OF THE COUNTY OF DOWN. 209 



fo much more tender, and, when they grow large, re- 

 quiring fo much greater range than the former, they 

 are not fo common. A confiderable number of geefe, 

 as well as ducks, are alfo reared; of the firft large 

 flocks are kept about the fkirts of the mountains-, of 

 the fecond almoft every houfe has fome; they are much 

 valued from the quantity of eggs they lay. The price 

 of poultry of all kinds has very much increafed within 

 thefe few years, and the two years of fcarcity, by 

 diminiftiing the number ufually reared, has more than 

 doubled their value. 



..*? 

 SECT. 7. Pigeons^ 



ARE very general, but more as pets than as forming 

 an article of profit. Moft gentlemen have them about 

 their houfes; I underftand that in Lecale there are fome 

 regular pigeon-houfes. 



SECT. 8. Bees, 

 



ARE reckoned to thrive remarkably well in the 

 county of Down, notwithftanding which there are not 

 by any means fo many hives as formerly ; the reafon 

 of this decreafe I have not been able to account for. 

 On this fubjeft there is little information to be gathered, 



E e except 



