[ M7 ] 



that many of the learned in Europe would, before that time, not 

 have credited their own eyefight againft what he had delivered. 



There cannot be a ftronger proof that the general notion about 

 the cuckow arifes from what is laid down by Ariftotle, than the 

 chapter which immediately follows, as it relates to the goatfucker,. 

 and ftates that this bird fucks the teats of that quadruped. 



From this circumftance, the goatfucker hath obtained afimilar 

 name in molt, languages, though it is believed no one (who thinks 

 at all about matters of this fort) continues to believe that this 

 bird fucks the goat f , any more than the hedgehog does the 

 cow. 



I beg leave, however, to explain myfelf, that I give thefe 

 reafons only for my doubting with regard to this moft pre- 

 vailing opinion in relation to the cuckow ; becaufe I am truly 

 fenfible that many things happen in nature, which contradict 

 all arguments from analogy, and I am perfuaded, therefore, that 

 the firft perfon who gave an account of the flying fifh, was net 

 credited by any one,, though the existence of this animal is not 

 now to be difputed. All that I mean to contend for is, that 

 the inftances of fuch extraordinary peculiarities in animals, mould 

 be proportionably well attefted, in all the neceflary circumftances. 



I mult, own, for example, that nothing fhort of the following 

 particulars will thoroughly fatisfy me on this head.. 



f See Zinanni, p. .95. who took great pains to detect this vulgar error. 

 Though it now is agreed both by Ray Buffon and Pennant, that the por- 

 cupine does not ihoot its quilis, yet this notion will continue to be be- 

 lieved perhaps for centuries, and Linnasus hath ftated in the 12th edit, 

 of his Syftema Naturce, "'quod fpinas in hoftem jaculare valet non extra- 

 hendas." Bofman alfo in his voyage to Guinea aiTerts, that the animal 

 really does fo. We are always ready to fuppofe that we fee what we have 

 no doubt with regard to. How long was the poifonous effect of the 

 Tarantula, and Ants hoarding for winter, credited ? 



The 



