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point to point, endeavour always to have the wind 

 againft them *, as is periodically experienced by the 

 London bird-catchers, in March and October, when 

 they lay their nets for finging birds -f. 



The reafon, probably, for birds thus flying againft 

 the wind is, that their plumage may not be ruffled, , 

 which indeed I have before had occafion to mention. 



Let us fuppofe, then, a fwallow to be equal to a 

 paffage acrofs the Atlantic in other refpecls ; how is 

 the bird to be infured of the wind's continuing for 

 days in the fame quarter -, or how is he to depend 

 upon its continuing to blow againfi: his flight with 

 moderation ? for who can fuppofe that a fwallow can 

 make his way to the point of direction, when buf- 

 feted by a florm blowing in the teeth of his intended; 

 paffage J? 



Laftly, can it be conceived that thefe, or any 

 other birds, can be impelled by a providential in- 

 ftinct, regularly to attempt what feems to be at- 

 tended with fuch infuperable difficulties, and what 

 moft frequently leads to certain deftruction ? 



But it will flill be objected, that as fwallows re- 

 gularly appear and difappear at certain feafons, it is 

 incumbent upon thofe who deny their migration, to > 



* Kalm, In his voyage to America, makes the fame obferva* 

 tiorij with regard to flying frill, and Valentine fays, that if 

 the wind does not /continue to blow againft. the bird of paradife a , 

 it immediately drops to the ground. 



f Thefe birds, as it fhculd feem, are then in motion ; be- 

 caufe, at thofe feafons, the ground is plowed either for the winter 

 or lent corn. 



% I have myfelf attended to fwallows during a high wind, 

 and have obferved that they fly only in flickered places, whilft 

 they almoft touch the furface of the ground. 



£hew 



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