SOME ANCIENT AND ANTIQUATED VIEWS 3 



[dove], and the Crane, and the Swallow observe the 

 time of their coming." 



The above are, however, mere allusions to the 

 subject, and it was not until a century or two later, 

 when the works of the illustrious Greek philosopher 

 and naturalist, Aristotle (b.c. 384-322), 'were given to 

 the world, that we find the migrations of birds and other 

 animals discussed for the first time. 



These remarkable contributions are to be found in 

 the eighth book of his Historia Animaiiuui, of which, 

 fortunately, we have recently been furnished with a 

 masterly edition in English by Prof. D'Arcy Thompson. 

 This notable book forms one of the volumes of The 

 Woj'ks of Aristotle, and was published at Oxford in 

 1 9 10. From this most valuable natural history, the 

 following interesting information has been culled : but 

 it is not all sound, for some highly ridiculous theories 

 are also advanced, which are, however, pardonable, as 

 they are at the outset of the study of any great subject. 



Aristotle tells us that "Some creatures can make 

 provision against change [of season] without stirring 

 from their ordinary haunts ; others migrate, quitting 

 Pontus and the cold countries after the autumnal 

 equinox to avoid approaching winter, and after the 

 spring equinox migrating from warm lands to cool lands 

 to avoid the coming heat. In some cases they migrate 

 from places near at hand ; in others they may be said to 

 come from the ends of the world, as in the case of the 

 Crane, for these birds migrate from the steppes of 

 Scythia to the marshlands south of Egypt, where the 

 Nile has its source. . . . Pelicans also migrate, and fly 

 from the Strymon to the Ister, and breed on the banks 

 of this river. They depart in flocks, and the birds in 



