96 SCOPOLl's ANNUS PRIMUS. 



resident in those cold regions the whole year. From whence 

 then do our ringousels migrate so regularly every September, 

 and make their appearance again, as if in their return, every 

 April ? They are more early this year than common, for some 

 were seen at the usual hill on the fourth of this month. 



An observing Devonshire gentleman tells me, that they 

 frequent some parts of Dartmoor, and breed there, but leave 

 those haunts about the end of September, or beginning of 

 October, and return again about the end of March. 



Another intelligent person assures me, that they breed in 

 great abundance all over the Peak of Derby, and are called 

 there torousels, withdraw in October and November, and 

 return in spring. This information seems to throw some 

 light on my new migration. 



Scopoli's new work* (which I have just procured) has its 

 merits, in ascertaining many of the birds of the Tyrol and 

 Carniola. Monographers, come from whence they may, have, I 

 think, fair pretence to challenge some regard and approbation 

 from the lovers of natural history ; for, as no man can alone 

 investigate all the works of nature, these partial writers may, 

 each in his department, be more accurate in their discoveries, 

 and freer from errors, than more general writers, and so by 

 degrees may pave the way to an universal correct natural 

 history. Not that Scopoli is so circumstantial and attentive 

 to the life and conversation of his birds as I could wish : he 

 advances some false facts ; as when he says of the hirundo 

 urbicciy that "pullos extra nidum non nutrit" This assertion I 

 know to be wrong, from repeated observation this summer ; 

 for house-martens do feed their young flying, though, it must 

 be acknowledged, not so commonly as the house-swallow : 

 and the feat is done in so quick a manner as not to be 

 perceptible to indifferent observers. He also advances some 

 (I was going to say) improbable facts ; as when he says of the 

 woodcock that "pullos rostro portal fugiens ab hoste." But 

 candour forbids me to say absolutely that any fact is false, 

 because I have never been witness to such a fact. I have 

 only to remark, that the long unwieldy bill of the woodcock 

 is perhaps the worst adapted of any among the winged 

 creation for such a feat of natural affection. 



* Annus Primus Historico-Naturalis. 



