Plinies Naturali Hiftone. 



A Cinamoh tree buildeth her ncft. The inhabitants of that countrey being ware thereof, fbake 

 thefamedowneby fhootingarrowesheadcdwithleadjforto make a commoditie thereby. In 

 Scythiajthercisabird of thebignelTeof an Otis^ which commonly Jayeth two eggesj&wheti 

 they are lapped within a hares skin, alwaies hangeth them upon the top of tree boughes . The 

 PyannetSj when they perceive (by a watching eye that they have) that a man hath fpied their 

 neftjprefently build in another place, and remoove their egges thither. Now for thofe birds 

 which have no hooked nailes, how they fhould tranflate their egges from one place to another, 

 C9nfidering their feet are not made to clafpe thenijitisawonderfullthing, and reported aftei 

 a ftraunge manner: for they lay a fticke over two eggiesjand fonder it faflto them with a certainje 

 vilcofitie which commeth forth of their owneguts when they mcLitr.v9hich done, they puttheic 



B necks under the fticke betweene both egges, which hangin g equally poifed of either fide, they 

 Carrie eafily whither they would. 



No lefle induftrious are they that makfe their ncfts in the ground, as beeing not able to flie 

 into the aire by reafon of their weightie bodies. Among which,there is one called Merops,tha£ 

 iifeth to feed herparencsjlying hidden within the earth. The infide of 'her feathers in the wing is 

 pale,the outfide blew 5 and yet thofe above about their necke,are fomewhat red. She maketb hec 

 neft in an hole fix toot deepe within the ground . Againe, the Partridges doe fo fortifie and em- 

 pale their nefts with thornes and twigges of fhtubs and bufhes, that they be fiifficiently fenfed 

 againff the invafion of wild bcafls. They cover their eggcs with a foft carpet or hilling as it were 

 of fine duft : neither doe they fit where they laid them fiiff, nor yet in a place wliich they fu[pe(3: 



Q to bee much frequented with refort of paffengers, but convey them tofome other place. The 

 hennes verily of tbis kind, hide themfeives from their males the cockes^ for foleacherous they 

 be and given to intemperate luf^^ that they would fquai"h their egges, becaufe they fhould not 

 be amufed and occupied about fitting,Then, for want of the femaies,the males goe togithcr by 

 the eares : and (as they fay)he that is overcomCjfuffereth himfelfe to be troden like an hen. Jrc- 

 verily rfeporteth the very fame of the Quailesjyea and of dunghill cockcs otherwhiies. Hec 

 laith moreover^ that tame Partridges ufe to tread the wild : alfo thatthofe which are new taken 

 or beaten, be troden of othersindiiferently one with another. This libidinous heat of theirs is 

 fuch>and makcth them fo quarrelfomejthat oftentimes they are taken by the raeanes. For when 

 the Fouler commeth with his pipeorcall (refembling the female) to allure and traine them 



D forth, out goeththe captaine of the whole flocke directly againflhim :andwhenhe is caught, 

 another followeth after, and fo the refl one after another, one by one.In like manner,they ule to 

 take the females, at what time as they feeke the male totiead themjforthen,foorththey goa- 

 gainfttheFoulerschanterellorwatch which calleth them out, that with their quarrelHng and 

 brawling which they make, they might chaceand drive it away. In fumme, there is not tobee 

 found in any other living crcaturejthe like againe for luft and ieacherie in the ad of generation. 

 If the hens doe but (land dire6tiy overagainft the cocks,the very wind and aire that paffeth from 

 them. Will caufe them totonceive as well as if they were troden. For fo hot they be in that fea-*- 

 fon,that they gape again for aire, and hang the tongue out of their heads. And if the males do 

 but flie over them, with the very breath and aire that commeth from them, they will be ready to 



E conceive : yea and many times, if they doe but heare their call. And that which moreis,folea- 

 cherous they are,that fetting afide the natuiall affection and love to their yong covie, when they 

 are broodie,(and in which regard they ftealefrom the cock,&fit apart in fbnic fecret and blind 

 corner) yet if they hear once thcFoulers chanterell comming toward the male^and that iie doth 

 call, prelently they will leave the neft and fuffer the egs to chili,and for very jealoufie crie again 

 and call back the males, and offer themfelves to be troden, for feare they would goe toothers. 

 Nay more than that, their furie and rage that way many times is fuch, that otherwhiies in this 

 blind fit and fearful! luff,not knowing where they are nor what they doc,they willlight and fettle 

 upon the verie head of the Foulet. Alfo,if hechaunceto approach the neft of the brood-ben, 

 fhe will run forth and be about his feet, fhe will counterfeit that fhee is verie heavie and cannot 



F fcarfe goe, that llie is weake and enfeeblifhed : and either in her running,or fhort flight that lliec 

 taketh,l"he will catch a fali,3nd make femblance as if fhe had broken a legge or a wing : then will 

 fhe run out againe another way,and when he is readie to take her up, yet will fhe fhifc away and 

 efcape, and fo put him bcfides his hope. And all this doth fhe to amufe the Fouler after her,un- 

 tiil fhe have trained him a contrarie way from the covey .Now by that time that fhee ispaft that 



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