lower part of the back, quill and tail feathers, black; feeds on shell fish; inhabits India.

The Nova-Hollandiæ, or New-Holland-Jabiru, has the body above purplish-green, beneath, neck, and shoulders, white; head purplish, spotted with white; first quill feathers white; tail black and white; inhabits New Holland.

(40) Order, PaSSERES, (Linn.) FLY-CATCHER, the SPOTTED, the PIED, the FANTAILED, &c.

The genus MUSCICAPA, (Linn.) or Fly-Catcher, comprehends more than one hundred and seventy species scattered over the warmer parts of the globe; the greater number inhabitants of Australasia and Polynesia; two found in this country. They have a bill nearly triangular, notched at each side, bent in at the tip, and beset with bristles at the root; toes, mostly, divided at their origin. The following deserve notice:

The Grisola, SPOTTED-FLY-CATCHER, Cobweb, Rafter, Beebird, Cherry-sucker, or Chanchider, is about the size of a titlark ; body above brown, beneath whitish; neck longitudinally spotted, Inhabits Europe; comes to this country some time in May, and quits it in September; builds in holes of walls or hollow trees; eggs four or five, pale, spotted with reddish; feeds on winged insects, but is fond also of cherries; frequently seen in woods where flies abound, darting in every direction in pursuit of them; its note a simple weak chirp.

The Atricapilla, PIED-FLY. CATCHER, or Cold-Finch, is about the size of a Linnet, and occasionally seen in this country, and is said to be indigenous here; it is, however, a scarce bird, said to frequent uncultivated tracts of furze, and probably builds there.

DELIGHT of COLUMBIA!* her WOODS, unto THEE, For ever be hallowed that HOME of the FREE, Which the SPIRIT of BRITAIN for ever pervadesHer hills and her vallies and far distant shades.+

The Aëdon is rusty-brown, beneath yellowish-white; size of the reed-thrush, and sings delightfully in the night; inhabits Dauria. The Rubicollis, or PURPLE-THROATED-FLY-Catcher, is black; chin and throat with a large purple-red spot; twelve inches long; gregarious; often associates with the toucan; inhabits South America. The Flabellifera, or FAN-TAILEDFLY-CATCHER, is above olive, beneath ferruginous; length six and a half inches; flies with its tail expanded like a fan; is easily tamed, and will sit on the shoulders and pick off flies as they appear.

The Carolinensis, CAT-FLY-CATCHER, or Cat-bird, (the Turdus lividus of WILSON,) is nine inches long; very common and very numerous in the United States; colour a deep slate; notes more remarkable for singularity than for melody; mews like a cat, or rather, according to WILSON, like a young kitten; it also imitates the notes of other birds; attacks snakes. To the stories told of the fascination of snakes, WILSON gives no credit.

* For one song of the MOCKING-BIRD, see the Song of the Manakin, and page 405; for the MOCKING-BIRD's Night Song, see the conclusion of the second Part.

+ The reflection that the pervading MIND of the United States of America is essentially BRITISH-liberal, intelligent, is peculiarly gratifying to a native of the United Kingdom. May nothing, for the future, occur to disturb the harmony now subsisting between us and our kindred of the west!

TO THE MOCKING-BIRD.

Turdus Polyglottus.-(LINN.)

BIRD of MOCKERY! BIRD of SONG!
To thee all discord's notes belong.
When, risen from his couch, the day
To ruddy labour hastes away,

And many a scansor's screaming note
Through wood, o'er dell, is heard to float,
Thy mimic voice is present, loud,
As though of all discordance proud:
The Bell-bird's clang-the Parrot's prate-
Toucan's loud hiss of fearful hate-
The Cat-bird's mew-Goatsucker's Ha!
The Sawing-bird's harsh, grating Ra-
By thee sent forth in mimic song;
To thee all discord's notes belong.

But now, with silence, wait awhile;-
What sounds shall soon the sense beguile!

Some WARBLER, tenant of the shade,
Sends forth his song of sweetness made;
By THEE the strain is instant caught,
And with more mellow sweetness wrought!
BIRD of MOCKERY! BIRD of SONG!
To thee all pleasing notes belong.

When day resigns to night his reign,
And stillness stretches o'er the plain,
Then, BIRD of MELODY! thy note
Doth on the gales of ether float.
That note harmonious, truly thine,
Approaches strains almost divine:
When lifts the moon her lamp on high,
And dashes light o'er earth and sky,
Its warbling echoes onward roll,
And lap in feeling's bliss the soul.

BIRD of MOCKERY! BIRD of SONG!
TO THEE all pleasing notes belong. (41)

(41) Order, PASSERES, (Linn.) MOCKING-BIRD.

The Turdus Polyglottus, (Linn.) MOCKING-BIRD, or MimicThrush, belongs to the numerous genus TURDUS described in note (45) of the first Part. Its colour is above dusky-ash, beneath pale-ash; primary quill feathers white on the outer half; nine and a half inches long; female nearly like the male; feeds on berries, fruits, and insects; eggs four or five, cinereous blue, spotted with brown; has two broods in a year; found in America, from the States of New England to Brazil, and in many of the adjacent islands; more numerous in those states south of the Delaware; generally migratory in the latter and resident in the former; a warm climate and low country not far from the sea are most congenial to it; sings occasionally as early as February; builds in Georgia in April, in Pennsylvania in May, and in New York and the New England States still later; prefers a thorn bush, an impenetrable thicket, an orange tree, a cedar or a holly bush; sometimes a pear or apple tree, often a short distance from a dwelling-house; time of incubation fourteen days, during which the male will attack both cats and snakes with great courage ;