Birds by Land and Sea 



throw themselves under water, and lie in the bed 

 of the river " an instance of the fallibility of 

 literary judgments in matters scientific. 



The wisdom which comes after the event enables 

 one to appreciate the delightfully naive spirit in 

 which another Mr. Johnson, writing from Brignall 

 on the 7th May, 1686, to John Ray, the naturalist, 

 states : " On the back Side you have the Description 

 of a new English Bird. It agrees in material Points 

 with your Garrulus Bohemicus ; and therefore I 

 imagine it to be of that Sort, for some Birds vary 

 much in Colour. They came near us in great Flocks, 

 like Field-Fares^ and fed upon Haws, as they do. I 

 cannot but think that the Wars in those Parts have 

 frighted them from thence, and brought them 

 hither this Winter (which with us was above measure 

 plentiful in Haws) y for certainly they are not Natives. 

 And now 'tis in my Thoughts, I would intreat you, 

 at your best Leisure, to let me know if you can tell 

 any thing concerning the Birds of Passage , whither 

 they go, when they leave us ? If it be granted the 

 Swallow Kind, and such small Birds, do hide them- 

 selves in Rocks and Trees, yet Storks, Soland-Geese y 

 and Birds of great Size cannot possibly do so. The 

 Moon is too far a Journey, and a New World in the 

 South temperate Zone methinks they can hardly 

 reach, seeing Wild-Geese from Ireland^ and Wood- 

 Cocks from Norway ', come often so tired to us ; 

 and yet how they should 'scape the eyes of so 

 many diligent Enquirers, both by Sea and Land, 



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