2 RENNIE’S MONTAGU, 
The errors it contains can only be accounted for on 
the score that our professor, like many other natu- 
ralists of high note and consideration, has spent 
more of his time in books than in bogs. His de- 
ficiency in bog-education is to be lamented; for 
such an education would have been a great help to 
him in his ornithological writings. For my own 
part, I must own, that I have been more in bogs 
than amongst books; and have for years wandered 
“ per loca senta situ,” where, it is easy for the 
reader to imagine, that I must have had many cor- 
poral misadventures, and at the same time acquired 
some mental improvement. 
After this statement, I trust that the professor 
will not take it amiss if I do not agree with him 
in all his notions on waterfowl incubation. Many 
writers on natural history, on account of their situ- 
ation in life, can only attempt to clear up doubts by 
means of theory. Others, again, who have had 
practice, have it in their power to adduce facts. 
Truth is the great object which all strive to reach, 
“ Omnes eodem cogimur.” 
Let us now go to the marsh, and find a water- 
fowl’s nest, with the old bird sitting on eggs con- 
taining embryo chicks. We will drive the bird 
gently off the nest, and we will stay full two hours 
near the place, to prevent the return of the bird. 
At the end of the two hours we will go away, and 
I will engage that the old bird will come back to 
her nest, and hatch the eggs which have been left 
uncovered all this time. This being the case, how 
stands the professor's speculation, that the vicinity 
