2 6" A Islatural Wftory of 



and what no one, who has any Tender* 

 nefs in his Nature would ever be guilty of. 

 This poor Bird, befides the Pain of the firft 

 Operation, and what he fuffers before, to pre- 

 pare him for it, by being kept in Darknefi 

 'till he can find his Meat, &c. and the Mifery 

 that follows for a Fortnight or more, is fome- 

 times tortured a fecond Time, becaufe, per- 

 haps he has rubbed his Eyes open again, or 

 the Cruelty was to favourably performed. 



T'he Marks of the Cock and Ben. 



THE Male of this Kind may be diftin- 

 guiftied from the Female, at ten or 

 twelve Days old ; the Difference is very plain, 

 if you ¥iew them together : I have a Neft 

 of young Ones before me at this Time, of 

 that Age^ the Cock-bird has a great deal 

 more White in his Wing then the Hen, par- 

 ticularly on his Pinion ; his Breaft is remark- 

 ably Redder, and the Feathers of the whole 

 Bird of a higher and brighter Colour than 

 the Hen's. In an old Bird, the Head of the 

 Cock is bluilh, the Back of a Reddilh-brown, 

 with a Mixture of Afh-colour or Green ; the 

 Breaft of a fine Red ; and the Belly under 

 the Tail White. The Colours of the Hen 

 are not fo bright and lively ; her Rump is 

 Qreen, Back not fo Brown, and the Belly not 

 ;. Red, 



