OF NATURAL HISTORY. 493 



Auguft or September. But, in general, the times of their 

 breeding and departure feem to coincide with the arrival of 

 the herring, and the migration of that fifh from our coafts. 

 It is more than probable that thefe birds attend the herrings 

 and pilchards during their whole circuit round the Britifli 

 iflands ; for the appearance of the folan geefe is always ef- 

 teemed by the fifliermen as a certain prefage of the approach 

 of the herrings or pilchards. In queft of food, thefe birds 

 migrate as far fouth as the mouth oftheTagus ; for they are 

 frequently feen off Lilbon during the month of December. 



The crofs-beak, the crofs-bill, and the lilk-tail, are likewife 

 enumerated by Mr. White as birds of pafTage. « But thefe,* 

 fays he, * are only wanderers that appear occafionally, and 

 < are not obfervant of any regular migration*.' 



The long-legged plover, and fanderling, vilit us in winter 

 only ; and it is worthy of remark, that every fpecies of the 

 curlews, wood-cocks, fand-pipers, and ploversf, which for- 

 fake us in the fpring, retire to Sweden, Poland, Pruffia, Nor- 

 way, and Lapland, both to feed and to breed. They return 

 to us as foon as the young are able to fly •, becaufe the frofts, 

 which fet in early in thefe countries, totally deprive them of 

 the means of fubfiftence. For the fame reafon they leave 

 us in fummer, as the drynefs and hardnefs of the ground 

 prevent them from penetrating the earth with their bills in 

 quefl: of worms, which conftitute the natural food of thefe 

 birds. 



From the fa£ls which have been enumerated, and from 

 others of a fimilar nature, it is evident, that many birds, both 

 of the land and water kinds, migrate from one climate to 

 another. But, even in the fame climate and country, birds 

 occafionally perform partial migrations. During hard win- 

 ters, when the furface of the earth is covered with fnow, 



* "White's Natural Hlftory of Selborne, page iiS. 

 f Linn. Amoen. Acad. torn. 4. page 588. Klein dc Avium Migrat page 187. 



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