OBSERVATIONS ON BIRDS. 315 



though Mr. "White thinks it poorly qualified for migration, 

 on account of the wings being short, and not placed in the 

 exact centre of gravity : how that may be I cannot say, but 

 I know that its heavy sluggish flight is not owing to its 

 inability of flying faster, for I have seen it fly very swiftly ; 

 although in general its actions are sluggish. Its unwilling- 

 ness to rise proceeds, I imagine, from its sluggish disposition, 

 and its great timidity ; for it will sometimes squat so close 

 to the ground as to suffer itself to be taken up by the hand, 

 rather than rise ; and yet it will at times run very fast. 



What Mr. "White remarks respecting the small shell-snails 

 found in its gizzard, confirms my opinion, that it frequents 

 corn fields, seed clover, and brakes or fern, more for the 

 sake of snails, slugs, and other insects which abound in such 

 places, than for the grain or seeds ; and that it is entirely an 

 insectivorous bird.* MARKWICK. 



POOD FOR THE RING-DOTE. One of my neighbours shot 

 a ring-dove on an evening as it was returning from feed and 

 going to roost. When his wife had picked and drawn it, 

 she found its craw stuffed with the most nice and tender 

 tops of tuniips. These she washed and boiled, and so sat 

 down to a choice and delicate plate of greens, culled and 

 provided in this extraordinary manner. 



Hence we may see that graminivorous birds, when grain 

 fails, can subsist on the leaves of vegetables. There is 

 reason to suppose that they would not long be healthy with- 

 out ; for turkeys, though corn-fed, delight in a variety of 

 plants, such as cabbage, lettuce, endive, &c.; and poultry 

 pick much grass ; while geese live for months together on 

 commons by grazing alone. 



" Nought is useless made : - 



On the barren heath 



The shepherd tends his flock, that daily crop 

 Their verdant dinner from the mossy turf 

 Sufficient : after them, the cackling goose, 

 Close grazer, finds wherewith to ease her want." 



PHILIPS' Cyder. 



WHITE. 



near the sea a large congregation of these birds. The next day not one was 

 to be found. ED. 



* There is no doubt of its feeding much on grass seeds, which the length 



