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To endeavour to find out the distance land birds can fly over water I will take the island 

 of Bermuda for example, which, speaking roughly, exceeds seven hundred miles from the 

 nearest land, but should birds be migrating from the direct north (due south) the distance 

 from land on either side would perhaps be one thousand miles. Now, should birds migrating 

 miss the island, could they live to travel two thousand miles? One can hardly fancy all those 

 migrating could depend on finding such a speck as this island in such a space of sea. I will 

 not pass an opinion as to the distances birds can fly, but there must be some limit, perhaps 

 that mentioned, for instance, may be about it. 



Any one who has seen a flock of teal flying with the wind during a gale might have some 

 idea of the speed they are going at, which certainly appears surprising; and when a flock of 

 wild geese comes over your head, with a high wind, they seem to be travelling at a terrific pace. 



We can have no idea of the senses of any living creatures excepting ourselves, that is as 

 to sight, hearing, or smell ; neither have the birds barometers nor telegraphs as to winds and 

 weather, but, notwithstanding this, instinct probably dictates the time exactly suitable for 

 them to undertake the hazardous journey, and probably though a few sometimes come to grief, 

 the bulk, or certainly so many as nature requires, will arrive safely at the end of it; neither 

 can we have the slightest idea whether other creatures except ourselves can discern colours as 

 we see them. 



No doubt some kinds ot creatures hear very acutely, but it is doubtful if birds living 

 amongst rocks, and where the sea is constantly breaking even on the sea itself in windy weather 

 the sense of hearing is of much consequence to them. Is it ascertained whether fishes can hear? 



