Identifier: naturalhistoryof31796dono (find matches)
Title: The natural history of British birds, or, A selection of the most rare, beautiful and interesting birds which inhabit this country : the descriptions from the Systema naturae of Linnaeus : with general observations, either original or collected from the latest and most esteemed English ornithologists : and embellished with figures, drawn, engraved, and coloured from the original specimens
Year: 1794 (1790s)
Authors: Donovan, E. (Edward), 1768-1837 Latham, John, 1740-1837 Pennant, Thomas, 1726-1798 Gilbert, Richard, 1794-1852, printer Donovan, E. (Edward), 1768-1837. Natural history of the nests and eggs of British birds Linné, Carl von, 1707-1778. Systema naturae. Regnum animale F. and C. Rivington (Firm), publisher F., C. and J. Rivington (Firm), publisher Law and Gilbert, printer R. & R. Gilbert (Firm), printer Leverian Museum (London, England)
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: London : Printed for the author, and for F. and C. Rivington ...
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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fpecies is much more beautiful than the female ;the former (of which a figure is given in the annexed plate,) weighsabout fix ounces and a half: its length fourteen inches ; and meafures,when the wings are expanded, twenty-feven inches between eachtip. The female weighs eleven ounces: the colour of the back andwings is more pale and dufky than in the male; and the middle ofeach feather is marked with an oblong dark flreak, pointing down-wards : the bread: of a dirty yellowifh white ; and the tail palered brown, eroded with numerous black bars. It is not uncommon in England, and many other parts of Europe jit breeds in the hollows of trees, cavities of rocks, old buildings, &c.It lays four eggs, of a pale ferruginous colour, marked with irregularfpots of a deeper hue *. It feeds on mice, fmall birds, and infecls ;and throws up the fur and feathers in the form of a round ball. This bird was formerly ufed in falconry, to catch fmall birdsand young partridges. * Portland Muftum, PLATE
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PLATE LII. MERGUS MINUTUS. RED-HEADED MERGANSER. Anseres. Bill obtufe, covered with a thin membrane, broad gibbous belowthe bafe, fwelled at the apex. Tongue flelhy. Legs naked, feetwebbed or finned. GENERIC CHARACTER. Bill convex above, flat beneath, hooked at the apex, with mem-branous teeth. SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND STNO NTMS. Biil lead colour. Head red brown, with a fmall creft. Cheeks*throat, and belly white. Back and tail mottled, dufky and white.Wings dufky, with a patch of white on the coverts, and two barsof the fame below. Legs dufky. Mergus Minutus: capite grifeo kevi. Fn. Suec.—Lttm. Syjl. Nat. i. p. 129. 5,Mergus tinus, Hafelq. It, p. 269. N°. 37. « glacial is, Brunnich, N°. 99. 11 pannonicus. Scop. Ann. 1. p. 392. The Wezel Coot. Albin. orn. i.p. 84. /. 88.LoupH Diver. Rail Syn. p. i^—Will om. p. 338. Minute PLATE LH. Minute Merganser. Lath. Gen. Syn. 6. 429. 6. Red-headed Smew. Pen. Br. Zool. 263. LHarle etoile. Brif. av. 6. 252.—Buf. oij. 8. p. 278. Le petit Har

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