28 
sky-lark. 
hC 18 deferving of the character I have 
given him, and worthy the efteem of all lovers 
of birds. ]f you can bring a young one up un- 
der fome fine Song-Lark, it is a way to have a 
very valuable bird ; but if you fuffer him to 
hear other birds, he will be apt to take their 
notes, whether good or bad, to which no bird 
is more fubjeft. 
'To fi>!o r w the Cock from the Hen, 
To diflinguHh one from the other in this 
kind is no caiy matter,, and about which there 
are various opinions, but hardly one that can 
be depended upon : they fay the bird that fets 
up his feathers on his crown is certainly a cock, 
and that the longefl heel-bird is another fure 
iign j and fome fay, by two white feathers in 
tee tail : this is all but guefs work, that fome- 
times proves right, and fometimes wrong. I am 
told, the biggefl and longefl bodied bird never 
fails of proving a cock ; I can’t fay that 1 ever 
made the obfervation myfelf, nor do I pretend 
eo know a cock-bird of this kind till he is about 
a month old, when he will begin to record his 
notes very diflinfdy, like an old bird, but low 
and inwardly ; if you hear him do that, you 
can’t well be deceived. When they are grown 
up, and fully feathered, that general remark, 
in fome meafure, will Jxolti good, that the high- 
