CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 183 



Mr. JOHNSON to Mr. RAY. 



SIR, I have inclosed a draught of our Branlin [the 

 young of the salmon, Salma salar], which I took from 

 the fish, which now I know comes too late ; but I hope 

 you found the other I sent you before, which was far 

 more exact, being done by an excellent artist. On the 

 back side you have the description of a new English bird 

 [the Bohemian Waxwing, Bombycilla garruld\. It agrees 

 in material points with your Garrulus bohemicus ; and 

 therefore I imagine it to be of that sort, for some birds 

 vary nmeh in colour. They came near us in great flocks, 

 like Fieldfares \Turdus joilaris], and fed upon haws, as 

 they do. I cannot but think that the wars in those parts 

 have frightened them thence, and brought them hither 

 this winter (which with us was above measure plentiful in 

 haws), for certainly they are not natives. And now it is 

 in my thoughts, I would intreat you, at your best leisure, 

 to let me know if you can tell anything certain concern- 

 ing the birds of passage, whither they go, when they 

 leave us ? If it be granted that the swallow kind, and 

 such small birds, do hide themselves in rocks or trees, 

 yet storks, soland-geese, and birds of great size, cannot 

 possibly do so. The moon is too far a journey ; and a 

 new world in the south temperate zone methinks they 

 can hardly reach, seeing Wild Geese [Anser segetwn\ from 

 Ireland, and Woodcocks \Scolopax rusticola] from Nor- 

 way, come often so tired to us ; and yet how they should 

 escape the eyes of so many diligent inquirers, both by 

 sea and land, especially since our increase of trade and 

 navigation, is to rne a matter of no less difficulty. 

 Brignall, May 7, 86. 



