{Herring-tail'd Hawk.}
The Herring, or Swallow-tail'd Hawk, is about the Bigness of a Falcon,
but a much longer Bird. He is of a delicate Aurora-Colour;
the Pinions of his Wings, and End of his Tail are black.
He is a very beautiful Fowl, and never appears abroad but in the Summer.
His Prey is chiefly on Snakes, and will kill the biggest we have,
with a great deal of Dexterity and Ease.
{Goshawk.}
Goshawks are very plentiful in Carolina. They are not seemingly so large
as those from Muscovy; but appear to be a very brisk Bird.
{Falcon.}
The Falcon is much the same as in Europe, and promises to be a brave Bird,
tho' I never had any of them in my Hand; neither did I ever see any of them
in any other Posture than on the Wing, which always happen'd to be
in an Evening, and flying to the Westward; therefore, I believe,
they have their Abode and Nest among the Mountains, where we may expect
to find them, and several other Species that we are at present Strangers to.
{Merlin.}
The Merlin is a small Bird in Europe, but much smaller here;
yet he very nimbly kills the smaller sorts of Birds, and sometimes
the Partridge; if caught alive, he would be a great Rarity,
because of his Beauty and Smalness.
{Sparrow-Hawk.}
The Sparrow-Hawk in Carolina is no bigger than a Field-fare in England.
He flies at the Bush and sometimes kills a small Bird, but his chiefest Food
is Reptiles, as Beetles, Grashoppers, and such small things.
He is exactly of the same Colour, as the Sparrow-Hawk in England,
only has a blackish Hood by his Eyes.
{Hobby.}
Hobbies are the same here as in England, and are not often met withal.
{Ring Tail.}
The Ring-tail is a short-wing'd Hawk, preying on Mice, and such Vermine
in the Marshes, as in England.
{Ravens.}
Ravens, the same as in England, though very few. I have not seen above six
in eight Years time.
{Crows.}
Crows are here less than in England. They are as good Meat as a Pigeon;
and never feed on any Carrion. They are great Enemies to the Corn-Fields;
and cry and build almost like Rooks.
{Black-Birds.}
Of these we have two sorts, which are the worst Vermine in America.
They fly sometimes in such Flocks, that they destroy every thing before them.
They (both sorts) build in hollow Trees, as Starlings do. The first sort
is near as big as a Dove, and is very white and delicate Food.
The other sort is very beautiful, and about the Bigness of the Owsel.
Part of their Head, next to the Bill, and the Pinions of their Wings,
are of an Orange, and glorious Crimson Colour. They are as good Meat
as the former, tho' very few here (where large Fowl are so plenty)
ever trouble themselves to kill or dress them.
{Bunting two sorts.}
Of the Bunting-Larks we have two sorts, though the Heel of this Bird
is not so long as in Europe. The first of these often accompany
the Black-birds, and sing as the Bunting-Larks in England do,
differing very little. The first sort has an Orange-Colour
on the Tops of their Wings, and are as good Meat as those in Europe.
The other sort is something less, of a lighter Colour;
nothing differing therein from those in England, as to Feathers,
Bigness, and Meat.
{Pheasant.}
The Pheasant of Carolina differs some small matter from
the English Pheasant, being not so big, and having some difference
in Feather; yet he is not any wise inferiour in Delicacy,
but is as good Meat, or rather finer. He haunts the back Woods,
and is seldom found near the Inhabitants.
{Woodcock.}
The Woodcocks live and breed here, though they are not in great plenty,
as I have seen them in some Parts of England, and other Places.
They want one third of the English Woodcock in Bigness;
but differ not in Shape, or Feather, save that their Breast
is of a Carnation Colour; and they make a Noise (when they are on the Wing)
like the Bells about a Hawk's Legs. They are certainly as dainty Meat,
as any in the World. Their Abode is in all Parts of this Country,
in low, boggy Ground, Springs, Swamps, and Percoarsons.
{Snipe.}
The Snipes here frequent the same Places, as they do in England,
and differ nothing from them. They are the only wild Bird
that is nothing different from the Species of Europe, and keeps with us
all the Year. In some Places, there are a great many of these Snipes.
{Partridge.}
Our Partridges in Carolina, very often take upon Trees,
and have a sort of Whistle and Call, quite different from those in England.
They are a very beautiful Bird, and great Destroyers of the Pease
in Plantations; wherefore, they set Traps, and catch many of them.
They have the same Feather, as in Europe; only the Cock wants
the Horse-Shooe, in lieu of which he has a fair Half-Circle over each Eye.
These (as well as the Woodcock) are less than the European Bird;
but far finer Meat. They might be easily transported to any Place,
because they take to eating, after caught.
{Moorhen.}
The Moorhens are of the black Game. I am inform'd, that the gray Game
haunts the Hills. They never come into the Settlement,
but keep in the hilly Parts.
{Jay.}
Jays are here common, and very mischievous, in devouring our Fruit,
and spoiling more than they eat. They are abundantly more beautiful,
and finer feather'd than those in Europe, and not above half so big.
