The reader muft excufe a few more quotations from the fame poet, on the fame fubject: the first defcribes the approach of evening, and the retiring of all animals to their repofe. Silence accompanied; for beaft and bird, When Eve paffed the irkfome night preceding her fall, fhe, in a dream, imagines herfelf thus reproached with lofing the beauties of the night by indulging too long a repose: Why fleep'ft thou, Eve? now is the pleafant time, The fame birds fing their nuptial fong, and lull them to reft. How rapturous are the following lines! how expreffive of the delicate fenfibility of our Milton's tender ideas! The earth Gave fign of gratulation, and each hill; Thefe quotations from the beft judge of melody, we thought due to the sweetest of our feathered choiristers; and we believe no reader of tafte will think them te dious. Virgil feems to be the only poet among the ancients, who hath attended to the circumftance of this bird's finging in the night time. Qualis populea morens Philomela fub umbrâ' As Philomel in poplar fhades, alone, prey, From the warm neft, unfledg'd hath dragg'd away; Pliny has defcribed the warbling notes of this bird, with an elegance that befpeaks an exquifite fenfibility of tafte: notwithstanding that his words have been cited by moft other writers on natural hiftory, yet fuch is the beauty, and in general the truth of his expreffions, that they cannot be too much ftudied by lovers of natural hiftory. We must obferve notwithstanding, that a few of his thoughts are more to be admired for their vivacity than for ftria philofophical reasoning; but these few are easily distinguishable. $ 16. The RED BREAST. This bird, though fo very petulant as to be at conftant war with its own tribe, yet is remarkably fociable with mankind: in the winter it frequently makes one of the family; and takes refuge from the inclemency of the feafon even by our fire-fides. Thomfon has prettily defcribed the annual vifits of this gueft. * The RED-BREAST, facred to the houshold gods, And pecks and ftarts, and wonders where he is : 'Till more familiar grown, the table-crumbs Attract his flender feet. The great beauty of that celebrated poet confifts in his elegant and juft defcriptions of the economy of animals; and the happy ufe he hath made of natural knowledge, in defcriptive poetry, fhines through almost every page of his Seafons. The affection this bird has for mankind, is also recorded in that antient ballad, The babes in the wood; a compofition of a most beautiful and pathetic fimplicity. It is the first trial of our humanity: the child that refrains from tears on hearing that read, gives bat a bad prefage of the tenderness of his future fenfations. In the fpring this bird retires to breed in the thickest covers, or the most concealed holes of walls and other buildings. The eggs are of a dull white, fprinkled with reddifh fpots. Its fong is remarkably fine and foft; and the more to be valued, as we enjoy it the greatest part of the winter, and early in the fpring, and even through gres part of the fummer, but its notes are part • In his Seasons, vide Winter, line 146. of that time drowned in the general warble of the feafon. Many of the autumnal fongfters feem to be the young cock redbreafts of that year. The bill is dufky: the forehead, chin, throat and breast are of a deep orangecolour: the head, hind part of the neck, the back and tail are of a deep afh-colour, tinged with green: the wings rather darker; the edges inclining to yellow: the legs and feet dusky. § 17. The WREN. The wren may be placed among the fineft of our finging birds. It continues its fong throughout the winter, excepting during the frofts. It makes its neft in a very curious manner; of an oval shape, very deep, with a small hole in the middle for egrefs and regrefs: the external mate rial is mofs, within it is lined with hair and feathers. It lays from ten to eighteen eggs; and as often brings up as many young; which, as Mr. Ray obferves, may be ranked among thofe daily miracles that we take no notice of; that it fhould feed fuch a number without paffing over one, and that too in utter darkness. The head and upper part of the body of the wren are of a deep reddish brown: above each eye is a ftroke of white: the back, and coverts of the wings, and tail, are marked with slender tranfverfe black lines: the quill-feathers with bars of black and red. The throat is of a yellowish white. The belly and fides croffed with narrow dusky and pale reddish brown lines. The tail is croffed with dusky bars. § 18. The SWIFT. This fpecies is the largest of our fwallows; but the weight is moft difproportionately fmall to its extent of wing of any bird; the former being fcarce one ounce, the latter eighteen inches. The length near eight. The feet of this bird are fo fmall, that the action of walking and of rifing from the ground is extremely difficult; fo that nature hath made it full amends, by furnishing it with ample means for an eafy and continual flight. It is more on the wing than any other fwallows; its flight is more rapid, and that attended with a thrill fcream. It refts by clinging against fome wall, or other apt body; from whence Klein ftyles this fpecies Hirundo muraria. It breeds under the caves of houfes, in #fteeples, and other lofty buildings; makes its neft of graffes and feathers; and lays only two eggs, of a white colour. It is entirely of a gloffy dark footy colour, only the chin is marked with a white spot: but by being fo conftantly expofed to all weathers, the glofs of the plumage is loft before it retires. I cannot trace them to their winter quarters, unlefs in one inftance of a pair found adhering by their claws and in a torpid ftate, in February 1766, under the roof of Longnor chapel, Shropshire: on being brought to a fire, they revived and moved about the room. The feet are of a particular ftructure, all the toes standing forward; the least confifts of only one bone; the others of an equal number, viz. two each; in which they differ from those of all other birds. This appears in our country about fourteen days later than the fand martin; but differs greatly in the time of its departure, retiring invariably about the tenth of Auguft, being the first of the genus that leaves us. The fabulous hiftory of the Manucodiata, or bird of Paradise, is in the hiftory of this fpecies in great measure verified. It was believed to have no feet, to live upon the celeftial dew, to float perpetually on the Indian air, and to perform all its functions in that element. The Swift actually performs what has been in thefe enlightened times difproved of the former; except the fmall time it takes in fleeping, and what it devotes to incubation, every other action is done on wing. The materials of its neft it collects either as they are carried about by the winds, or picks them up from the surface in its fweeping flight. Its food is undeniably the infects that fill the air. Its drink is taken in tranfient fips from the water's furface. Even its amorous rites are performed on high. Few perfons who have attended to them in a fine fummer's morning, but must have feen them make their aerial courses at a great height, encircling a certain space with an eafy fteady motion. On a fudden they fall into each other's embraces, then drop precipitate with a loud fhriek for numbers of yards. This is the critical conjuncture, and to be no more wondered at, than that infects (a familiar inftance) fhould discharge the fame duty in the fame element. Thefe birds and fwallows are inveterate enemies to hawks. The moment one appears, they attack him immediately: the Twifts foon defift; but the swallows purfue 3 R 2 and and perfecute thofe rapacious birds, till they have entirely driven them away. "Returning home (fays Sir Charles) in "the fpring of the year, as I came into "founding in our channel, a great flock of "swallows came and fettled on all my rig Swifts delight in fultry thundry weather, and feem thence to receive fresh spirits. They fly in thofe times in small parties" ging; every rope was covered; they hung with particular violence; and as they pafs on one another like a swarm of bees; the near steeples, towers, or any edifices where "decks and carving were filled with them. their mates perform the office of incuba- "They seemed almost famished and spent, tion, emit a loud fcream, a fort of ferenade," and were only feathers and bones; but as Mr. White supposes, to their respective females. To the curious monographies on the fwallow tribe, of that worthy correfpondent, I must acknowledge myself indebted for numbers of the remarks above mentioned. § 19. Of the Disappearance of Swallows There are three opinions among naturalifts concerning the manner the Iwallow tribe difpofe of themselves after their difappearance from the countries in which they make their fummer refidence. Herodotus mentions one species that refides in Egypt the whole year: Profper Alpinus afferts the fame; and Mr. Loten, late governor of Ceylon, affured us, that thofe of Java never remove. These excepted, every other known kind obferve a periodical migration, or reThe fwallows of the cold Norway, and of North America, of the diftant Kamtfchatka, of the temperate parts of Europe, of Aleppo, and of the hot Jamaica, all agree in this one point. treat. In cold countries, a defect of infect food on the approach of winter, is a fufficient reafon for thefe birds to quit them: but fince the fame cause probably does not fubfift in the warm climates, recourse should be had to fome other reason for their vanishing. Of the three opinions, the first has the utmost appearance of probability; which is, that they remove nearer the fun, where they can find a continuance of their natural diet, and a temperature of air fuiting their conftitutions. That this is the cafe with fome fpecies of European fwallows, has been proved beyond contradiction (as above cited) by M. Adanfon. We often obferve them collected in flocks innumerable on churches, on rocks, and on trees, previous to their departure hence; and Mr. Collinfon proves their return here in perhaps equal numbers, by two curious relations of undoubted credit: the one communicated to him by Mr. Wright, mafter of a fhip; the other by the late Sir Charles Wager; who both described (to the fame purpose) what happened to each in their voyages. "being recruited with a night's rest, took "their flight in the morning." This vast fatigue, proves that their journey must have been very great, confidering the amazing fwiftnefs of these birds: in all probability they had croffed the Atlantic ocean, and were returning from the fhores of Senegal, or other parts of Africa; fo that this account from that most able and honeft feaman, confirms the later information of M. Adanson. Mr. White, on Michaelmas-day 1768, had the good fortune to have ocular proof of what may reasonably be fuppofed an actual migration of swallows. Travelling that morning very early between his houfe and the coaft, at the beginning of his journey he was environed with a thick fog, but on a large wild heath the mift began to break, and discovered to him numberless swallows, clustered on the standing bushes, as if they had roofted there: as foon as the fun burft out, they were inftantly on wing, and with an eafy and placid flight proceeded towards the fea. After this he faw no more flocks, only now and then a ftraggler ⚫. This rendezvous of fwallows about the fame time of year is very common on the willows, in the little isles in the Thames. They feem to affemble for the fame purpofe as thofe in Hampshire, notwithstanding no one yet has been eye-witness of their departure. On the zóth of September laft, two gentlemen who happened to lie at Maidenhead bridge, furnished at least a proof of the multitudes there affembled: they went by torch-light to an adjacent isle, and in less than half an hour brought afhore fifty dozen; for they had nothing more to do than to draw the willow twigs through their hands, the birds never stirring till they were taken. able inftance of the diftant flight of Iwallows; fe In Kalm's Voyage to America, is a remark. one lighted on the fhip he was in, September 18. when he had paffed only over two-thirds of the Atlantic ocean. His paffage was uncommon in lefs than fix weeks; and when this accident quick, being performed from Deal to Philadelph happened, he was fourteen days fail from Cipe Hinlopen. The The northern naturalifts will perhaps fay, that this affembly met for the purpofe of plunging into their fubaqueous winter quarters; but was that the cafe, they would never efcape difcovery in a river perpetually fifhed as the Thames, fome of them must inevitably be brought up in the nets that harafs that water. The fecond notion has great antiquity on its fide. Ariftotle and Pliny give, as their belief, that swallows do not remove very far from their summer habitation, but winter in the hollows of rocks, and during that time lose their feathers. The former part of their opinion has been adopted by feveral ingenious men; and of late, feveral proofs have been brought of fome fpecies, at leaft, having been difcovered in a torpid ftate. Mr. Collinfon favoured us with the evidence of three gentlemen, eye-witnesses to numbers of fand martins being drawn out of a cliff on the Rhine, in the month of March 1762. And the honourable Daines Barrington communicated to us the following fact, on the authority of the late Lord Belhaven, that numbers of swallows have been found in old dry walls, and in fandhills near his lordship's feat in Eaft Lothian; not once only, but from year to year; and that when they were expofed to the warmth of a fire, they revived. We have also heard of the fame annual difcoveries near Morpeth in Northumberland, but cannot speak of them with the fame affurance as the two former: neither in the two laft inftances are we certain of the particular species. Other witneffes crowd on us to prove the refidence of those birds in a torpid ftate during the fevere season. First, In the chalky cliffs of Suffex; as was feen on the fall of a great fragment fome years ago. Secondly, In a decayed hollow tree that was cut down, near Dolgelli, in Merionethfhire. Thirdly, In a cliff near Whitby, Yorkfhire; where, on digging out a fox, whole bushels of swallows were found in a torpid condition. And, Laftly, The Reverend Mr. Conway, of Sychton, Flintshire, was fo obliging as to communicate the following fact: A few years ago, on looking down an old leadmine in that county, he observed numbers of fwallows clinging to the timbers of the fhaft, feemingly afleep; and on flinging fome gravel on them, they just moved, but never attempted to fly or change their place; this was between All Saints and Christmas. Thefe are doubtlefs the lurking-places of the latter hatches, or of thofe young birds, who are incapable of diftant migrations. There they continue infenfible and rigid; but like flies, may fometimes be reanimated by an unfeasonable hot day in the midst of winter: for very near Christmas a few appeared on the moulding of a window of Merton College, Oxford, in a remarkably warm nook, which prematurely fet their blood in motion, having the fame effect as laying them before the fire at the fame time of year. Others have been known to make this premature appearance; but as foon as the cold natural to the feafon returns, they withdraw again to their former retreats. I fhall conclude with one argument drawn from the very late hatches of two species. On the twenty-third of October 1767, a martin was feen in Southwark, flying in and out of its neft: and on the twentyninth of the fame month, four or five swallows were obferved hovering round and fettling on the county hofpital at Oxford. As thefe birds muft have been of a late hatch, it is highly improbable that at so late a feafon of the year they would attempt, from one of our midland counties, a voyage almost as far as the equator to Senegal or Goree we are therefore confirmed in our notion, that there is only a partial migration of these birds; and that the feeble late hatches conceal themselves in this country. The above are circumstances we cannot but affent to, though feemingly contradictory to the common course of nature in regard to other birds. We muft, therefore, divide our belief relating to thefe two fo different opinions, and conclude, that one part of the fwallow tribe migrate, and that others have their winter quarters near home. If it should be demanded, why fwallows alone are found in a torpid state, and not the other many fpecies of foft billed birds, which likewife difappear about the fame time? The following reafon may be affigned: No birds are fo much on the wing as fwallows, none fly with fuch fwiftnefs and rapidity, none are obliged to fuch fudden and various evolutions in their flight, none are at fuch pains to take their prey, and we may add, none exert their voice more in 3 R 3 ceffantly; ceffantly; all these occafion a vaft expence of ftrength, and of fpirits, and may give fuch a texture to the blood, that other animals cannot experience; and fo difpofe, or we may fay, neceffitate, this tribe of birds, or part of them, at least, to a repofe more latting than that of any others. The third notion is, even at first fight, too amazing and unnatural to merit mention, if it was not that fome of the learned have been credulous enough to deliver, for fact, what has the ftrongeft appearance of impoffibility; we mean the relation of fwallows paffing the winter immerfed under ice, at the bottom of lakes, cr lodged beneath the water of the fea at the foot of rocks. The first who broached this opinion, was Claus Magnus, Archbishop of Upfal, who very gravely informs us, that thefe birds are often found in clustered maffes, at the bottom of the northern lakes, mouth to mouth, wing to wing, foot to foot; and that they creep down the reeds in autumn to their fubaqueous retreats. That when old fishermen difcover fuch a mafs, they throw it into the water again; but when young inexperienced ones take it, they will, by thawing the birds at a fire, bring them indeed to the ufe of their wings, which will continue but a very short time, being owing to a premature and forced re vival.. That the good Archbishop did not want credulity, in other inftances, appears from this, that after having flocked the bottoms of the lakes with birds, he ftores the clouds with mice, which fometimes fall in plentiful showers on Norway and the neighbouring countries. Some of our own countrymen have given credit to the fubmerfion of fwallows; and Klein patronifes the doctrine ftrongly, giving the following history of their manner of retiring, which he received from fome countrymen and others. They afferted, that fometimes the fwallows affembled in numbers on a reed, till it broke and funk with them to the bottom; and their immerfion was preluded by a dirge of a quarter of an hour's length. That others would unite in laying hold of a ftraw with their bills, and fo plunge down in fociety. Others again would form a large mafs, by clinging together with their feet, and fo commit themselves to the deep. Such are the relations given by thofe that are fond of this opinion, and though delivered without exaggeration, muft provoke a fmile. They aflign not the smallest rea fon to account for thefe birds being able to endure fo long a fubmerfion without being fuffocated, or without decaying, in an ele ment fo unnatural to fo delicate a bird; when we know that the otter, the corvorant, and the grebes, foon perish, if caught under ice, or entangled in nets: and it is well known, that thofe animals will continue much longer under water than any others, to whom nature hath denied that particular structure of heart, necefiary for a long refidence beneath that element, 20. Of the SMALL BIRDS of FLIGHT. In the fuburbs of London (and parti cularly about Shoreditch) are feveral weavers and other tradefmen, who, durtheir livelihood by an ingenious, and we ing the months of October and March, get may fay, a fcientific method of bird-catchof Great Britain. ing, which is totally unknown in other parts to fo fmall a compafs, arifes from there beThe reason of this trade being confined ing no confiderable fale for finging-birds except in the metropolis: as the apparatus for this purpofe is also heavy, and at the fame time muft be carried on a man's back, it prevents the bird-catchers going to above three or four miles distance. This method of bird-catching must have been long practifed, as it is brought to a moft fyftematical perfection, and is attended with a very confiderable expence. mechanism, are generally twelve yards and. The nets are a moft ingenious piece of and no one on bare infpection would imaa half long, and two yards and a half wide; gine that a bird (who is so very quick in all its motions) could be catched by the nets flapping over each other, till he be Though entirely fatisfied in our own mind of the impoffibility of these relations; yet, defiro authority, we applied to that able anatomist, Mr. of ftrengthening our opinion with fome better John Hunter; who was fo obliging to inform us that he had diffected many fwallows, but four nothing in them different from other birds as to which he had diffected of the clafs that fleep during the organs of refpiration. That all thofe anima's winter, fuch as lizards, frogs, &c. had a very dif ferent conformation as to thofe organs. That al thefe animals, he believes, do breathe in their tarpid ftate; and as far as his experience reaches, he knows they do: and that therefore he esteems it remain any long time under water without drown a very wild opinion, that terreftrial animals can ing. come |