[ *H ] 



But I mall now endeavour to give fome other reafons why 

 woodcocks may not only continue with us during the fummer^ 

 but alfo breed in large tracts of wood or bog, without being ob- 

 served. ...... 



In the other parts of Europe all birds almoft are considered as 

 game, or, at leaf!:, are eaten as wholefome food; Ray therefore 

 mentions, that hawks and owls are fold by the poulterers at 

 Rome ; every fort of fmall bird alfo is equally the foreign fowler's 

 object '. 



after which, holding up their heads quite perpendicular, they fwallowed 

 the worm without the leaft perceptible motion in the throat. Hiftoria 

 Natural deEfpana por Guliermo Bowles. Madrid, quarto, 1775. p. 454-. 

 A friend of mine alfo faw feveral woodcocks in the menagery of Ver- 

 faillcs during the month of Auguft, 1748. Gifner likewife cites Longolins, 

 who had often feen woodcocks fattened with meal, dried figs, and water, 

 which, " roflris longiffimis hauriunt potius quam ducunt." 



I fhould by no means defpair of having a breed of woodcocks in an 

 aviary if they were taken young from the neft, and brought up by hand ; 

 for, if there is no awe of man, why fhould we expedt this only from Ca- 

 nary birds ? On this idea I prevailed upon a bird-catcher, who reared 

 young robins in the houfe, to put the next year a cock and hen of fuch 

 a brood into a breeding cage. In this experiment I prevailed with fome 

 difficulty ; but, to the bird-catcher's great furprife (though not fo to 

 mine), five neftlings were not only hatched, but grew to be of their full 

 fize. 



When birds are thus brought up, they not only have no dread of man> 

 but confider him as their parent and benefactor, of which I have feen the 

 following proof. 



Mr. Morifette (a French Gentleman who had traded feveral years in 

 the Eaft Indies) took a houfe in Lambeth Marfli, where he raifed many 

 chickens by ovens. Thefe chickens not only rejoiced upon feeing any 

 one come into their little garden, but would frequently run up one's 

 legs ; and Mr. Morifette was obliged to make an old woman frequently 

 lit amongft them, as otherwife they pined, and did not feed heartily, 



1 In one of Boccace's Novels, a lover, who lives at Florencej dreffes a 

 falcon for the dinner of his miftrefs. Giornata V. Novel. IX. Ariftotle 

 likewife informs us that young hawks are very fat and fweet. DeHift. 

 An. 1. vi. c.7. 



2 An 



