Plate Number: I 40

Coccothraustes Purpurea: The Purple Gross-beak

This Bird is of the Size of a Sparrow. Over the Eyes, the Throat, and at the Vent under the Tail, are Spoots of red: All the rest of the Body is entirely of a deep purple Colour. The Hen is all over brown, but has the like red Spots as the Cock. These Birds are Natives of many of the Bahama Islands.

Toxicodendron foliis alatis fructu purpureo Pyri formi Sparso: The Poison Wood

This is generally but a small Tree, has a light coloured smooth bark. Its leaves are winged, the middle rib seven or eight inches long, with pairs of Pinnae one against another on inch-long foot-stalks. The fruit hang in bunches; are shaped like a Pear, of a pourple Colour, covering an oblong hard Stone.

From the trunc of this Tree distils a liquid black as Ink, which the Inhabitans say is Poison. Birds feed on the Berries, particularly this Gross-beak on the mucilage that covers the Stone. It grows usually on Rocks in Providence, Ilathera and other of the Bahama Islands.