358 o^^ciTHOLogr, IwTif. 



had never heard. By fome Iflanders, my Scholars, I have been told, that nothing is 

 more frequent with them than this harmony* in thofe places where there are Swdml 

 This I therefore alledge, that it may appear that the report of thofe famous ancient 

 Authors concerning the finging of Swans is not altogether vain, but attefted and 

 proved by modern experiments. Thus far Wormius. Let the Headers judge whe- 

 ther his witnefles befufficient. 



This Bird hath not as yet, that I know of, been defcribed by any Author. 



Chap. II. 

 Of the Goofe. 



$. i. 



Of the tame Goofe. 



IT is lefs than a Swan, bigger than a Ducfa weighing fometimes when fatted ten 

 pounds. Its length from the tip of the Bill to the end of the Tail, in that we 

 meafured, was thirty five inches and an half, to the end of the Feet thirty feven 

 and an half: The Wings extended were fixty inches and an half over. The length 

 of the Neck from the tip of the Bill to the fetting on of the Wings feventeen inches. 

 The Bill it felf from the tip to the angles of the Mouth was two inches three quarters 

 long, to the Eyes three and an half The Tail was fix inches and an half long, com- 

 pounded of eighteen feathers, the outmoft the fhorteft, the reft by degrees longer to 

 the middlemoft, which are the longeft. The colour in thefe, as in other tame Birds 

 is various, in fome brown, in fome-grey, in fome white, in fome flecked, or partico- 

 loured of white and brown. The Bill and Legs in young ones are yellow, in old 

 ones for the moll: part red. The Bill is thick at the head, and flenderer by degrees 

 to the point. Each Wing hath twenty (even quils or feathers in the firft row. When 

 it is angry it hifles like a Serpent. It is very long-lived. A certain friend of ours of 

 undoubted fidelity told us that his Father had once a Goofe that was known to be 

 eighty years old, which for ought he knew might have lived the other eighty years, 

 had he not been conftrained to kill it for itsmifchievoufnefs in beating and deftroying 

 the younger Geefe. 

 But of the Goofe, a Bird fowell known in all Nations, more than enough. 



§. II. 



The common mid Goofe : Anler ferus. 



INbignefsitequalsa tame Gooje$ is for the fhape of its body very like it, and not 

 much different in colour. Its Head, Neck, Back, generally its whole upper fide, 

 excepting the feathers incumbent on the Tail is of a dark grey or brown. Yet the 

 uppermoft covert-feathers of the Wings are paler. The fecond, third, and fourth 

 rows of Wing feathers, and likewife the fcapular ones have white edges about their 

 tips. The feathers alfo next the Tail are purely white. The quils of the Wings are 

 twenty feven in number, of a dark brown, almoft black. The Tail is iix inches long, 

 compofed of eighteen black feathers, having their tips and exteriour edges white. 

 The colour of the underfide of the body is a light grey, by degrees lighter from the 

 Head to the Tail, whereunder it is perfe&ly white. The Bill is more than two inches 

 long, from the Head almoft half way black, then of a Saffron colour, the tip again 

 being black. The upper Mandible all along is toothed or indented with many rows 

 of fmall teeth 5 the nether only with one row on each fide. The Tongue alfo hath 

 on either fide a row of Teeth in its bordering membrane. Its Legs and Feet are of 

 a Saffron colour : Its Claws black or livid. Under each Eye is a whitifh line. That 

 we defcribed weighed feven pound and a quarter. 



§. in. 



