?bcT%gFJCE. 



Authors, illuftrated what was obfcure, and intermingled fome obfervations 

 of my own. Here by the by I cannot but reflect upon the Author of a late 

 Englijh Book, entituled, The Gentlemans Recreation. For having had occa- 

 (ion to examine and compare Books upon thefe Subjects, I find that all that 

 he hath confiderable concerning Fowling is taken out of the forementioned 

 Book of Markham, and yet hath he not to my remembrance made any men- 

 tion of his Author : What he hath of Hawktng is likewile an Epitome of 

 TurberYdes Collections, with (bme addition out of Lathams Falconry, without 

 acknowledgment that all was borrowed. I doubt not but I could have traced 

 him in his other Difcourfes of Hunting zx\& Fiflring, had I had leifureorwill 

 to compare his Book with TurberYiks, Waltons, and other Treatifes of thole 

 Subjects. I do not blame him for Epitomizing, but for fupprefTing his Au- 

 thors names, and publishing their Works as his own, infomuch that not only 

 the Vulgar, but even Learned men have been deceived by him, fo that they 

 have looked upon him as a^confiderable Writer, of extraordinary skill in 

 fuch Arts arid Exercifes, and one that had advanced and improved them. By 

 the way therefore it may not be amifs to caution Learned men that they be 

 not too hafty nor lavifli in their public commendations of new Books before 

 they have taken the pains to compare them with former Treatifes on thole 

 Subjects, left they render themielves ridiculous bypublifhing thofe for ad- 

 vancers' of knowledge, who are indeed meer Plagiaries and Compilers of 

 other mens Works. 



I might have added a cenfure of the flefh of Birds in reference to wholfom- 

 nefs in Diet, but that is done in the particular Species, and by many Authors 

 in theDietical part of their Inftitutions of Phyiic 3 - only in general we have 

 taken notice, 1 . In Land-fowl, that the flefh of no Carnivorous Bird is cr 00 d 

 meat, neither of the %apaciom kind that touch no Vegetables . nor yet of the 

 Crow-kindjNhich feed promifcuoufly upon Flefh, and Fruits, or Seeds. 2. That 

 the flefh of fuch birds as feed only upon Infects is not approved good meat, 

 for example, Woodpeckers and Swallows. As for fmall Birds,of (lender Bills 

 that are reputed good, they feed as well upon Fruits and Berries as upon In- 

 fects, though it may be chiefly upon Infects • but they are beft when they 

 feed upon Fruits, as the Beccafigo in Fig-time, ' 3. The Birds that feed up©^ 

 Grain and Seeds only, (if any fuch) or upon Fruits, or Seedsman d Infects"^ 

 as the foultry-Kind, are the beft of all. 4. Of Water-fowl, fuch as feed only 

 or chiefly upon Fifli are not good meat ; Yet the Young of fome of thefe are 

 approved as a delicacy, though I fcaree think very wholfom : Such are young 

 Soland-Geefe, Muffins, fewets, and Herons. Befides thefe, all W 7 ater-fowl, 

 though feeding only upon Infects, are efteemed good to eat, and admitted 

 to our Tables: The rrioft delicate of thefe are thofe we have termed Mud- 

 fuckers, that with their long Nebs thruft into 4e Earth fuck out of the Mud or 

 Ouze a fatty juyce, by which they are nourished: 



Two or three Observations communicated by Mr. Martin Lifter of Iork y 

 ray honoured Friend, being through forgetfnlnefs omitted in their proper 

 places in the Book, I fhall thruft into this Preface. 1 . The Curruca or Hedg- 

 Sparrowhys Sea-green or pale-blue Eggs, which neatly emptied and wired 

 I have teen fair Ladies wear at their Ears for Pendants. 2. One and the 

 fame Swallow I have known by the fubtracting daily of her Eggs to have laid 

 nineteen fucceffively, and then to have given over. 3 . The Bunting breaks 

 not Oats, but hulls them moft dexterouily, aslobferve, having of them by 



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