Turner on birds : a short and succinct history of the principal birds noticed by Pliny and Aristotle first published by Doctor William Turner, 1544 / edited with introduction, translation, notes, and appendix, by A.H. Evans.

  • William Turner
Date:
1903
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Turner on birds : a short and succinct history of the principal birds noticed by Pliny and Aristotle first published by Doctor William Turner, 1544 / edited with introduction, translation, notes, and appendix, by A.H. Evans. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    All that Aristotle here has written of these two birds Pliny has copied from him into his own work. But in this matter each of them, relying on the tales of fowlers more than on his own experience, has wandered greatly from the path of truth. For both the birds are seen at the same time; moreover tame Rubeculae, when fed in cages, constantly retain the same appearance. Moreover I have very often seen the birds in England nesting at the same time, though in very different ways. The Rubecula, which has a rudd}^ breast no less in summer than in winter, nests as far as possible from towns and cities in the thickest briers and shrubs after this fashion. Where it finds oak leaves in plenty, or leaves like the oak, it builds its nest among the leaves themselves close to the roots of briers or the thicker shrubs : and when completed covers it with leaves as if with topiary work. Nor does access lie open to the nest on every side, but by one way alone is entrance gained. And at that place where it enters the nest the bird builds a long porch of leaves before the doorway and, on going forth to feed, closes the end with leaves. But, what I now describe, I first observed when quite a boy, nevertheless I am not going to deny that it may build otherwise. If any have observed another way of nesting, let them tell it, and they certainly will not a little gratify the students of such things, myself among the first. I have imparted truthfully to others what I saw. The Phoenicurus which he [Gaza] calls the Rubicilla nests in hollow trees and (as I often have had experience) in chinks and cracks of walls and outhouses in the midst of our towns, though where the throng of men is not so great. The male has a black head, a red tail, but otherwise is like the female, save that he repeatedly utters a little song. Either sex flirts the tail continually. The female Phoenicurus and its brood are so much like young of Rubecula that they can scarcely be distinguished by the sharpe.st eye. But by the motion of the tail they may be recognised. P'or the Rubeculae, although they move the tail, yet, after they have lowered it, at once raise it again, nor does it quiver twice or thrice as does that of the Ruticilla. For no sooner have the Ruticillae once begun to move the tail than they go on till they have lightly moved it three or four times altogether