The tenth Bboke of 



Chap.-Xu 

 K^generall divifiofi of Fouks, 



^Hcfirft and prindpall difference anddiflindlion in birds, istakehftom their feet : for they 

 have cither hooked talIons_, as Hawkcs 5 oriound long clawes^ as Hennes; vor elfe they be 

 broad, flat^and whole-footed, as Gcefe andall the fort in manner ofwaterr/ode i Thofe 

 chathavehookcdiialions^ for the iiaoft part feed upbnflefh and nothing elfe; ; ic . 



Chap, xiij 



^ of tmluckk birds ^ and mMy^the Crcrv^ liAveny and H 



*He Crow livcth not altogithei: ofcarion/or the Rookc catcth of other food.Thc Crowes 

 and Rookes have a caft by themielves : for when they meet with a hard nut which they arc 

 not able to cracke, nor breake their (hales with their bills, they will fiie aloft and fling it 

 againft fome rock or tyle-houfe once or twice^yea &: many times togithcr, until! it be ib cruflied 

 and bruiledj that they may eafily breake it quite, and then they catsup the' kernelL Thefe birds 

 all of them keepe much pratling and are full of chat 5 which moft men take for anunluckie ligne 

 and prdfage of ill fortune : although fbme there be who thinke othetwifc, that it is a good bird, 

 and highly eftecmc of hcr.Obferved it isjthatfrom the going down or occultation ofthe il:arre I 

 Ar(^urus, unto thecommingof theSwallow, theCrowisnottobefecneelfe-wherebm about 

 the groves and temples of Mtnerva (and that is but very fildome) and namely jncere to Athens. 

 Moreover, this bird only feedeth her young cadcwes for a good while after they are able to flic. 

 Shee is mofl unluckie at breeding time and coovingjthat is to fayjafter the Sunfleedin fummer. 

 All other birds^which be asit were of the fame racejdrivetheir young ones out of the neft when 

 they be once flidgCj and put them to it, forcing them to flie abroad : like as the Ravens alfb, who 

 likcwife feeednot on flcili only: and they likewife when they perceive their young once to be 

 ftrong, chafe and drive them away farre off. Therefore about little villages and hamlets, there 

 CftCnmonly be not above two paire of them at once. And about Cranon verily in Thefralie,yee 

 lliall never fee above one paire of them : for the old ones give place unto theyong,and fly away. K 

 There are fome divers and ditferent properties in this bird, and that before-named: for the Ra- 

 vens engender before the Sunfleed J and for fixtie daies are fbmwhat illat eafejand troubled with 

 a kind ot drought or thirftines efpeciaily, untill fuch time as the figges be ripe in Autumne : and 

 then from that time forward, the Crow beginneth to be dileafed and fick . Ravens for the mod 

 part lay five egges : and the common fort are of opinion^that they conceive and engender ac the 

 ^ biU,.or lay their egges by it : and therefore if women great with child chaunce to eat a Ravens 

 €ggc,theyfhall be delivered of their children at the mouth: and generally lliall have hard la- 

 bourjiffuchanegge be but brought into the houle where fuch great bellied women be. ^^ri/^^- 

 ile denieth this and faith, that the Ravens conceive by the mouth j no more than the Egyptian _ 

 Ibis : and he affirmeth, that it is nothing elfe but a wantonnefle which rhey have in billing and 

 kiflingoncanotherjwhichwefccthemtodoc oftentimes jhkc as the Dewesand Pigeonsalfo. 

 TheRavens of all otheifoules, feeme to have a knowledge of their owne fignifications in prefa- 

 ges and fore- tokens : for when the mercenarie hired fouldiers of Media were all maflacred under 

 acolourof entertaintment and hofpitalitie, the Ravens flew all away out of Peloponnefus and 

 the region of Attic3.The worft token of ill luck that they givCjis when in their cry ing they feeme 

 to fwallow in their voice as though they were.choked. 



The night-birds have alfo crooked tallons,as the Owles,Scritch-owle,and Howlets. All thefe 

 fee but badly in the day time* TheScritch-owle betokenethalwaiesfome heavienewcs, and is 

 moil execrable and accurfed,andnamely, in the prefages of p ublicke affaires: he keepe th ever 

 in defertsi and loveth not onely fuch unpeopled placesj)utalfb that are horrible and hard ofac- M 

 eeilc. In iumme, he is the verie monfter of the night, neither crying nor finging out cleere, but 

 uttering a certaincheaviegrone of dolefull moning. And therefore if he be feeneto flie either 

 mi\m citties,oi: otherwife abroad in any place^it is not for good^but pro^noflicatcth fome fear- 

 full misfortune. Howbcit I my felfe know^that hce hath fitten upon many hcufes of privat men, 



'■7 - 



