( ii6 ) 
tents of it into their "Mouths, by ftrongly compreffing it with the Bill upon its 
Breail; an Adlion which might well give Occahon to the received Tradition, and 
Report, that the Pelican, in feeding her Young, pierced her own Breaft, and nou- 
rifhed them with her Blood.” 
The Pveverend Mr. Durand, F. R. S. has obliged me with an Obfervation on the 
Paffage of Birds, which he hiinfelf made in Spain, which is as follows : I can aver, 
‘‘ that being in Spain in 1707, in the Kingdom of Valencia, upon the Sea Coaft, a 
“ little Way from Cajtillon de la Plane, I faw in OBober great Flocks of Birds coming 
ixovei Africa, in a diredl Line from the South; fome of them, being (hot, were 
found to be Phrujhes [Grives] but fo dry and lean, -that they had little Subftance or 
“ Tafte; the People of the Country told me, that they came every Year at the fame 
Seafon in Flocks, but that the greateft Part of them go on farther ; they grow fat 
in Switzerland by feeding on Juniper Berries, and are delicious all the Winter 
“ long.” 
The above Paragraph of Mr. Durand feems to contradidl my Opinion, relating to 
the Paffage of Birds ; but though thtit Phrujhes come from the South to the Coall: of 
Valencia, I do not think it a. certain Argument, that they come from Africa for to 
me it feems contrary to Reafbn to imagine, that after Birds have lived in the Sum- 
mer Heats of Africa, they fhould go to Spain, and on farther Northward, to fuftain 
the Cold of a Winter, in a Country fo far North of their Summer Habitation ; for it 
is generally believed, that Birds pafs, in order to attain Habitations of near tlie fame 
Temperature with thofe Countries they come from; now, feeing the Sea^Coah of Va- 
laicia lies North and South, an eafterly Direction only can bring thefe Birds from the 
Sea* Now, I fuppofe, that when Birds depart from their Summer Habitations, they 
gather into great Flocks, and have a certain Courfe to dired: themfelves in ; and that 
in their greateft Rout they may fly fo high, as to be out of Sight ; and, when they 
have arrived at the Place .of their Winter’s Habitation, they may leparate into leirer 
Flocks, in order to cover fome large Country,; thefe Idfer Flocks may tend to every 
Point of the Compafs ; after this they may feparate, and difperfe themfelves fingly, 
in order the better to accommodate themfelves with Food, and fcatter themfelves all 
over a Country: So that I fuppofe, that the Birds Mr. Durand mentions might come, 
from the mofl: Northern Parts of Europe, and, .a great Part of them in their Paflage 
turn a little to the Wefl, through :France, and into Spain, and when arrived about 
Granada, in the South of Spain, might feparate into Parties, the better to occupy the 
whole Country.; fo that Part of them might return a little Way Northward, along 
the Coafts of Murcia and Valencia, and afterwards fpread themfelves into the Inlands. 
I think this Opinion no Way. contradids what Mr. Durand has faid; what is mentioned 
of thefe Birds feeding and growing fat in Switzerland doth not belong to this Quef- 
tion, for it cannot be known, that they are Part of the ..Flocks feen pafling on the 
Coafl: of Valencia. 
There w^as publifhed Anno 1745, in lamo. A new general Hiftory of Birds, with 
wooden Cuts, by y. Osborn, in Pater-mfler-Row, London ; the Author anonymous : 
In the Article of the there is colleded feveral Obfervations on, and Accounts 
of, the^ Paffage of Birds, from good Authors; this may dired the Curious to examine 
the Authors therein mentioned. 
Dr. 
