the banks of the Danube, no one ever obferved the 
lie ft. 
This bird is rather uncommon in England •, fo that 
if 1 aik when the neft was ever found within the 
v„erge of the iiland, it maybe confidered" as rather 
an unfair challenge. 
1 here is another bird, however, called a red- 
poll*, which is taken in numbers during the Michael- 
mas and March flights by the London bird-catchers, 
whole neft, I believe, was never difcovered in Eng- 
land, -though I have fccn them in pairs during the 
Jammer, both in the mountainous parts of Wales 
and highlands cf Scotland -f*. 
But I {hall now mention another proof that wood- 
cocks breed in England. 
The Reverend Mr. White, of Selborn, who is 
net only a well-read naturaiift, but an 'active fporif- 
man, informs me, that he hath frequently killed 
woodcocks in March, which, upon being opened, 
had the rudiments of eggs in them, and that it is 
ufual at that time to flufh them in pairs. Willughby 
alfo obfcrves the fame j. 
This bird, therefore, certainly pairs before its 
iuppofed migration ; and can it be conceived that 
this ifridt union (which birds in a wild frate fo faith- 
fully adhere to) jj, fhould take place before they 
* Brir. Zoo!, p. 312. 
f This elegant little bird is very common in Fludfon’s Bay, 
where it feeds chiefly on the birch trees which being more 
common in the northern than fuuthern paits of Great Britain, 
may account for the bird’s being more often feen northward. 
X B. 1 i 1 . c. i. 
jj It is believed that no nude-bird, was ever feen in a wild 
{bate, notwithstanding M. de Buffon fufpe£b many an inuigue 
traverfc 
