XIU 
PREFACE. 
to breed. The Summer Birds of Pujfage alfo come from more fouthern 
Countries northward to us^ and breed here i Seeing then Birds retire from 
more northern Parts to winter with us^ why pjould 7tot tender Birds who 
vift us m Summer attd breed here^ retire and foelter themfelves in 
foutherti Countries,, where they are fecure from coldy which they caimot 
bear,^ a 7 td find fuch pood as is 7mtural to thetn. But 77iany would 7nake 
Sleepers of thc77ty and fay they retire to holes under Ground,^ and m 
hollow Trees^ &^c, artd that they are fo fat that they ca7mot fly far at 
the Tunes they difappear., which Fatnefs I take rather for a providential 
Provifion,^ to enable thefn to take a flight of many Days without being 
quite exhaufied atid f pent, A farther Reafon to mey that our Sumtner 
Birds who difappear are not SleeperSy isy that no fuch fleeping Birds 
have at a 7 ty time been foundy afid all the reports of thefe thmgs are fo 
U 7 icertainy that no fiber Man can at all depend on the7n : Did they 
really creep into holes as is reportedy it would be certainly hwwny a7td 
not remaifty as it doeSy a very doubtful Matter ; for why jhould they not 
be daily fotmd fleepingy as are Dormiccy by Woodsmen a77d Country' 
Peopky fi 77 ce 77 tany of the fuppofed Sleepers are found awake in much 
greater Nufnbers, I believe indeed that the InflinSi of thefe Birds is 
not fo ahfolutely certainy as to preve?tt the7n fro7n being fitnetimes fur- 
prifid by a very cold wet Autumft : In fuch a cafe I believe foine Flocks 
of Swallows have loft their Pajfagey and have been conflraind through 
TVeaknefi to foelter themfelves in holes where they have perifoed. 
Natural Hiftory cannot in any degree be perfeB without Figures ; 
therefore 1 think we foould promote Drawingy in all fuch young People 
who fiem to have a liking to it ; no one need think it an Amufiment 
beneath his Dignityy flnce our prefint Royal Family and inany of the 
young Nobility have been infir uBed m that Art, Fhe TV or Id tnay 
perhaps think I fay this in order to proinote my felf ; becaufi hitherto I 
have taught young Genthfnen and Ladies to draw \ but to take away 
fuch Imputationy 1 purpofi to decline any thing of that fort which may 
hereafter offer. Every one who coifults antient AuthorSy is very finflble 
of their Deficiencies in the want of Figures \ for tnany thmgs are fnen- 
tiond by a bare Name without any Defiription or Figurey and great 
phyfical Virtues and other Ufis are attributed to fome of thefe things \ 
[ c ] but 
