190 



Observations. 



It was from this species alone that the ancient* 

 derived their fable of the swan's being endued 

 with the powers of melody. Embracing the Py- 

 thagorean doctrine, they made the body of this 

 bird the mansion of the souls of departed poets; 

 and then attributed to the birds the same faculty 

 of harmony which they had thus possessed in a 

 pre-existent state. And the vulgar, not distin- 

 guishing between sweetness of numbers and me- 

 lody of voice, thought thaj real which was only 

 intended figuratively. The mute or tame swan 

 never frequents the Padus; " and I am almost 

 equally certain/* says Mr. Pennant, " that it 

 never was seen on the Cayster, in Lydia ; each 

 of them, streams celebrated by the poets for the 

 great resort of swans. The Padus was styled 

 oloriferous, from the numbers of these birds 

 which frequent its waters ; and there are few of 

 the poets, either Greek or Latin, who do not 

 make them its inhabitants." 



THE DUCK. 



THE common duck, of which there are about 

 ten different sorts, is so universally known as to 

 require no description. It is the most easily 

 reared of all our domestic animals. The very 

 instinct of the young ones direct them to their 

 favourite element, and though they are con- 

 ducted by a hen, they despise the admonition of 





