Book II. 0%3\£1T HO LO §T. 6\ 



Error was ( I iuppofe) a prefumptionof the neceflity of fueh a ftrufrure of the feet. 

 For whereas the Mariners and Filhermen did fee and obferve this Bird much to fre- 

 quent the Sea and great Lakes of water, and to prey upon Fifh 5 yea, fometimes to 

 fly forth very far from Land, fothat it hath been often feenoutat Sea, a hundred 

 Leagues diftant from (bore, flying up and down over the water, and intent upon 

 iifhing 5 they imagined it altogether neceflary that it fhould be fumiftied with one flat 

 foot for fwimming, and another cloven for ftriking, catching, and carrying away of 

 Fifh. It being, one would think, impoffible, that a bird fhould abide upon'the Wing 

 fo long without reft. But that evenfmall birds, fhort-winged, and lefs fit by far for 

 flight than Eagles will venture to fly over wide Seas is evident in thofe we call birds of 

 paflage. And who knows but where thofe Fowl areufually feen, there may be fome 

 Rocks in the Sea not far off, on which they may reft themfelves. But for the fame rea- 

 fon this conceit was firft ftarted, it was readily entertained, and without examination 

 greedily believed. 



Not lefs fabulous is that which is reported of the oylor fat which this bird hath in The Oylof 

 her rump, and which hanging in the air, the lets fall drop by drop into the water 5 by <#»>• 

 the force whereof the Fifties being ftupefied, andasitwerePlanet-ftrucken, become 

 deftitute of all motion, and fo fufrer themfelves without difficulty to be taken 5 though 

 ibme are fo vain as to put Oyl of Oftrey into their receipts or prefcriptions for taking 

 Fifhes, by the fmell whereof the Fifties being allured, rather than ftupefied by its 

 narcotic vertue, yield themfelves to be handled and taken out of the water by fuch 

 as have their hands anointed with it. Doubtlefs he that can get the Oyl of fuch an 

 0$rey as they talk of may work wonders with it. 



§. III. 



Of ^Black E a g l e, called Melanaetus, or Aquila Valeria. 



WE faw a Bird of this kind kept (hut up in a Cage in the * Stadt-houfe of Mid- * The Towri 

 dleburgh in Zealand. It was double thebignefs of a Raven^ but lefler than Signers. 

 the Pygarg. The Jaws and Eye-lids were bare of feathers, and fbmewhat reddifti : Colour. ' 

 The head, neck, and breft black. In the middle of the back between the fhoulders 

 was a large triangular white fpot daftied with red. The rump red. The lefler orders 

 or rows of feathers in the Wings were of a Buzzard colour 5 then followed a black 

 ftroak or bar crofs the prime feathers, after that a white one, the remaining part of 

 the feathers to the tips being of a dark afti-colour. 



The Beak was lefs than that of the Pygarg, black at the end, then yellow as far as TheBeak > 

 the Sear or skin covering its Bafe, which was red. The Eyes [ underftand the Irides ] Eyes, 

 were of a hazel colour. The Legs were feathered down but a little below the knees} Legs, 

 the naked part being red. The Talons very long. 



Thofe Birds which Aldrovandus hath fet forth for Melanaeti or Black. Eagles-} al- The Black 

 though they differ in fbme marks from this here defcribed, as for example, in the J ag f eS (° f ^ /_ 

 blewifti horny colour of the Beak 5 in the dark ferrugineous colour of the crown of with ours." * 

 the head and neck, and that their Legs are almoft wholly covered with feathers, 

 fcarce an inch remaining bare, and that yellow, yet I doubt not but they are of the 

 fame fpecies 5 there being in the Rapacious kind a great difference for the moft part 

 between Cock and Hen in point of magnitude and colour 5 the colours alio in the 

 fame Sex varying very much by age and other accidents. 



Of the place of this Bird, its food and manner of living, building its Neft, Eggs, 

 conditions, &c. we have nothing certain. 



It is called in Greeks MgAava./W@-, from its black colour. Aa^o?©., or Leporaria, 

 from killing of Hares : And in Latine Aquila Valeria, from its itrength and valour. 



J. IV. 



0/^e PVGARG or whiU-tafld Eagle, called Pygargus, ami Albicilla, W»^ 

 and by fome Hinnularia. ( tJ^^rA^J^jf j/&hs 4 



IT is called Pygargus from the whitenefs of its rump or train, which word Gaza j ts Name, 

 rendred in Latine AlbiciUa. 



The Male ( which we defcribed ) was for bignefs not much inferiour to a Turkey. &&&> 

 It weighed eight pounds and an half, [ it is like, the Female in this, as in other Birds of weighty 



