242 NATURAL HISTORY 
or articulated in the fame pliant manner as the branches of mofiy 
corallines are ; this might make one conclude, that as nature in 
fome vegetable inftances approaches nearly to animals, fo in many 
of her lower animals fhe approaches nearly to the fhape of vegetables; 
the fpace between both kingdoms is narrow, the tranfitTon eafy, 
and fcarce perceptible ; and it feems not to be unlikely, that fome 
infeCts fhould confort, and conftrucft their nidus’s in the plant-like 
form, becaufe it is indeed more fuitable, upon many occafions of 
food and fecurity, to the exigencies of the medium they live in. 
This is no more unlikely, than that the fpider fhould fpin her web 
to tranfmit, bend, yield to, and float in the air, and bees conform 
their combs to the holes and hives allotted them. Inftindt is a fer- 
tile monitor, and can fuit her leffons to the occafion of her difciples. 
But to return: The coral fubftance is moft perfect for polifh and 
beauty, when moft ftony and clofe-grained ; but the coral of the 
Cornifh fea-coaft, in its fineft ftate, is of a coarfe grit compared to 
the oriental ; as to polifh and hardnefs greatly inferior ; yet, as a 
manure for land, I fhould think much preferable, being by experi- 
ence found excellent in its kind for this purpofe. Some of our coral 
is white as new-quenched lime, fome cinereous, other brown yel- 
low, according to the materials of which they are compofed ; for 
in the brown yellow more eipecially, the fpecks of clay and ftone 
which give it that colour, may in the microfcope be plainly feen. 
CHAP XXL 
Of Birds. 
F ROM vegetable, inanimate, and doubtful productions, let us 
rife now to fenfitive life : Of birds found in Cornwall, fome 
are perennial, others migratory. Among the firft may be reckoned 
the hawks of which we have feveral forts ; the marlions, fpar- 
hawks, hobbies, and in fome places the lannards * : In the reign of 
izabeth, the Cornifh and Devonshire gentlemen employed a great 
ea of their time in hatching, nurturing, and inftructing them to 
y at the partridge : In Cornwall at prefent this tedious fcience, 
w 1C ^ c °m umes fo much of life for lb little an end, is now no 
more, but ftill exifts it feems in a neighbouring ifland ; for beincx 
at rerice (the feat of the prefent Lord Arundell of Trerice) Au- 
2 5 > *738, I faw a hawk which, being overpowered by a crow, 
fell near a man at his labour in the field, who, perceiving the 
* Carew, page 25. . 
a Ibid, 
hawk 
