Their Exercises are pretty violent, and they are great Lovers of a Play for which I can find no Name in English.  They begin with giving their next Neighbour a great Bang with the Wing, which is return’d by a Kick or Peck, or Stroke with the Spur; you would imagine they were so many engaged in a Battle, for they strike without Fear or Wit, and never mind on whom the Strokes light; for every one deals them about promiscuously, and as thick as he can lay them on.  They will continue this Diversion, till they are not able to stand, or till some of the Company gets a Wing, a Leg, or a Head broke, or some other Damage, which the Party hurt never takes ill.  This Play is indeed practised only among the younger, or the meaner Sort.

They are mighty fond of the Cuckoo, and will sit two Hours upon a Stretch to hear a Set of them exercise their natural Talent, for which they are paid and caress’d.  I knew a Lady of Quality who gave a Pension of Five Thousand Spasma’s, each Spasma worth Two Shillings Sterling, to one of these Birds to sing her to Sleep every Night.  The Air of this Country is too cold for these Cuckoo’s, who come from a more southern Clime, which is the Reason they stay not above three Years before they wing their Flight home, where they build Palaces with the Profits of their Journey:  But as those who return send others in their stead, the Cacklogallinians are never long deprived of the Entertainment these Birds afford ’em.

Another Diversion they have, is the making the Ostriches run Races:  The Feeding, Training, and Betting upon these Birds, have ruined many of the noblest Families.  They are also mightily addicted to Dice, and will set and lose their Wives and Children, which they sometimes see eaten by the Winner, if he is of Quality.

This small Sketch of the Cacklogallinians I thought necessary, that the Reader might have some Idea of them.  I happen’d to be cast on their Coast, just after they had made a Peace with the Magpyes, a puissant and neighbouring Nation, after a long, sanguine, and expensive War, which had well nigh exhausted the Forces and Treasure of both Parties, occasioned by the Cacklogallinians pretending they had a Right to nominate a Successor to the Emperor Chuctinio, who was in an advanced Age, and without issue; and the Magpyes pretended their King, as a Relation to that Emperor, had a Right to succeed to the Throne of the Bubohibonians, which is the Nation of Owls.

All the neighbouring States join’d the Cacklogallinians, in endeavouring to prevent this vast Increase of Power to the Magpyes, since it must necessarily destroy the Balance of Power; and as their prince was both powerful and ambitious, they apprehended he would aim at an universal Monarchy:  But then they would not allow the Cacklogallinians had any more Right than their Neighbours, to name a Successor; and if that Monarchy were to fall to the Share of any powerful Prince, it might be as dangerous to the common Good, as if yielded to the Magpyes; they therefore would have it divided.