they fwallow head foremoft, letting the tail hang out of the
mouth till the fore parts are digefted. This bird, it is moft
likely, might be eafily tamed, as it is fo gentle as to fuffer the
■ negro children to catch it with their hands. Its gait is that of
leaping, like a Magpie, frequently being feen on the ground; and
its flight but fhort, chiefly from bufh to bufh. At the time
when other birds breed, they like wife retire into the woods, but
their nefts have never yet been found ; from which one fhould be
inclined to think, that they were indebted to other birds for the
rearing their young, in the manner of the common Cuckow. It
has the name of Rain-bird, as it is -faid to make the greateft
noife before rain. -Common all the year at Jamaica.
Cuculus vetula, Lin. Syft. i. p. 169. N° 4.
Le Coucou de la Jamaique, Brif. orn. iv. p. 114. N° 4.
____ I— ditle Vieillard, ou l’Oifeau dePluie, Buf. oif. vi. p. 39^-
An Old Man, or Rain-bird, Raii Syn. p. 182. N° 12.— Sloan. Jam. p. 312«
N° 52. p. 258. f. 1.— Brown. Jam. p. 476.
COM EW H A T lefs than a Blackbird : length from fifteen to fe-
venteen inches. Bill an inch long: the upper mandible
black, the under whitifh : the top of the head is covered with
d'owny foft feathers of a deep brown : the reft of the upper part
of the body, the wings, and two middle tail feathers, cinereous
o liv e : the throat and fore part of the neck are white; which,
efpecially that on the throat, appears like a downy beard * : the
breaft, and the reft of the under parts of the body rufous : all the
rail feathers, except the two middle ones, are black, tipped with
Whence, perhaps, the name of Old Man.
white,
white, and the outmoft one margined with white : the legs are of
a blueifh black.
This likewife inhabits Jamaica with the laft. Both are known
by the name of Old Man, or Rain-bird.
Le petit Vieillard, Buf. oif. vi. p. 401.
Coucou dee Paletuviers de Cayenne, PI. enl. 813.
' I KHIS and the Rain-bird of Jamaica, are faid to be fo like
each other, efpecially the female of the laft, both in colour,
fliape, &c. that one defcription may ferve; but this is much lefs,
and the tail is fhorter in proportion. It is about twelve inches
long. The bill as in the laft ; as are the upper parts of the body
and ta il: the irides yellow : the chin is white: the reft of the
parts beneath pale rufous : the legs feem longer than in the
laft.
It inhabits Cayenne, and lives on infedls, efpecially thofe large
caterpillars which, feed on the leaves of the mangrove; for the
purpofe of which, thefe birds frequent the places where fuchtrees
grow, and are principally found there.
Cuculus Americanus, Lin. By ft. i. p. 170. N° 1,0.
Le Coucou de la Caroline, Brif. orn. iv. p. 112. N° 5.— P/. enl. 816.
Le Vieillard a ailes roufles, Buf. oif. vi. p. 400.
Cuckow o f Carolina, Catefb. Carol, i. pi. 9.—Amer. Zed. N#
Br. Muf. Lev. Muf
C IZ E o f a Blackbird: length thirteen inches. Bill fourteen
lines i the upper mandible is black, the bafe yellowilh j the
3 Z under
Plage',
34-
MANGROVE
C.
D escription.
Place. “
CAROLINE
C.
D escription.