Plioics Naturall Hiftone. 



A alfbjas in proceffibnjto be purlfied,and mth Come feftue or fuch lika thingjih ey kcepe a ccrsmo- 

 nie of hallowingjas well themfelves as their egs. 



' ChAP; X L II. ' 



I ^ of the Lwn€t,Poffm)dj or Parrat^and Other birds tJutca^ 



r 'T'He Linnets in manner the lead birds of all others ; howbeit they be very docible. Doie 

 I they will whatfoever they are taught and bidden^not onely in their voicc5buc alfb with their 

 feet and bils^ as if they were hands. In the tetritorie about Arelate^ there is a bird called 

 Taurus(becau(e it looweth like a Bull or Gow^ for otherwife a fmall bird it is.) There is another 

 alfo narned Anthus, which likewiferefembleth the neighingof horfes: and if haply by the ap- 



^ pioch of horfes they be driven from their grafle wherof they fecd^they will feeme to neigh: and 

 flying unto thenijchafe them awayjand fo be revenged of them again. But above all other birds 

 of thcairej theParratspaflcj for counterfeiting a mans voice : inlomuch, as they will fccme to 

 parle and prate our very Ipeech.This foule commeth out of the Indics^where they call it Sittacc. 

 It is all the bodie over greenc^ onely it hath a collar about the necke of vermilion red^ different 

 from the reft of her feathers.TheParrat can skill to (aluteEmperours^and bid *good morrow; *v 

 ycajand to pronounce what words flie heareth. She loveth wine vyell^and when llie hath drunke 

 freely jis very pleafantjplaifulljand wanton.She hath an head as hard as is her beake. When flie 

 learnes to Ipeake^ fhe muft be beaten about the head with a rod of yron :for otherwile fhee ca* 

 reth for no blowes. When (bee taketh her flight downs from any placejfhec lighteth upon het 



^ billjand refteth thereupoujand by that mcanesfavourethher feet^ which by nature arc but weak 

 and feeblCjandfocarieth her owne weight more lightly* 



There isacertainePiCjOf nothinglo great reckoning and account as the PaiTot,becaure (he 

 is not farrc fec,but hefc-by neere at hand ; howbeit^fhee pronouncech that which is taught her 

 more plainely and dillin&:ly than the other. Thefe take a love to the words that they fpeake : for 

 they not onely learne them as a leflbn^but they learne them with a delight & pkafurclnfomuch 

 that a man fhall find them ftudying thcreuponjand conning thefaidleflbn:and by their careful! 

 thinking upon that which they learne, they fhew plainely how mindful! and intentive they bee 

 thereto. It is for certaine knowne, that they have died for very anger and greefethat they could 

 not learne to ptonouncefome hard words : as alfojthat unlefle they heare the fame wordsrepea- 



p ted often unto them, their memorie is fo fhittle^thcy will foonc forget the fame againe. If they 

 xniiTe a word^and have loft it^they will feeke to call it againe to remembrance- and it they fortune 

 to heare the fame word in the meane timejthey will wonderfully joy thereat. As for their beautie^ 

 it is not ordinaricjalthoug it be not very lovely. But lurely amiable y nough they aire in this, that 

 they can fo well reiemble mans fpcech . It is faidjtbat none of their kind are good to bee made 

 fchollersjbut fuch onely as feed upon maft 3 and among ihem,thofe that have five toes to. their 

 feet. But even tliefe alfo are not fit for that purpbfejafter the fir ft two years of their age. And their 

 tongue is broader than ordinarie: like as they bee all that counterfeit mans voicCjCach one irt 

 their kind: although it be in manner general! to all birds whatfoever to be broad tongued.^^?-/^- 

 pina the Empreftejwife to cUudiud C afi;<^hdLd a Blackbird ot a Throftle, at what time as I compi- 



£ led this booke^ which could counterfeit mans fpeech ; a thing never feene nor knowne before,, 

 Tbe two Ciifars alfb^the young princes(to miperm^nicm and Dnffm) had one Stare^and fun- 

 drie Nightingalcsjtaught to parle Greeke and Latine. Moreover, they would ftudie upon theit 

 leflbns, and meditate ail day long : and from day to day come out with new words ftill, yea, and 

 were able to continue a long fpeech and difcourfe. Now for to teach them the be tter^thefe birds 

 muft be in a fecrct place apart by themfelves^where they can heare no other voice : and one is to 

 fit over them^who muft repeat often that which hee would have them to learne. yea, and picafe 

 them alfo with giving them fuch meat as dieybeftlove^ " 



L 



Chap, xliii. 

 The under jlmding andmt that Ravens have, 



Et us not defraud the Ravens alfo of their duepraifein thisbehalfe, eonfideringj that the 

 whole people of Rome hath teftified the fame not onely by taking knpwlcdgeibut alio by a 

 publicke revenge and exernplarie punifliment. And thus ftood the cafe. In the daies of Ti- 



C c iij herm 



