. The natural history of birds [microform] : from the French of the Count de Buffon. Ornithology; Birds; Ornithologie; Oiseaux. 1 'i : J til ' ^1 \ If 1i â 1 i ^1. â¢M- vi: k » 4 * 5 ""â i 1 li^^ ^â |( *! 548 THE COCK OF THE ROCK. of the rocks, but even in the large dark which totally exclude the folar rays; a ctrcum- ftance that has induced many to believe it to be a nodurnal bird ; whereas it flies and fees dif- tindly in the day-time : however, it feems na- turally to prefer gloomy recefTes, fince it is moft frequent in caves which cannot be entered with- out the light o
. The natural history of birds [microform] : from the French of the Count de Buffon. Ornithology; Birds; Ornithologie; Oiseaux. 1 'i : J til ' ^1 \ If 1i â 1 i ^1. â¢M- vi: k » 4 * 5 ""â i 1 li^^ ^â |( *! 548 THE COCK OF THE ROCK. of the rocks, but even in the large dark which totally exclude the folar rays; a ctrcum- ftance that has induced many to believe it to be a nodurnal bird ; whereas it flies and fees dif- tindly in the day-time : however, it feems na- turally to prefer gloomy recefTes, fince it is moft frequent in caves which cannot be entered with- out the light of torches. We may therefore pre- fume, that their eyes are conftrudled like thofc of cats, and adapted both for the day and the night. The male aiid female are equally lively, and extremely wild, il is itnpo/Iible to flioot rhciB, unlcfs the pcrfon be concealed behind a rock, he muil often wait feveral hours before an oppcri:uuIty occurs; for the inftant they perceive him, they efcape to a diftance by i; flight is lapld, though rather low and fhorr. TiTcy feed upon fmall wild fruits, and ufually forape the ground, clap their wings, and iliakc thcmfelvcs like the dunghill fowls ; but they nelilier crow like the cock, nor cluck like the hen. Their cry refembles the found of the fyl'abic /v', pronounced with a flirill drawling tone. They conftrucl their nefl rudely in the holes of rocks with fmall dry (licks ; and com- monly lay two white fpherical eggs, which are of tlie C\ze of thofe of pigeons. 7'iie males emerge oftener from their caverns than the females, which feldom appear, and pro- bably do not quit their retreats except in the night. They can cafily be tamed, and IVl. de IManoncouv rk. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Buffon, Georges Louis Leclerc, comte de, 1707-17
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Keywords: ., boo, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectoiseaux, booksubjectornithology
