The tenth Booke of 



fray.%/^//^ wiritctb,thatHowletsfor fixtiedaiesinwintet^keepeclofe andremaineincovert^ G 

 and that they chaunge their voice into nine tunes. 



Chap. XViiii 

 ^ of the Spight^or Woodpecker^ 



S Ornc little birds there are alfo that have hooked clees, as the Spights, which areknowneby 

 thd^namc of Martins, and be therefore called Pici Martij , Thefe are of great account in 

 Aulpices, and prefagc good.Thcy that job and peckc holes in trees,and will climbe upright 

 like cats, are of this race. As for them, they will rampe up with their bellies to the tree^ bending 

 backward: and when they peck with their bills againft thebarkejthey knowby the found therof n 

 that there be wormes within for them to feed upon.Thefe birds alone of all others feed and nou- 

 rirti their young ones in cranics and chinkesoftrees. And ifit chance that a (hepheard orfome 

 fuch doe pin or wedge up their holes, it is thought commonly that they will unflop the fame a- 

 gainc by the meanesof acertainehearb, whichno fooner they touch the ftopple with, but it 

 will out. Tr^-^/V/^writeth^thatleta man drive a fpikc and great naile, oreHeawedgcand pin of 

 wood^as hard as ever he will into that tree wherein this bird hath a neft,and incontinen tly as fhe 

 percheth and letleth upon the tree,it will prefently flic out with fuch a forcejthar the tree will 

 give a cracke again therewith.Throughout all Latium^thefe birds beare the name for effeduall 

 lignification ot good or bad fortune, by reafon of that* King or Prince who gave them that 

 name. And one prefagc of theirs above the reft ,1 cannot palTe over j It fortuned that one of them 

 light upontheheadof L.Tubero L.chiefelutticeof thccitieof RomCjashewas fittingupon ^ 

 thejudgemcntfeatinthe openfacc of the court miniflring jufticCjand there refted fo gently, 

 that it futfered him to takeit with his hand. The Soodifayer beeing asked his advife in this cafe, 

 anfwered out of his booke, That if the bird were let goe, it would portend the ruine and over- 

 throw of the whole Itate and Empire 3 but if it were killed3it denounced the death of the forefaid 

 Pretour orL.chiefeluftice then in place, But the PretourTjr/^^ytfimmediatly upon this anfwer, 

 plucked the bird in peeces. It was not long after,but the prefagc of this bird took etfed indeed, 

 and wasfulfilled in hisperfon.Moreover5there be of thiskind many that feed uf)on maft,acorns, 

 nuts,apples,and fuch hke fruits: but they be fuch as live in manner upon fleili onely. And yet I 

 muft except the Kite, for that propertieinhimjis noted tobc inall Augurie an unluckie iigne 

 and prefagc of fome heavie and deadly misfortune. K 



Chap. XI X. 



of birds that have hooked talons^andround long clawes like fngers, 



WHat foiiles Ibever have crooked clawes, fort not together in flockes, but prey cch one 

 apart for it felfc. And lightly all fuch flic aloft,unleSe it be the night-birds beforefaid 5 

 and the greatet fort efpeciaily . They are all of them great winged^ little bodied, and 

 heavie in their gate upon the ground.Seldome or never they fit and perch upon a rock : for why? 

 their naiks bowing and hooking inward,will not give them leave.It remaineth now that we /peak £ 

 of the fecond kind and rankes of birds j which alio is divided into two forts : to wit,Ofcines that 

 fing, and Alites that flic onely. For the finging of theonCjandthebignesof theother, maketh 

 the difference and diftin6tion betweene them . Thefe therefore that are greater bodied, wee will 

 by order treat fiift of. * 



Chap, xx.- 



of Peacockes : and who was the fir si that killed them for the table ^ 



THePcacockefarrefurpafleth all ihcreft in this kind, aswellforbeautie, as alfo for the wic 

 and underftanding that he hath 5 but principally for the pride and gloric that hee takei h in 

 himfelfe. For perceiving at any time that he is praifed and weliliked, he fpreadeth his taile 

 tourid,fhewing and fetting out his colours to the mo% which fhine againe like precious flones: 

 and namely, when he turneth them againlt the funne (as his manner is) for fo hee givet h them a 

 more radiant and glittering luftre. And for the fame purpofe alfo with his taile, rcprcfentingfifli 



