194 SALMONIA. 



long waiting in the end of March, for the 

 arjival of the double snipe in the Campagna 

 of Rome, — a great flight appeared on the 

 3d of April, and the day after heavy rain set 

 in, which greatly interfered with my sport. 

 The vulture, upon the same principle, fol- 

 lows armies ; and I have no doubt, that the 

 augury of the ancients was a good deal 

 founded upon the observation of the instincts 

 of birds. There are many superstitions of 

 the vulgar owing to the same source. For 

 anglers, in spring, it is always unlucky to 

 see single magpies, — but two may be always 

 regarded as a favourable omen; and the rea- 

 son is, that in cold and stormy weather one 

 magpie alone leaves the nest in search of 

 food, the other remaining sitting upon the 

 eggs or the young ones; but when two go 

 but together, the weather is warm and mild, 

 and thus favourable for fishing. 



PoiET. — ^The singular connections of causes 

 and effects, to which you have just referred, 

 make superstition less to be wondered at, 

 particularly amongst the vulgar ; and when 

 two facts, naturally unconnected, have been 



