Now that I have breifly shewed the Commodity of the trees, herbes, and fruits, I will shew you a description of the fowles of the aire; as most proper in ordinary course.

And first of the Swanne,[312] because shee is the biggest of all the fowles of that Country. There are of them in Merrimack River, and in other parts of the country, greate store at the seasons of the yeare.

The flesh is not much desired of the inhabitants, but the skinnes may be accompted a commodity fitt for divers uses, both for fethers and quiles.

There are Geese of three sorts, vize: brant Geese[313] which are pide, and white Geese[314] which are bigger, and gray Geese[315] which are as bigg and bigger then the tame Geese of England, with black legges, black bills, heads and necks black; the flesh farre more excellent then the Geese of England, wild or tame; yet the purity of the aire is such that the biggest is accompted but an indifferent meale for a couple of men. There is of them great abundance. I have had often 1000. before the mouth of my gunne. I never saw any in {68} England, for my part, so fatt as I have killed there in those parts; the fethers of them makes a bedd softer then any down bed that I have lyen on, and is Fethers pay for powther and shott. there a very good commodity; the fethers of the Geese, that I have killed in a short time, have paid for all the powther and shott I have spent in a yeare, and I have fed my doggs with as fatt Geese there as I have euer fed upon my selfe in England.

Ducks there are of three kindes, pide Ducks, gray Ducks, and black Ducks in greate abundance: the most about my habitation were black Ducks:[316] and it was a noted Custome at my howse, to have every mans Duck upon a trencher; and then you will thinke a man was not hardly used: they are bigger boddied then the tame Ducks of England: very fatt and dainty flesh.

The common doggs fees were the gibletts, unlesse they were boyled now and than for to make broath.

Teales there are of two sorts, greene winged, and blew winged:[317] but a dainty bird. I have bin much delighted with a rost of these for a second course. I had plenty in the rivers and ponds about my howse.

Widggens[318] there are, and abundance of other water foule, some such as I have seene, and [some] such as I have not seene else where before I came into those parts, which are little regarded.

Simpes[319] there are like our Simpes in all respects, with very litle difference. I have shot at them onely to see what difference I could finde betweene them and those of my native Country, and more I did not regard them.

{69} Sanderlings[320] are a dainty bird, more full boddied than a Snipe; and I was much delighted to feede on them because they were fatt and easie to come by, because I went but a stepp or to for them: and I have killed betweene foure and five dozen at a shoot, which would loade me home.

Their foode is at ebbing water on the sands, of small seeds that grows on weeds there, and are very good pastime in August.

Cranes[321] there are greate store, that ever more came there at S. Davids day, and not before: that day they never would misse.

These sometimes eate our corne, and doe pay for their presumption well enough; and serveth there in powther, with turnips, to supply the place of powthered beefe, and is a goodly bird in a dishe, and no discommodity.

Turkies[322] there are, which divers times in great flocks have sallied by our doores; and then a gunne, being commonly in a redinesse, salutes them with such a courtesie, as makes them take a turne in the Cooke roome. They daunce by the doore so well.

Of these there hath bin killed that have weighed forty eight pound a peece.[323]

They are by mainy degrees sweeter then the tame Turkies of England, feede them how you can.

I had a Salvage who hath taken out his boy in a morning, and they have brought home their loades about noone.

{70} I have asked them what number they found in the woods, who have answered Neent Metawna,[324] which is a thosand that day; the plenty of them is such in those parts. They are easily killed at rooste, because, the one being killed, the other sit fast neverthelesse; and this is no bad commodity.

There are a kinde of fowles which are commonly called Pheisants,[325] but whether they be pheysants or no, I will not take upon mee to determine. They are in forme like our pheisant henne of England. Both the male and the female are alike; but they are rough footed, and have stareing fethers about the head and neck; the body is as bigg as the pheysant henne of England; and are excellent white flesh, and delicate white meate, yet we seldome bestowe a shoote at them.

Partridges[326] there are, much like our Partridges of England; they are of the same plumes, but bigger in body. They have not the signe of the horseshoe on the brest, as the Partridges of England; nor are they coloured about the heads as those are. They sit on the trees, for I have seene 40. in one tree at a time: yet at night they fall on the ground, and sit untill morning so together; and are dainty flesh.

There are quailes[327] also, but bigger then the quailes in England. They take trees also: for I have numbered 60. upon a tree at a time. The cocks doe call at the time of the yeare, but with a different note from the cock quailes of England.

The Larkes[328] there are like our Larkes of England in all respects: sauing that they do not use to sing at all.

{71} There are Owles of divers kindes: but I did never heare any of them whop as ours doe.

There are Crowes,[329] kights and rooks that doe differ in some respects from those of England. The Crowes, which I have much admired what should be the cause, both smell and taste of Muske in summer, but not in winter.

There are Hawkes in New England of 5. sorts;[330] and these of all other fether fowles I must not omitt to speake of, nor neede I to make any Apology for my selfe concerning any trespasse that I am like to make upon my judgement, concerning the nature of them, having bin bred in so genious a way that I had the common use of them in England: and A Lannaret. at my first arrivall in those parts practised to take a Lannaret,[331] which I reclaimed, trained and made flying in a fortnight, the same being a passenger at Michuelmas. I found that these are most excellent Mettell, rank winged, well conditioned, and not tickleish footed; and, having whoods, bels, luers, and all things fitting, was desirous to make experiment of that kinde of Hawke before any other.

And I am perswaded that Nature hath ordained them to be of a farre better kinde then any that have bin used in England.[332] They have neither dorre[333] nor worm to feed upon, (as in other parts of the world,) the Country affording none; the use whereof in other parts makes the Lannars there more bussardly[334] then they be in New England.

There are likewise Fawcons[335] and tassell gentles,[336] admirable well shaped birds; and they will tower up {72} when they purpose to pray, and, on a sodaine when they esspie their game, they will make such a cancellere that one would admire to behold them. Some there are more black then any that have bin used in England.

The Tassell gent, (but of the least size,[337]) is an ornament for a person of estimation among the Indians to weare in the knot of his lock, with the traine upright, the body dried and stretched out. They take a great pride in the wearing of such an ornament, and give to one of us, that shall kill them one for that purpose, so much beaver as is worth three pounds sterling, very willingly.

These doe us but little trespas, because they pray on such birds as are by the Sea side, and not on our Chickens. Goshawkes there are, and Tassels.

The Tassels are short trussed bussards;[338] but the Goshawkes[339] are well shaped, but they are small; some of white male, and some redd male, I have seene one with 8. barres in the traine. These fall on our bigger poultry: the lesser chicken, I thinke they scorne to make their pray of; for commonly the Cocke goes to wrack. Of these I have seene many; and if they come to trespasse me, I lay the law to them with the gunne, and take them dammage fesant.

There are very many Marlins;[340] some very small, and some so large as is the Barbary Tassell.

I have often beheld these pretty birds, how they have scoured after the black bird, which is a small sized Choffe[341] that eateth the Indian maisze.

Sparhawkes[342] there are also, the fairest and {73} best shaped birds that I have ever beheld of that kinde those that are litle, no use is made of any of them, neither are they regarded. I onely tried conclusions with a Lannaret at first comming; and, when I found what was in that bird, I turned him going; but, for so much as I have observed of those birds, they may be a fitt present for a prince, and for goodnesse too be preferred before the Barbary, or any other used in Christendome; and especially the Lannars and Lannarets.

There is a curious bird to see to, called a hunning bird,[343] no bigger then a great Beetle; that out of question lives upon the Bee, which hee eateth and catcheth amongst Flowers: For it is his Custome to frequent those places. Flowers hee cannot feed upon by reason of his sharp bill, which is like the poynt of a Spannish needle, but shorte. His fethers have a glosse like silke, and, as hee stirres, they shew to be of a chaingable coloure: and has bin, and is, admired for shape, coloure and size.