STUDY XI,. 215 



Birds have, befides, particular harmonies with 

 thofe vegetables, as we (hall make appear in it's 

 proper place. Not only do they find on them a 

 plentiful fupply of food, and fhelter under them, 

 but downs for lining their nefts, as on thirties, 

 and on the cotton-tree of America ; lb that if 

 many of them refort for fafety to the elevation of 

 towering trees, others find it in the thorny brake. 

 There is not a fingle bufli but what has it's pecu- 

 liar bird. 



Independantly of the plants proper to each fitu- 

 ation, and which are there domefticated, there are 

 fome in a ftate of inceflant peregrination, and flit 

 round the earth, without fettling in any fixed 

 abode. We can eafily have a conception of the 

 caufe of this confiant removal, by fuppcrfing, what 

 is actually the truth, that feveral of fuch plants 

 flied their feeds only at the feafon when certain re- 

 gular winds blow, or at certain revolutions of the 

 currents of the Ocean. Whatever may be in this, 

 I am of opinion that we mud rank, under this 

 defcription, many plants which were known to the 

 Ancients, but are not now to be found. Such, 

 among others, is the celebrated lazerpiiium of the 

 Romans, the juice of which, called Inzer, fold for 

 it's weight in filver. This plant, according to 

 Pliny, grew in the vicinity of the city of Corenum, 

 in Africa 3 but had become fuch a rarity in his 



p 4 time 



