New Jerfey, Raccoon. 145 



Swallow fat upon the neft, laid eggs in it, 

 and was about to brood them ; fome days 

 after, the people faw the female ftill fitting 

 on the eggs : but the male flying about the 

 neft and fometimes fettling on a nail, was 

 heard to Utter a very plaintive note, which 

 betrayed his uneaiinefs : on a nearer exa- 

 mination the female was found dead in the 

 neft, and the people flung her away. The; 



but with thofe parts of the net which patted near to the 

 reeds and rufhes; and fometimes the Sivalloivs were yet 

 fattened with their feet to a reed, when they were drawn 

 up by the net. As to the argument taken from their 

 being fo long under water without corruption, I believe, 

 there is a real difference between animals fuftbeated in 

 water, and animals being torpid therein. We have ex- 

 amples of things being a long time under water ; to which 

 we may add the intenfe cold of thefe northern regions, 

 which preferves them. Who would have thought it, that 

 fnails and polypes may be difle&ed, and could reproduce 

 the parts fevered from their body, if it was not a fact ? 

 Natural hiftory ought to be ftudied as a collection of facts ; 

 not as the hiftory of our guefles or opinions. Nature 

 varies in an infinite manner ; and Providence has diverfi- 

 fied the inftinct of animals, and their ceconomy, and adapt- 

 ed it to the various feafons and climates. This long di- 

 greflion I thought neceflary and excufable ; and the more 

 fo, as the ingenious great friends to the caufe of Natural 

 Hiftory, the late Mr. Ccllinfon, and Mr. Pennant, have both 

 afierted the impoflibility and improbability of this im- 

 merfion. J revere the memory and the attaes cf the one, 

 and think the friendfhip of the other an honour to me : 

 but am aftured, that both prefer truth to their private 

 opinion ; and can bear a modeft oppofition, when it is 

 propofed with candour, with a view to promote truth, 

 and with fentiments of refpect and gratitude, as it is done 

 by me, in the preient cafe. F. 



Vol. II. K male 



