The Voyage of Governor Phillip to Botany Bay: With an Account of the Establishment of the Colonies of Port Jackson and Norfolk Island (1789)Phillip, Arthur
History
The Voyage of Governor Phillip to Botany Bay: With an Account of the Establishment of the Colonies of Port Jackson and Norfolk Island (1789)
Phillip, Arthur
Natural history -- Australia -- New South Wales; New South Wales -- Discovery and exploration; Norfolk Island
Size of a large dove-house pigeon: general colour of the plumage
ash-coloured, brown on the upper parts, the feathers margined with pale
rufous; the under parts pale ash-colour, with very pale margins: the wing
coverts are much the same colour as the back, but the greater ones, or
lower series, have each of them a large oval spot of bronze on the outer
webs near the ends, forming together, when the wings are closed, two bars
of the most brilliant and beautiful bronze, changing into red, copper,
and green, in different reflections of light: several of the feathers
also among the other coverts have the same spots on them, but are
irregularly placed: the quills are brown, with the inner webs, from the
middle to the base, pale rufous; as are the sides of the body and all the
under wing coverts: the tail consists of sixteen feathers; the two middle
ones are brown, the others pale lead, or dove colour, with a bar of black
near the tips: the bill is of a dull red: the forehead very pale, nearly
white, passing a little way under the eye: the chin and throat pale grey:
the legs are red.
This bird inhabits Norfolk Island; and is clearly a non-descript species.
WHITE-FRONTED HERON. Order VII. Cloven-footed. Genus LXV.
This is little more than half the size of the common Heron: length 28
inches: the general colour of the plumage is bluish ash, inclining to
lead colour: top of the head black, and a trifle crested; the forehead,
sides of the head, chin, and throat white, passing downwards, and
finishing in a point about the middle of the neck before: on the lower
part of the neck the feathers are long and loose, and of a pale rufous
cinnamon colour; all the under parts of the body also incline to this
last colour, but are much paler: the quills and tail are dark lead
colour, nearly black: on the back the feathers are long and narrow, and
hang part of the way on the tail: the bill is four inches long, and
black; but the base half of the under mandible is yellowish: the legs are
formed as in other herons, of a yellowish brown colour, and the claws are
black.
This bird was sent from Port Jackson in New Holland, and as it has not
been noticed by any author, we consider it as a new species.
WATTLED BEE-EATER. Order II. Pies. Genus XXVI.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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