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Edwards, George, 1694-1773. / A natural history of birds, the most of which have not hitherto been figured or described, and the rest, by reason of obscure, or too brief descriptions, without figures, or of figures very ill design'd, are hitherto but little known
(1750)

Two sorts of linnets from Angola,   pp. 129-[Plate] 129 ff.


Page 129

( 129 )
Two Sorts of LI N N E T S from Angola.
T1~I-H  E S E Birds are here reprefented of their natural Size: For Shape,
Aftion,
T    Similitude of Parts, and Note, they feem to agree with our Linnets.
The upper Bird hath the Bill Brown, or of a dirty Flefh-Colour, the lower
Man-
dible is lighter colour'd than the Upper; the Bill hath a Border of black
Feathers
quite round its Bafe, which is narrow on the Forehead, reaching to the Eyes
on the
Sides, and under each Eye, and a little Way down the Throat. Above and beneath
the Eyes joining the black Feathers are fome white Spots.  The Eyes in both
thefe
Birds are like thofe of Linnets. The Head, Neck, Back, and leffer Covert-Feathers
of the Wings are of a brownifh Afh-Colour, with Spots intermixed of a dark
or
dufky Colour. The Quills of the Wings, and firft Row of Coverts above them
are
of a dark Brown or dufky Colour, with narrow yellow Edges or Borders; the
Tail is
of the fame dark Colour: The Feathers tipped with light Grey or White: The
Breaft, Belly, Thighs, and Covert-Feathers under the Tail are of a dull Orange-
Colour without Spots, lighter on the Breaft, and darkening gradually to the
Hinder-
part: The Rump, and Covert-Feathers of the Tail are of a bright-yellow Colour.
The Legs, Feet and Claws in both thefe Birds are of a Flefh-Colour.
The lower Bird hath the Bill fhaped and colour'd much like that above. The
Sides of the Head are of a light Clay-Colour, with a dark Line pafling from
the Bill
through the Eyes: The Top of the Head, the Neck all round juft below the
Head,
the Back, Wing and Tail are of a redder-brown Colour than the Bird above;
the
Head, Back, and leffer Coverts of the Wings are fpotted with darker Brown;
the
Breaff, Belly, and all the under Side are of a lighter Brown, fpotted with
a brown
Colour, Something darker. The Rump and Coverts of the Tail are of a fine
Yellow.
The Quills, firft and fecond Rows of Coverts of the Wings, and the Tail-Feathers
are all tipped with White.
Thefe Birds were brought alive from Lifion by Mr. Paul Martyn. He wrote under
the Drawing of the lower Bird. " It is called Benguelinha, and is
a
Bird very much
" efleem'd for its agreeable Note, and reckoned amongft the Portuguefe
one of the beft
finging Birds that comes from their Settlements on the Coaft of Angola in
Africa"
Under the upper Bird he wrote. " It is call'd Aegral or Tobaque,
and
comes likewife from
cc the Coaff of Angola, and is much efteemed for its Note, mimicking much
the Singing
" of the Benguelinba". According to the great Likenefs
of thefe
two Birds I fhould have
taken them for Cock and Hen, but the above-named Gentleman was not of that
Opinion, becaufe they both fung in their Cages in London. I believe, I may
pro-
nounce them Non-defcripts.
The


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