i<?8 o^wyiTHOLogr* BookIi. 



firms : Yet not on Snails only, but alfo on Caterpillars, Seeds of Wheat and other 

 Grain. 



Partridges, to fpeak of them in general, are very falacious birds, infamous for 

 mafculine Venery, and other abominable and unnatural conjunctions. The Ancients 

 have left many fabulous things concerning them, viz,. That the Cocks, if they can 

 find them, break the Eggs, left the Hens being detained by fitting upon them fhould 

 not be ready or willing to yield themfelves to tie trodden 5 for which caufe the Hens 

 lay privately, concealing their Nefts, as much as they can, from the Cocks. That the 

 Cocks when they want the Hens,to wit, when they have withdrawn themfelves to fit 

 do not only manifeft their petulancy and falacity, by their voices and fighting,but alio 

 defile one another promifcuoufly by that nefarious coition, interdi&ed mankind by 

 nolefsthan a capital punifhment. Which things Pliny after his manner hath wittily 

 and elegantly compriied in a few words. IZk [ i. e. fcewina ] quidem & maritos fuos 

 fallunt, quoniam intemperantia libidinis fangunt earum ova, ne incubando detineantur. 

 Tunc inter fe dimicant mares defiderio fceminarum. ViStum aiunt venerempati. That they 

 make two Nefts, wherein they lay their Eggs, half in one, and half in the other 5 

 in one whereof the Female fits, and in the other the Male : and that both do hatch 

 and bring up their part of Young. That the Hens without being ever trodden by 

 the Cocks, if they do only ftand oppofite to them, and the wind blow from thence 

 upon them, will conceive Eggs, and thofe prolific : Of which thing fome Modern 

 Writers have indifcreetly indeavoured to give an account, before they had any aiTu- 

 ranceof the truth of the matter of fa6r. That the Hens are fo intemperately luft- 

 ful, that contrary to the manner of other birds, they cannot abftain from the ule of 

 Venery fo much as while they are fitting : Which particulars alio Pliny briefly and in- 

 genioufly thus words : Neque in ullo animali par opus libidinis. Si contra mares jleterint 

 famine, aura ab his flantepr£gnantes fiunt. Hiantes a. exerta lingua per id tempus £Jlu- 

 ant, cOncipimtque fupervolantium afflatu, fepe voce tantum audita mafculi : Adeoque vin- 

 cit libido etiam foetus charitatem, ut ilia furfim & in occulto incubans, cum fenftt fmmi- 

 namaucupk accedentemad marem, recanat, revochque, & nltro fe prabeat libidini. That 

 the Cock being overcome in fight dares never 10 much as come in fight of his Miftris 

 or Mate. That the Partridge when her own Eggs are broken, or any ways marred, 

 or loft, fteals another Partridges Eggs, fits upon them, hatches them, broods and 

 brings up the Young, which yet when they are a little grown, hearing their Dams 

 voice, [that is, the voice of that Partridge that laid the Eggs,] do by inftind pre- 

 fently know it, and leaving their Fofter Mothers, betake themfelves to their own 

 Dams. That (he often turns her upon her back, and fo,lying with her belly upward, 

 covers her felf with clods and ftraws, and by that means deceives and efcapes the 

 Fowlers. But it is not worth the while to infift long upon rehearfing or refuting thefe 

 particulars. 



ThefeBirds ( faith Aldrovandm) in the Feafts and Entertainments of Princes hold 

 the principal place, without which fuch Feafts are efteemed ignoble, vulgar, and of 

 no account. Indeed, the Frenchmen do lb highly value, and are fo fond of iV- 

 tridge, that if they be wanting they utterly Height and defpife the beft fpread Tables, 

 and moft plentiful and delicate Treatments ; as if there could be no Feaft without 

 this difh. As the flelh of Partridge ( faith Bellonius ) is very delicate and grateful to 

 the Palate, fo in like manner is it greatly commended, for that it nourifhes much, is 

 eafily digefted, and breedsgood bloud in the body. ' The flefh of the greater kind is 

 more folid and hard, ( though hard only comparatively ) of the lelTer more tender, 

 and confequently yields a finer, more diffipable and fpirituous nourifhment, is alio of 

 eafier concoftion, but yet is not fo white as that of the greater. Palate-men, and fuch 

 as have skill in eating, do chiefly commend the Partridges Wing, preferring it much 

 before the Leg, as indeed it is much better. Hence that Englifi Proverbial Rhythm : 



If the Partridge had the Woodcocks thigh, 

 'Twouldbe the beji bird that ere did fly. 



He that defires yet further information concerning the quality and temperament of 

 Partridges flefh, let him conlult Aldrovand. 



§. IV. 



