CHAPTER 5.II.
How the Ringing Island had been inhabited by the Siticines, who were become birds.
Having fasted as aforesaid, the hermit gave us a letter for one whom he called Albian Camar, Master Aedituus of the Ringing Island; but Panurge greeting him called him Master Antitus.

He was a little queer old fellow, bald-pated, with a snout whereat you might easily have lighted a card-match, and a phiz as red as a cardinal's cap.

He made us all very welcome, upon the hermit's recommendation, hearing that we had fasted, as I have told you.
When we had well stuffed our puddings, he gave us an account of what was remarkable in the island, affirming that it had been at first inhabited by the Siticines; but that, according to the course of nature--as all things, you know, are subject to change--they were become birds.
There I had a full account of all that Atteius Capito, Paulus, Marcellus, A.Gellius, Athenaeus, Suidas, Ammonius, and others had writ of the Siticines and Sicinnists; and then we thought we might as easily believe the transmutations of Nectymene, Progne, Itys, Alcyone, Antigone, Tereus, and other birds.

Nor did we think it more reasonable to doubt of the transmogrification of the Macrobian children into swans, or that of the men of Pallene in Thrace into birds, as soon as they had bathed themselves in the Tritonic lake.

After this the devil a word could we get out of him but of birds and cages.
The cages were spacious, costly, magnificent, and of an admirable architecture.