6 5 6 A P P H N D I X. 



nother wife provifion of nature, for her fong would 

 difcover her lieft •, as would a gaudinefs of plu- 

 mage, which, for the fame reafon, feems to have 

 been denied her. 



To thefe we may add a few particulars that fell 

 within our notice during our enquiries among the 

 bird-catchers, fuch as, that they immediately kill 

 the hens of every fpecies of birds they take, being 

 incapable of finging, as alfo being inferior in plu- 

 mage -, the pippets likewife are indifcriminately de- 

 ftroyed, as the cock does net fing well : they fell 

 the dead birds for three-pence or four-pence a 

 dozen. 



Thefe fmall birds are fo good, that we are fur- 

 prized the luxury of the age neglects io delicate 

 an acquifition to the table. The modern Italians 

 are fond' of fmall birds, which they eat under the 

 common name of Beccaficos : and the dear rate a 

 Roman Tragedian paid for one difh of finging birds* 

 is well known. 



Another particular we learned, in converfation 

 with a London bird-catcher, was the vaft price that 

 is fometimes given for a fingle fong bird, which 



* Maxime tamen infignis eft in hac memoria, Clodii ^Efopi 

 tragici hiftrionis patina Jexcentis H. S. taxata; in quo pofuit aves 

 cantu aliquo, aut humano /ermone, vccales. Plin. lib. x. C. 

 5 1 . The price of this expenfive difh was about 6843 /. 10/. 

 according to Arbutknot\ Tables. This feems to have been a 

 wanton caprice, rather than a tribute to epicurifm. T. P. 



had 



