352 Mr. French's Inquiry concerning Instinct. 



" The approach of intense frost is often to a certainty made 

 known to us by the appearance of a numerous tribe of Water-Birds, 

 some of which are rare, and seldom show themselves here on any 

 other occasion. We commonly see them three or four days prior 

 to the setting in of very severe frosty weather. This was manifest 

 at the latter end of the year 1794, at the coming on of the severe 

 season that ensued. In the river Severn, about a mile and a half 

 to the westward of this place, [Berkeley, Gloucest.] were seen and 

 taken many species of Water-Birds, that generally confine them- 

 selves to the more northern regions. Far more pleasant is it to see 

 during the continuance of hard frost, the return of those birds 

 which had left us at the beginning. These are pleasant omens, and 

 most certainly forebode a thaw. The following example shows 

 how soon they catch the first opportunity of again seeking those 

 countries from which they were so lately driven by necessity. The 

 day preceding the thaw, the frost being then intense, a gentleman 

 who was shooting observed a large flock of Field-fares, birds that 

 are extremely common here in milder weather. They were as 

 much untamed as if no frost had appeared in our island. He had 

 the good fortune to shoot one of them, which was brought to me. 

 I found it as fat and plump, and in every respect in as good con- 

 dition, as if it had remained here undisturbed, and had found 

 provision in the greatest plenty ; though it was without a particle 

 of food in its stomach. Its last meal was digested ; and the frost 

 still remaining, it could find no food for its present support. Now 

 it is very obvious that this bird, and its companions, must have 

 taken a long flight, and probably in a very short space of time ; 

 for the intense frost, that was of such duration and so severely felt 

 here, extended far into the more southern parts of Europe, beyond 

 which they must have resorted for that plenty of food which gave 

 plumpness to the one I examined, and doubtless to the whole 

 flock, from their appearing so wild and vigorous. It clearly ap- 

 pears, that in their flight they exceeded the progress of the thaw, 

 as the northern birds did that of the frost. This thaw, though it 

 was again succeeded by frost, came on very rapidly, and occa- 

 sioned, by the sudden melting of the snow, those destructive 



