Perdix — Phasianus — Phoenix 1 4 1 



any man when hunting come up to the nest, the Perdix 

 casts herself before the hunter's feet, as if she could be 

 caught at once, and thus attracts the man to take her, 

 till the chicks escape, whereon she flies off and recalls 

 her brood. She lays no fewer than ten eggs. 



And there is yet another bird, which is called Perdix 

 rustica : it is called " rale " by Englishmen, and of it Martial 

 makes mention in the following lines : — 



I am a country partridge, but what matters it so that 

 the flavour be the same ? The partridge is the dearer, if it 

 tastes less welP. 



Of the Phasianus. 



Phasianus, in English a phesan, in German eyn fasant or 

 eyn fasian. 



Pliny. 



The Phasiani lower and erect two ears of feathers, 

 which look like small horns. 



Aristotle. 

 Of Phasiani the eggs are marked with spots, like 

 those of Meleagrides ; they dust themselves, just as 

 Gallina; and Perdices do. Phasiani are a prey to lice, 

 and if they do not sometimes dust themselves, are 

 killed by them. 



Of the Phcenix. 

 Pliny. 

 The .Ethiopians and Indians tell of birds of very 

 varied colouring and indescribable, and of the Phoenix 

 of Arabia, most noteworthy of all : 1 know not whether 

 falsely, that there is but one in the whole world, and 

 this not often seen. It is declared to be of the size 

 of an Aquila, with golden sheen around the neck, 

 but purple otherwise, varied with roseate feathers on 



1 The text here given is probably corrupt, which makes the rendering 

 uncertain. 



