The gentlemans recreation in two parts : the first being an encyclopedy of the arts and sciences ... the second part treats of horsmanship, hawking, hunting, fowling, fishing, and agriculture : with a short treatise of cock-fighting ... : all which are collected from the most authentick authors, and the many gross errors therein corrected, with great enlargements ... : and for the better explanation thereof, great variety of useful sculptures, as nets, traps, engines, &c. are added for the taking of beasts, fowl and fish : not hitherto published by any : the whole illustrated with about an hundred ornamental and useful sculptures engraven in copper, relating to the several subjects.

CHAP. I.

The Introduction; Shewing what Fowling is, with the nature of the several sorts of Fowl; Their Haunts, &c. [ 10]

FOWLING is an Art for the taking all manner of Fowl, either by Enticement or Enchantment, as Calls, Intoxicating Baits, or the like, or else by Guns, Nets, Engines, Traps, Setting-Dogs, &c.

Now forasmuch as the Fowl on which this Art depends are various, and indeed numerous, so that to run into all the Particularities would [ 20] be Voluminous; therefore for the Practicioners ease and benefit, I shall comprize them under these two general Heads, viz. Water-fowl and Land-fowl.

Water-fowl may also be distinguished into two several kinds, that is, such that live of the Wa∣ter, and upon the Water, by gathering much of their food from thence, and Swiming for the most part on the surface thereof; and such as live of the Water, but not upon the Water, as by the gathering of most of their food from thence, but not Swiming upon the same, more than wading with their long Legs, and diving with their long Necks for the getting their food therein.

Such as live on the Water, are Wild-Geese, Swans, Mallards, Teyls, Curlues, Widgeons, Moor-Hens, Dab∣chicks; and generally all such that are Web-footed and I Swim. Those that live of the Water, and not on the Water, are Herons, Cranes, Bitterns, and any Fowl that hath his sustenance in the Water, and yet hath his feet Cloven, and Swimeth not. And there are some which may not improperly be termed Amphibious, as partaking of the Land as well as the Water; and such are the Sea-Pies, which are not Web-footed, and yet can Swim.

Land-fowl are properly those that have their sustenance and abode only on the Land; either in Woods, Coverts, Enclosures, Vplands, both Ara∣ble and Pasture; in Marshy Grounds, or by and near Houses, Hedge-rows, and High-ways; And these Fowl may be distinguished under the ge∣neral name of Fowl; and such are Pheasants,

Partridges, Heath-Cocks, Plovers, Lapwings, Wood Cocks, Snipes, Ring-Doves, &c. also small Birds, as Quails, Blackbirds, Thrushes, Starlings, Larks, Wheat-Ears, Chawfinches, Sparrows, with abundance of other sorts, too tedious to name.

Now for your better effecting the taking of the aforesaid Fowl and Birds, I shall first give you some Instructions how to know and find out their haunts▪ and then proceed to the seve∣ral [ 10] ways of taking them: But note, that by ob∣servation 'tis found, that Water-fowl are the sub∣••••les•• of Birds, and have the greatest regard to their own safety; whence it is that they are compared to a well governed Camp, having Scouts on Land afar off, Courts of Guard, Sen∣tinels, and such like watchful Officers, surround∣ing the Body, to give a speedy Alarm at any approach of seeming danger. And indeed, who∣soever shall observe their manner of living shall [ 20] find the same; for there will be always some stragling Fowl aloof of the main Body, which upon any suspicion of danger take Wing, and give notice to the rest▪ and it is the nature of Water-fowl, to fly in Flocks, loving Society. The like doth Starlings, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Ringdoves, Plevers, Lapwings, ••aws, &c.

Of the Haunts of Fowl. [ 30]

THe greatest thing of moment for a Fowler to understand is the haunts of Fowl, and accordingly apply himself to take them. In order thereunto take notice, that all sorts of great Fowl that divide the foot, have their resi∣dence by the edge of Shallow Rivers, Brooks, Ri∣vulets, and ••lashes of Water, and these keep not in flocks together, but are single, or here and there a Couple together, which makes them dif∣ficult to be taken by 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or the like; but are [ 40] the best flights for River-Hawks that can be, e∣specially the H••••n, that takes the greatest delight in such like places, where he may wade and dive in for the getting of Fish for his sustenance. They also delight in low Marshy, S••dgy, and Boggy Grounds; likewise in the dry parts of drowned Fens that are overgrown with Reeds, ••ushes, and Sedge▪ and in such places the Bit∣tern naturally delights, as being a melancholy Fowl; they also delight in half drowned Moors, [ 50] and in the Vales of Heaths, or Downs, that is sheltered with Hedges, Bushes, or Trees, where they may obscurely lurk.

For the lesser Fowl, and such as are Web-footed, they frequent those Fenny and Moorish Grounds that are continually overflown, where they may sw••m free from disturbance of Ma•• or Beast; they also affect the man Streams and Channels of large Rivers, with swift and deep Currents; but the Wild-Goose, and the Barnacie, delight not [ 60] in any Water above their Sounding; for when they can't come to the bottom to suck up the ou•• or the fatness of the Water, they seek new places. They also greatly delight to feed on green Winter-Corn, especially where the Lands are low and drowned with Water wherein they may paddle and bathe after feeding.

The smaller Fowl do also delight to feed in drowned Meadows, Moors, and such like places; also upon Plashes, Meers, Lakes, and Loughs, which have the shelter of Shrubs, Reeds, and such like things for their preservation from dan∣ger.

As to the haunts of Pheasants, Partridges, Woodcocks, Snipes, Quails, and other Land-fowl, I shall speak of it when I treat of each in its proper place.