B I R 
tvith a fling : upon this the whole flock, whofe fears have 
birds of prey for their great object, luppofing the (tone to 
be an enemy of that kind ready to pounce them, dart down 
like lightning to avoid the blow by palling under the trees; 
but there they rufli into the jaws of death, by dafhing 
againft the net, which inftantly drops, and fo entangles 
them that not one of them can cfcape the adive hands of 
the fowler, Thefe birds are fometimes taken by dozens at 
one fall, and are accounted fine eating. The dexterity 
with which the (lingers manage their weapon is very re¬ 
markable ; they throw the (lone to a great height without 
any violent effort, and even without whirling the (ling 
round before they difcharge the pellet. In the Pyrenean 
mountains, where the fame diverfion is followed, the 
watchmen life a bow and arrow, trimmed with the fea¬ 
thers of a hawk.” 
BIRD-CHERRY, fee Prunus Padus. 
BIRD'ER,/. A bird-catcher. 
BIR-DEVEDAR', a town of Egypt: feventeen miles 
north-eaft of Tineh. 
BIRD'ING-PIECE,/. A fowling-piece; agunto (hoot 
birds with.—I’ll creep up into the chimney. There they 
always ufe to difcharge their birding-pieces. Shaltefpeare. 
BIRD ISLAND, an ifland almoft four miles in circum¬ 
ference, in the South Pacific Ocean, difcovered by captain 
Cook in 1769. Lat. 17.48. S. Ion. 216. 24. E. Greenwich. 
• BIRD ISLAND, a lrnall ifland, near the eaft coaft of 
Newfoundland: two leagues fouth-eaft of Cape Bonavifia. 
BIRD ISLAND, a fmall ifland, in the Gulf of St. 
Lawrence : twenty-one leagues welt of Cape Anguilla, on 
the ifland of Newfoundland. Lat. 47. 55. N. Ion. 60.45. 
W. Greenwich. 
BIRD ISLAND a fmall ifland, near the fouth-weft 
coaft of Ireland, at the entrance into Dunmannus bay. 
Lat. 51. 28. N. Ion. 9. 40. W. Greenwich. 
BIRD ISLA" D, a fmall ifland in Stranford Lough, in 
Ireland, and county of Down : eight miles S. Newtown. 
BIRD ISLAND, one of the Bermudas iflands. 
BIRD ISLAND, an ifland in the Southern Pacific 
Ocean, near the north-weft coaft of the ifland of New 
Georgia. Lat. 54. S. Ion. 38. 22. W. Greenwich. 
BIRD ISLANDS, near the north coaft of the ifland of 
Antigua, in the Weft Indies: there are two, the great 
and the little; but both are fmall. 
BIRD ISLANDS, fmall iflands, near the north-eaft 
coaft of New Holland : they lie low, and almoft covered 
with birds : four leagues north-weft of Cape Grenville. 
BIRD-LIME, f. A glutinousfubftance, which is fpread 
upon twigs, by which the birds that light upon them are 
entangled. The moll common bird-lime is made from 
holly-bark, boiled ten or twelve hours; when, the green 
coat being feparated from the other, it is covered up a 
fortnight in a moift place; then pounded into a tough 
palle, fo that no fibres of the wood are difcernible, and 
walked in a running dream till no motes appear; put up to 
ferment four or five days, Hummed as often as any thing 
arifes, and laid up for ufe. To ufe it, a third part of 
nut-oil, or thin greafe, mud be incorporated with it over 
the fire. When it is intended to be ufed in places fubjeft 
to wet, the common bird-lime is apt to lofe its tenacity ; 
it is neceflary, therefore, to have recourfe to a particular 
fort, which from its property of bearing water unhurt, is 
called water bird-lime-, and is prepared thus : Take a pound 
of ftrongand good bird-lime; wa(h it thoroughly in fpring- 
water till the hardnefs is removed ; beat it well, that the 
water may be clean feparated, fo as not a drop remains ; 
then dry it, and put it into an earthen pot; add to it as 
much capon’s greafe as will make it run. Then add two 
fpoonfuls of ftrong vinegar, one fpoonful of oil, and a 
fmall quantity of Venice turpentine. Let the w'hole boil 
for fome minutes over a moderate fire, (lirring it all the 
time; and, when there is occafion to ufe it, warm it, and 
anoint the twigs with it. This is the bed fort of bird-lime 
for fnipes and birds that love wet and marlhy places, 
The mod fuccefsful method of tiling the common bird- 
B I R 55 
lime is this: Cut down the branch or bough of any bufliy 
tree whofe twigs are thick, ftraight, long, and Intooth, 
and have neither knots nor prickles ; the willow and the 
birch-tree afford the bed of this kind. Let all the fuper- 
flnous (hoots be trimmed oft, and the twigs made neat and 
clean; they mud all be well covered with the bird-lime, 
within four incites of the bottom; but the main (lent from 
which they grow mud not be touched with the lime. No 
part of the bark, where the lime fltould come, mud be 
left bare : but it is a nice matter lay it on properly ; for 
if it be too thick it will give the birds a diftafte, and they 
will not come near it ; and, if there be too little, it will 
not hold them when they are there. When tire bulh is 
tints prepared, it mud be fet up in fome dead hedge, or 
among fome growing buflres near a farm-yard, pond, or 
field, where the birds ufe. The bed time of the day for 
this fport is from fun-rife to ten o’clock, and from one to 
fun-fet. To bring a greater number of birds to the fpot, 
fome ufe the artificial bird-calls, and others learn the notes 
and imitate them by whittling ; but the mod common 
method is by call-birds placed near the lime-bulh in cages. 
Another very good method of bringing the birds together, 
is by a (tale : a bat makes a very good dale ; but it mud 
be fattened, fo as to be in fight at a diftance. An owl is 
dill better ; for this bird never goes abroad but it is fol¬ 
lowed by all the fmall birds in the neighbourhood. They 
will gather together in great number about it; and, having 
no convenient place to fit on but the lime-bulh, will be' 
taken in great numbers. If a living owl or bat is not to 
be had, the (kin (luffed will ferve the purpofe. Some 
have ufed the image of an owl carved in wood, and-painted 
in the natural colours; and it has been found to fucceed 
very well. 
BIRD'MAN, f A bird-catcher ; a fowler. 
“ A Bird in the hand is worth two in the bn (It.” The' 
Lat. fay : Ego Jpem pretio non emo, (I won’t give ready 
money for hopes.) The Fr. Un lien vaut mieux que deux tu 
I’auras, (one tiling in poffeftion is better titan two in view.) 
Ital. E megglio haver hoggi un uovo, che dimani una ga/lina t 
(better an egg to-day than a hen to-morrow.) Gr. N«9n©<- 
05 ra. trainee XtTTcov t’ «ve loi/zot ^iwxei, Hef. (He that leaves 
a certainty and (licks to chance, when fools pipe ntay 
chance to dance.) All thofe proverbs are fo many lelfons 
of caution not to negledt prefent offers or opportunities, 
for uncertain future profpedts. The Ger. fay : Ein vogel 
in der hand ijl beffer ah zehen iiber land (ten in the field) ;. 
or, BrJJ'er ein fpatz (a fparrow) in der hand, ah ein Jlorc/i 
(ftork) auf dem dache (on the Itoufe top.) See Bush. 
“ Birds of a feather flock together.” The Lat. fay ; 
Peres cum panibus facillime congregantur. To which agrees 
the H. Ger. Gleich und gleich gefellet Jich gem. And the Fr. 
Cliacun cherche Jon Jemblable, (Every one leeks his fellow.) 
Young nten delight in the company of the young ; old of 
old; learned of learned ; wicked of wicked, &c. -The Lat. 
fays likewife : Cicada cicada: ckara ; formica formica, (The 
grufshopper loves the grafs-ltopper, the ant the ant.) 
And the Greeks : Aiei xoAot©- Trp©- xoAoiov fane, 
BIRD of PA'RADISE. See Paradisea. 
BIRD-PEP'PER. See Capsicum. 
BIRDS, f. in heraldry, according to their genus, repre- 
fent either the contemplative or aclive life. They are the 
emblems of liberty, expedition, readinefs, fwiftnefs, and 
fear. They are more honourable bearings than fifties, be- 
caufe they participate more of air and fire, the two nobleft: 
and higheft of the elements. Birds inuft be borne in coat- 
armour in fujph manner as is bed adapted to their natural 
actions of going, fitting, (landing, flying, See. Birds that 
are either whole footed, or have their feet divided, and 
yet have no talons, are faid to be membered; but the cock, 
and all birds of prey with (harp and hooked beaks and ta¬ 
lons for encounter or defence, are termed aimed. In the 
blazoning of birds, if their wings be not di(played, they 
are faid to be borne clofe; as, He beareth an eagle, dole, &C. 
See Heraldry. 
BIRD’S-EYE, fee Adonis. Bird’s-foot, fee Os- 
NITHOPUSa- 
