230 History of Nature. [BooK X. 



they cannot see. They enter the Sheep-folds, and fly to the 

 Goats' Udders, to suck the Milk from their Teats ; and from 

 the Injury so done to it, the Udder wasteth away, and the 

 Goats which have been so milked are rendered blind. 



There is a Bird named Platea. 1 Their Manner is to fly at 

 those which use to dive in the Sea, and so bite them by the 

 Heads that they compel them to let go their hold of the 

 Fish they have caught. This Bird, when his Belly is full of 

 Shell-fish that he hath devoured, and hath by the Heat of 

 his Crop concocted them, vomits them up again, and then 

 picketh out the Meat, leaving the Shells behind. 



CHAPTER XLI. 

 The Ingenuity of Birds. 



THE Hens of Country-houses possess some Religion. 2 

 When they have laid an Egg they fall a trembling, and 

 shake themselves. They turn about, also, to be purified, and 

 with some Sprigs of a Bush they purify by Lustration them- 

 selves and their Eggs. 



CHAPTER XLII. 

 Of Carduelis, 3 Psittacus, of Birds that speak. 



THE Carduelis is the smallest of Birds ; and they execute 

 Commands, not only with their Voice, but also with their 

 Feet and Mouth, as if they were Hands. In the Territory of 

 Arelate, there is a Bird called Taurus, 4 because it loweth like 

 a Bull, although otherwise a small Bird. There is another 

 also named Anthus, 5 which imitates the neighing of Horses ; 

 and if by the Approach of Horses it is driven from their 

 Grass on which it feeds, it will neigh, and so be revenged of 

 them. But above all other Things they repeat human Lan- 



1 Platalealeucorodia,Ijiyw. Spoonbill. Wern. Club. 



2 See B. viii. ch. i. Wern. Club. 



3 FHngilla carduelis, LINN. Goldfinch. Wern. Club. 



4 Ardea stellaris, LINN. Bittern. Wern. Club. 



5 Some have supposed this to be Emberiga citrinella, LINN. ; the Yel- 

 low Amraer: but it is more probably Anthus pratensis, Cuv. Titlark. 

 Wern. Club. 



