MIGRATION AND FLIGHT. 101 



that a brace fell senseless into the boat. An addi- 

 tional reason for the respect in which they are held 

 by the Turks is, that, in consequence, probably, of 

 their restless life, they are supposed to be bodies 

 animated by condemned souls, thus doomed for ever 

 to frequent the scenes of their former existence. 



From this superstition, in addition to the prevail- 

 ing opinion that they are Halcyons or Kingfishers, 

 our classical readers may be reminded of the fable 

 of Ceyx and Haley one. 



Volabat 



Percutiensque levem modo natis ae'ra pennis, 

 Stringebat summaS ales miserabilis undas. 



**** 



Hos aliquis senior circum freta lata volantes 

 Spectat. OVID, Metam., b. xi., 731. 



We cannot quit the subject of the flight of birds, 

 without entering a little more at large upon one so 

 closely connected with it as migration, to which 

 we have already briefly alluded ; for certainly, there 

 is no instinct which seems to act upon them more 

 forcibly, or which, after all, is so deeply involved in 

 mystery. 



A careless observer will probably urge that there 

 is no difficulty in accounting for the periodical jour- 

 neys and voyages of birds. He will say that it is 

 for the sake of food, no longer to be found in the 

 particular ^spot in which the bird has been dwelling 

 for a few previous weeks or months; or, that it is 

 for the purpose of breeding in more favoured situa- 

 tions, or for some other less ostensible cause. But 

 none of these reasons will hold good when closely 

 examined. Is it for the sake of rearing its young 



