Note h — BOOK IV. (continued 2)
Reading edition
It is a very odd Story (which I rather mention for the Reader’s Diversion, than for its Truth) which Dr. Lud. de Beaufort relates, Vir fide dignus narravit mihi, quod cùm semel, animi gratiâ, nidum aviculæ ligno obturâsset, seque occultâsset, cupidus videndi, quid in tali occasione præstaret; illa cùm frustra sæpiùs tentâsset rostro illud auferre, casus admodum impatiens, abiit, & post aliquod temporis spatium reversa est, rostro gerens plantulam, quâ obturamento applicatâ, paulò post, illud veluti telum eripuit tantâ vi, ut dispersa impetu herbula, ac occasionem ipsi, ab aviculâ ejus virtutem discendi, præripuerit. Cosmop. divina, Sect. 5. C. 1. Had he told us what the Plant was, we might have given better Credit to this Story.