[ *9« ] 



We are there informed that a bird (which Kalm calls a fwal- 

 low) was feen near the fhip on the 2d of September, and, as he 

 fuppofes, 20 degrees from the continent of America u . 



It appears however, by what he before ftates in his journal, 

 that the fhip was not above 5 degrees from the ifland of Sable. 



Befides, if it is contended that this was an European fwallow on 

 its paflage acrofs the Atlantic on the 2d of September, it is too 

 early even for a fwift to have been on its migration, which dis- 

 appears with us fooner than the three other fpecies of European 

 fwallows x . 



Only three more inftances have occurred of birds being feen in 

 open fea that have been defcribed with any fort of precifion, which 

 I mail juft ftate, as I would not decline giving the beft anfwer I 

 am able to every argument and fa6t which may be relied upon, 

 by thofe who contend that birds periodically migrate acrofs 

 oceans. Dr. Shaw mentions, that whilft his fhip was at anchor 

 under mount Carmel, he obferved many ftorks palling, but as 



u It may not be improper here to obferve, that in all inftances of birds 

 being feen at fea any great diftance from the coaft, it is not improbable 

 that they may have before fettled on fome other veflel, or perhaps 

 on a piece of wreck. In a pafTage from Newfoundland to England 

 Mr. Thomas Butts fell in with floating ice on which were hawks and 

 other fowls to reft themfelves, being weary of flying over far from the 

 main. Hakluyt, part III. p. 131. In and after a ftorm, blackbirds, 

 ftarlingSj and all forts of fmall birds, are driven from the fhore, and 

 make for the fhips to fave themfelves, whilft others fly about till they 

 are fpent, fall into the fea, and are drowned. Marten's Voyage to 

 Spitzbergen, p. 31. 



By accidents of this fort even butterflies have fometimes been caught 

 by the failors at 40 leagues diftance from any land. See Monf. l'Abbe 

 Courte de la Blanchadiere's Voyage to Brazil, Paris, 1759, i2mo. 

 p. 169. 



x The bird mentioned by Kalm was probably an American fwallow, 

 forced out to fea by fome accidental ftorm : there are feveral fpecies of 

 them, and they feem to bear a general affinity to thofe of Europe. 



the 



