94- o^nciTHOLogr. iwff. 



footlefs ( contrary to the fentence and judgment of Ariftotle, who affirms that no 

 bird wants feet ) becaufe thofe which I hapned to fee, both in my Spanifi Voyage 

 flopping two months at Lisbon, and alfo in the Low Countries, in the Cabinets of 

 fundry perfons delighted in fuch exotic things, were all without feet, and exentera- 

 ted$ yet at that time, to fay the truth, I was not at all curious in obferving, whether 

 there were any difference between them. But the laft Voyages of the Hollanders in- 

 to India have made me without difficulty to change my opinion 5 it being certain that 

 there have been fome brought over entire, and retaining ftili their legs and feet : And 

 by thofe who faw them I underftood, that their Legs were very like thofe of a. Mae- 

 pie, but weaker, and not fo thick, differing alfo in colour, as not being black but 

 tending to a Chefnut. Notwithstanding I had a great defire my felf to fee them,' and 

 if I could have got but one, prefently to have taken a draught thereof, that I might 

 expofe it to the view ©f the Reader, and confirm the truth and faithfulnefs of P%a- 

 fita. But they having been for their rarity prefently bought up, and carried away to 

 Francfurt on the Main, and one of them thence to the Emperour Rudolphus the fe- 

 cond of that name (his Majefty being, as I hear, greatly delighted in thefekindof 

 ftrange forein things, and in the knowledge of all the wonders of nature ) I was 

 f r unrated of my hope. But if it happens that there be any entire ones brought over, 

 and that Igetfeafonablenoticeofit, I will do my endeavour to procure one, at leaft 

 to borrow it, that I may fet forth its figure, to confute and extirpate the common- 

 ly received opinion or conceit, thatthefe birds want feet. Howbeit the Mariners 

 that brought thefe Birds, though they went not to thofe Iflands where the birds them- 

 felves breed and live, yet were informed ( as I was allured ) by thofe of whom they 

 bought them, that they were all furnifhed with Feet, and did both walk and fly like 

 other Birds : But that the Inhabitants fo foon as they take them, do exenterate them, 

 and cut off and caft away their Legs, and then expofe them to the Sun, that they may 

 dry the morereadily> and fo dried, either keep them to fell, or faften them to their 

 Helmets inftead of Plumes of feathers. They added moreover, that thofe birds 

 lived in Woods, and were wont to fly thirty or forty together in flocks, accompanied 

 with their King or Captain, who always flies high above the reft 5 and (which feems 

 to be fabulous ) if they be thirfty, ufe to fend out one of their company firft to the 

 water, to make trial of it, which if it receives no harm from drinking it, then the 

 whole flock fly thither and drink : But if it returns fick or indifpofed, the reft avoid 

 that water, and fly away to feek out fome other. They further added, that the 

 If landers were wont to taint and infed: this water, for to catch, thefe Birds, after this 

 manner. When they efpy a flock of Birds, ' they mark diligently whither they be- 

 take themfelves, and as foon as they fee the bird that wasfent out, after it hath drank 

 flown back again, they prefently caft poyfon into that water, which the whole flock 

 coming to drink of, is infe&ed, and becomes their prey. Betides, that thefe Birds 

 were wont fometimes to befhot with Arrows : And if their King happens to be kil- 

 led and fall down, the reft that are in that flock fall together with him, and yield them- 

 felves to be taken, as refufing to live after they have loft their King. 



Furthermore, they made two kinds of thofe Birds: The one of the Greater, which 

 were more beautiful, and the other of the Lejfer, which werelefs beautiful : 'Affirm- 

 ing that both kinds have their peculiar King, and different in colour. That the birds 

 of the greater kind( whole King is of an elegant and beautiful colour ) were found 

 only in the Ifle Aru orArou ( for fo that Vowel n is to be pronounced : ) But that the 

 Ifles called Papnas, nigh to the Ifland Gilolo, did produce the birds of the lejfer kind 3 

 and that their King was lefs handfom, covered with black feathers, for bignefs equal 

 to a Starling, and having fome feathers like horfe-hairs. Perchance this black King 

 may be the fourth Species fet forth by Aldrovandus. Thofe that fold thefe Birds, being 

 asked by the Mariners how they were called by the Inhabitants, anfwered Boeres, that 

 is, Birds : For Co they called all Birds, neither did they know how to diftinguifh them 

 by peculiar names. 



Now having feenavery elegant Bird of the greater fort, and bigger alfo than the 

 reft of this kind, in the houfe of the famous Peter Paroias, Doctor of Phyfick, and 

 primary ProfefTor in the Univerfity of Ley den, I took care to get the figure thereof 

 cut, that I might fet it forth, fubjoyninga fliort Hiftory, as faithfully taken as I could; 

 which fhould by right have taken up the firft place in the fifth Book of Exotics : But 

 feeing the fix firft Books are already printed off, I thought fit to infert it, with fome 

 other things I afterward got, into this AnUarium. 



g. IX. 



