( II4 ) 
where thefc Birds abound, and the Coafts in many Places have Clefts and Rocks 
fecmingly as convenient for them to breed in as any on the WeRern Coafts of Eng-- 
Ici72d. I have alfo obferved the Hen Birds of a great Number of' Species to be of a 
Brown or Clayey Colour, where the Cocks of the fame Species are covered with beauti-- 
ful colour’d Feathers of a very great Lulfre : It is very obfervable in the Duck Kind, 
that the Males are mod of them remarkable for beautiful Colours, and the Females, 
almoR all of them, of Brownifli or Earthy Colours. We may remark the fame Thing 
in many Land Birds, as the Peacock, who is remarkable for fhining Colours, whereas 
the Hen is of a dirty Brown, with little or no Luftre. The fame Difference may be- 
obferved between the Males and Females of all the Pheafant Kind, and of many 
other Tribes of Birds. This Difference feems to proceed from a providential Defign 
of Nature 5 feeing the Hen Birds, when they hatch their Young,, fit on the Earth, 
and are many of them expofed to the open Sky, to the View of noxious Beafts and 
Birds of Prey^. which would prefently difcover them, were they of glaring Colours 
much differing from the Eartli on which they fit ; but by being of air Earthy Colour, 
and drawing their Heads clofe to their Bodies, they appear like rude Clods of Earth,, 
and deceive the Eyes both of Man and Bead, by which Means they are preferved' 
from Deflruclion. 
If Travellers would be at a little Expence of Thought and Labour, I believe wc- 
might come to fome tolerable Knowledge in Relation to the Paffage of Birds, which 
is now very obfcure to us. In order to forward fuch Knowledge, I fiiall here point' 
out fuch Authors as have faid any Thing on that Subjed, and join to them fuch little 
Obfervations as I have made. There was publiflied ionic Years ago by Mf. CBarler. 
Morton, without Date, and fince republiflied in the Harleimt Mifccllany, VoL II,'. 
Page 558. an ingenious, tho’ I think chimerical, Account of the Paffage of Birds, 
which fuppofes them to go to the Moon, or fome invifible aerial Ifland fixed above 
our Atmofphere, with fome other fuch like Conjedures. Dr. Shaw in his Travels, 
or Obfervations on &c. has given us fome Light as to the Paffage of the 
Stork, which I fhall here borrow from him. Page 428. “ The Ihh, that was once. 
‘‘ known to every Family [in Egypt\ is now become exceeding rare, tho’ the Want 
“ of it is fufficiently fupplied by the Stork', for, befides a great Number of thefe Birds, 
that might undoubtedly efcape my Notice, I faw in the M\dd\Q of April (1722) 
“ (our Ship lying then at Anchor under Moxmi Carmel) three Flights of them, each 
of which took up more than three Hours in paffing by us, extending themfelves af 
“ the fame Time more than half a. Mile in Breadth; they were then leaving 
(where the Canals and Ponds, that are annually left by the Nile, were become 
dry) and direded themfelves towards N. E. It is obferved of the Storks, that for. 
“ about the Space of a Fortnight before they pafs from one Country to another,, they 
conflantly refort together, from all the circumjacent Parts, to a certain Plain, and' 
there forming themfelves once- every Day into a Dou-warzne (according to the Phrafe 
** of the People) and are faid to determine the exad Time of their Departure, and 
** the Places of their future Abodes : Thofe that frequent the Marfhes of Barbary 
“ appear about three Weeks fooner than the Flights above-mentioned were obferv- 
ed to do, tho’ they 1 ike wife are fuppofed to come from Egypt, whither alfo they 
return, a. little after the Autumnal Equinox, the Nile being then retired within 
its 
