The Hiftory of Life and Death. 



The BldckrPwdis reported to be, ampngft the leffcr birds , one of the longed livers* 

 An unhappy bird,and a good finger. 



The Sparrow is noted to be of a very fhort life; and it is imputed in the Males , to 

 their lalcivioufneffc. iBiiCtbe hitmet , no bigger in body, than the Sparrow, hath been 

 obferved to have lived twenty yeares. 



Of the Efirich wc have nothing certain:Thofe that were kept hcie,have been fo unfor- 

 tunate,that no long life a ppeared by them. Of the bird Ibv^NZ find oncIy,:hat he hveieh 

 Ion*'; but his yeares are not recorded. 



The t^e of Fifties is more uncertain than that of terreflrinl Creatures; bechiife li- 

 ving under the water , they arc the lefle obferved , any of them breath not; by which 

 meanes their vital Spirit is more clofed in : And therefore,though they receive fome re- 

 frigeration by their Gils,yet that refrigeration is notio continual, as when it is by brea- 

 thing. 



They are from the Defccation y znd Depredation of the hire Ambient , becaufe they 

 live in the water: yet there is no donbt , but the Water Ambient-, and piercing, and re- 

 ceived into the pores of their Body, doth more hurt to long life, than the Aire 

 doth. 



It is affirmed too, that their blond is not warm t Some of them are great devourers, 

 even of their own kinde. Their flefh is fofter , and more tender , than that of terrestri- 

 al Creatures. They grow exceedingly fat; infoi-nuch that an incredible quantity of oile 

 will be extracted out of one Whale. 



Dolphins are reported to live about 30 years: of which thing a trial was taken in 

 fome of them,by cutting oft their tailes : They grow untill ten yeares of age. 

 ■ That which they report of fome f "tfhes is firange^that after a certain age, their bodies 

 willwafte, and grow very (lender ; only their head and taile retaining their former 

 greatneffe- 



There were fouund in Ctcfars Fifh-ponds,/-^/^^ to have lived threefcore years: 

 They were grown fo familiar with long ufe, that Craffus the Orator folemnly lamen- 

 ted one of them. 



The p%,arnongft FifheS,living in Frefh water, is found to laft longeft ; fometimes 

 to forty years : He isaRavener,ofaflefhfomwhatdryandfirifi. 



But the Carp , Breame , Tench , Eele . and the like , are not held to live above 

 ten yeares. 



Salmons are quick of growth, fhort of life , fo are fronts : but the Perch is flow of 

 growth, long of life. 



Touching that monftrous bulk of the Whale, or Orke , how long it isweiledby vital 

 fpirit,we have received nothing certain ; neither yet touching the Sea-calf, and Sea- 

 hog t and other innumerable Fijhes. 



Crocodiles, are reported to be exceeding long-liv'd , and are famsus for the time of 

 their growth, for that they, amongftall other creatures, are thought to grow during 

 their whole life. They are of thole Creatures that lay Egges, ravenous, cruel, and wel- 

 fenced againft the waters. Touching the other kinds 01 Shel~fifh,wc rind nothing cer- 

 tain, how long they live. 



Obfervations. 



H^O finde out a Rule touchingL^n^ch and Shortnelle f/Life , in Living Creatures is 

 very difficult , by reafon of the negligence ofobfervattons y and the intermixing of 

 Canfet : A few things we willfet down- 

 There are more kmdsof¥>\xd£ found to be long-livd, than ofBeafts;^ the Eagle,)f^ 

 Vulture,</>tf Kite, the Pelican, the Raven, theCrow,the Swan, the Uoofe, the i>torke, 

 the Crane, the bird called the Ibis//?? Parret,rta Ring-dove, with the refi y though they 

 come to their full growth within a yeare y and are leffe of bodies: furelj their clothing ii 

 excellent good agawfi the difiemperatures of the weather. And be fides, living for the 

 mo fi part y in the open aire, they are like the inhabitants of pure Mount awes, which are 

 long-liv'd. Agatn,theirModon y which(_as lelfewhere faid)is amixi^odoi^compou»ded 

 of a moving of their Limbs , and of a carriage in the aire, doth leffe wear tc andyveare 

 them, and any is more wholfome. Neither doe they fuffer any comprefiion , or want of 

 nourishment in their mothers bellies'- becauje the Egges are laid by tamest But the 

 chief efi caufe of all I take to be this , that Birds are made more of the fub 'fiance of the 



D 2 M 'other , 



