224 History of Nature. [ BOOK X , 



Fowl that with their scolding they may drive her away. 

 There is not to be found in any other living Creature the 

 like amount of Lust. If the Hens stand over-against the 

 Cocks, the Air that passeth from them causes them to con- 

 ceive. For so hot are they in that Season, that they gape 

 and hang out the Tongue. And if the Males fly over them, 

 with the Breath that cometh from them they conceive : and 

 many Times if they do but hear their call. And so effec- 

 tually does their Lechery overcome their Affection to their 

 Young, that while they are incubating in some secret Place, 

 if they hear the Fowler's (Decoy) Female coming towards 

 the Male, she returns the Song, and calls back the Males, 

 and offers herself to his Pleasure. Indeed they are borne 

 away with such Rage, that, as if blind with the Trepidation, 

 they will settle upon the Head of the Fowler. If he begins 

 to approach the Nest of the breeding Hen, she will run forth 

 to his Feet, counterfeiting that she is very heavy and feeble; 

 and either in her running, or some short flight, she will sud- 

 denly fall, as if she had broken a Wing or her Leg : then 

 will she run again, and when he is just ready to take her up, 

 yet will she shift away, and so disappoint his Hope, until she 

 hath led him a contrary Way from the Young. When she is 

 free from Fear, and void of motherly Care, then will she get 

 into a Furrow of the Ground, lie on her Back, catch a Clot 

 of Earth with her Feet, and with it hide herself. Partridges 

 are supposed to live sixteen Years. 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 

 Of the Columba. 1 



AFTER Partridges, the Nature of Doves is to be consi- 

 dered, since they have in a manner the same Habits ; but 

 they are highly chaste, and neither Male nor Female are 



1 Pliny and Varro believe the existence of no more than two species 

 of Pigeons : Columba livia, or Rock-dove ; and C. palumbus, Ring-dove 

 (c. 35) ; and the latter author mentions a third sort, which he supposes to 

 be a hybrid between them, and which we may judge to be the C. CEnas, or 

 Stockdove. Wern. Club. 



