§9.18Τῶν δ’ ἐρωδιῶν ὁ μὲν πέλλος, ὥσπερ εἴρηται, ὀχεύει μὲν χαλεπῶς, εὐμήχανος δὲ καὶ δειπνοφόρος καὶ ἔπαγρος, ἐργάζεται δὲ τὴν ἡμέραν· τὴν μέντοι χρόαν ἔχει φαύλην καὶ τὴν κοιλίαν ἀεὶ ὑγράν.
Of the herons, the pellos, as has been said, copulates with difficulty, but is resourceful, carries food, is good at hunting, and works during the day; however, it has a poor color and its belly is always watery.
Τῶν δὲ λοιπῶν δύο (τρία γὰρ γένη ἐστὶν αὐτῶν) ὁ μὲν λευκὸς τήν τε χρόαν ἔχει καλήν, καὶ ὀχεύει ἀσινῶς, καὶ νεοττεύει καὶ τίκτει καλῶς ἐπὶ τῶν δένδρων, νέμεται δ’ ἕλη καὶ λίμνας καὶ πεδία καὶ λειμῶνας.
Of the remaining two (for there are three genera of them), the white one has a beautiful color, copulates without trouble, nests and lays well on trees, and feeds in marshes, lakes, plains, and meadows.
Ὁ δ’ ἀστερίας ὁ ἐπικαλούμενος ὄκνος μυθολογεῖται μὲν γενέσθαι ἐκ δούλων τὸ ἀρχαῖον, ἔστι δὲ κατὰ τὴν ἐπωνυμίαν τούτων ἀργότατος.
The asterias, which is called ocnus, is mythologically said to have been born from slaves in ancient times, and, in accordance with its nickname, is the laziest of these.
Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἐρωδιοὶ τοῦτον βιοῦσι τὸν τρόπον, ἡ δὲ καλουμένη φῶϋξ ἴδιον ἔχει πρὸς τἆλλα· μάλιστα γάρ ἐστι ὀφθαλμοβόρος τῶν ὀρνίθων.
The herons then live in this manner, but the bird called phoyx has a peculiar characteristic compared to the others; for it is the most eye-pecking of birds.
Πολέμιος δὲ τῇ ἅρπῃ· καὶ γὰρ ἐκείνη ὁμοιοβίοτος.
It is an enemy to the harpe; for that bird also has a similar livelihood.
§9.19Τῶν δὲ κοττύφων δύο γένη ἐστίν, ὁ μὲν ἕτερος μέλας καὶ πανταχοῦ ὤν, ὁ δ’ ἕτερος ἔκλευκος, τὸ δὲ μέγεθος ἴσος ἐκείνῳ, καὶ ἡ φωνὴ παραπλησία ἐκείνῳ· ἔστι δ’ οὗτος ἐν Κυλλήνῃ τῆς Ἀρκαδίας, ἄλλοθι δ’ οὐδαμοῦ.
Of the blackbirds there are two genera: the one is black and found everywhere, and the other is whitish, equal to the former in size, and its voice is similar to it; this latter is found in Cyllene of Arcadia, and nowhere else.
Τούτων ὅμοιος τῷ μέλανι κοττύφῳ ἐστὶ λαιός, τὸ μέγεθος μικρῷ ἐλάττων· οὗτος ἐπὶ τῶν πετρῶν καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν κεράμων τὰς διατριβὰς ποιεῖται, τὸ δὲ ῥύγχος οὐ φοινικοῦν ἔχει καθάπερ ὁ κόττυφος.
Similar to the black blackbird among these is the laios, being slightly smaller in size; this makes its haunts on rocks and tiles, and does not have a red beak like the blackbird.
§9.20Κιχλῶν δ’ εἴδη τρία, ἡ μὲν ἰξοβόρος· αὕτη δ’ οὐκ ἐσθίει ἀλλ’ ἢ ἰξὸν καὶ ῥητίνην, τὸ δὲ μέγεθος ὅσον κίττα ἐστίν.
Of thrushes there are three species: the first is the ixoboros; this eats nothing but mistletoe and resin, and in size is as large as a jay.
Ἑτέρα τριχάς· αὕτη δ’ ὀξὺ φθέγγεται, τὸ δὲ μέγεθος ὅσον κόττυφος.
The second is the trichas; this utters a sharp cry, and in size is as large as a blackbird.
Ἄλλη δ’ ἣν καλοῦσί τινες ἰλιάδα, ἐλαχίστη τε τούτων καὶ ἧττον ποικίλη.
The other, which some call ilias, is the smallest of these and less variegated.
§9.21Ἔστι δέ τις πετραῖος ᾧ ὄνομα κύανος· οὗτος ὁ ὄρνις ἐν Νισύρῳ μάλιστά ἐστι, ποιεῖται δ’ ἐπὶ τῶν πετρῶν τὰς διατριβάς.
There is a certain rock-dwelling bird whose name is cyanos; this bird is found chiefly in Nisyros, and makes its haunts on rocks.
Τὸ δὲ μέγεθος κοττύφου μὲν ἐλάττων, σπίζης δὲ μείζων μικρῷ.
In size it is smaller than a blackbird, and slightly larger than a chaffinch.
Μεγαλόπους δέ, καὶ πρὸς τὰς πέτρας προσαναβαίνει.
It is large-footed, and climbs up against the rocks.
Κυανοῦς ὅλος· τὸ δὲ ῥύγχος ἔχει λεπτὸν καὶ μακρόν, σκέλη δὲ βραχέα τῇ πίπῳ παρόμοια.
It is entirely blue; its beak is slender and long, and its legs are short, similar to the pipo.
§9.22Ὁ δὲ χλωρίων χλωρὸς ὅλος· οὗτος τὸν χειμῶνα οὐχ ὁρᾶται, περὶ δὲ τὰς τροπὰς τὰς θερινὰς φανερὸς μάλιστα γίνεται, ἀπαλλάττεται δ’ ὅταν Ἀρκτοῦρος ἐπιτέλλῃ.
The chlorion is entirely yellow; this is not seen in winter, but becomes most visible about the summer solstices, and departs when Arcturus rises.
Τὸ δὲ μέγεθός ἐστιν ὅσον τρυγών.
In size it is as large as a turtle-dove.
Ὁ δὲ μαλακοκρανεὺς ἀεὶ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καθιζάνει, καὶ ἁλίσκεται ἐνταῦθα.
The malacocraneus always perches in the same place, and is caught there.
Τὸ δὲ εἶδος, κεφαλὴ μὲν μεγάλη χονδρότυπος, τὸ δὲ μέγεθος ἐλάττων κίχλης μικρῷ· στόμα δ’ εὔρωστον, μικρόν, στρογγύλον· τὸ δὲ χρῶμα σποδοειδὴς ὅλος· εὔπους δὲ καὶ κακόπτερος.
In appearance, its head is large and bony, and in size it is slightly smaller than a thrush; its mouth is strong, small, and round; in color it is entirely ash-colored; it is strong-footed but weak-winged.
Ἁλίσκεται δὲ μάλιστα γλαυκί.
It is chiefly caught by means of a glaux.
§9.23Ἔστι δὲ καὶ πάρδαλος.
There is also the pardalus.
Τοῦτο δὲ τὸ ὄρνεόν ἐστιν ἀγελαῖον ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολύ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι κατὰ ἕνα ἰδεῖν· τὸ δὲ χρῶμα σποδοειδὴς ὅλος, μέγεθος δὲ παραπλήσιος ἐκείνοις, εὔπους δὲ καὶ οὐ κακόπτερος, φωνὴ δὲ πολλὴ καὶ οὐ βαρεῖα.
This bird is for the most part gregarious, and is not to be seen alone; in color it is entirely ash-colored, in size very similar to those, strong-footed and not weak-winged, and its voice is abundant and not deep.
Κολλυρίων δὲ τὰ αὐτὰ ἐσθίει τῷ κοττύφῳ· τὸ δὲ μέγεθος καὶ τούτου ταὐτὸν τοῖς πρότερον· ἁλίσκεται δὲ κατὰ χειμῶνα μάλιστα.
The collyrion eats the same things as the blackbird; in size this also is the same as the preceding; it is chiefly caught in winter.
Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα διὰ παντὸς φανερά ἐστιν.
All these are visible throughout the year.
Ἔτι δὲ τὰ κατὰ πόλεις εἰωθότα μάλιστα ζῆν, κόραξ καὶ κορώνη· καὶ γὰρ ταῦτ’ ἀεὶ φανερά, καὶ οὐ μεταβάλλει τοὺς τόπους οὐδὲ φωλεύει.
Furthermore, those accustomed to live chiefly about cities, the raven and the crow; for these also are always visible, and do not change their places nor do they hibernate.
§9.24Κολοιῶν δ’ ἐστὶν εἴδη τρία, ἓν μὲν ὁ κορακίας· οὗτος ὅσον κορώνη, φοινικόρυγχος· ἄλλος ὁ λύκος καλούμενος· ἔτι δ’ ὁ μικρός, ὁ βωμολόχος.
Of jackdaws there are three species: one is the coracias; this is as large as a crow, and red-beaked; another is called lycos; and further the small one, the bomolochus.
Ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἄλλο γένος κολοιῶν περὶ τὴν Λυδίαν καὶ Φρυγίαν, ὃ στεγανόπουν ἐστίν.
There is also another genus of jackdaws around Lydia and Phrygia, which is web-footed.
§9.25Κορυδάλων δ’ ἐστὶ δύο γένη, ἡ μὲν ἑτέρα ἐπίγειος καὶ λόφον ἔχουσα, ἡ δ’ ἑτέρα ἀγελαία καὶ οὐ σπορὰς ὥσπερ ἐκείνη, τὸ μέντοι χρῶμα ὅμοιον τῇ ἑτέρᾳ ἔχουσα, τὸ δὲ μέγεθος ἔλαττον· καὶ λόφον οὐκ ἔχει· ἐσθίεται δέ.
Of larks there are two genera: the one is terrestrial and has a crest, while the other is gregarious and not scattered about like the former, though having a color similar to the other, but smaller in size; and it does not have a crest; it is eaten.