MALLARD.] NATURAL HISTORY. 193 



THE old tunnies and the young enter into the sea Pontus; 

 and every company of them hath their several leaders and 

 captains ; and before them all the Mackerels lead the way, 

 which, while they be in the water, have a colour of brim- 

 stone ; but without, like they be to the rest. 



Hollands Pliny, bk. ix. ch. xv. 



Maggot-pie. 



MACBETH, iii. 4, 125. 



MAGOTAPIE. 



Mijtsfoetfs Dictionary. 



THE Magpie makes up for the shortness of its wings by 

 the length of its tail. It builds its nest with two holes, 

 by the one it goes in, and at the other it puts out its tail. 



Hortus Sanitatis, bk. iii. 99. 



PIES take a love to the words that they speak; for they 

 not only learn them as a lesson, but they learn them with 

 a delight and pleasure ; and by their careful thinking upon 

 that which they learn, they shew plainly how mindful and 

 intentive they be thereto. It is for certain known that they 

 have died for very anger and grief that they could not 

 learn to pronounce some hard words ; as also, unless they 

 hear the same words repeated often unto them, their 

 memory is so shittle, they will soon forget the same again. 



Holland's Pliny, bk. x. ch. xlii. 



IF you wish to loose chains, go into a wood, and look 

 where a Pie has her nest with young ones, and when you 

 are there, climb up the tree, and bind the opening [of the 

 nest] round with anything you please, because, when the 

 Pie sees you, it goes for a certain herb, which it puts to 

 the bond, and forthwith it is broken, and then that herb 

 falls to the ground onto a cloth which you should have 

 put under the tree, and do you be handy and take it. 



Albertus Magnus, " Of the Wonders of the World." 



Mallard. 



ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, iii. 10, 20. 



THE blood of ducks and Mallards bred in the realm of 

 Pontus is passing good for any such indirect means wrought 

 by poison or witchcraft ; and therefore their blood is 



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