94 CECONOMY 



The ctickow lays its eggs in the neft of 

 other fmall birds, generally the wagtail^ '^ or* 

 hedge-fparrdWy and leaves the incubation, and 

 prefervation of the young to them. But that 

 thefe young, when grown up, degenerate in- 

 to hawks, and become fo ungrateful!, that 

 they deftroy their nurfes, is a mere vulgar er- 

 ror, for it is contrary to their nature to eat 

 flefh. 



Amphibious animals^ fijhes and infe^s^ which 

 cannot come under the care of their pa- 

 rents, yet owe this to them, that they are put 

 in places, where they eafily find nourilhment, 

 as we have obferved. 



^ This cullom of the cuckow is fo extraordinary, and out 

 of the common courfe of nature, that it would not be cre- 

 dible, were it not for the teftimony of the moft knowing 

 and curious natural hillorians, fuch as Ray, Willughby, 

 Gefner, Aldrovandus, Ariftotle, &c. 



Much has been faid by the writers on birds about the fate 

 of the young birds, in whofc neft the cuckow is hatched, 

 but as i find nothing but mere conjedure, it would not be 

 worth while tranfcribing. 



* Hedge fparrow. Linnaeus feems to have taken the 

 white-throat for the hedge- fparrow. 



f 15. 



