SECT.I 
248 NATURAL - HISTORY 
half an inch high, as much broad, and doping down on each fide 
to the bottom of the upper mandible ; from thence, the head, 
neck, wings, and all the other parts, were of the fined fnow white, 
laving three fmall fpecks on the crown of the head, of like colour 
to the feathers of other woodcocks, in the fame place : In the 
bread and neck it had nine feparate feathers tinged fo faintly as 
fcarcely to be didinguifhed from white, but of the natural wavy 
mark : in each wing it had one principal feather, and four fecond- 
rate of the natural colour; in the right wing fix fpecks on the 
fmalled feathers, in the left wing too ; in the upper part of its tail 
two natural feathers, in the under, one, but in both of very faint 
colouring ; the belly, and under parts of the wings near the fcapida , 
tinged with a few faint natural feathers ; the legs a little redder, 
and more of a flelh-colour than in the common bird. This def- 
cription is of no other ufe than to fhew that this bird was originally 
coloured as other woodcocks, and that Inch departures from nature 
proceed from fome accidental defects, extravafation, or obdruction 
of the juices, occafioned by either exceflive exercife, wound, or 
unwholefome diet ; but by which it is impollible to determine. 
The eggs of fea as well as land-fowls are varioudy fhaped and 
fpotted, making a pretty collection ; and a little attention will fhew 
that not only the eggs of the different fpecies , but that the eggs of 
individuals of the fame fpecies are really different in fhape, fize, and 
colour, infomuch, that the eggs of particular hens may be didin- 
guifhed from each other, and known (without regard to the neds) 
from what hen they did proceed. Eggs owe the unnatural de- 
fects and excefles to which they are fubjeCt (fuch as a yolk perfectly 
white, an egg with two whites, preternatural membranes and ex- 
crefcencies adhering to the egg, and the like anomalies) to a variety 
of accidents tedious to number, and difficult to afcertain. 
CHAP. XXIL 
Of Land and Water-InfeEls in Cornwall. 
T O trace infeCts through their refpeCtive differences, their 
tranfparent druCture, rich colourings, peculiar indinCts and 
transformations, would much exceed the limits of the prefent de- 
fign. Mr. Ray thinks that there are more forts of infeCts than of 
birds, and acknowledges the multitude of the fpecies of infeCts not 
to be fewer, perchance more than twenty thoufand h . 
* Page 24 of the Creation. 
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