OF WILD AND TAME FOWLS.
[1577, Book III., Chapters 9 and 11; 1587, Book III., Chapters 2 and 5.]
Order requireth that I speak somewhat of the fowls also of England, which
I may easily divide into the wild and tame; but, alas! such is my small
skill in fowls that, to say the truth, I can neither recite their numbers
nor well distinguish one kind of them from another. Yet this I have by
general knowledge, that there is no nation under the sun which hath
already in the time of the year more plenty of wild fowl than we, for so
many kinds as our island doth bring forth, and much more would have if
those of the higher soil might be spared but one year or two from the
greedy engines of covetous fowlers which set only for the pot and purse.
Certes this enormity bred great troubles in King John's days, insomuch
that, going in progress about the tenth of his reign, he found little or
no game wherewith to solace himself or exercise his falcons. Wherefore,
being at Bristow in the Christmas ensuing, he restrained all manner of
hawking or taking of wild fowl throughout England for a season, whereby
the land within few years was thoroughly replenished again. But what stand
I upon this impertinent discourse? Of such therefore as are bred in our
land, we have the crane, the bitter,[182] the wild and tame swan, the
bustard, the heron, curlew, snite, wildgoose, wind or doterell, brant,
lark, plover (of both sorts), lapwing, teal, widgeon, mallard, sheldrake,
shoveller, peewitt, seamew, barnacle, quail (who, only with man, are
subject to the falling sickness), the knot, the oliet or olive, the
dunbird, woodcock, partridge, and pheasant, besides divers others, whose
names to me are utterly unknown, and much more the taste of their flesh,
wherewith I was never acquainted. But as these serve not at all seasons,
so in their several turns there is no plenty of them wanting whereby the
tables of the nobility and gentry should seem at any time furnished. But
of all these the production of none is more marvellous, in my mind, than
that of the barnacle, whose place of generation we have sought ofttimes as
far as the Orchades, whereas peradventure we might have found the same
nearer home, and not only upon the coasts of Ireland, but even in our own
rivers. If I should say how either these or some such other fowl not much
unlike unto them have bred of late times (for their place of generation is
not perpetual, but as opportunity serveth and the circumstances do
minister occasion) in the Thames mouth, I do not think that many will
believe me; yet such a thing hath there been seen where a kind of fowl had
his beginning upon a short tender shrub standing near unto the shore, from
whence, when their time came, they fell down, either into the salt water
and lived, or upon the dry land and perished, as Pena the French herbarian
hath also noted in the very end of his herbal. What I for mine own part
have seen here by experience, I have already so touched upon in the
chapter of islands, that it should be but time spent in vain to repeat it
here again.[183] Look therefore in the description of Man (or Manaw) for
more of these barnacles, as also in the eleventh chapter of the
description of Scotland, and I do not doubt but you shall in some respect
be satisfied in the generation of these fowls. As for egrets, pawpers, and
such like, they are daily brought unto us from beyond the sea, as if all
the fowl of our country could not suffice to satisfy our delicate
appetites.
Our tame fowl are such (for the most part) as are common both to us and to
other countries, as cocks, hens, geese, ducks, peacocks of Ind, pigeons,
now a hurtful fowl by reason of their multitudes, and number of houses
daily erected for their increase (which the boors of the country call in
scorn almshouses, and dens of thieves, and such like), whereof there is
great plenty in every farmer's yard. They are kept there also to be sold
either for ready money in the open markets, or else to be spent at home in
good company amongst their neighbours without reprehension or fines.
Neither are we so miserable in England (a thing only granted unto us by
the especial grace of God and liberty of our princes) as to dine or sup
with a quarter of a hen, or to make as great a repast with a cock's comb
as they do in some other countries; but, if occasion serve, the whole
carcases of many capons, hens, pigeons, and such like do oft go to wrack,
beside beef, mutton, veal, and lamb, all of which at every feast are taken
for necessary dishes amongst the communalty of England.
The gelding of cocks, whereby capons are made, is an ancient practice
brought in of old time by the Romans when they dwelt here in this land;
but the gelding of turkeys or Indish peacocks is a newer device, and
certainly not used amiss, sith the rankness of that bird is very much
abated thereby and the strong taste of the flesh in sundry wise amended.
If I should say that ganders grow also to be gelded, I suppose that some
will laugh me to scorn, neither have I tasted at any time of such a fowl
so served, yet have I heard it more than once to be used in the country,
where their geese are driven to the field like herds of cattle by a
gooseherd, a toy also no less to be marvelled at than the other. For, as
it is rare to hear of a gelded gander, so is it strange to me to see or
hear of geese to be led to the field like sheep; yet so it is, and their
gooseherd carrieth a rattle of paper or parchment with him when he goeth
about in the morning to gather his goslings together, the noise whereof
cometh no sooner to their ears than they fall to gaggling, and hasten to
go with him. If it happen that the gates be not yet open, or that none of
the house be stirring, it is ridiculous to see how they will peep under
the doors, and never leave creaking and gaggling till they be let out unto
him to overtake their fellows. With us where I dwell they are not kept in
this sort, nor in many other places, neither are they kept so much for
their bodies as their feathers. Some hold furthermore an opinion that in
over rank soils their dung doth so qualify the batableness of the soil
that their cattle is thereby kept from the garget, and sundry other
diseases, although some of them come to their ends now and then by licking
up of their feathers. I might here make mention of other fowls produced by
the industry of man, as between the pheasant cock and dunghill hen, or
between the pheasant and the ringdove, the peacock and the turkey hen, the
partridge and the pigeon; but, sith I have no more knowledge of these than
what I have gotten by mine ear, I will not meddle with them. Yet Cardan,
speaking of the second sort, doth affirm it to be a fowl of excellent
beauty. I would likewise intreat of other fowls which we repute unclean,
as ravens, crows, pies, choughs, rooks, kites, jays, ringtails, starlings,
woodspikes, woodnaws, etc.; but, sith they abound in all countries, though
peradventure most of all in England (by reason of our negligence), I shall
not need to spend any time in the rehearsal of them. Neither are our crows
and choughs cherished of purpose to catch up the worms that breed in our
soils (as Polydor supposeth), sith there are no uplandish towns but have
(or should have) nets of their own in store to catch them withal. Sundry
acts of Parliament are likewise made for their utter destruction, as also
the spoil of other ravenous fowls hurtful to poultry, conies, lambs, and
kids, whose valuation of reward to him that killeth them is after the
head: a device brought from the Goths, who had the like ordinance for the
destruction of their white crows, and tale made by the beck, which killed
both lambs and pigs. The like order is taken with us for our vermin as
with them also for the rootage out of their wild beasts, saving that they
spared their greatest bears, especially the white, whose skins are by
custom and privilege reserved to cover those planchers whereupon their
priests do stand at mass, lest he should take some unkind cold in such a
long piece of work: and happy is the man that may provide them for him,
for he shall have pardon enough for that so religious an act, to last if
he will till doomsday do approach, and many thousands after. Nothing
therefore can be more unlikely to be true than that these noisome
creatures are nourished amongst us to devour our worms, which do not
abound much more in England than elsewhere in other countries of the main.
It may be that some look for a discourse also of our other fowls in this
place at my hand, as nightingales, thrushes, blackbirds, mavises,
ruddocks, redstarts or dunocks, larks, tivits, kingfishers, buntings,
turtles (white or grey), linnets, bullfinches, goldfinches, washtails,
cherrycrackers, yellowhammers, fieldfares, etc.; but I should then spend
more time upon them than is convenient. Neither will I speak of our costly
and curious aviaries daily made for the better hearing of their melody,
and observation of their natures; but I cease also to go any further in
these things, having (as I think) said enough already of these that I have
named.[184]
* * * * *
I cannot make as yet any just report how many sorts of hawks are bred
within this realm. Howbeit which of those that are usually had among us
are disclosed within this land, I think it more easy and less difficult to
set down. First of all, therefore, that we have the eagle common
experience doth evidently confirm, and divers of our rocks whereon they
breed, if speech did serve, could well declare the same. But the most
excellent eyrie of all is not much from Chester, at a castle called Dinas
Bren, sometime builded by Brennus, as our writers do remember. Certes this
castle is no great thing, but yet a pile sometime very strong and
inaccessible for enemies, though now all ruinous as many others are. It
standeth upon a hard rock, in the side whereof an eagle breedeth every
year. This also is notable in the overthrow of her nest (a thing oft
attempted), that he which goeth thither must be sure of two large baskets,
and so provide to be let down thereto, that he may sit in the one and be
covered with the other: for otherwise the eagle would kill him and tear
the flesh from his bones with her sharp talons, though his apparel were
never so good. The common people call this fowl an erne; but, as I am
ignorant whether the word eagle and erne do shew any difference of sex, I
mean between the male and the female, so we have great store of them. And,
near to the places where they breed, the commons complain of great harm to
be done by them in their fields; for they are able to bear a young lamb or
kid unto their nests, therewith to feed their young and come again for
more. I was once of the opinion that there was a diversity of kind between
the eagle and the erne, till I perceived that our nation used the word
erne in most places for the eagle. We have also the lanner and the
lanneret, the tersel and the goshawk, the musket and the sparhawk, the
jack and the hobby, and finally some (though very few) marleons. And these
are all the hawks that I do hear as yet to be bred within this island.
Howbeit, as these are not wanting with us, so are they not very plentiful:
wherefore such as delight in hawking do make their chief purveyance and
provision for the same out of Danske, Germany, and the eastern countries,
from whence we have them in great abundance and at excellent prices,
whereas at home and where they be bred they are sold for almost right
nought, and usually brought to the markets as chickens, pullets, and
pigeons are with us, and there bought up to be eaten (as we do the
aforesaid fowl) almost of every man. It is said that the sparhawk pryeth
not upon the fowl in the morning, that she taketh over even, but as loath
to have double benefit by one seelie fowl doth let it go to make some
shift for itself. But hereof as I stand in some doubt. So this I find
among the writers worthy the noting: that the sparhawk is enemy to young
children, as is also the ape, but of the peacock she is marvellously
afraid, and so appalled that all courage and stomach for a time is taken
from her upon the sight thereof. But to proceed with the rest. Of other
ravenous birds we have also very great plenty, as the buzzard, the kite,
the ringtail, dunkite, and such as often annoy our country dames by
spoiling of their young breeds of chickens, ducks, and goslings, whereunto
our very ravens and crows have learned also the way: and so much are
ravens given to this kind of spoil that some idle and curious heads of set
purpose have manned, reclaimed, and used them instead of hawks, when other
could not be had. Some do imagine that the raven should be the vulture,
and I was almost persuaded in times past to believe the same; but, finding
of late a description of the vulture, which better agreeth with the form
of a second kind of eagle, I freely surcease to be longer of that opinion:
for, as it hath, after a sort, the shape, colour, and quantity of an
eagle, so are the legs and feet more hairy and rough, their sides under
their wings better covered with thick down (wherewith also their gorge or
a part of their breast under their throats is armed, and not with
feathers) than are the like parts of the eagle, and unto which portraiture
there is no member of the raven (who is almost black of colour) that can
have any resemblance: we have none of them in England to my knowledge, if
we have, they go generally under the name of eagle or erne. Neither have
we the pygargus or grip, wherefore I have no occasion to treat further. I
have seen the carrion crows so cunning also by their own industry of late
that they have used to soar over great rivers (as the Thames for example)
and, suddenly coming down, have caught a small fish in their feet and gone
away withal without wetting of their wings. And even at this present the
aforesaid river is not without some of them, a thing (in my opinion) not a
little to be wondered at. We have also osprays, which breed with us in
parks and woods, whereby the keepers of the same do reap in breeding time
no small commodity; for, so soon almost as the young are hatched, they tie
them to the butt ends or ground ends of sundry trees, where the old ones,
finding them, do never cease to bring fish unto them, which the keepers
take and eat from them, and commonly is such as is well fed or not of the
worst sort. It hath not been my hap hitherto to see any of these fowl, and
partly through mine own negligence; but I hear that it hath one foot like
a hawk, to catch hold withal, and another resembling a goose, wherewith to
swim; but, whether it be so or not so, I refer the further search and
trial thereof unto some other. This nevertheless is certain, that both
alive and dead, yea even her very oil, is a deadly terror to such fish as
come within the wind of it. There is no cause whereof I should describe
the cormorant amongst hawks, of which some be black and many pied, chiefly
about the Isle of Ely, where they are taken for the night raven, except I
should call him a water hawk. But, sith such dealing is not convenient,
let us now see what may be said of our venomous worms, and how many kinds
we have of them within our realm and country.[185]