The tenth Boolce of 



Chap, xxxiii. 



^tk indujlrie and wit of birds in hmldirtg their nefis. Of the Smliorv^ the 

 Argatilis^ Cimamologi^and Partridges, 



THe Architecture and building of thcHalcyones neftjhath put nic in mind of other birds 

 dexteritic in that behalfe : andfurely in no one thing is the wit of fillie birds more admira- 

 ble. The Swallows frame their nefts of clay and earthjbut they llrengthen and make them 

 faft with ftraw. In cafe at any time they cannot meet with foft and tough clay, for want thereof 

 they drench and wet their feathers with good ftore of water, and then beftrcw them over with 

 duft. Now when they have made and trimmed their bare neft^they floore it in the bottom with- H 

 in, and drefle it all over with downe feathers or fine floxe^ as well to keepe their egges warme, as 

 alio that their young birds (hould lie foft. In feeding of their litde ones, they keepe a very good 

 order and even handjgiving them their pittance and allowancebycourfe oneafter another.No- 

 table is their care in keeping them neat and cleane ;for ever as they meur, theyturnethe excre- 

 ments outof the neil : but be they once growne to any ftrength and bigneffe, they teach them 

 to turnc about and lay their tailes without. 



Another kind there is of S wallowes, that keepe in the countrey villages and the fields, which 

 feldome neflle under mens houfes : and they likewife build of the fame matter as the former do, 

 namelyjof clay and f^ raw, but after another failiion : for their nefls are made turning all upward, 

 with the hole or mouth thatleadeth unto it, (Wretched out in length fl:reight and narrowjbutthc \ 

 capacitie within is verie large ; in fuch fort,as it is a wonder to fee how provident and skilful they 

 fhould be to frame them in this manncr/o handibmc and convenient to cover their yong ones; 

 fo foft againcj for their couch and bed. In the mouth of Nilus neare Heraclea in -^^igypt, there 

 is a mightie banke or caufey raifed onely of a continuall ranke and courfe of Swallowes nef^s.pi- 

 led one upon and by another thicke^for the length almoft of halfea quarter of a milej which 

 isfofirmcand f^rong, that being oppofed againihheinundationsof Nilus,itisabIeto breake 

 the force of that river when it fwelleth, and is it felfe inexpugnable ; a peece of workthat no man 

 is able to turne his hand unto. In the fame iEgypt neere unto the town Coptos, there is an Hand 

 confecrated unto the goddefle Ifts^ which every yeere thefe Swallowes doe rampier and fortifie, 

 for fearelcaft the fame Nilus fhould eat the bankes thereof and breake over into it. In the begin- K 

 ningof the fpring, for three nights togither^ they bring to the cape of that lland^flrawjchaffc, 

 and fuch like ftuffc, to f^icngthen the front thereof: and for the time, they plic their bufineffs fo 

 hard, that for certaine it is knowne, many of them have died with taking fuch paines and moi- 

 ling about this worke. And verily c very yeere they goe as daily to this taske againc, as the ipring 

 isfure to come about : and they faile nor,no more than fouldiers that by vertue of their miiitarie 

 oth and obligation, goe forth to fervice and warfare. 



A third fort there is of thefe Swallowes or Martinets, which hollow the bankes of rivers, and 

 fbneflle within between. The young birds of thefe Martinsjif they be burnt into afhes, are a fin- 

 gular and foveraign remedie tor the deadly fquinancie, and helpe many other difeafes of mans 

 bodie. Thefe build not at all: but if they perceive that the river Nilus when it fwelleth,wiil rife as £ 

 high as their holes, they are gone many daies before. 



There bcccrtaine birds of thekind of Parr^e, which of drieraoflemakcaneflijrefemblingfo 

 perfcdly a round ball,that unneth or hardly a man can fee which way they fhould goe in. And 

 another there is called Argatilis, which contriveth her neit after the fame forme, but it is of 

 hurds and flaxe. 



There is a kind of Woodpecker, maketh a nefl in manner of a cup or goblet, and hangeth ic 

 at a twig upon the uppermoft boughes and braunches of a tree,that no four-footed beafl iliould 

 reach it. And as for the birds called Galgulijmen fay for a truth, thatthey take their fleepe han- 

 ging all by their leggcs tofbme braunch, thinking by thatmeanes they are in more fafetie.True 

 it is indeed and commohly knowne, that all thefe birds in great forecafl and providence, chufe M 

 fbmc crofle boughes infleadof rafters, to fiipport and beare up their neflsjandthentofave 

 them from the raine,eithervaut them over with an arched roofe, orelfe cover them clofe and 

 thicke with leaves. 



A bird there is in Arabia called Ginnamologus, which with the twigs and braunches of the 



Cinarnoa 



