Henry Salt

Name: A voyage to Abyssinia — Appendix 4
Author: Henry Salt

A voyage to Abyssinia — Appendix 4 (1814)

Summary

“A voyage to Abyssinia — Appendix 4”, published in 1814, is a work by Henry Salt. It explores elements such as feathers, upper tail coverts and quills.

Quotes from A voyage to Abyssinia — Appendix 4 (Henry Salt)

Henry Salt, A voyage to Abyssinia — Appendix 4 (1814)

“ The smaller wing coverts above are of a bright glossy lilac, which in the greater coverts is rather more mingled with brown, so as to reduce its splendour; the ridge of the wing and greater quills of deep blue, which towards the tips becomes greenish. The margins of the inner webs and the very tips are black. The two middle feathers are dingy green; the rest blue, shading into black on the inner webs; the tail itself is square at the end: the legs are strong and pale, claws brown. ”

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Henry Salt, A voyage to Abyssinia — Appendix 4 (1814)

“ Vast numbers of vultures are found throughout the country, which in the time of war follow the tracks of the armies. The largest of this genus which I met with seemed to be of a new species its head was of a dirty white, with a hood, or crest, of a spongy substance, covered with down on the back of it: the bill of a bright orange colour, strongly hooked, and the space under the orbit of the eye, and the whole of the neck bare and of a light flesh colour. It had a large ruff of dark feathers round the base of the neck: and the whole of the upper part of the body was of a cinereous brown colour. ”

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Henry Salt, A voyage to Abyssinia — Appendix 4 (1814)

“ Several species of the leopard tribe are found in the country. The common one is called nimeer in Tigre, nibr in Amharic—the second is the black leopard (gussela, T. and A.;) the skin of which commands a high price in the country, and is worn only by governors of provinces—the third, (muntillut T. wobo A.) appears to be an unknown species, and is said to be very fierce, occasionally carrying away children, and even men, when it accidentally finds them asleep: its face is described as resembling the human countenance. ”

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Henry Salt, A voyage to Abyssinia — Appendix 4 (1814)

“ The present species appears to rank very near the doubtful barbet of Latham, from which however it is clearly distinct. It is but little above seven inches in length, the female rather less. The bill is of a blackish horn-colour, about nine eighths of an inch from the gape to the tip, and about three quarters of an inch in thickness at the base. It has two notches in the edge of the upper mandible, and a sort of indentation in the lower mandible, as if to receive the foremost notch ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Salt, A voyage to Abyssinia — Appendix 4 (1814)

“ The latter from its earliest age is taught to run down its game, especially guinea-fowls: and it is astonishing how expert it becomes in catching them, never for an instant losing sight of the birds, after it has once started them from their haunts. Tame cats are likewise to be found in every house in Abyssinia. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Salt, A voyage to Abyssinia — Appendix 4 (1814)

“ The general colour of the plumage of the body, above and below, as also of the tail, is black; but the whole face taking in the front, part of the crown, beyond the eyes, ears, and as far as the breast, is covered with narrow feathers of a sharp bristly nature, and of a bright red colour. The wings are dusky, the lesser coverts margined with dirty white on the outer web, and the quills with yellowish green, except towards the tips of the primaries. The under wing coverts, and the inner margins of the quills towards the base are white. The legs and claws are dark. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Salt, A voyage to Abyssinia — Appendix 4 (1814)

“ The exterior quill is nearly half an inch shorter than the third, or longest, and for one inch from the tip its outer margin is entirely plain: but all the quills have constantly one spot more on the inner than on the outer edge of the feather. The tail is barred above with olive white and dusky, but below the white becomes of a dingy yellowish colour, and the shafts both of the tail and quills are yellow; the former deepest in colour. The two outer feathers of the tall on each side are rounded at the ends, the third nearly so, but the shaft a little prominent and sharp ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Salt, A voyage to Abyssinia — Appendix 4 (1814)

“ When they set out on a journey and meet with one of them, they watch it very carefully, and draw good or bad omens from its motions. If it sit still, with its breast towards them until they have passed, it is a peculiarly good sign, and every thing is expected to go on well during the course of the journey. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Salt, A voyage to Abyssinia — Appendix 4 (1814)

“ The bill is half an inch in length and blackish, the upper mandible inclining a little, towards the point, and having a slight notch near the tip, with a few bristles about the base; but the bill is not sufficiently flattened to refer the bird to the genus Muscicapa. In conformity with the opinion expressed by Dr. Latham, I have ventured to rank it among the Warblers, though by no means convinced that this is its correct place in the system. The whole bird is entirely of a dark blueish black above; the quills and tail inclining more to dusky black ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Salt, A voyage to Abyssinia — Appendix 4 (1814)

“ This is the common domestic pigeon of Abyssinia; hundreds are seen round the house of every chief, and being generally well fed, they often afforded us an excellent meal. The Abyssinians also do not object to eating them. They have a bright red eye, and never vary in the plumage. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Salt, A voyage to Abyssinia — Appendix 4 (1814)

“ The only insect which I have thought particularly worthy of notice is the Abyssinian locust, as I understand from one of our best informed naturalists that some doubts have been lately expressed respecting the destructive powers of this insect by a celebrated foreign traveller. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Salt, A voyage to Abyssinia — Appendix 4 (1814)

“ Guinea fowls, red-legged partridges, quails, snipes, lapwings, larks, and doves, abound throughout the whole country. The natives are so expert in the use of the matchlock, that they constantly kill the two former birds with a single ball ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Salt, A voyage to Abyssinia — Appendix 4 (1814)

“ A plate of it is given by Bruce, in which the feet are too large, resembling more those of a hawk. This bird is eaten by the Abyssinans. It is a wild bird, generally to be found among the daro trees near a stream: this specimen was shot at Ghella.
49. Numida mitrata. The horn on the head of my specimen was destroyed by insects on its way to England, and Mr. Latham in consequence mistook it for the Meleagris. The horn is one inch and a half high, (Mosambique, and common in Abyssinia.) The Numida cristata is also found at Mosambique; having a beautiful crest of black feathers on the head. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Salt, A voyage to Abyssinia — Appendix 4 (1814)

“ Two specimens, male and female, found at the bottom of the bay of Amphila; they wait the falling of the tides, and feed on the marine productions: they are, when alive very handsome and active birds. (Quere if not a new genus?)
56. Alauda, new species. (Two specimens.) These larks are common on the desert islands of Amphila, where few land birds could exist: they are also frequent on the coast. Their colour so nearly resembles that of the sandy grouse, that they are with great difficulty distinguished from it. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Salt, A voyage to Abyssinia — Appendix 4 (1814)

“ The Abyssinian horn-bill, called Abba Gumba in Tigré, and Erkoom in Ambaric, frequents the cultivated lands of Tigré, and seems to be useful in destroying the grubs, worms, and wild bulbs, with which the land abounds. This bird builds its nest in the low branches of lofty trees, and is often seen sitting there in a kind of solitary independence. The Abba Gumba, as well as many of the other birds found in Abyssinia, also frequents the opposite coast of the continent; and some tolerably fine specimens of it are to be seen in Mr. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Henry Salt, A voyage to Abyssinia — Appendix 4 (1814)

“ Its skin is employed for the purpose of making shields, in the construction of which much art is displayed; and a handsome one, well shaped and seasoned, will sell in the country for four and five dollars. ”

Henry Salt

Summary

Quotes from A voyage to Abyssinia — Appendix 4 (Henry Salt)

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