158 



oi{3\ciTHOLogr, iwTi. 



taller than a Peacocks. Round about the Eyes it was of a florid blue and purple co- 

 lour. The Eyes themfelves were indued with a very quick and (harp fight, like thofe 

 of Hawks- The Cock when any one came near the Hen, briftled up his feathers, and 

 by hisfuperb gate, ftrutting up towards him, endeavoured to drive him away. The 

 Hen was white, and refembled a Peacock, when he hath caft the feathers of his Tail. 

 Thus far Gyllius : In which defcription, faith Aldrovandus, are two notes of no (mall 

 * in oarob- moment wanting : viz. That its Legs * want Spurs, and that the Cock is differenced 

 wanc"not they from tne Hen ' wnen thev are come to tneir ful1 growth and maturity, by a briftly 

 fpurs,though bufh or beard before his Throat, or in the upper part of his Breaft : Add hereto, 

 d h e7d h b Ve fh" tl3at l ^ e worm -lik e Caruncle on the Head is in the Hen very fmall. What he faith of 

 and blunt ° r tnc ' r feathers being like Hawk, is to be underftood by reafbn of their many fpots, 

 ones. wherein the likenefs confifts. 



To this we may furtheroadd, that the Tail of a Turkey is made up of eighteen fea- 

 thers j that each Wing hath twenty eight prime feathers or quils : That the Legs have 

 fmall Spurs, or rather certain rudiments of Spurs, and thofe very confpicuous and 

 plain to be feen, however Aldrovandus writes that they do altogether want Spurs. 

 Their Eggs are white, but thick-fpeckled with fordid yellowifti red fpots, much like 

 to the freckles of the face of a man. 



This ftately Fowl at firft fight from the (hape of its body, and alfo from its condi- 

 tions, one would take to be rather of the Hen than the Peacock^ kind, faith Aldro- 

 vandus : To meitfeems to be more like the Peacock, than the common Cock., in its 

 bignefsandftatureor tallnefs, in the manner ofcarryingits Tail, but efpecially of let- 

 ting it up and fpreadingit, as if both it felf admired it, and took pride in (hewing it to 

 others. 



That thefe birds were the Meleagrides of the Ancients, as alfb their GallinsAfiicans 

 & Numidica gut tat £, Aldrovandus takes much pains to prove. In Englifo they are 

 called Turkeys, becaufe they are thought to have been firft brought to us out of 

 Turkey. 



Turhgys love hot Countries : yet they can bear cold ones well enough, after they 

 are grown up and have been ufed to them : But their young Chickens are very nefh 

 and tender, and not to be reared without great care and attendance. 



" Their flelh is very white and delicate, a di(h becoming a Princes feaft, faith 

 " Aldrovandus, if it be well concocted yielding a plentiful and firm nourifhment 5 of 

 " the fame tafte and quality with that of a Peacock., and as difficult to concoft, unlefs 

 " its hardnefs be before by fome means corrected. This is to be underftood of old 

 and well grown Turkeys, fovTurkfy-ipoms and young Turkeys are tender enough, and 

 of eafie concoction. 



The antipathy this Fowl hath againft a red colour, fo as to be much moved and pro- 

 voked at the fight thereof, is very ((range and admirable. 



§. IV. 



The Brafdian Mitu or Mutu of Marggrave. 



His Bird, (aith Marggrave, is of the Pheafant kind, the Spaniards alfb ( as Nie- 

 r ember gius tells us ) call it a Pheafant. But we, partly for its bignefs, partly for 

 its colour, partly alfo for its gentle nature, eafily becoming tame,but chiefly for that it ffreads 

 its Tail in like manner * circularly, thinks that it ought rather to be ranked with the Peacock, 

 and Turkey, to which we have therefore fubjoyned it. It is bigger than the common Cock. 

 or Hen. The length of its body from the Neck to the rife of the Tail is ten inches : 

 The length of the Neck fix inches. It is all over covered with black feathers, ex- 

 cept on the Belly and under the Tail, where it is of a brown colour, almoft like that 

 of a Partridge. The feathers on the Head, Neck, and Breaft are finer than the reft,and 

 for foftnefs and beauty comparable to black Velvet. On the top of the Head it hath 

 black feathers complicated into a very low and flat cop, which one that carelefly be- 

 held the Bird would fcarce take notice of, but when it is angry, or on other occafions 

 it can erecl: them into a confpicuous creft. It hath a remarkable Bill, not thick, croo- 

 ked, about an inch and half long: The lower Chap is fmall, the upper almoft four 

 times bigger. The Bill is of a very bright carnation colour,but toward the tip white. 

 Its * Legs are like a Hens, ten inches long, to wit, four from the Feet to the Knees, 

 prehends'aifo and fix above them, where they are covered with black feathers. It hath alfb four 

 the thighs. Toes, like a Hens, which from their rife to the firft joynt are connected by an inter- 



venient 



HT ] 



* If I under- 



ftand Marg- 

 grave arighc. 



* Under this 

 word he conv 



