24. 
250 
asa fign of his longlife, that he cafts his Bill, whereby he grows young again : fi m { : 
- cafting of his bill is the renewing ofthe Eagle, for ates that his bill is sgrown Ka 
| amoneft | wild Bawks forty years. 
“the old ones muft tell their young thé Hiftory. But there is nothing more ea i 
The Hiftory of Life and Death, . 
The motion of Birds in their flying i is asmixt motion, contifting of at 
of the limbs , andof a kind of carriage ; whichis the moft wholiome kind c of 
ercife. , Piaee 
_Ariftotle noted well touching the generation of Birds (but he er ed it 
other léveng Creatures) that the feed of thee Male confers leis to generatia 
Female, but that it rather affords Activity than Matter » fo that fruitful Fegs 
fruitful Eggs are hardly diftinguifhed, <| 
Birds (almoft all of them) come to their full growth the firft year, or tier} 
It istrue, that their Feathers in fome kinds, and their Bills 3 in others, fhew their Phe), 
but for the growth of their Bodies it is not fo. p. ay 
The Eagle’ isaccounted a long liver,yet his years are not fet down; andi it is “ 
whence comes that old Proverb, The old age of an Eagle. Notwithftanding perchance { 
the matter may be thus, That the renewing of the Eagle doth not caft his Bill, but the | 
Gaotenncle the Eagle feeds with mech difficulty. ~ a 
Vultures are alfo affirmed to be long livers, infomuch that they extend their life } 
well near to an hundred years. Kates likewife, and fo all Bards that feedupon fleth, | 
and Birds of prey live long. As for Hawks, becaufe they lead a degenerate and feryile 
life for the delight of men, the term of their natural life is not certainly known? ‘Not. f 
w ithftanding amoneft Mewed Hawks fome have been found to have lived oo yeats,and | 
The Raven likewife is reported to live long - fometimes to an fonda years: he 
$>' 
| feeds.on Carrion, and flies not often, butrather is a fedentry and malanchollick Bird, | 
and hath very black flefh. But the Crow, like unto him in moft things, (except in | 
greatnefs and voice ) lives not altogether folong, and yet is reckoned amonglt the long 
liver Ss 
The Swanis certainly found to'be a long liver, and exceeds not aie eam 
hundred years. He is a Berd excellently plumed, a feeder upon fith, and is always ¢ car- t 
ried, and that in running waters, 
The Goofé alfo may ’ pals amongft the long livers, though his food be pia | 
grafs, and fuch kind of nourifhment ;  efpecially the ‘Wild-Goofe ; whereupon this | 
Proverb grew amongft the Germans, magis fenex quam cAnfer nivalis, Older thana| 
Wild- Goofe. 
storks muftneeds be long livers, if that be trac which was anciently obferved of | 
them, that they never came ts Thebes, becaufe that City was often facked.  Thisif it } 
were fo, then either they muft have the knowledge of more ages than one, or elfe | 
' 
F 
a 
ys 
i 
a 
Fables. 
For Fables do fo abound touching the Phenix, that the truth is utterly loft Gf} 
any fuch Berd there be. As for that which was fo much admired , That fhe was} 
ever feen abroad with a great troop of Birds about her, it is no fuch wonder ; for} 
the fame is ufually feen about an On! flying in the day-time, or a Parrot Jetout Asset , ‘ 
Cage. ; * 
The Parro* hath been certainly known to have lived threefcore years in England, | 
how old foever he was'before he was'brought over: a Bird eating almoft all kind of } 
meats, chewing hismeat, andrenewing hisbill ; likewife curft and mifchievous, and of | ha 
a black flefh. ean chied 
The Peacock lives twenty years ; buthe comes not forth with his4rgus Eye 
he be three yearsold; a Bird flow of pace, having whitith flew. 
The Dungtall- Cick i is yenerieus, martial, and but of a fhort life ; sa crank 
having alfo white eth. 
OTN Wilke Wadia Cock y coumnonly called the Tarksy-(ock, lives not much lon 
the Duaghill-(ock: anangry bird, and hath exceeding white flefh. 
The &ing-Doves are of the longeft fort of vere infomuch ehlatiey avail , 
times tofifty years of age: an aiery Bird, and both builds and fits oo high. But y 
and Turtles are but thort-liv’ d, not exceeding eight years. not 
Bat Pheafants and Partiges may live to finteen years. They a are great bree e 
not fo white of ficth as the ordinary Pullen. 
