330 THE PHILOSOPHT 



< Eaft Indies to fell ; which are efteemed by gluttons great 

 ' delicacies, who, difTolving them in chicken or mutton broth, 

 * are very fond of them, preferring them far before oyfters, 

 « muflirooms, or other dainty and lickerifli morfels which 

 ^ mofl: gratify the palate. Thefe nefts are of a hemifpherical 

 ^ figure, of the bignefs of a goofe-egg, and of a fubftance re- 

 f fembling ifing-glafs*.' 



Moft of the cloven-footed water-fowls, or waders, lay their 

 eggs upon the ground. But the fpoon-bills and the common 

 heron build large nefts in trees, and employ twigs and other 

 coarfe materials ; and the ftorks build on churches, or on 

 the tops of houfes. Many of the webb-footed fowls lay their 

 eggs likewife on the ground, as the terns, and fome of the 

 gulls and merganfers. But ducks pull the down from their 

 own breafts to afford a warmer and more comfortable bed 

 for their young. The auks, the guillemots, and the puffins 

 or coulternebs, lay their eggs on the naked {helves of high 

 rocks. The penguins, for the fame purpofe, dig large and 

 deep holes under ground. 



It is not unworthy of remark, that birds uniformly pro- 

 portion the dimenfions of their nefts to the number and lize 

 of the young to be produced. Every fpecies lays nearly a 

 determined number of eggs. But, if one be each day ab- 

 ftraifted from the neft, the bird continues to lay daily more 

 till her number Is completed. Dr. Lifter, by this practice, 

 made a fwallow lay no lefs than nineteen eggs. 



The habitations of IiifeBs are next to be confidered. On 

 this branch of the fubjedV, we ihall firft give fome examples 

 of abodes conftruiSted by folitary workers, and next of thofe 

 habitations which are executed by aflbciated numbers. 



In feveral preceding parts of this work, and particularly 

 in the chapter upon Inftindt, the reader will find fome in- 

 ftancps of the fkill and induftry exhibited by infe^ls for the 

 • Willougbby's Ornitholpgy, page z\$. 



