TIAL IN- 

 STINCT. 



338 HERRING. Class IV. 



thus feparated from the greater columns, are of- 

 ten capricious in their motions, and do not mew 

 an invariable attachment to their haunts. We 

 have had in our time inftances of their entirely quit- 

 ting the coafts of Cardigan/hire^ and vifiting thofe 

 of Caernarvon/hire and Flint/hire, where they conti- 

 nued for a few years, but in the prefent year have 

 quite deferted our fea, and returned to their old 

 feats. The feafon of their appearance among us 

 was very late, never before the latter end of No- 

 vember j their continuance till February. 

 Providen- Were we inclined to confider this partial migra- 

 tion of the herring in a moral light, we might re- 

 flect with veneration and awe on the mighty Pow- 

 er which originally impreiTed on this moft ufeful 

 body of his creatures, the inftinct that directs and 

 points out the courfe, that blefTes and enriches thefe 

 iflands, which caufes them at certain and invaria- 

 ble times to quit the vaft polar deeps, and offer 

 themfelves to our expecting fleets. That benevo- 

 lent Being has never, from the earlieft records, been 

 once known to withdraw this blefllng from the 

 whole, though he often thinks proper to deny it 

 to particulars ; yet this partial failure (for which 

 we fee no natural reafon) mould fill us with the 

 moft exalted and grateful fenfe of his Providence, 

 for imprefiing fo invariable and general inftincl: 

 on thefe nfh towards a fouthward migration, when 

 the whole is to be benefited, and to withdraw it 

 only when a minute part is to fuffer. 



This 



