when they are very numerous. Great numbers appear in Anglesea the latter end of May; it is fupposed that they pals over from Ireland, the paffage between the two iflands being but finall. As we have inftances of these birds lighting on fhips in the channel and the bay of Biscay, we may conjecture their winter-quarters to be in Spain. FINNED-FOOTED WATER-BIRDS. 21. Phalaropes. Vifit us but feldom; their breeding-place is Lapland, and other arctic regions.

22. Grebes. The great-crefted grebe, the black-and-white grebe, and the little grebe, breed with us, and never migrate; the others vifit us accidentally, and breed in Lapland.

WEB-FOOTED BIRDS.

23. Avolet. Breed near Fofsdike in Lincolnshire; but quit their quarters. in winter. They are then shot in different parts of the kingdom, which they vifit, not regularly, but accidentally.

24. Auks and guillemots. The great auk or pinguin fometimes breeds in St. Kilda. The auk, the guillemot, and puffin, inhabit most of the maritime cliffs of Great Britain, in amazing numbers, during fimmer. The black guillemot breeds in the Bafs Ifle, and in St. Kilda, and fometimes in Llandidno rocks. We are at a lofs for the breeding place of the other fpecies; neither can we be very certain of the winter refidence of any of them, excepting of the leffer guillemot and blackbilled auk, which, during winter, vifit in vaft flocks the Frith of Forth.

25. Divers. These chiefly breed in the lakes of Sweden and Lapland, and in fome countries near the pole; but fome of the red-throated divers, the northern and the imber, may breed in the north of Scotland and its ifles.

26. Terns. Every fpecies breeds here; but leaves us in the winter.

27. Petrels. The fulmar breeds in the ifle of St. Kilda, and continues there there the whole year except September and part of October: the fhearwater vifits the isle of Man in April; breeds there; and, leaving it in Auguft or the beginning of September, difperfes over all parts of the Atlantic ocean. The ftorm-finch is feen at all distances from the land on the fame vaft watery tract; nor is it ever found near the fhore, ex

cept by fome very rare accident, unless in the breeding feafon. Mr. Pennant found it on fome little rocky ifles off the north of Skie. It alfo breeds in St. Kilda. He alfo fufpects that is nestles on the Blafquet Ifles off Kerry, and that it is the gourder of Mr. Smith.

28. Merganfers. This whole genus is mentioned among the birds that fill the Lapland lakes during fummer. Mr. Pennant has feen the young of the redbreafted in the north of Scotland: a few of these, and perhaps of the goofeanders, may breed there.

29. Ducks. Of the numerous fpecies that form this genus, we know of few that breed here: the fwan and goofe, the fhield-duck, the eider-duck, a few fhovelers, garganies, and teals, and a very finall portion of the wildducks.

The reft contribute to form that

amazing multitude of water-fowl that annually repair front most parts of Europe to the woods and lakes of Lapland and other arctic regions, there to perform the functions of incubation and nutrition in full fecurity. They and their young quit their retreat in September, and difperfe themselves over Europe. With us they make their appearance the beginning of October; circulate first round our thores; and, when compelled by fevere froft, betake themselves to our lakes and rivers. Of the web-footed fowl there are some of hardier conftitutions than others; thele endure the ordinary winters of the more northern countries; but, when the cold reigns there with more than common rigour, they repair for thelter to these kingdoms: this regulates the appearance of fome of the diver kind, as alfo of the wild fwans, the fwallow-tailed fhield-duck, and the different forts of goofanders, which then vifit our coafts. Barentz found the barnacles with their nefts in great numbers in Nova Zembla. Clufius, in his Exot. 368. also obferves, that the Dutch discovered them on the rocks of that country and in Wygate Straits. They, as well as the other fpecies of wild geefe, go very far north to breed, as appears from the hiftories of Greenland and Spitzbergen, by Egede and Crantz. Thefe birds feem to make Iceland a refting-place, as Hor, rebow obferves: few continue there to

breeda

breed, but only visit that island in the fpring, and, after a short stay, retire ftill further north.

30. Corvorants. The corvorant and fhag breed on most of our high rocks: the gannet in fome of the Scotch ifles, and on the coaft of Kerry: the two first continue on our fhores the whole year. The gannet difperfes itself all round the feas of Great Britain in purfuit of the herring and pilchard, and even as far as the Tagus to prey on the fardina.

But, of the numerous fpecies of fowl here enumerated, it may be observed how very few intruft themselves to us in the breeding feason, and what a diftant flight they make to perform the first great dictate of nature.

There seems to be scarcely any but what we have traced to Lapland, a country of lakes, rivers, swamps, and alps, covered with thick gloomy forefts, that afford fhelter during fummer to these fowls, which in winter difperfe over the greatest part of Europe. In thofe arctic regions, by reafon of the thickness of the woods, the ground remains moist and penetrable to the woodcocks, and other flender-billed fowl: and, for the web-footed birds, the waters afford larvæ innumerable of the tormenting gnat. The days there are long; and the beautiful meteorous nights indulge them with every opportunity of collecting fo minute a food; whilst mankind is very fparingly fcattered over that vaft northern wafte.

Here we shall give a short abstract of the arguments used by the Hon. Daines Barrington against the migration of birds in general, from a paper published by him in the fixty-fecond volume of the Philofophical Tranfactions. This gentleman denies that any well-attefted inftances can be produced of this fuppofed migration; which, he thinks, if there were any fuch periodical flight, could not poffibly have escaped the frequent obfervation of feamen. It has indeed been afferted, that birds of paffage become invifible in their flight, because they rife too high in the air to be perceived, and because they choofe the night for their paffage. The au thor, however, expreffes his doubts "whether any bird was ever feen to rife to a greater height than perhaps twice that of St. Paul's cross ;" and he

further endeavours to fhew, that the extent of fome of these supposed migrations (from the northern parts of Europe, for inftance, to the line) is too great to be accounted for by having recourfe to the argument founded on a nocturnal paffage.

The author next recites, in a chronological order, all the inftances that he has been able to collect, of birds having been actually feen by mariners when they were croffing a large extent of fea; and he endeavours to fhew that no ftrefs can be laid in the few cafual obfervations of this kind that have been produced in fupport of the doctrine of a regular and periodical migration.

Mr. Barrington afterwards proceeds to invalidate M. Adanfon's celebrated obfervation with refpect to the migration of the swallow in particular, and which has been confidered by many as perfectly decifive of the prefent question. He endeavours to fhew, that the four fwallows which that naturalift caught, on their fettling upon his fhip, on the 6th of October, at about the distance of fifty leagues from the coast of Senegal, and which he supposes to have been then proceeding from Europe to pass the winter in Africa, could not be true European fwallows; or, if they were, could not have been on their return from Europe to Africa, His objections are founded principally on some proofs which he produces of M. Adanfon's want of accuracy on this fubject, which has led him, in the prefent inftance, to mistake two African species of the fwallow-tribe, defcribed and engraved by Briffon, for European fwallows, to which they bear a general refemblance; or, granting even that they were European fwallows, he contends, that they were fitting from the Cape de Verd islands to the coaft of Africa; "to which fhort flight, however, they were unequal, and accordingly fell into the failor's hands." We shall here only add, in opposition to the remarks of Mr. Barrington, the following obfervations of the late Rev. Mr. White, of Selborne, Hants, in a letter to Mr. Pennant on this fubject.

"We must not (fays he) deny mi. gration in general; because migration certainly does fubfift in fome places, as my brother in Andalufia has fully

informed

informed me. Of the motions of these birds he has ocular demonstration, for many weeks together, both fpring and fall: during which periods myriads of the swallow kind traverse the Straits from north to fouth, and from fouth to north, according to the season of tho year. And these vaft migrations confift not only of hirundines, but of beebirds, hoopoes, oro pendolos or golden thrushes, &c. &c. and alfo of many of our foft-billed fummer birds of pafLage; and moreover of birds which never leave us, fuch as all the various forts of hawks and kites. Old Belon, two hundred years ago, gives a curious account of the incredible armies of hawks and kites which he faw in the fpring-time traverfing the Thracian Bofphorous from Asia to Europe. Befides the above-mentioned, he remarks, that the proceffion is fwelled by whole troops of eagles and vultures.

"Now it is no wonder that birds refiding in Africa fhould retreat before the fun as it advances, and retire to milder regions, and especially birds of prey, whofe blood being heated with hot animal food, are more impatient of a fultry climate: but then I cannot help wondering why kites and hawks, and fuch hardy birds as are known to defy all the severity of England, and even of Sweden and all north Europe, fhould want to migrate from the fouth of Europe, and be diffatisfied with the winters of Andalusia.

"It does not appear to me that much ftrefs may be laid on the difficulty and hazard that birds must run in their migrations, by reason of vaft oceans, crofs winds, &c. because, if we reflect, a bird may travel from England to the equator without launching out and expofing itself to boundless feas, and that by croffing the water at Dover and again at Gibraltar. And I with the more confidence advance this obvious remark, because my brother has always found that fome of his birds, and particularly the swallow kind, are very fparing of their pains in croffing the Mediterrane an: for, when arrived at Gibraltar, they scout and hurry along in little detached parties of fix or feven in a company; and, fweeping low, juft over the furface of the land and water, di

rect their course to the oppofite conti nent at the narrowest paffage they can find. They ufually flope across the bay to the fouth-weft, and fo pafs over oppofite to Tangier, which it feems is the narrowest space.

"In former letters we have confidered whether it was probable that woodcocks in moon-fhiny nights cross the German ocean from Scandinavia. As a proof that birds of lefs fpeed may pafs that fea, confiderable as it is, I fhall relate the following incident, which, though mentioned to have happened fo many years ago, was ftrictly matter of fact:-As fome people were shooting in the parish of Trotton, in the county of Suffex, they killed a duck in that dreadful winter 1708-9, with a filver collar about its neck, on which were engraved the arms of the king of Denmark. This anecdote the rector of Trotton at that time has often told to a near relation of mine; and, to the best of my remembrance, the collar was in the poffeffion of the rector.

"At present I do not know any body near the fea-fide that will take the trouble to remark at what time of the moon woodcocks first come. One thing I used to obferve when I was a sportsman, that there were times in which woodcocks were fo fluggish and fleepy that they would drop again when flushed juft before the fpaniels, nay juft at the muzzle of a gun that had been fired at them whether this strange laziness was the effect of a recent fatiguing journey, I fhall not prefume to say.

"Nightingales not only never reach Northumberland and Scotland, but alfo, as I have been always told, Devon. fhire and Cornwall. In those two last counties we cannot attribute the failure. of them to the want of warmth: the defect in the west is rather a prefump. tive argument that these birds come over to us from the continent at the narroweft paffage, and do not stroll so far weftward."

Upon the whole, the migration of birds is a fact beyond controverfy, ferving to fhew the wonderful powers of inftinct, and the abundant care of Providence to protect and fuccour the meanneft of his creatures.

HAT brute animals poffefs reflecceptible of the kindly as well as the irrafcible paffions, independently of fexual attachment and natural affection; and that they have a great share of fidelity, of pride, and even a fenfe of glory, may be demonftrated from the elephant, the horfe, and the dog. Elephants, even in a favage ftate, are peaceable and gentle creatures, and never ufe their weapons but in defence of themfelves or companions. When tamed, he is the most friendly and obedient of all animals; and feems entirely devoted to the perfon who feeds and takes care of him. In a fhort time he understands figns, and the found of his mafter's voice. He diftinguishes the language of paffion, of command, of fatisfaction; and acts accordingly. He receives his orders with attention, and executes them with prudence and alacrity, but without precipitation. He easily learns to bow his knees and lower his body, for the convenience of thofe who mount him. He careffes his friends, and lifts burdens with his trunk, and affilts those who are loading him in laying them on his back; but above all he delights in fhining harness and trappings, and in being thus led on to the

war.

The intrepidity and fagacity of the horfe has been regarded with admiration by all ranks of men, and in all ages of the world. Even in a domeftic ftate he is bold and fiery; and, equally undaunted as his mafter, faces danger and death with ardour and magnanimity. He delights in the noife and tumult of arms, and feems to feel the glory of victory he exults in the chace; his eyes fparkle with emulation in the courfe. But, though bold and intrepid, he is docile and tractable: he knows how to govern and check the natural vivacity and fire of his temper. He not only yields to the hand, but feems to confult the inclination of his rider. Conftantly obedient to the impreffions he receives, his motions are entirely regulated by the will of his mafter, He in fome measure resigns his very existence to the pleasure of man. He VOL. I. No. 6.

delivers up his whole powers, he redifobey. Who could endure to see a character so noble abused? who could be guilty of fuch grofs barbarity? none but wretches molt relentless and unfeeling! We need go no further than the horse, to prove how ftrongly nature has endowed brute animals with memory; for whatever roads, paftures, inns, or ftables, a horfe has been accuftomed to, though removed for years to a diftant part of the country, he never forgets them; but if ever he returns, or paffes by them again, he gives evident tokens that he has been accuftomed to the place. The celebrated equeftrians, Hughes and Aftley, could, I doubt not, furnish a thousand curious anecdotes to illuftrate this fact; and to fhew that nothing is wanting but the gift of speech to make them reasonable creatures.

But to fhew, more obviously, the reafoning faculty of brutes, and to diftinguifh the operations of intellect from thofe of instinct, we need only contemplate the actions and difpofition of the dog. In a favage ftate, it must be allowed, that he is fierce, cruel, and voracious; but, when civilized and accustomed to live with men, he is poffeffed of every amiable quality. He feems to have no other defire than to please and protect his matter. He is gentle, obedient, fubmiffive, and faithful. These difpofitions, joined to his almost unbounded fagacity, juftly claim the esteem of mankind. Accordingly no animal is fo much careffed or refpected: he is fo ductile,and fo much formed to please, that he affumes the very air and temper of the family in which he refides. An animal endowed with fuch uncommon qualities must answer many ufeful purposes. His fidelity and vigilance are daily employed to protect our perfons, our flocks, and our goods. The acuteness of his smell gains him employment in hunting he is frequently employed as a turnfpit: at Bruffels and in Holland he is trained to draw little carts to the herb-market; and in the northern regions draws a fledge with his master in it, or else Y

:

loaded

loaded with provifions. The inftances of fagacity, fidelity, and attention, and even of forefight, which these faithful animals have evinced towards their masters, must have fallen under the obfervation of every reader; I fhall therefore only recite the following inftance, which is of unquestionable authenticity. At the feat of the late Earl of Litchfield, three milles from Blenheim, there is a portrait in the dining-room of Sir Henry Lee, by Johnftone, with that of a mastiff dog which faved his life. It feems a fervant had formed the defign of affalinating his mafter and robbing the houfe; but, the night he had fixed on, the dog, which had never been much noticed by Sir Henry, for the first time followed him up fairs, got under his bed, and could not be got from thence by either master or man; in the dead of night, the fame fervant entered the room to execute his horrid defign, but was inftantly feized by the dog, and being secured confeffed his intentions. There are ten quaint lines in one corner of the picture, which conclude thus:

But in my dog, whereof I made no store, I find more love than thofe 1 trufted more. Upon what hypothefis can we account for a degree of forefight and penetration fuch as this? Or will it be fuggested, as a folution of the difficulty, that a dog may poffibly become capable in a great meature of understanding human discourse, and of reasoning and acting accordingly; and that, in the prefent inftance, the villain had either uttered his defign in foliloquy, or imparted it to an accomplice, in the hearing of the animal ?

It has been much difputed whether the brutes have any language whereby they can exprefs their minds to each other; or whether all the noife they make confifts only of cries inarticulate, and unintelligible even to themselves. We may indeed, from analogy, conclude, with great reason, that fome of the cries of beafts are really expreffions of their fentiments; but whether one beaft is capable of forming a defign, and communicating that defign by any kind of language to others, is what I fhall leave to the judgment of the reader, after fubmitting to his confideration the following inflance. A fpar

row finding a neft that a martin had just built, ftanding very conveniently for him, poffeffed himself of it. The martin, feeing the ufurper in her house, called for help to expel him. A thoufand martins came full speed, and attacked the fparrow; but the latter being covered on every fide, and prefenting only his large beak at the entrance of the nett, was invulnerable, and made the boldeft of them who durft approach him repent of their temerity. After a quarter of an hour's combat, all the martins difappeared. The Sparrow thought he had got the better, and the fpectators judged that the martins had abandoned their undertaking. Not in the least. Immediately they returned to the charge; and, each of them having procured a little of that tempered earth with which they make their nests, they all at once fell upon the fparrow, and inclofed him in the neft to perifh there, though they could not drive him thence. Can it be imagined that the martins could have been able to hatch and concert this defign all of them together, without fpeaking to each other, or without fome medium of communication equivalent to language?

From all these extraordinary endowments, manifefted by brute animals of different countries and kinds, fome philofophers have maintained that brutes are endowed with a foul, though elfentially inferior to that of men; and to this foul they have allowed immortality. Father Bougeant, a Jeluit, has lately published a treatife exprefsly on this fubject, entitled, A philofophical amufement on the language of brutes, in which he affirms that they are animated by evil fpirits, or devils. The strangenefs of this doctrine has induced me to give the outline of his arguments, fince they cannot, fail to prove entertaining to the reader. «Reafon (fays he) naturally inclines us to believe that beafts have a fpiritual foul; and thè only thing that oppofes this fentiment is, the confequences that might be inferred from it. If brutes have a foul, that foul must be either matter or fpirit; it must be one of the two, and yet you dare affirm neither. You dare not fay it is matter, because you must then neceffarily fuppofe matter to be capable of thinking; nor will you fay that it is

fpirit,