t 3*7 ] 
This flitting therefore by no means amounts to a 
total and periodical migration over feas, but is no 
more than what is experienced with regard to feveral 
birds. 
For example, the Britifh Zoology informs us 
that, at an average, 4000 dozen of larks are fent 
up from the neighbourhood of Dunflable, to fupply 
the London markets ; nor do I hear, upon inquiry, 
that there is any complaint of the numbers decreaf- 
ing from year to year, notwithflanding this great 
confu mption. 
I fhould not fuppofe that 50 dozen of fkylarks 
are caught in any other county of England ; and it 
fhould therefore feem that the larks from the more 
adjacent parts croud in to fupply the vacuum occaflon- 
ed by the London Epicures, which may be the caufe 
poffibly of a partial migration throughout the whole 
ifland. 
I begin now to approach to fomething like a con- 
cluflon of this (I fear) tedious differtation : I 
think, however, that I fhould not omit what appears 
to me at leafl as a demonflration, that one bird, which 
is commonly fuppofed to migrate acrofs feas, cannot 
poffibly do lo. 
apples, which it is conceived he can inftantly extract with his 
very fingular bill. 
Mr. Tunftall, F. R. S. however, at my defire 4 once placed 
an apple in the cage of a crofs-bill, which he had kept for fome 
time in his very valuable and capital collection of live birds : 
upon examining the apple a fortnight afterwards, it remained 
untouched. 
* P, 235. 
A landrail 
