Systema agriculturæ, the mystery of husbandry discovered treating of the several new and most advantagious ways of tilling, planting, sowing, manuring, ordering, improving of all sorts of gardens, orchards, meadows, pastures, corn-lands, woods & coppices, as also of fruits, corn, grain, pulse, new-hays, cattle, fowl, beasts, bees, silk-worms, &c. : with an account of the several instruments and engines used in this profession : to which is added Kalendarium rusticum, or, The husbandmans monthly directions, also the prognosticks of dearth, scarcity, plenty, sickness, heat, cold, frost, snow, winds, rain, hail, thunder, &c. and Dictionarium rusticum, or, The interpretation of rustick terms, the whole work being of great use and advantage to all that delight in that most noble practice.

SECT. I. Of Fowling in General.

FOrasmuch as most Farms and Country-habitations lie near unto the Sea, great Rivers, large Fens, Marshes, &c. to which are great resorts of Water-fowl, or else are well furnished with Land-fowl, either of which are very profitable to the Husbandman: Wherefore it may not be amiss to add some ge∣neral directions for the taking of them; which will redound to his advantage, not only for their Carkasses, but for that many sorts of the Land-fowl are somewhat injurious to his Husbandry.

It is generally observed, that Water-fowl are in their own na∣ture the most subtil and wisest of Birds, and most careful of their own safety; to which end they do form themselves into an or∣derly Body or Camp, and have their Scouts and Sentinels at a distance, to give notice of the approach of an Enemy; which they suddenly do by a certain Watch-word, which will oblige you to be more cautious and careful than ordinary in your en∣deavouring to surprize them.

It is needless here to particularize the several Haunts of each sort of Water-fowl, seeing there are few that have Lands haunt∣ed with them, but they know anear in what parts they most u∣sually frequent. The one sort that are not Web-footed, as the Heron, Bittern, &c. delight most in shallow waters, and boggy Fenny places. The other sort that swim, as the Wilde-goose, Duck, Widgeon, &c. delight most in Rivers, large and deep wa∣ters, &c. where they may have plenty of water, and swim un∣disturbed of Man or Beast; and especially where the water is least subject to Freeze.

The Wilde-goose delights very much in green Winter-corn: Therefore in such Lands that are near the water may you finde them.

Most of these Fowl have their Day-haunts and their Night-haunts; for in the Day-time they usually retire to some secure place where they may confidently rest themselves: In the Even∣ing they take to their best feeding-places, and small green streams, where they dare not appear in the day.

Notes

• 1 Of Fowling.
• The Haunts of Water-fowl.