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perfpicuity of defcription, and accuracy of obferva- 
tion, as hath not, perhaps, been fince exceeded. 
The works of thefe great naturalifts were foon 
difperfed over Europe, and the merit of them ac- 
knowledged j but it fo happened, that Sir ;faac 
Newton’s amazing difcoveries in natural philofophy 
making their appearance about the fame time, en- 
gaged entirely the attention of the learned. 
In procefs of time, all controverfy was filenced 
by the demonfiration of the Newtonian fyilern ; and 
then the philofopbical part of Europe naturally turned 
their thoughts to other branches of fcisnce. 
Since this period, therefore, and not before, na- 
tural hiftory hath been Hudied in mod: countries of 
Europe j and confequently, the finding fwallows in 
a ftate of torpidity, or on the coafl of Senegal, dur- 
ing the winter, begins to be an interefting fadt, 
which is communicated to the world by the perfon 
who obferves it. 
To this I may add, that the common labourers, 
who have the heft chance of finding torpid birds, 
have fcarcely any of them a doubt with regard to 
this point j and confequently, when they happen to 
fee them in this date, make no mention of it to 
others} becaufe they confider the difcovery as neither 
uncommon or intereding to any one. 
Molyneux, therefore, in the Pbilofophical Tanf- 
adtions % informs us, that this is the general belief 
of the common people of Ireland, with regard to 
land-rails } and I have my felf received the fame 
anfwer from a perfon who, in December, found 
fwallows torpid in the dump of an old tree. 
•* Phil, Tranf. abr. Vol. II. p, 853. 
Another 
