BIRDS. 105 



picking up grain, which is their chief and often their only sus- 

 tenance. Tiieir wings are sliort and concave ; for which reason 

 they are not able to tiy far. They lay a great many eggs ; and, 

 as they lead their young abroad tlie very day tliey are hatched, 

 ill quest of food, whicli they are shown by the mother, and 

 which they pick up for themselves, they generally make theii 

 nests on the ground. The toes of all these are united by a 

 membrane as far as the first articulation, and then are divided as 

 in those of the former class. 



Under this class we may therefore rank the common cock, 

 the peacock, the turkey, the pintada or Guiiii-a-hen, the phea- 

 sant, the bustard, the grous, tiie partridge, and the quail. These 

 all bear a strong similitude to each other, being equally granivor- 

 ous, fleshy, and delicate to the palate. These are among birds 

 what beasts of pasture are among quadrupeds, peaceable tenants 

 of the lield, and shunning the thicker parts of the forest, that 

 abound with nunn^rous animals, who carry on unceasing hos- 

 tilities against them. 



As Nature has formed the rapacious class for war, so she 

 seems equally to have fitted these for peace, rest, and society. 

 Their wings are but short, so that they are ill formed for wan- 

 dering from one region to another ; their bills are also short, and 

 incapable of annoying their opposers ; their legs are strong, in- 

 deed, but their toes are made for scratching up their food, and 

 not for holding or tearing it. These are sufficient indications of 

 their harmless nature ; while their bodies, which are fat and 

 fleshy, render them unwieldy travellers, and incapable of stray- 

 ing far from each other. 



Accordingly we find them chiefly in society ; they live to- 

 gether ; and though they may have their disputes, like all other 

 animals, upon some occasions, yet when kept in the same dis- 

 trict, or fed in the same yard, they learn the arts of subordina- 

 tion ; and, in proportion as each knows bis strength, he seldom 

 tries a second time the combat where he has once been worsted. 

 In this manner, all of this kind seem to lead an indolent vo- 

 luptuous life ; as they are furnished internally with a very strong 

 stomach, commonly called a gizzard, so their voraciousness 

 scarcely knows any bounds. If kept in close captivity, and se- 

 parated from all their former companions, they still have the 

 pleasure of eating left ; and they soot grow fat and unwieldy in 



