f 307 3 



be the fad, in the late publication of his ingenious 

 EfTays on Natural Hiflory % 



Woodcocks likewife are known to build in fome 

 parts of England every year ; but, as the inftances are 

 commonly thofe of a fingle neft, I would by no 

 means pretend to draw the fame proof againll the 

 fummer migration of this bird, as in the former cafe 

 ■of the fnipe. 



I will moil readily admit, that thefe accidental 

 facts are rather to be accounted for, perhaps, from 

 the whimfy or fillinefs of a few birds, which occa- 

 lions their laying their eggs in a place where they 

 are ealily difcoveredj and contrary to what is ufual 

 with the bulk of the fpecies. 



I remember to have feen a duck's nefl once on 

 the top of a pollard willow, near the decoy in St. 

 James's Park; it would not be, however, fair to in- 

 fer from fuch an inftance, that all ducks would pitch 

 upon the fame very improper fituation for a nefl, 

 upon which it is difficult to conceive how a web- 

 footed bird could fettle. 



Some filly birds likewife now and then choofe a 

 place for building, which cannot efcape the obferva- 

 tion of either man or beaft, as he paffes by. 



I therefore fuppofe that the few proofs of wood* 



cocks nefts having been found in England, arife either 



from one or other of thefe two caufes, and all which 



they feem to prove is, that our climate in fummer is 



■not abfolutely improper for them. 



It is to be obierved, however, that Mr. Catefby 

 con fiders' fuch inftances as of equal force againft the 



* P. 72-. 



R r 2 migration 



