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pine during his abfence. A French gentleman, whofe name is 

 Morifette, hath (hewn me frequent proofs of this in his young 

 chickens, which were hatched in ovens. Thefe of courfe were 

 fed by his fervant till they were of an age to be turned into a little 

 garden, when they would not run about, and feed kindly, unlefs 

 the old woman was prefent who had reared them, and who there- 

 fore had a particular feat, in which me continued the greateft part 

 of the day, whilft the chickens played round her, and endeavoured 

 to jump into her lap. 



The young cuckow therefore being fed by a hedge-fparrow or 

 other bird feems to afford no irrefragable proof of having hatched 

 the cuckow's egg, becaufe, if (he hath young ones of her own, it 

 appears from fome of the preceding facts, me will probably take 

 to this large foundling, and much more fo if me hath loft her 

 own brood, or perhaps they have forfaken her, on being com- 

 pletely fledged. 



A cuckow is certainly a gigantic orphan to be nourifhed and 

 protected by a hedge-fparrow ; but all animals love fociety, let the 

 difparity in fize be what it may. 



I mail here, on this head, fubjoin part of a letter which I have 

 received from my often-mentioned correfpondent the Rev. Mr. 

 White, of Selborn, in Hampfhire. 



" There is a wonderful fpirit of fociality in the brute creation 

 independent of fexual attachment. The congregating of grega- 

 rious birds in the winter" is a remarkable inftance. Many horfes, 

 though quiet with company, will not ftay one minute in a field 

 by themfelves ; the ftrongeft fences cannot reftrain them. My 

 neighbour's horfe will not only not ftay by himfelf abroad, but 

 he will not bear to be left alone in a ftrange ftable, without dif- 

 covering the utmoft impatience, and endeavouring to break the 

 rack and manger with his fore-feet: he has been known to leap 



K k 2 out 



