13G OUR DOMESTIC FOWLS. 



aud Joinville records an instance during the 

 crusade of Saint Louis. Tasso sings of one 

 that was attacked by a falcon, and defended 

 by Godfrey. It had a letter attached to its 

 neck, which letter Godfrey, of course, reads, 

 and is put in possession of all the secrets. In 

 the veiy same way, Ariosto makes the Castellan 

 di Damiatse spread the news of Orrilo's death 

 all over Egypt. Sir John Maundeville, knight, 

 warrior, and pilgrim, who penetrated to the 

 borders of China, in the reigns of our second 

 and third Edward, thus writes : — ' In that 

 contree and other contrees bezonde thei han a 

 custom, whan thei sohuUe usen werre, and 

 whan men holden sege abouten cytee or 

 castelle, and they withinnen dur not senden 

 out messengers with lettere for lord to lord, 

 for to ask sokour, thei raaken here letters and 

 binden them to the neck of a Colver, and 

 letten the Colver flee ; and the Colveren hen 

 so taughte, that they fleen with the letters to 

 the very place that men wolde sende hem to. 

 For the colveres ben norysscht in tho places, 

 where thei ben sent to ; and thei senden hem 

 thus for to beren here letters. And the coheres 

 retournen azain where as thei ben norisscht, 

 and so they don commounly.' " 



