î6 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



I myfelf have feen a flag, when run down by 

 the hounds, appeal, with fobs, for relief, to the 

 compaffion of perfons accidentally paffing that way. 

 Pliny relates a fimilar fact, and it is confident with 

 my own experience, when I was in the Ifle of 

 France, which I have detailed in the journal of 

 my voyage to that Ifland. I have feen, in the farm- 

 yards, the India-hens, under the impulfe of love, 

 go and throw themfelves chuckling at the feet of 

 the ctountry-people. If we meet lefs frequently 

 with inftances of the effect of animal confidence 

 in Man, it is becaufe of the noife of our fowling- 

 pieces, fearing them inceflantly, and of the conti- 

 nual other perfecutions which they are doomed to 

 undergo. 



It is well known with what familiarity the mon- 

 keys, and fowls of all kinds, approach travellers 

 in the forefts of India *. I have feen at the Cape 

 of Good-Hope, in Cape-town itfelf, the fhores of 

 the Sea fwarming with water-fowls, which perched 

 confidently on the fhallops, and a large wild pe- 

 lican playing clofe by the cuftom-houfe, with a 

 great dog, whofe head fhe took into her enormous 

 beak. This fpectacle conveyed to me, from the 

 moment of my arrival, a mofl powerful impreffion 



* See Bemier and Mandejlo. 



in 



