diate part;. — The moft curious circumftance of thefe birds is
their neft; than which nothing can be more lingular. It is of
a roundilh lhape, not much unlike that of the Long-tailed
Titmoufe, but compofed of ftill finer materials.
The bird frequents watery places, for the fake of aquatic in-
fefts, on which it feeds: and makes ufe of the down of the
Willow and Poplar, as well as that of the Thijlle, and fuch-like;
thefe it entwines with its bill into a clofe body, ftrengthening
the fabric without with the fmall fibres and roots of plants; and
lining the whole within with feme of the loofe loft down above-
mentioned. This neft is hung at the extreme end of feme weak
branch which projects over the water, and is wholly covered, except
a hole left for entrance, which is placed on one fide, generally
that which is oppofite the water. By this cautious inftinft
it fears neither quadruped nor reptile ; for neither can venture to
it from above, nor attack it beneath.
The-female lays four or five eggs, white as fnow, and almoft
tranfparent■, and generally has two broods in a year, the firft in
April or May, the fecond in Augufi.
Thefe nefts may be feen frequently in the marihes about
Bologna, and other places. The peafants who inhabit thofe
parts make great account both of the birds and their nefts j
hanging one o f the laft near the door of their hut. And as to
the bird itfelf, they account it very little lefs than facred; beholding
it with that fuperftitious veneration which is fo commonly
the efTedt of unenlightened minds.
U
La Penduljne, Buf, oif v. p. 433»
Mefange du Languedoc, PL enl. 708* f. 1.
17.
LANGUEDOC
T.
T E N G T H four inches. Bill full four lines j colour black ;
the edge of the upper mandible yellow brown : top of the
head grey : the upper parts of the body rufous grey; beneath
the fame, but paler : upper wing coverts blackilh, with rufous
margins j the fecondary quills the fame, but paler at the ends;
the greater quills blackiih, with whitiih margins: tail black
alfo, but margined with rufous : legs lead-colour.
We meet with this bird in Languedof; and in manners it may
well vie with the former, being not inferior in regard to the
conftrudtion of the neft; which is pretty large, in refpeft to the
fize of the bird, being in ihape like, and not much lefs than, the
egg of an Ojirich; the longeft diameter is fix inches, the ihorteft
three inches and a half. It fixes this neft on a forked twig of the
Poplar, forrounding it with wool; employing the downy part of
the Poplar-Rower, and fuch other materials as the laft fpecies
makes ufe of. This is likewife open only on one fide, but the
entrance is ftill more forprifing ; for it conftrudts a kind of portico
over it, projedting almoft three quarters of an inch, whereby
there is an additional fecurity againft the accidents of wind,
rain, and other inconveniences.
This is called at Languedoc the Wild Canary-bird*.
D escription,
Plage ani>
Manners,
• Hijl, ties oif
Par««