zz4 o^^ciTHOLog^ iwn. 



and put amongft them fome Ants, and put your Maggots at the bottom of your pan 

 then put your pafte rolled like worms upon the Maggots, and they ftirring at the bot- 

 tom will make the pafte move as if it were alive 5 which will caufe the Nightingale to 

 eat it more readily 5 and when he hath tafted the meat made of (beeps heart, and pafte 

 two or three times, he then is not apt to forfake it. But whereas he faith,thlt N ightin- 

 gales feeding only upon live meat do not know that any thing is for food but what ftjrs 

 he is furely therein miftaken, for (as Olina obferves) they feed upon Figs, and fome forts of 

 berries, when wild, as well as upon Infers. Such birds as you take in April our Author 

 advifes when you go a taking to carry a bottom bag with you, and fome meat in a 

 Gally-pot to feed them abroad, for if they be over-fafted they feldom live, they re- 

 quiring to be fed every hour : Alfo to put or cut their feathers from their vent, other- 

 wife they will be fubjeft to clog and bake up their vent, which is fudden death. 

 Birds, that are long a feeding, and make no curring or fweeting for eight or ten days' 

 feldom prove good 5 but on the contrary, they give great hopes of proving well when 

 they take their meat kindly, and are familiar, and not buckifh, and fing quickly and 

 learn to eat of themfelves without much trouble. This is a fure token of their pro- 

 ving excellent birds : For I have had fome birds feed in twelve hours after taking 

 of them, and fing in two or three days, and thofe never proved bad. When you 

 fhall find that the Nightingale eats well by hirafelf, and lings often without feemingto 

 be difturbed at every little noife, you fhall by little and little put back the green Bays 

 or Paper wherewith the Cage was covered, putting fome Greens in the opened part. 

 Kowro difcern Now to know the Cocks from the Hens among the wild ones, Olina gives us thefe 

 S'eHens marks of the Cock, That it hath a bigger Eye, and rounder and greater Head, a lon- 

 ger Bill, thicker Legs, a longer Tail, and of fomething a brighter red. Our Englifh 

 Author will not allow thefe for fufficient notes of diftin&ion 5 and yet afterward he 

 dare not deny but all taken together may be fufficient. He adds, that Nightingales 

 taken in Auguft are moft certainly to be difcerned by the finging : And as for thofe that 

 are taken in April, your knowledge, faith he, refteth in thefe obfervations ; Firft 

 when you think you have taken the bird you heard fing, call again, and if the Cock 

 anfwers and lings again, then you have taken the Hen, and not the Cock 5 but if you 

 find the Cock not to fing, then be allured you have taken him. Alfo you may know 

 him by the lower parts of the Sex, which the Cock puts forth, but the Hen doth not. 

 If you take a bird about the middle of May, or beginning of June, the Breaft of the 

 Hen will be bare with fitting,and all full of fcurf, whereas the Cocks Breaft is all well- 

 feathered, without any barenefs or fcurf 



This Author faith, that he hath often proved, that old Nightingales are far per- 

 fe&er, and far excellenter in their fongs than any Nettling or Brancher whatfoever, 

 and will come to fing aslavifti and as often, and with care and a little trouble will 

 know you, and be as familiar alfo. 



Branchers( faith Olina) are better than Neftlings, and will come to be as familiar, 

 and very often fing all Winter. [ Underftand it in Italy where their Winters are fhort 

 and mild. ] 



$. nr. 



Wharfages are beji for Nightingales. 



THe moft convenient Cages for Nightingales are thofe which have the Wires only 

 afore, and all the other parts made up, and the top lined with Bays, [ the 

 fides alfo againft Winter] partly for warmth, the Nightingale being a very tender 

 bird, and partly alfo becaufe being buckifh he is apt to mount up and ftrike his head 

 againft the top-wires or wood, and endanger the dafhing out his brains. 



§. IV. 



How to make a Pafte to feed Nightingales, being alfo good for the Wren, Robin-red- breaft, 

 Woodlark, r Skie-lark^ Throfile, and other birds. 



TAke of the flower of Chiches [ or horfe-beans] finely lifted two or three 

 pounds, according to the number of birds you keep : Of fweet Almonds 

 blanch'd and beaten fine half a pound, of frefh Butter [ without any fait in it] four 

 ounces,three or four Yolks of Eggs boiled hard and pounded. Put thefe ingredients 



in 



