Sect. XVI. 1 1 . i . OF INSTINCT. 1 1 9 



fcream to the unfledged young to fhrink into their nefts from 

 the fight of the enemy. The vulgar obferving this circum- 

 flance fo uniformly to occur, affert that rooks can fmell gun- 

 powder. 



The fieldfares, (turdus pilaris) which breed in Norway, and 

 come hither in the cold feafon for bur winter berries ; as they 

 are affociated in flocks, and are in a foreign country, have evi- 

 dent marks of keeping a kind of watch, to remark and announce 

 the appearance of danger. On approaching a tree, that is cov- 

 ered with them, they continue fearlefs till one at the extremity 

 of the bulh rifing on his wings gives a loud and peculiar note of 

 alarm, when they all immediately fly, except one other, who 

 continues till you approach flill nearer, to certify as it were ths 

 reality of the danger, and then he alfo flies off repeating the note 

 of alarm. 



And in the woods about Senegal there is a bird called uett- 

 uett by the negroes, and fquallers by the French, which, as foon 

 as they fee a man, fet up a loud fcream, and keep flying round 

 him, as if their intent was to warn other birds, which upon 

 hearing the cry immediately take wing. Thefe birds are the 

 bane of fportfmen, and frequently put me into a paflion, and 

 obliged me to fhoct them, (Adanfon's Voyage to Senegal, 78). 

 For the fame intent the leffer birds of our climate ieem to fly 

 after a hawk, cuckoo, or owl, and fcream to prevent their com- 

 panions from being furprifed by the general enemies of them- 

 felves, or of their eggs and progeny. 



But the lapwing, (charadrius pluvialis Lin.) when her un- 

 fledged offspring run about the marines, where thev were hatch- 

 ed, not only gives the note of alarm at the approach of men or 

 dogs, that her young may conceal themfelves ; but flying and 

 fcreaming near the adversary, {he appears more folicitous and 

 impatient, as he recedes from her family, and thus endeavours 

 to miflead him, and frequently fucceeds in her defign. Thefe 

 laft instances are fo appofite to the fituation, rather than to the 

 natures of the creatures, that ufe them ; and are fo fimilar to 

 the actions of men in the fame circumftances, that we cannot 

 but believe, that they proceed from a fimilar principle. 



Mifs M. E. Jackfon acquainted me, that ihe witneffed this 

 autumn an agreeable inftance of fagacity in a little bird, which 

 feemed to ufe the means to obtain an end j the bird repeatedly 

 hopped upon a poppy-ftem, and (hook the head with its bill, till 

 many feeds were fcattered, then it fettled on the ground, and 

 eat the feeds, and again repeated the fame management. Sept. 



J > *794- 



On the northern coaft of Ireland a friend of mine &w above 



