Folio 54v - the partridge, continued. [De altione]; Of the halcyon
Folio 55r - the halcyon, continued. [De] fulica]; Of the coot. [De fenice]; Of the phoenix
COMMENTARY
Text
The halcyon. The sea becomes calm when the halcyon has laid its eggs.
Illustration
Portrait of a blue bird with webbed feet and a saw bill.
Comment
The blue specks of the feathers derive from Aristotle's description of a kingfisher. The excision relates to the partridge on f.54r. Initial type 2.
COMMENTARY
Text
The coot, a wise bird. The phoenix, the bird of Arabia, named for its colour of Phoenician purple. It builds a pyre for itself, faces the sun and is consumed by flames.
Illustration
The coot has a similar pose to the halcyon, f.54v, with its head turned back, biting its wing. It is shown correctly with clawed feet.
Comment
The rubric is missing: the title for the coot is written in black. The scribe has written neatly around a hole in the parchment. The scribe has omitted the word 'heretici', added by the editor in the right margin. Initials type 2.