i 7 o O^^ClTHOLOgj. Book H. 



Gizzard 5 and jufl^above the Stomach the Gullet is dilated into the bag, which we 

 call the Ante-ftotnach, the interior Superficies whereof is granulated with papillary- 

 Glandules. 



For catching of Quails they ufe this Art : The Fowler betimes in the Morning ha- 

 ving fpread his Net hides himfelf under it among the Corn : then calls with his Quail- 

 pipe, The Cock Quail, thinking it to be the note of the Hen that he bears, comes in 

 a trice with all fpeed to the place whence the noife comes. When the Bird is got un- 

 der the Net, up rifesthe Fowler and ihews himfelf to him a he prefently attempting to 

 fly away, is entangled in the Net and taken. 



The Quail is a bird no lefs falacious than the Partridge, infamous alfo for obfeene 

 and unnatural luft. The Cocks are of high fpirit and courage 3 and therefore by 

 fome are wont to be trained up and prepared for the combate, after the manner of 

 Cocks: And JElian tells us, that of old time at Athens Quail-fightings were wont to 

 be exhibited as Ihews } and fo grateful and delightful they were to the people, that 

 there was as great flocking to them as to a fpe&acle of Gladiators. In fome Cities of 

 Italy, especially Naples, they do alfo now adays keep fighting Quails, as Aldrovandu? 

 reports. The manner how they induce and provoke them to fight fee in him. 



Quails are birds of paffage : for being impatient of cold, when Winter comes they 

 depart out of Nortnern and cold Countries into hotter and more Southerly 5 flying 

 even over Seas % which one would admire, coniidering the weight of their bodies and 

 fhortnefs of their Wings. When we failed from Rhodes to Alexandria of Egypt ( faith 

 Be/foniu^many Quails flying from the North toward the South were taken in our Ship, 

 whence I am verily perfwaded that they fhift places : For formerly alfo when I failed 

 out of the Hie ofZant to Morea or Negropont, in the Spring time I hadobferved Quails 

 flying the contrary way from South to North, that they might abide there all Summer ; 

 At which time alfo there were a great many taken in our Ship. 



Among the Ancient Greeks and Latines Quails were condemned and banifhed Ta- 

 bles as an unwholfom difh 5 for being reported to feed upon Hellebore, and to be ob- 

 noxious to the falling ficknefs, they were thought to produce the like difeafe inthofe 

 that eat their fleih : But undefervedly, for now adays they are eaten without any 

 danger, andefteemed a choice difh: And being fomewhat rare with us in England are 

 fold very dear : Indeed their flefh both for delicacy of tafte, and wholfomnefs of 

 nouriihment is nothing inferiour to that of Partridge or Pheafant. Poulterers, and 

 fuch as feed them in Coops do not permit them a high place to be in, becaufe leaping 

 up they hurt their heads againft the top : nay, though their Coops be fo low that they 

 can hardly ftand upright in them, yet by (hiking their heads againft the top, they will 

 rub off all the feathers 3 as we have obferved. 



§. IX. 



The Rail or Daker-hen, Ortygometra Aldrov. lib.13. cap.33. Crex Ariftotelis. 



THe weight of that we defcribed was five inches and an half: Its length from 

 the point of the Bill to the end of the Claws was fifteen inches, to the end of 

 the Tail eleven and an half 5 its breadth between the extreams of the Wings ftretch'd 

 out nineteen inches: Its Bill 1 l T inch long, meafuring from the point to the end 

 of the flit. The body of this bird is narrow or comprefled fide- ways, and like to 

 that of Water-hens, The lower part of the Bread: and the Belly are white 5 the Chin 

 alfo is white, elfe the Throat is of a more fordid or dirty colour. On the Head are 

 two broad black lines : Alfo a white line from the fhoulders as in the Morehen. The 

 middle parts of the covert feathers of the Back are black, the outfides of a reddifh 

 afh-colour. The Thighs are variegated with tranfverfe white lines. In each Wing 

 are twenty three quil-feathers. The leffer rows of Wing-feathers both above and 

 below are of a deep yellow, as alfo the borders of the prime feathers. The Tail is al- 

 rnoft two inches long, made up of twelve feathers. The Bill is like the Water-hens, 

 the upper Mandible being whitifh, the nether dusky. The Legs bare above the Knees: 

 the Feet whitifh. In the Stomach difle&edwe found Snails. 



It is called Rallm or Grallus perchance from itsftalking [ a gradu gral/atorio ] or per- 

 chance from Roy ale, becaufe it is a Royal or Princely difh. 



Aldrovandus defevibes his Rail thus, Its Bill is lefs than a Water-fowls, but much 

 bigger than a Quails: Its Tail alfo is very little, and next to none : Its Legs and Feet 

 in proportion to its body long, of a middle colour between Saffron and green. The 



colour 



