296 ] 



jperfpicuity of defcription, and accuracy of obferva- 

 tion, as hath not. perhaps, been fince exceeded. 



The works of thefe great naturalifts were fbon 

 difperfed over Europe, and the merit of them ac- 

 knowledged 5 but it fo happened, that Sir Ifaac 

 Newton's amazing difcoveries in natural philofophy 

 making their appearance about the fame time, en- 

 gaged entirely the attention of the learned. 



In procefs of time, all controverfy was filenced 

 by the demonftration of the Newtonian fyftem ; and 

 then the philofophicai part of Europe naturally turned 

 their thoughts to other branches of fcience. 



Since this period, therefore, and not before, na- 

 tural hiftory hath been ftudied in moft countries of 

 Europe; and confequently, the finding fwallows in 

 a ft ate of torpidity, or on the coaft of Senegal, dur- 

 ing the winter, begins to be an interefting fact, 

 which is communicated to the world by the perfon 

 who obferves it. 



To this I may add, that the common labourers, 

 who have the beft chance of finding torpid birds, 

 have fcarcely any of them a doubt with regard to 

 this point; and confequently, when they happen to 

 iee them in this flate, make no mention of it to 

 others; becaufe they confider the difcovery as neither 

 uncommon or interefting to any one. 



Molyneux, therefore, in the Philofophicai Tanf- 

 a&ions *, informs us, that this is the general belief 

 of the common people of Ireland, with -regard to 

 land-rails; and 1 have myfelf received the fame 

 anfwer from a perfon who, in December, found 

 iwallows torpid in the ftump of an old tree. 



* Phil, Tranf. abr. Vol. II. p. 853. 



Another 



