24.2 PREFACE. 



Nor is this wonderful, though it may feem^ fo v 

 for the generality of mankind, and efpecially 

 thofe who travel merely for the fake of a liveli- 

 hood, or a fortune, are fo little folicitous about 

 things of this kind, that the air might be filled 

 vi'ixh /wallows in winter without their obferving 

 it, as was plainly the cafe at Senegal. 



The number of birds that difappear in this 

 kingdom is much greater than is generally ima~ 

 o-ined -, efpecially if we reckon amongft them the 

 birds which fliift quarters at different feafons, but 

 do not crofs the leas. I Ihall not attempt to give 

 a lift of them, but recommend it to the curious, 

 who live in the countrey the year round to watch 

 them more narrowly, than they have hitherto 

 been. Linnaeus fays, that moft of that genus of 

 birds, which he calls motacilU, i. e. thofe fmall 

 birds^ which . have a beak fubulated and firaity 

 with chaps nearly equals iiofirils of a pointed 

 oval form, and tongue jaggedly indented^ live 

 upon ^infecls and not grain \ and therefore mi- 

 grate i^rom the northern to the fouthern parts to- 

 wards winter; but it appears, that many birds 

 migrate not only in Sweden, but in Greece and 

 otKer climates, that live with us all the year 

 round. 



It is pofTible, that after all i have faid, tending 

 to revive natural augury, and after all the ne- 

 celTary obfervations fhail have been regiftred, that 

 no ufe can be made of it-, but i am certain, that 

 as long as men have ears and eyes, they muft 

 think that one of the greateft delights of the 

 countrey, efpecially during the fpring months, is 

 owing to the lively motions, beautiful fliapes and 

 colours, and melodious notes of birds, which 



will 



