Book I. ^^lT HO LO qY. Tf~ 



now almoft infinitely increafed. So although in the Genus of Quadrupeds a Mule be 

 engendred by the coupling of an Afs and a Mare •-, yet for a Mule to bring forth young 

 was wont to be counted a Prodigy. This anomalous coition is exercifed between Birds 

 like to one another, as being of the fame Tribe, especially between Hawks and other 

 Birds of prey of different Species 5 partly becaufe thefe Species are very like one to 

 another, partly becaufe they are all very falacious. 



It is wonderful which we dayly experience in Hens, viz. that they will breed and ^Sind la 

 lay Eggs without ever being trodden by the Cock, which Eggs though they feem to Eggs without 

 be every way perfeft yet are they infoecund, called by trie Greeks, virtue fjua,, and bei *jjj ev f r 

 j^j/^and^gpy^ipa, that is, fubventaneous or wind-eggs, or if the Hens were im- [1™ cock/ 

 pregnated therewith by the wind. Neither do Hens only, but other Birds alfo, eipe- 

 cially fuch as are falacious, in the Spring time when they are full of luft, if they be 

 gently ftroked on the back, or their Genitals handled, fometimes lay Eggs without 

 the Cock. They are f faith D. Harvey ) fometimes fo libidinous, that if you do kit light- 

 ly touch their backs -with your hand, they prefently lie down, and denude the Orifice of the 

 Womb, which if you gently flroke with your finger, by an incondite murmur, and the gefti- 

 culation of their wings, they expref their grateful fenfe of the pleafure they take therein. 

 Moreover, that He?7-birds will thence conceive Eggs both Ariftotle affirms, and my felf 

 have experienced in aThruft, a Blackbird, and other birds, and did a great while fince at 

 firji find out accidentally, and by my own lofi. " My Wife did for a long time keep a 

 " notable Parrot that had learned to fpeak very prettily, wherein fhe took great de- 

 cc light. This bird was fo tame and familiar, that it went freely up and down the houfe 

 " whither foever it lifted 5 it would fearch out itsMiftrefs when fhe was abfent, and 

 cc when it had found her, with a chearful voice it would as it were falute her, and 

 cc fignifie its joy : When fhe called, it would anfwer her, and fly to her, and taking 

 " hold of her Garment with its beak and feet alternately, it would climb up to the 

 rt top of her fhoulder, and thence defcending down her arm, it would at laft fettle 

 cc it felf upon her hand. Bidden to fpeak or fing, though it were by night, or in the 

 cc dark, it would obey. Many times it would fportingly and wantonly come up in- 

 " to her lap as ihe fate, and was much pleated to have its head rubb'd, and its back 

 " ftroked j and by fhaking its wings, and its flattering note, teftified the great plea- 

 cc fare it took in thole carefTes and touches. I interpreted all thefe things to proceed 

 " from its wonted familiarity and obfequioufhefs: for by reafbn of the excellency of 

 " its fpeaking and finging, I took it to be a Cock. For among birds females feldom ufe Coc ^ bitds 

 " to fing or fpeak much : but we have obferved, that generally the Cocks do by the fing and not 

 cc fweet modulation of their voice and harmonious accents endeavour to delight the Hens - 

 " Hens, and allure themtofubmit to their embraces. 



"Not long after thefe grateful contre&ations, the Parrot (which for many years 

 " had lived healthfully ) fell lick, and after many convulfions at laft expired in the 

 " Lap of its Miftrefs, in which it had fo often fported. Cutting up its Carcafs ( that 

 "I might fearch out the caufe of its death ) I found an Egg almoft perfect in the 

 M womb, but for want of a Cock, corrupted, as it happens often to fmall birds fhut up 

 cc in Cages, which want the company of the Cock. 



Many birds then by how much the more falacious they are, by fo much the more fruitful be 

 they, and do fometimes without fhe Male ( by reafon of high-feeding, or fame other caufe J 

 conceive Eggs, but feldom without his concurrence either perfect them, or bring them forth 5 

 but do rather thereupon fall into grievous difeafes, and atlaji die. 



Perchance it may feem to fome not lefs wonderful, that by once treading of the Hens by being 

 Cock, all the Eggs which a Henfhall lay for a whole year after will be rendred proli- °^ e trodden' 

 fie. Fabricius, as he is cited by * Dr. Harvey, faith, That it ismojitrue, that there Hfic E^ffor 

 proceeds from the Seed of theCoch^avertne 5 which renders prolific not only all the Eggs , a year after. 

 but alfo the womb, appears from the ordinary praBice of poor women, who keeping a Hen ^^Sim* 

 without a Cock., do for a day or two put it to fome of their neighbours Cocks : For fiom that 

 little time of ' company ing with the Cocktail the Eggs of that whole year fucceeding will be 

 rendred prolific. And /(faith Dr. Harvey ) (that I might defend Fabricius, and find 

 out fomething certain concerning the time and necejjity of this prolific coition) did once in 

 the Spring time keep two Hens for three daysjhutup from the Cock, each of which did in the 

 mean time lay three Eggs, no lef prolific than any others : And again another Hen, 

 which laid one Egg the tenth day after fae was fliutup, and another the twentieth, and both 

 fecund. So that it feems one or two Coits may make the whole clufier of Eggs, at leafi as 

 many as fall be laid for a whole year fruitful. What follows I iuppoie he wrote upon 

 prefumption, and not from experience, viz. That though a Hen hath ?io Seed-eggs 



prepared 



