Identifier: generalhistoryof41822lath (find matches)
Title: A general history of birds
Year: 1821 (1820s)
Authors: Latham, John, 1740-1837 Latham, John, 1740-1837. General synopsis of birds Latham, John, 1740-1837. Index to the General history of birds Chanler, Robert Winthrop, 1872-1930, donor. DSI Wright, J., binder. DSI Bailer Bros. (Firm), binder. DSI E. Weyhe (Firm), bookseller. DSI
Subjects: Birds Birds
Publisher: Winchester (England) : Printed by Jacob and Johnson, for the author : sold in London by G. and W.B. Whittaker ... (and 3 others)
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Institution Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
are of a singularconstruction, the webs, on one side, being exceedingly short, and onthe other of a great length, and falciform in shape; they are of apurplish black colour, with the ends, for three quarters of an inch, ofa most brilliant, gilded green, though some of them reflect a bluegloss; beneath each wing springs a thick tuft of dusky feathers,eight inches and a half long, and of a texture resembling the looseherring-bone ones in the Greater Paradise bird; and besides these, oneach side of the tail are five or six feathers with unequal webs likethe scapulars, but curved only in a moderate degree; these are halfdusky from the base, the remaining part, brownish green and gilded,the two colours divided obliquely; the tail consists of twelve feathersof very unequal lengths; the two middle ones measuring twenty-eight inches; the outer one only five; the general colour of themblue-black, with a polished steel gloss, but the inner ones arechestnut; legs black. Inhabits New Guinea. \\ I
Text Appearing After Image:
HOOPOE. 107 Such is the description of a perfect specimen, formerly in thecollection of Miss Blomefield, of which I have hazarded theposition of the feathers, as in the engraved plate. The bird, on herfirst receipt of it, had been manifestly distorted, almost every featherbeing twisted out of its place; as to Sonnerats bird, or that figuredin the PI. enl. both of them want the tufted feathers, which hangover the thighs; Sonnerat, indeed, talks of two sets of feathers, thefirst taking rise above the wings, the second beneath them, butomits, the loose, herring-bone ones, so conspicuous in the bird fromwhich I have taken my description; and that of the PL enl. is des-titute of both the last, as well as those which hang on each side ofthe tail. The representation, given in the Ois. dorees, has the featherswith glossy ends disposed differently from those in my figure, as arethe colours, but I do not see any remark made on the circumstance ;and it may yet be a long time before we learn the

Note About Images