The ornithology of Francis Willughby of Middleton in the county of Warwick Esq, fellow of the Royal Society in three books : wherein all the birds hitherto known, being reduced into a method sutable to their natures, are accurately described : the descriptions illustrated by most elegant figures, nearly resembling the live birds, engraven in LXXVII copper plates : translated into English, and enlarged with many additions throughout the whole work : to which are added, Three considerable discourses, I. of the art of fowling, with a description of several nets in two large copper plates, II. of the ordering of singing birds, III. of falconry / by John Ray ...

* The fourth Beccafigo of Aldrovand.

The Beccafico described by Aldrovand in the fourth and fifth place in his Chapter of Ficedulae may perchance differ specifically from our Black-cap. On the upper side, Head, Back, Wings, and Tail it is of a brown colour, inclining to a chesnut. The Fe∣male on the nether side is all white; the Male from white declines to cinereous. The quil-feathers of the Wings in the Male are black, with some white ones intermixt: In the Female they incline to a chesnut colour, as doth also the Tail, which in the Cock is black. Contrariwise, the Feet in the Cock incline to a chesnut colour, in the Hen are black.

Beccasigo's abound in Candy, as Bellonius witnesses, and also in the Island of Cyprus, where they are salted up in great numbers, and transported into other Countries. With us in England they are called by a general name, Cyprus-birds, and are in no less esteem with our Merchants for the delicacy of their taste, than they were of old with the Italians: And that deservedly, (saith Aldrovandus) for feeding upon two of the choicest fruits, viz. Figs and Grapes, they must needs become a more wholsom food than other birds, yielding a better nourishment, and of more easie concoction. Bec∣cafigo's are accounted best and most in season in the Autumn, as being then fattest by reason of the plenty of meat that season affords them. At which time they are highly prized and coveted by the Italians even now adays.