The Alle Alle


"There is also in this Lake (the White Lake) a kind of bird, very

frequent; and in other Coasts of the Bothnick and Swedish Sea, that

cries incessantly all the Summer, Alle, Alle, therefore they are

called all over, by the Inhabitants, Alle, Alle. For in that Lake such

a multitude of great birds is found, (as I said before) by reason of the

fresh Waters that spring from hot springs, that they seem to cover all

the shor
s and rivers, especially Sea-Crows, or Cormorants, Coots, More

Hens, two sorts of Ducks, Swans, and infinite smaller Water Birds. These

Crows, and other devouring birds, the hunters can easily take, because

they fly slowly, and not above two or four Cubits above the Water: thus

they do it on the narrow Rocks, as in the Gates of Islands, on the Banks

of them, they hang black nets, or dyed of a Watry Colour upon Spears;

and these, with Pulleys, will quickly slip up or down, that in great

Sholes they catch the Birds that fly thither by letting the Nets fall

upon them: and this is necessary, because those Birds fly so slowly, and

right forward; so that few escape. Also, sometimes Ducks, and other

Birds are taken in these Nets. Wherefore these black, or slow Birds,

whether they swim or fly, are always crying Alle, Alle, which in

Latine signifies All, All, (Omnes) and so they do when they are

caught in the Nets: and this voyce the cunning Fowler interprets thus,

that he hath not, as yet, all of them in his Nets; nor ever shall have,

though he had six hundred Nets."



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