324 



THE PHILOSOPHY 



Moft of the paflerine or fmall tribes build their nefts in hedges, 

 Ihiubs, or bufhes ; though fome of them, as the lark and the goat- 

 fucker, build upon the ground. The nefts of fmall birds are more 

 delicate in their ftrudture and contrivance than thole of the larger 

 kinds. As the fize of their bodies, and likewife that of their eggs, 

 are fmaller, the materials of which their nefts are compofed are ge- 

 neially warmer. Small bodies retain heat a fhorter time than thofe 

 which are large. Hence the eggs of fmall birds require a more 

 conftant fupply of heat than thofe of greater dimenfions. Their 

 nefts, accordingly, are built proportionally wanner and deeper, and 

 they are lined v;ith fofter fubftances. The larger birds, of courfe^ 

 can leave their eggs for fome time with impunity ; but the fmaller 

 kinds fit moft afhduoufly ; for, when the female is obliged to go 

 abroad in queft of food, the neft is always occupied by the male. 

 When a neft is finifhed, nothing can exceed the dexterity of both 

 male and female in concealing it from the obfervation of man, and 

 of other deftrudive animals. If it is built in bufties, the pliant 

 branches are difpofed in fuch a manner as to hide it entirely from 

 view. To conceal her retreat, the chaffinch covers the outfide of her 

 neft with mofs, which is commonly of the fame colour with the 

 bark of the tree on which {he builds. The common fwallow builds 

 its neft on the tops of chimneys ; and the martin attaches hers to 

 the corners of windows, or under the eaves of houfes. Both employ 

 the fame materials. The neft is built with mud well tempered by 

 the bill, and moiftened with water to make it more firmly cohere; 

 and the mud or clay is kept ftill firmer by a mixture of ftraw or 

 grafs. Within it is neatly lined with feathers. Willoughby, on the 

 authority of Bontius, informs us, ' 1 hat, on the fea coft of the king- 

 ' dom of China, a fort of fmall party-coloured birds, of the fhape 

 * of fwallows, at a certain feafon of the year, viz. their breeding 

 ' time, come out of the midland country to the rocks ; and from 

 ' the foam or froth of the fea-water dalhing and breaking againft 

 I 'the 



