Bosca — Caprimulgns 49 



Of the Bosca. 



The Bosca is a water fowl, like to a Duck 1 , but smaller. 

 Since there are many water fowls like to the Duck, but 

 smaller (as there surely are), called Teles, Wigenes and 

 Pochards by the English, I believe the Bosca to be that which 

 comes nearest the size and likeness of a Duck. And since the 

 Pochard does so, I decide that it is Aristotle's Bosca. 



Of the Caprimulgus. 

 Caprimulgus, aiyo0TJ\a<;. 



Aristotle. 



The Caprimulgus is a mountain bird, in size 

 a little bigger than the Merula, less than the Cuculus ; 

 in disposition it is milder. It lays two eggs or three 

 at most. Flying to the udders of she-goats, it sucks 

 them, and thus gets its name. They say that the 

 udder withers 2 when it has sucked at it, and that 

 the goat goes blind. By day the bird sees dimly, 

 but quite well at night. 



Pliny. 



Caprimulgi, as they are called, look bigger than 

 a Merula, and act as thieves by night ; by day they 

 even lack the power of sight. 



When I was in Switzerland I saw an aged man, who fed 

 his goats upon the mountains, which I had gone up intent on 

 search of plants : I asked him whether he knew a bird of 

 the size of a Merula, blind in the day-time, keen of sight at 

 night, which in the dark is wont to suck goats' udders, so that 

 afterwards the animals go blind. Now he replied that he 

 himself had seen many in the Swiss mountains fourteen years 

 before, that he had suffered many losses from those very 



1 That is, the Wild Duck (Anas boscas). 



2 This rendering appears much preferable to translating this word 'the 

 goat dies,' as, judging from the punctuation, some would have it. 



T. A 



