This for the birds of pleasure, of which very much more might be said.
My next shall be of birds of political use. I think it is not to be
doubted that Swallows have been taught to carry letters between two
armies; but 'tis certain that when the Turks besieged Malta or Rhodes, I
now remember not which it was, Pigeons are then related to carry and
recarry letters: and Mr. G. Sandys, in his Travels, relates it to be
done betwixt Aleppo and Babylon, But if that be disbelieved, it is not
to be doubted that the Dove was sent out of the ark by Noah, to give him
notice of land, when to him all appeared to be sea; and the Dove proved
a faithful and comfortable messenger. And for the sacrifices of the law,
a pair of Turtle-doves, or young Pigeons, were as well accepted as
costly Bulls and Rams; and when God would feed the Prophet Elijah, after
a kind of miraculous manner, he did it by Ravens, who brought him meat
morning and evening. Lastly, the Holy Ghost, when he descended visibly
upon our Saviour, did it by assuming the shape of a Dove. And, to
conclude this part of my discourse, pray remember these wonders were
done by birds of air, the element in which they, and I, take so much
pleasure.
There is also a little contemptible winged creature, an inhabitant of my
aerial element, namely the laborious Bee, of whose prudence, policy, and
regular government of their own commonwealth, I might say much, as also
of their several kinds, and how useful their honey and wax are both for
meat and medicines to mankind; but I will leave them to their sweet
labour, without the least disturbance, believing them to be all very
busy at this very time amongst the herbs and flowers that we see nature
puts forth this May morning.
And now to return to my Hawks, from whom I have made too long a
digression. You are to note, that they are usually distinguished into
two kinds; namely, the long-winged, and the short-winged Hawk: of the
first kind, there be chiefly in use amongst us in this nation,
The Gerfalcon and Jerkin,
The Falcon and Tassel-gentle,
The Laner and Laneret,
The Bockerel and Bockeret,
The Saker and Sacaret,
The Merlin and Jack Merlin,
The Hobby and Jack:
There is the Stelletto of Spain,
The Blood-red Rook from Turkey,
The Waskite from Virginia:
And there is of short-winged Hawks,
The Eagle and Iron
The Goshawk and Tarcel,
The Sparhawk and Musket,
The French Pye of two sorts:
These are reckoned Hawks of note and worth; but we have also of an
inferior rank,
The Stanyel, the Ringtail,
The Raven, the Buzzard,
The Forked Kite, the Bald Buzzard,
The Hen-driver, and others that I forbear to name.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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