126 HISTORY OF 



called a gizzard, so their voraciousness scarcely 

 knows any bounds. If kept in close captivity, 

 and separated from all their former companions, 

 they still have the pleasure of eating left ; and 

 they soon grow fat and unwieldy in their prison. 

 To say this more simply, many of the wilder spe- 

 cies of birds, when cooped or caged, pine away, 

 grow gloomy, and some refuse all sustenance 

 whatever ; none, except those of the poultry 

 kind, grow fat, who seem to lose all remem- 

 brance of their former liberty, satisfied with in- 

 dolence and plenty. 



The poultry kind may be considered as sensual 

 epicures, solely governed by their appetites. The 

 indulgence of these seems to influence their other 

 habits, and destroys among them that connubial 

 fidelity for which most other kinds are remark- 

 able. The eagle and the falcon, how fierce 

 soever to other animals, are yet gentle and true 

 to each other: their connexions when once formed 

 continue till death ; and the male and female in 

 every exigence and every duty lend faithful assist- 

 ance to each other. They assist each other in 

 the production of their young, in providing for 

 them when produced, and, even then, though 

 they drive them forth to fight their own battles, 

 yet the old ones still retain their former affection 

 to each other, and seldom part far asunder. 



But it is very different with this luxurious class 

 I am now describing. Their courtship is but 

 short, and their congress fortuitous. The male 

 takes no heed of his offspring, and, satisfied with 

 the pleasure of getting, leaves to the female ail 



