THE CRANE KIND. 185 



uninhabitable by the flooding of the waters ; and seek their food 

 about our ditches and marshy meadow-grounds. Yet even of this 

 class, all are wanderers upon some occasions ; and take wing to the 

 northern climates to breed and find subsistence. This happens when 

 our summers are peculiarly dry ; and when the fenny countries are 

 not sufficiently watered to defend their retreats. 



But though this be the usual course of Nature, with respect to 

 these birds, they often break through the general habits of their kind ; 

 and as the lapwing, the ruff, and the sandpiper are sometimes seen to 

 alter their manners, and to migrate from hence, instead of continuing 

 to breed here ; so we often find the woodcock, the snipe, and the cur- 

 lew, reside with us during the whole season, and breed their young 

 iu different parts of the country. In Casewood, about two miles from 

 Tunbridge, as Mr. Pennant assures us, some woodcocks are seen to 

 breed annually. The young have been shot there in the beginning 

 of August ; and were as healthy and vigorous as they are with us in 

 winter, though not so well tasted. On the Alps, and other high 

 mountains, says Willoughby, the woodcock continues all summer ; I 

 myself have flushed them on the top of Mount Jura, in June and 

 July. The eggs are long, of a pale red colour, and stained with deep- 

 er spots and clouds. The nests of the curlew and the snipe are fre- 

 quently found ; and some of these perhaps never entirely leave this 

 island. 



It is thus that the same habits are, in some measure, common to 

 all ; but in nestling, and bringing up their young, one method takes 

 place universally. As they all run and feed upon the ground, so they 

 are all found to nestle there. The number of eggs generally to be 

 seen in every nest, is from two to four ; never under, and very sel- 

 dom exceeding. The nest is made without any art ; but the eggs are 

 either laid in some little depression of the earth, or on a few bents 

 and long grass, that scarcely preserve them from the moisture be- 

 low. Yet such is the heat of the body of these birds, that their time 

 of incubation is shorter than with any others of the same size. The 

 magpie, for instance, takes twenty-one days to hatch its young ; the 

 Japwing takes but fourteen. Whether the animal oil, with which these 

 Wrds abound, gives them their superior warmth, I cannot tell ; but 

 there is no Houbt of their quick incubation. 



In their season of courtship, they pair as other birds ; but not with- 

 out violent contests between the males, for the choice of the female. 

 The lapwing and the plover are often seen to fight among themselves ; 

 hut there is one little bird of this tribe, called the ruff, that has got 

 the epithet of the fighter, merely from its great perseverance and 

 animosity on these occasions. In the beginning of spring, when 

 these birds arrive among our marshes, they are observed to engage 

 with desperate fury against each other ; it is then that the fowlers, 

 seeing them intent on mutual destruction, spread their nets over them, 

 and take them in great numbers. Yet even in captivity their animo- 

 sity still continues : the people that fat them up for sale, are obliged 

 CO shut them up in close daik rooms ; for if they let ever so little 

 llglrt in among them, the turbulent prisoners instantly fall to fighting 

 with each other, and never cease till each has killed its antagonist 

 . says Willoughby, if any body stands by A simi ar ani 



