Plinies Naturall tiiftone. 



A commoditie that Geefe yeeld, (efpecially thofe that be vvhite)is theirplume and downc . For in 

 fome places their foft feathers are pluckt twice a yeare ; and yet they carie feathers again, and be 

 as well covered with plume as before i and evermore the neerer to the skin and flefh, the foftcr is 

 the downe. B iit of all other, the fineft and bcft is that which is brought outof Germanie . The 

 Geefe there^be all white 5 but lefle of bodie than from other parts : and there they be called Gan- 

 zae.And in truth ja pound of fuch feathers bee worth *fivc deniers. Hereupon it is, that fo many *^P}. 

 complaints are made of Colonels and Captaines over companies of auxiliarie fouldiours for 

 their diforders. For whereas they fhould keepc them together in a itanding corps deguard^ to 

 watch and ward night and day: they licenfc many times whole bands to ftraggle abroad^to hunt 

 and chafe Geefe for their feathers and downe. And nowforfooth the world is growne to be fo dc- 

 B licate and daintic, that not onely our fine fmooth dames, but alfo our meujcanhot take their rc- 

 pofc and fleepe without this ware^but compkine of a paine in their neckes & headsjunlefle they 

 may lay them upon bolfters and pillowes of goofe feathersjand their foft downci 



Nowjto that part of Syria called Comagena, we are beholden for another proper invention 

 of theirs.They take me the leafe and greafe of Geefe and Cinamon together^which they put in- 

 to a brazen pot^and cover it all over with good flore of fnowjwherein they let it lie in fleepe, well 

 infufed in this cold humor jto ufe in thatnotable compofition and fweetointmcnt^which of that 

 councrey is called Comagenum* 



Of the Geefe kind are the BirgandersnamedCiielanopeces:and(than which there is noti 

 daintier difhknowne inEngland)the CheneroteSjleffe than wild Geefci 

 C AsfortheFefantBuftards, they have atrimlliiningbrightneffethat becommethand gra- 

 ccth them exceeding well in their pcrfed andabfolute blacke hew: and their eie-browes painted 

 red as it were with decpe Scarlet* 



Another kind there isofthemjbiggetthan Vultures, but in feather and colour muchrefem- 

 bhng them.And there is not a Foule(i€tting the Oftrich afide) that poifeth and weigheth more 

 heavie than they .For they grow to that bignesjthat a man can hardly lift them from the grounds 

 Thefe breed in the Alpes and the North countries. If they bee mued up and kept in a pen, they 

 loofe their pleafant tafljand arc no good meat : nayjthey grow fo fullen and felfe- willedjthat they 

 will die with holding their breath. Next to thefe are thofe which inSpaine they call the Slow- 

 birdsjand in Greece Otides : but their meat is naught: for the marrow within their bones,if it be 

 D 1st run out, hath fuch a flinking fmell, that a man cannot abide it, but i"hall be readie to vomitCd 



Ghap* XX ill.- 



^ of Crams^Stdrks^Sw^ns^^atles^theGlotis.^andJirAnge bird^ 

 other countries, 



THe nation of the pretic Pigmies enjoy a truce and cefTation from armeSjCvcry yearc(as we 

 have faid before)when the Granes,who ufe to wage warre with them,be once departed and 

 come into our countries. And verily ,if a man coniider well how far it is from hence to the 

 Levant fea,it is a mightie great journey that they take,and their flight exceeding long.They put 

 E not themfelves in their journey, nor fctforward without a counfell called before, and a generall 

 confent. They (lie aloft, becaufe they would have a better profped to fee before them : and fot 

 this purpofc a captain they chufe to conduit thcm,whom the refl follow.In the rereward behind 

 there be certaine of them fct and diipofed to give fignall by their manner of eric, fortoraunge 

 orderly in rankes^and keepc clofe together in array : and this they doe by turnes each one in his 

 courfe*They maintainc afet watch all the night long,and have their fentinels.Thefeitand upon 

 one foot,and hold a littlcilonc within the other, which by fallingfrom it^if they fhould chaunce 

 to fleepe,mighi awaken them, and repiove them for their negligenve. Whiles thefe watch, all 

 the reft fleepe, couching their heads under theirwings: and one while they ref\ upon the one 

 foot,and othcrwhiles they fhift to the other. The captain beaieth up his head aloft into the aire^ 

 F and giveth fignall to the refl what is to be done,Thefe Cranes if they be made tame and gentle, 

 arc very plajjfuU and wantonbirds : and they will one by one dance (as it werejand run the round 

 with their Ion g fhankes flaulking f ull uniowardly.This is for certain known,that when they mind 

 to take a flight over the Tea Pontus^thcy will flie directly at the firft to the narrow flreights of the 

 faid fea^lying betweene the two capes CEju-Mctophon and Carambis, and thenprcfently they 



Bb iij b;jUaife 



