THE 



FIRST BOOK 



OF THE 



ORNITHOLOGY 



O F 



F^AS^CIS tFlLLUgHBTEtq; 



Of tJBirds in general 



Chap. I. 



Of the external farts of Birds* 



E do not intend to treat of all the parts of Birds, but of thofe 

 only which are either proper to this kind, or if common to 

 other Animals, have in Birds fomething peculiar in their fhape, 

 fize, temper, ufe, or fome other remarkable accident. 



I. All Birds in general, without exception of any, want T he Bill and 

 Teeth, in ftead whereof they are furnifhed with a Bill of a its ufes. 

 horny fubftance. By Teeth we underftand Teeth properly fo 

 called, viz,, iuch as are diftind and Separable from the Mandi- 

 bles. For in fome Birds, as for example Divers, the Bills them- 

 felves are toothed or indented after the manner of a Saw. The Bill in Birds hath two 

 principal ufes $ the one as an inftrument to gather and receive their food 5 the other 

 as a weapon to light with, either by affaulting others, or defending and revenging 

 themfelves. Thefe, I fay, are the principal ufes, befides which it ferves them alfb for 

 other purpofes, to wit, building their Nefts, feeding their Young, preening their 

 Feathers, and fome for climbing, as the Parrot and Shell-apple. 



2. In all Birds, except No&urnal ones, the head is fmaller and bears Iefsproporti- TheHead » 

 on to the body than in Quadrupeds, that it may more readily divide the Air in flyings 



and making way for the body render its pafTage more eafie. 



3. In Birds and Fifties the eyes are more flat and depreffed than in Quadrupeds. The Eyes, 

 A circle of fmall plates of bone placed fcalewife under the outward coat [ tunica 



filer odes ~] where the proceffus ci Hares are, encompaffes the pupil of each eye in Birds^ 



toftrengthen the eyes, and defend them from injuries. Moreover moft, if not all 



Birds, have a Membrane for Nidation, called in Latine Periophthalmmm, where- Membrane for 



withal they can at their pleafure cover their Eyes, though their eye-lids be open. niftacion ' 



This hath its rife from the greater or moreobtufe corner of the Eye, and ferves to 



wipe, cleanfe, and perchance moiften the Superficies, of it. This Membrane is not 



proper to Birds only, but common with them to many Quadrupeds. * Dr. Harvey^ * j the Gchc -, 



treating of the Eyes of Birds hath this obfervation : The Eyes of Birds ( faith he ) ne- rat. of Ani- 



vercontraB themfelves to that proportion which is between the eye and head of a viviparous mliExtr > { %' 



Animal. For if in Hens or other Birds you take off the skin covering the eyes, you full 



find that either of them wiU at leajl equal the whole bulk^of the brain : But in a Woodcock 



and the l/fa either eye is greater than all the reft of the head, fetting afide the Bill. In 



general the orbit or cavity containing the eye in all Birds exceeds the brain it felfi as may be 



feen in their skull. Their eyes indeed outwardly appear but ftnall, becauje excepting the 



pupils they are wholly covered with skin and feathers. In our obfervation the cavity con-* 



taining the brain is greater than the orbit of either eve in many, not to lay all, 



Birds. 



B 4. All 



