[ 299 3 , 



fuch fuppofed analogy could by no means be relied 

 upon *. 



It is poffible, however, that fome other birds, 

 which are conceived to migrate, may be really tor- 

 pid as well as fwallows j and if it be afked why they 

 are not fometimes alfo feen in fuch a ftate during 

 the winter, the anfwer feems to be, that perhaps 

 there may be a thoufand fwallows to any other fort 

 of bird, and that they commonly are found torpid in 

 clufters. 



* I here fuppofe the common notion about the cuckow to be 

 true j becaufe both learned and ignorant feem equally to agree 

 in the fact. 



During the prefent fummer, however, a girl brought a full 

 feathered young cuckow to a gentleman's houfe, where I hap- 

 pened to be, who faid, that it had been for feveral days before 

 fed by another bird of equal fize with itfelf j which therefore 

 could not be a hedge-fparrow, or other fmall bird, but the parent 

 cuckow. 



I have alfo lately been favoured, by Mr. Pennant, with the 

 following extract from a manufcript of Derham's on inftindt. 



" The Rev. Mr. Stafford was walking in Gloflbp-dale in the 

 " Peak of Derbyfhire, and faw a cuckow rife from its neft, 

 " which was on the flump of a tree, that had been fome time 

 " felled, fo as much to referable the colour of the bird. In 

 " this neft were two young cuckows, one of which he 

 " fattened to the ground, by means of a peg and line, and very 

 * e frequently, for many days, beheld the old cuckow feed thefe 

 " her young ones." 



It is not impoffible, therefore, that this moft general opinion 

 will turn out like the fuppofed effects of the venom of- the taran- 

 tula ; and, indeed, it is difficult to conceive how fo fmall a bird as 

 a hedge-fparrow can feed a cuckow : it is alfo remarkable, that 

 the witneffes often vary about the fpecies of fmall bird thus 

 employed. 



It is poffible, however, that the cuckow (though it may not 

 hatch its young) may feed them, when grown too large for the 

 fofter parent. 



Q^q 2 If 



