Account of a Parrot hatched at Home. i^t 



the antients affigned a life equally long; but we have no ob- 

 fervations in regard to their incubation *, 



The goofe^ which employs thirty days in incubation, lives 

 beyond the age of 80. The eagle, buftard, turkey, and duck, 

 are the next in the table in regard to the i)eriod of incuba- 

 tion ; but it has never yet been compared by any one with 

 the duration of their life. 



All the other birds mentioned in the table, live nearly in 

 proportion to the time of their incubation ; but, as lliefe 

 obfervations were made chiefly on domeftic or captive birds. 

 It is probable that there may be fome difference between thefe 

 and thofe which are in the wild ftate. 



^ " We know befides," fays M. de Buffon, " that we never 

 give time to our domeftic birds to go through the complete 

 period of life afligned to them bv nature." 



In regard to birds in their wild ftate, it is almoft impoffibk 

 to obtam any correft information. Very few ornitholocriib, 

 therefore, have fpoken of the duration of their life ; and wheri 

 they are caught in fnares, they endeavour to judge of their 

 age by marks which are very ambiguous. (See Anjkllc.) 

 _ The conlhnt ratio which I have obferved between the 

 time of incubation and the duration of the life of birds, fu<'-- 

 gefled to me the idea of examining what relation there*is 

 between the duration of the life of quadrupeds and the time 

 ernployedmgellation; and 1 have made out the followinjr 

 table : ^ 



Tahle of the Period of Gejiation and of the Duration of 

 Life of fever al Quadrupeds. 



Names of the Relation. Duiat. of Life. 



Animals. Months. Years. Authors, 



Elephant - - 24 - 150 to 200 - Ariftotle. 



^;^"?f - - - 12 - 40 to 50 - The fame, 



ikiffalo - - 12 - 20 to 25 - Cajctano- 



Afs - - - - 12 - 25 to 30 - Buffon. 



Mare - - - 11 [. - 25 to 30 - AriRotle. 



Cow - - _ 9 . 14 to 15 - The fame. 



Stag - - - 8;-- 35 to 40 - NewTrcatifcon 

 o . , JJ t Hunting. 



Roebuck - . 5^. . 13 to I/; - Buffon. 

 Sheep .. - _ ^ . 12 to ] (J - The fame. 

 Goat - - . 5 . J I to 13 - The fame. 

 Dog . - _ 2; . II to J5 - Thenxme. 



By comparing thefe two tables a very great analojry will 

 be found between the time of the geftation of quachupcd.s 

 • Sec I'-iilus Jovius. 



O- 3 and 



