[ *7 r 1 



* ferved quails flying the contrary way to N. and S. 

 " that they might abide there all fummer, at which 

 *« time alfo a great many were taken in the (hip." 



Let us now confider what is to be inferred from, 

 this citation, 



In the firft place, Bellon does not particularize the 

 longitude and latitude of that part of the Mediter- 

 raneany which he was then croffing; and in his courfe 

 from Rhodes to Alexandria, both the illands of 

 Scarpanto and Crete could be at no great diftance : 

 thefe quails therefore were probably flitting from one.- 

 Ifland of the Mediteranean *' to another. 



The fame obfervation may be made with regard, 

 fo the quails which he faw. between Zant and Negro- 

 pont, as the whole paiTage is crouded with, iilands*, 

 they therefore might be paffing from ifland to ifland s 

 or headland to headland, which might very proba- 

 bly lye Eafl and- Weft, fo. as to occafion the birds 

 fiying in a dirTerentdireclion, from which they palled: 

 the fTiip before. 



I have therefore no objection to this proof of mi- 

 gration, if it is only infilled upon to fhew that a quail 

 fhifts its ftation at certain feafons of the year 5. but 

 cannot admit that it, is fair from hence to argue that 

 thefe birds periodically crofs large tracts of fea.. 



Bellon himfelf ftates, that when, the birds fettled 

 upon the (hip* they were taken by the firft perfon 

 who chofe to catch them, and therefore they muft; 

 have been unequal to the fhort flight which they, 

 were attempting. 



*■ One of the Mediterranean iflands is fuppofed to have con- 

 tained its ancient name of Ortygia from the numbers of quails. 



u 



