APPENDIX. <%3 



When the bird hath thus prematurally moulted, 

 he is in fong, whilft the wild birds are out of fong, 

 and his note is louder and more piercing than that 

 of a wild one •, but it is not only in his note he 

 receives an alteration, the plumage is equally im- 

 proved. The black and yellow in the wings of the 

 goldfinch, for example, become deeper and more vi- 

 vid, together with a moft beautiful glofs, which 

 is not to be feep in the wild bird. The bill, which 

 in the latter is likewife black at the end, in the 

 flopped bird becomes white and more taper, as do 

 its leo-s : in Ihort, there is as much difference be- 

 tween a wild and a flopped bird, as there is between 

 a horfe which is kept in body cloaths, or at grafs. 



When the bird-catcher hath laid his nets, he dif- 

 pofes of his callbirds at proper intervals. It mud 

 be owned, that there is a moft malicious joy in 

 thefe call-birds to bring the wild ones into the fame 

 ftate of captivity ♦, which may likewife be obferved 

 with regard to the decoy ducks. 



Their fight and hearing infinitely excels that of 

 the bird catcher. The inftant that the * wild birds 

 are perceived, notice is given by one to the reft of 



catcher, that he purfues a cooler regimen inftopping his birds, 

 and that he therefore feldom lofes one: but we fufpe& thai; 

 there is not the fame certainty of making them moult. 



* It may be alfo obferved, that the moment they fee a hawk, 

 they communicate the alarm to each other by a plaintive note; 

 ncr will they then jerk or call though the wild birds are near, 



the 



