22 March 1749. 



Wild Pigeons, ( Columb a migrator ia*) 7 

 flew in the woods, in numbers beyond 

 conception, and I was allured that they 

 were more plentiful than they had been 

 for feveral years paft. They came this 

 week, and continued here for about a 

 fortnight, after which they all difappeared, 

 or advanced further into the country, from 

 whence they came. I fhall fpeak of them 

 more particularly in another place. 



March the 7th. Several people told 

 me, that it was a certain fign of bad wea- 

 ther here when a thunder-ftorm arofe in the 

 fouth or fouth weft, if it fpread to the eaft 

 and afterwards to the north : but that on 

 the contrary, when it did not fpread at all, 

 or when it fpread both eaft and weir, 

 though it mould rife in fouth or fouth weft, 

 yet it would prognosticate fair weather. To- 

 day it was heard in fouth weft, but it did 

 not fpread at all. See the meteorological 

 obfervations, at the end of this volume. 



Till now the froft had continued in the 

 ground, fo that if any one had a mind to 

 dig a hole he was forced to cut it through 

 with a pick-ax. However it had not pe- 

 netrated 



* Of this Pigeon of PaJJage we have given here a plate, 

 tab. ii. taken from a parcel of birds, lately brought from 

 Jmerica, of which wc were favoured with a rune fpe- 

 cimen. F. 



