[ 222 ] 



This flitting therefore by no means amounts to a total and peri- 

 odical migration over feas ; but is no more than what is experienced 

 with regard to feveral birds. 



For example, the Britim Zoology informs us % that, at an 

 average 40,000 dozen of larks are ferit up from the neighbourhood 

 of Dunftable to fupply the London-markets ; nor do I hear, upon 

 inquiry, that there is any complaint of the numbers decrealing 

 from year to year, notwithstanding this great conmmption. 



I mould not fuppofe that 500 dozen of Ikylarks are caught in 

 any other county of England ; and it fhould therefore feem that 

 the larks from the more adjacent parts croud in to fupply the 

 vacuum occafioned by the London epicures, which may be the 

 caufe poffibly of a partial migration throughout the whole 

 ifland. 



I begin now to approach to fomething like a conclufion of this 

 (I fear) tedious diflertation : I think, however, that 1 mould not 

 omit what appears to me at leaft as a demonftration, that one bird, 

 which is commonly fuppofed to migrate acrofs feas, cannot poffibly 

 do fo. 



A landrail d , when put up by the mooter, never flies 100 yards; 

 its motion is exceffively flow, whilft the legs hang down like 

 thofe of the water-fowls which have not web feet, and which are 

 known never to take longer flights. 



This bird is not very common with us in England, but is ex- 

 ceffively fo in Ireland, where they are called corn-creaks. 



Now thofe who contend that the landrail, becaufe it happens 

 to difappear in winter, muft migrate acrofs oceans, are reduced to 

 |he following dilemma. 



maxime apparuerunt, pomorum grana & non aliud de eifefem pomis 

 comedentes. Habebant autem partes roltric ancellatas, per quas poma 

 quafi forcipe dividerunt. Matthew Paris, p. 825. & additamenta, 

 p. 263. 



c P. 235. d Br. Zool. p. 387. 



They 



