( 38) 

 '^^?r lloe French Field DucL 



Numb. XLI. 



IT is a Bird peculiar to France.^ where there is not a Couiitryman but 

 knows it, at leaft by the Name. It is fo called, not becaufe it is a 

 Water Bird, but becaufe it fits on the Ground like the Water-Ducky but 

 it hath no Similitude or Agreement with Water-Fowl, being a Land- 

 Bird ; it is of the bignefs of a Pheafant ; the Head, faving the bignefs, 

 refembling a ^aifsj the Bill a Pullets. It is more known by its Name 

 than by its Shape: for they have a Country-Proverb againft fufpicious 

 Perfons, wherein they fay, that they play the Land-Duck. It is taken 

 in Plains and open Fields, as they take Partridges-, in Snares, with 

 Nets, and alfo with Hawks ; but it is very crafty in defending and fhifting 

 for itlelf, flying near the Ground with great Force and Swiftnefs for 

 two or three hundred Paces, and then alights, running fo fwiftly, that 

 fcarce any Man can overtake it. It hath only three Toes on each Foot, 

 like the Bujiard\ the Head, Back and Wings are of a yellowifh brown, 

 variegated with black and white, the Breaft, Belly and Thighs were pa- 

 ler, inclining to white, the Legs and Feet cinereous; all its interior 

 parts are as in other granivorous Birds; it is reckoned among the delicate 

 Birds, and efteemed as good Meat as the Pheafant. It feeds on all forts 

 of Grain, and upon y^?z/j-, Beetles^ and Flies^ and alfo on the Leaves of 

 green Corn. This Bird feems not to have been mentioned by the An- 

 tients ; I had it out of the Colledion of Sir Thomas Lowther. 



The 



