GO 
BIBMOIR OF PLINY 
of wool, wel rensed and vvasht out of one water into 
another ; and till such time as they see it give a per- 
fect dye, tliey stil ply the fire and giue it a higher 
seething. That which staineth red is nothing so rich 
as that which giueth the deep and sad blackish color. 
When it is come to the perfection, they let the wooll 
lie to take the liquor five houres ; then they haue it 
forth, touso and card it, and put it in again, vntil it 
hath drunke up all the color ns much as it will." 
The tenth hook treats of “ Foules and Flying Crea- 
tures, and hath in it of notable matters, histories, and 
obseruations, 904.” It begins with the larger species, 
the ostrich, the phoenix, eagles, vultures, hawks, fal- 
cons, kites, ravens, peacocks, swans, storks, geese, 
and other domestic fowls ; and concludes with re- 
marks on the generation, food, drink, diseases, &c. 
of animals. In his history of birds Pliny is extreme- 
ly meagre and confused ; but he has related a num- 
ber of strange and amusing particulars, such as wore 
current in his time. He believes, on the assertion 
of others, that the spinal marrow of a man may turn 
into a snake ; that salamanders, eels, and oysters, are 
neither male nor female ; and that young vipers eat 
their way through the sides of the dam. One or two 
examples we shall select ; and first of the common 
cock, the description of which would have done no 
discredit to Buffon. “ These birds (says he) which 
are our sentinels by night, and whom Nature hath 
created to brecke men of their sleepe, to awaken 
and call them vp to their work, haue also a sence 
