MIGRATING BIRDS. 



which he saw in the spring time traversing 

 the Thracian Bosphorus from Asia to Europe. 

 Besides the above-mentioned, he remarks that 

 the procession is swelled by whole troops of 

 eagles and vultures. 



Now it is no wonder that birds residing in 

 Africa should retreat before the sun as it advances, 

 and retire to milder regions, and especially birds 

 of prey, whose blood being heated with hot animal 

 food, are more impatient of a sultry climate ; but 

 then I cannot help wondering why kites and 

 hawks, and such hardy birds as are known to 

 defy all the severity of England, and even of 

 Sweden and all north Europe, should want to 

 migrate from the south of Europe, and be dissa- 

 tisfied with the winters of Andalusia. 



It does not appear to me that much stress may 

 be laid on the difficulty and hazard that birds 

 must run in their migrations, by reason of vast 

 oceans, cross winds, &c.; because, if we reflect, 

 a bird may travel from England to the equator 

 without launching out and exposing itself to 

 boundless seas, and that by crossing the water at 

 Dover, and again at Gibraltar. And I with the 

 more confidence advance this obvious remark, 

 because my brother has always found that some 

 of his birds, and particularly the swallow kind, 

 are very sparing of their pains in crossing the 

 Mediterranean; for, when arrived at Gibraltar, 

 they do not 



" Ranged in figure, wedge their way, 

 and set forth 



Their airy caravan high over seas 



Flying, and over lands with mutual wing 



Easing their flight ;" MILTON. 



but scout and hurry along in little detached parties 

 of six or seven in a company ; and sweeping low, 



