fiifpended between three reeds drawn together, thought to be the
work of that bird
They are alfo common in Denmark; and Buffon fuppofes, that
a pair of thefe, having efcaped from the cage o f the Countefs of
Albemarle, have founded this colony in England. This may have
Been the cafe in relpedt to thofe of Eritb, being on the borders
o f the Thames, but will not fo well account for their being elfe-
where; and I am inclined to think that they are indigenous to us,
and have been fo ab engine; and that it is merely owing to their
frequenting fuch places only where the reeds grow, that they have,
been fo little known; for as thefe birds never go farther than a few
yards from the beds t , they have flood the greater chance, which
has really happened, of not being earlier obferved: however, future
obfervers would do well- to pufh their enquiries further concerning
this bird; fird, in refpeft to the neft itfelf, and manner
of rearing their young; and, fecondly, in what other parts of
England they have been ebferved-
* Kramer fays, tHe neft is built among the Willows, and is of the fhape of a
pnrfe, made of foft downy materials, fuch as the down ofthe Greater Cat’s
T a ill, or that of the Afp ||, hanging the neft on a branch.
f The Reed-beds frequently cover many acres of ground-; thefe grow in the-
water, fo as to be overflowed at every-tide ; :and few perfons ever go near them,
except in the time of cutting, which they do in boats, as, except at very low--
tides, one can fcarce fet a footftep within their boundaries.
l:7yfite latifilia, Lin. J Feputui tremda, Lie.
l e n g t h
L E N G T H three inches three quarters. Bill fhort and
black, a trifle bent: general colour of the plumage ferruginous
brown, paled on the head and neck: quills and tail
brown, edged with black ; the lad pretty long : legs red.
Inhabits China. Defcribed from drawings in the pofleflion of
Captain Broadley.
La Mefange de la Cote de Malabar, Sen. Voy. Ind. vól-, ii. p. 204. pi. 114*
f. 1.
J E N G T H five inches two-thirds. Bill black : irides red:
the head, hind part of the neck, and back, of a deep grey :
the throat black : the bread, belly, and vent, the colour of red
orpiment: the wing coverts black, with a pale red fpot on fome
of the lower ones : the fecond quills are black; the next to them
half red half black; the greater quills black : the two middle
tail feathers are black; the others of a pale red half way from
the bafe, the end half black : the under tail coverts pale rufous;
legs black.
The female has the colours lefs bright: all the under parts
rufous yellow : but the fpot on the wings and rump the fame as
in the male.
Inhabits the coad of Malabar.
21.
CHINESE T.
D escription.
PlacR*
22.
MALABAR T.
D escription.
Female.
Place*
4 B 2 La