INTRODUCTION. 
XV 
66 creafe of warmth, and a continuance of food. It is probable 
4< thefe itinerants may perform their journey in the night-time, 
44 in order to avoid ravenous birds, and other dangers which 
46 day-light may expofe them to. The flight of the fmaller 
44 birds of pafiage acrofs the feas has, by many, been confldered 
44 as wonderful, and efpecially with regard to thofe with fhort 
44 wings, among which Quails feem by their ftrudture little a- 
44 dapted for long flights ; nor are they ever feen to continue 
44 on the wing for any length of time, and yet their ability for 
44 fuch flights cannot be doubted. The coming of thefe birds 
44 is certain and regular from every year’s experience, but the 
44 caufe and manner of their departure have not always been fo 
44 happily accounted for ; in fhort, all we know of the matter 
44 ends in this obfervation ; — that Providence has created a 
44 great variety of birds and other animals with conftitutions 
44 and inclinations adapted to their feveral wants and neceflities, 
44 as well as to the different degrees of heat and cold in the fe- 
44 veral climates of the world, whereby no country is deftitute 
44 of inhabitants, and has given them appetites for the produc- 
44 tions of thofe countries whofe temperature is fuited to their 
44 nature, as well as knowledge and ability to feek and find 
44 them out.” 
The migration of the Swallow tribe has been noticed by al- 
moft every writer on the natural hiftory of birds, and various 
opinions have been formed refpe&ing their difappearance, and 
the flate in which they fubfifl during that interval. Some Na- 
turalifts fuppofe that they do not leave this ifland at the end of 
autumn, but that they lie in a torpid flate, till the beginning of 
fummer, in the banks of rivers, in the hollows of decayed trees, 
in holes and crevices of old buildings, in fand banks, and the 
like : Some have even aflerted that Swallows pafs the winter im- 
merfed in the waters of lakes and rivers, where they have been 
found in clutters, mouth to mouth, wing to wing, foot to foot, 
and that they retire to thefe places in autumn, and creep down 
the reeds to their fubaqueous retreats. In fupport of this opi- 
nion, Mr Klein very gravely aflerts, on the credit of fome coun- 
