456 



A HISTORY OF 



shall stand affrighted at the edge of the pond, 

 trembling for the fate of her young, which 

 she sees venturing into so dangerous an ele- 

 ment. As the different principle which acts 

 in these different animals cannot be termed 

 reason, so when we call it instinct, we mean 

 something we have no knowledge of. It ap- 

 pears to me the immediate direction of Pro- 

 vidence; and such an operation of the Su- 

 preme Being, as that which determines all 

 the portions of matter to their proper centres." 



The production of the young, as was said, 

 seems to be the great a?ra of a bird's hap- 

 piness. Nothing can at that time exceed its 

 spirit and industry: the most timid becomes 

 courageous in the defence of its young. Birds 

 of the rapacious kind, at this season, become 

 more than usually fierce and active. They 

 carry their prey, yet throbbing with life, to 

 the nest, and early accustom their young to 

 habits of slaughter and cruelty. Nor are 

 those of milder natures less busily employed ; 

 the little birds then discontinue their singing, 

 taken up with more important pursuits of com- 

 mon subsistence. 



While the young are yet unfledged, and 

 continue in the nest, the old ones take care 

 to provide them with a regular supply; and, 

 lest one should take all nourishment from 

 the rest, they feed each of the young in their 

 turn. If they perceive that man has been 

 busy Avith their nest, or has handled the lit- 

 tle ones, they abandon the place by night, and 

 provide their brood a more secure, though 

 less commodious, retreat. When the whole 

 family is completely plumed, and capable of 

 avoiding danger by flight, they are then led 

 forth when the weather is fine, and taught the 

 paternal art of providing for their subsistence. 

 They are led to the places where their food 

 lies ; they are shown the method of discover- 

 ing or carrying it away ; and then led back 

 to the nest, for a day or two longer. At length, 

 when they are completely qualified to shift 

 for themselves, the old ones take them abroad, 

 and leading them to the accustomed places, 

 forsake them for the last time ; and all future 

 connexion is ever at an end. 



Those birds which are hatched and sent 

 out earliest in the season are the most strong 

 and vigorous ; those, on the other hand, that 

 have been delayed till the midst of summer, 



are more feeble and tender, and sometimes 

 incapable of sustaining the rigours of the en- 

 suing winter. Birds themselves seem sensi- 

 ble of this difference, and endeavour to pro- 

 duce early in the spring. If, however, their 

 efforts are obstructed by having their nests 

 robbed, or some similar accident, they still 

 persevere in their efforts for a progeny ; and 

 it often happens that some are thus retarded 

 till the midst of winter. What number of 

 eggs any bird can lay in the course of a sea- 

 son is not ascertained ; but this is true, that 

 such as would have laid but two or three at 

 the most, if their nests be robbed, or their 

 eggs stolen, will lay above ten or twelve. A 

 common hen, if moderately fed, will lay above 

 a hundred from the beginning of spring to 

 the latter end of autumn. In general, how- 

 ever, it obtains, that the smallest and weak- 

 est animals are the most prolific, while the 

 strong and rapacious are abridged by sterili- 

 ty. Thus, such kinds as are easily destroy- 

 ed, are as readily repaired ; and nature, 

 where she has denied the power of resistance, 

 has compensated by the fertility attending 

 procreation. 



Birds in general, though they have so much 

 to fear from man and each other, are seldom 

 scared away from their usual haunts. Al- 

 though they be so perfectly formed for a 

 wandering life, and are supplied with pow- 

 ers to satisfy all their appetites, though never 

 so remote from the object, though they are 

 so well fitted for changing place with ease 

 and rapidity, yet the greatest number remain 

 contented in the districts where they have 

 been bred, and by no means exert their de- 

 sires in proportion to their endowments. The 

 rook, if undisturbed, never desires to leave 

 his native grove; the black-bird still frequents 

 its accustomed hedge; and the red-breast, 

 though seemingly mild, claims a certain dis- 

 trict, from which he seldom moves, but drives 

 out every one of the same species from thence 

 without pity. They are excited to migra- 

 tion by no other motives but those of fear, 

 climate, or hunger. It must be from one of 

 these powerful motives that the birds, which 

 are called birds of passage, every year for- 

 sake us for some time, and make their regu- 

 lar and expected returns. 



Nothing has more employed the curiosity 



