38 •
Y ar. A. Rouge-gorge de Bologne, Brif orn. iii. p. 422. 22.
Spipola prima Aldrov. Raii Syn. p. 80.3.—Will. orn. p. 210»
D escription. I G G E R than the Red-breaft. Bill brown : the head, hind
part of the neck, and back, are afh-coloured : the throat
white: fore part of the neck and breaft rufous: belly, thighs,
and vent, rufous and white mixed: wing coverts varied with
black, white, and rufous: quills black, edged with white, and the
fecondaries with rufous: tail as the quills: legs yellow : claws
black.
Place. Found at Bologna.
It feems to be the laft, not yet arrived at fulnefs of plumage
*.
4- B39L*UE- THROATED w.
Motacilla Suecica, Lin. Ryjt. i. p. 336. N° 37. — Faun. Suee. N° 239.—
Georgi ReiJe, p. 174.— Fri/cb. t. ly.
La Gorge-bleue, Brif. orn. iii. p. 413. N° 19.—Buf. oif. v. p. 206. pi. 12.
La Gorge-bleue a tache blanche, PI. tnl. 361. f. 2. — fans tache blanche,
PI. enl. 610. f. 1.—la femelle, f. 2.—jeune, f. 3.
Gorge-bleue de Gibraltar, Brif. orn. iii. p. 416. N° 20. (the female.)
Wegflecklin, Raii Syn. p. 78. A. 5. N° 3.—Will. orn. p. 219.
Blue-throated Redftart, Edvj. pi. 28.—Aril. Zool.
Lev. Muf.
Description*
Male.
r-p H I S feems much related to the Red-breaft, and is nearly
of the fame fize. The colour of the upper parts is nearly
Ray fufpefts it to be the Whitt Throat.
the
the fame : over the eye is a rufous white Break : the throat and
fore part of the neck of a bright azure blue j beneath this is a border
of black; and under that the bread is red : belly, thighs, and
vent, dufky white: the tail is brown, like the upper parts of the
bird; but the bafe half of all but the two middle feathers is of
an orange red.
This is the defcription of the male; of which fome varieties
Have a beautiful filver-white fpot, of the Cze of a filver penny, on
the middle of the blue on the fore part of the neck *.
The female is the fame colour with the male on the upper
parts, but differs beneath. In her the throat is white: acrofs the
neck a band of blue, bordered beneath with another of black: the
reft of the under parts dufky white.
Thefe birds are found in many parts of Europe, though nowhere
fb common as the Red-breaft. From the writers above-quoted,
we find them to be met with in various parts between Sweden
and Gibraltar. They do not frequent woods, like the Red-breaft,
but places near the water, among reeds, or the like ; frequently
making the neft on the willow-trees, of grafs, &c.
Authors mention, that it has an agreeable fong; and fome,
that it lings in the night f.
The young do not come to their colour on the breaft till after
fome time, as the laft fpecies 5 being, like that, only fpotted with
brown upon that part.
It is remarked, that the fine blue colour goes off, if this bird
be kept in a cage j not retaining it after the firft moult.
* It Is probable that thofe with the white Ipot may be old birds, as the blue
on the breaft in fuch is obferved ta be of a deeper colour.
f Frifch•
V ar ie t y .
F emale*
Place and
Manners.
They