THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 47 



evening. Lastly, the Holy Ghost, when he descended visibly 

 upon our Saviour, did it by assuming the shape of a dove. And, 

 to conclude this part of my discourse, pray remember these 

 wonders were done by birds of the air, the element in which 

 they and I take so much pleasure. 



There is also a little contemptible winged creature, an inhabi- 

 tant of my aerial element, namely, the laborious bee, of whose 

 prudence, policy, and regular government of their own common- 

 wealth, I might say much, as also of their several kinds, and how 

 useful their honey and wax are both for meat and medicines to 

 mankind ; but I will leave them to their sweet labour, without 

 the least disturbance, believing them to be all very busy at this 

 very time amongst the herbs and flowers that we see nature puts 

 forth this May morning. 



And now to return to my hawks, from whom I have made 

 too long a digression : you are to note, that they are usually 

 distinguished into two kinds, namely, the long-winged and the 

 short-winged hawk ; of the first kind, there be chiefly in use 

 amongst us in this nation, the Gerfalcon and Jerkin, the Falcon 

 and Tassel-gentel, the Laner and Laneret, the Bockerel and 

 Bockeret, the Saker and Sacaret, the Merlin and Jack Merlin, 

 the Hobby and Jack. 



There is the Stelletto of Spain, the Blood-red Rook from 

 Turkey, the Waskite from, Virginia. 



And there is of short- winged hawks, the Eagle and Iron, the 

 Goshawk and Tarcel, the Sparhawk and Musket, the French 

 Pye, of two sorts. 



These are reckoned hawks of note and worth ; but we have 

 also of an inferior rank, the Stanyel, the Ringtail, the Raven, 

 the Buzzard, the Forked Kite, the Bald Buzzard, the Hen- 

 driver, and others that I forbear to name. 



Gentlemen, if I should enlarge my discourse to the observation 

 of the Eires, the Brancher, the Ramish Hawk, the Haggard, and 

 the two sorts of Lentners, and then treat of their several ayries, 

 their mewings, rare order of casting, and the renovation of their 

 feathers their reclaiming, dieting, and then come to their rare 

 stories of practice, I say, if I should enter into these and 

 many other observations that I could make, it would be much, 

 very much pleasure to me : but lest I should break the rules of 

 civility with you, by taking up more than the proportion of 

 time allotted to me, I will here break off, and entreat you, Mr 

 Venator, to say what you are able in the commendation of 

 hunting, to which you are so much affected ; and if time will 

 serve, I will beg your favour for a farther enlargement of some 

 of those several heads of which I have spoken. But no more at 

 present. 



Venator. Well, sir, and I will now take my turn, and will 



