144 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 



nos habitantem invenire possimus ; ut enim (Estate in australibus 

 degere nequeunt ob defectum lumbricorum, terramque siccam; ita 

 nee infrigidis ob eandem causam" says Ekmarck the Swede, in his 

 ingenious little treatise called ** Migrationes Avium," which by all 

 means you ought to read while your thoughts run on the subject of 

 migration. See " Amoenitates Academicae," vol. iv., p. 565. 



Birds may be so circumstanced as to be obliged to migrate in one 

 country, and not in another: but the gralla (which procure their 

 food from marshy and boggy grounds), must in winter forsake the 

 more northerly parts of Europe, or perish for want of food. 



I am glad you are making inquiries from Linnaeus concerning the 

 woodcock : it is expected of him that he should be able to account 

 for the motions and manner of life of the animals of his own 

 Fauna." 



Faunists, as you observe, are too apt to acquiesce in bare descrip- 

 tions, and a few synonyms : the reason is plain ; because all that 

 may be done at home in a man's study, but the investigation of the 

 life and conversation of animals is a concern of much more trouble 

 and difficulty, and is not to be attained but by the active and 

 inquisitive, and by those that reside much in the country. 



Foreign systematics are, I observe, much too vague in their 

 specific differences ; which are almost universally constituted by 

 one or two particular marks, the rest of the description running in 

 general terms. But our countryman, the excellent Mr. Ray, is the 

 only describer that conveys some precise idea in every term or word, 

 maintaining his superiority over his followers and imitators in spite 

 of the advantage of fresh discoveries and modern information. 



At this distance of years it is not in my power to recollect at 

 what period woodcocks used to be sluggish or alert when I was a 

 sportsman : but, upon my mentioning this circumstance to a friend, 

 he thinks he has observed them to be remarkably listjess against 

 snowy foul weather ; if this should be the case, then the inaptitude 

 for flying arises only from an eagerness for food ; as sheep are 

 observed'to be very intent on grazing against stormy wet evenings. 



I am, &c. &c, 



