Book H. 01{^ir HO LOgT. 77 ~ 



Aldrovandus defcribes a Bird of this kind, taken in the Mountains of theTerri- The black Pe- 

 tory of Bononiu, in thefe words. From the top of the Head to the end of the Tail re f grin Falcon 

 it wasfeventeen Inches long. The Crown of the head flat and comprefled : The tarS^ 

 Beak an Inch thick, of a lovely sky-colour, bending downward withafharp hook, Hcad * 

 fhort, ftrong, joyned to the head with a yellow Membrane of a deep colour, which Beak ' 

 companies the Nofthrils $ the Eye blue, the edges of the Eye-lids round yellow. The E >' es > 

 Head, Neck, Back, Wings of a dark brown, almoft black, fprinkled with black CoIour i 

 Ipotsin almoft every feather, the great feathers being crofted with tranfverfe ones. 



The Throat was of ayellowifti white, the lower part thereof being ftained with The Throat 

 black fpots, as it were drops drawn out in length from the corners of the Mouth on 

 each fide a black line was drawn downwards almoft to the middle of the Throat or 

 Gullet. The Breaft,Belly,and Thighs white,crolTed with broad, tranfverfe,black lines. 

 The tips of the Wings, when clofed,reached almoft to the end of the Train. The Train win gs. 

 lefs dusky, marked alfo with black crofs bars. The Legs and Feet yellow 5 the L J*\ A 

 Thighslong, the Shanks ihort 5 the Toes (lender, long,covered with fcales, as are alfo FeS,' *" 

 the Legs j the Talons black, and very fharp. t, ions. 



Aldrovandus thinketh this black Peregrine Falcon not to differ at all from the blacky 

 Falcon (imply fo called, or the Falconarius of the Germans, but to be the very fame 

 with it. 



What Aldrovandm hath concerning the place, flight, conditions, manner of catch- 

 ing thisiJe»4,&c. See in his * Ornithology. It flies and preys upon Geefe, Ducks, and 

 other Water-fowl. 



t. 11. 



* The Sucre, Falco Sacer. 



ALdrovandus brings feveral defcriptions of the Sucre out of Albert us Magnus, Be- 

 lifarius, the Emperour Frederick-Par canus and Bellonius. The Emperour Frede- fcriptionof ^ 

 ricks deicription ( which to me feems better than that of Albertus ) is as follows. the sacrc. 



S acres for bignefsof body approach to Jer-Falcons 3 being greater than other Fal- 

 cons, but lelTer than Jer-Falcons. They have a great round head : A (horter Beak, a 

 flenderer and longer body in proportion, longer Wings, and alfo a longer Train, a 

 Breaft lefs fleftiy and full in relpeft of their body than Jer-Falcons : And alfo (horter 

 Toes. 



Bdlomus thus briefly defcribes it. The Sucre hath fouler feathers to look upon than J'?****** 

 any other Bird of prey. For they are of a colour between red and * fuliginous, very * e sooty!° n ' 

 like to Kites. It hath (hortLegs and blue Toes. 



Carcanus the Vicentine gives a fuller defcription of it in thefe words. The Falcons CA) ' ca . n ^, his 

 called Sacres are bigger than even the larger Peregrines. Their head is very grey 5 j^SSef?, 

 their Crown flat, and like to that of a fork-tail'd Kite. Their Eyes black and great : Head, 

 Their Beak blue 5 their Nares for the moft part fmall : The figure of the body ob- |>g» 

 long : The fpots of the Breaft brown,as is alfo the back and upper fide of the Wings : Nares, 

 The infide of the Thighs white 5 the Train long and varied with femicircular fpots, Fi erte» 

 refembling the figure oiGuiny Beans or Kidneys : The Wings alfo large and long. Train/ 

 The Legs and Feet are almoft wholly blue : Compared with the reft of the body not wings', 

 very great. Thole of one year commonly called Sores differ a little from thofe that Ho J; e ?he som 

 have mewed their feathers. For thefe have the fpots of their Breafts a little blacker differ from 

 and rounder than the Sores. Their Feet alfo are fome what white, and in fome (potted thofe that , 

 with a little yellow. Almoft all of them have their Backs reddifh, inclining to cine- ar 

 reous, as in Turtles. Yet in fome, as well of the Sores as of thofe that have mewed 

 their feathers, the Back and upper fide of the Wings is black. 



Which of theie defcriptions agrees beft to the Sucre let them judge who have op- 

 portunity of feeing this Bird , and will, and leifure to compare them with it. 



So great is the ftrength, force, and courage of this Hawk, that ( as Albertus reports) 

 there is no Bird fo great which fhe doth not prefently ftrike down : And not only one 

 at a time, but as many as c6me in her way. She catches alfo Fawns, Rids, &c. She 

 isfuppofedto be called Sucre, either from her bignefs, or becaufe all other birds fear 

 her, and fly from her. 



§.III. 



