( x>6 ') 
^ tents of it into their Mouths, by ftrongly compreffing .it with the Bill upon its 
Breallj an Action which might well give Occafion to the received Tradition, and 
Report, that the Pelicany in feeding her Young, pierced Rer own Bread, and nou- 
“ rifhed them with her Blood.” 
The Reverend Mr. 'Durand^ F. R, .S. has. obliged me with an Obfervation on the 
Paifage of Birds, which he himfelf made in Spaitiy which is as follows : “ I can aver, 
‘‘ that being in in ijojynn the Kingdom of Valencia^ upon the Sea Coaft, a 
“ little Way from Cajlillo?! de la. Plane., I faw in OBober great Flocks of Birds coming 
“ from Africa, in a dired Line from. the Southfome of them, being fhot, were 
“ found to be Pkrupes \Grhes] but fo dry and lean, that they had little Subftance or 
“ Tafte ; the People of the Counti:y told me, that they came every Year at the fame 
Seafon in Flocks, but that the greateft Part of them go on farther; they grow fat 
in &ivit'zerkind by feeding on Juniper Berries, and are delicious all the Winter 
“ long.” 
The above Paragraph of Mr. Durand feems to contradid my Opinion, relating to 
.the Paflage of Birds; but though thefe Phriifhes come from the South to the Coaft of 
Valencia, I do . not think it a certain Argument, that they come from Africa ; for to 
me it feems contrary to Reafon to imagine, that after Birds have lived in the Sum- 
.mer Heats of Africa, they ftiould go to Spain, and on farther Northward, to fuftain 
the Gold of a Winter, in a Country fo far North of their Summer Habitation ; for it 
is generally believed, that Birds pafs, in order to attain Habitations of near the fame 
'Temperature with thofe Countries they come from; now, feeing the Sea-Coaft of Va¬ 
lencia lies North and South, an eafterly Diredion only can bring thefe Birds from the 
Sea. Now, I fuppofe, that when Birds depart from their Summer Habitations, they 
-gather into great Flocks, and have a certain Courfe to dired themfelves in ; and that 
in their greateft Rout they may fly fo high, as to be out of Sight j and, when they 
have arrived at the Place of their Winter’s Habitation, they may feparate into leflfer 
.Flocks, in order to cover fome large Country ; thefe lefler Flocks may tend to every 
Point of the Compafs; after this they may feparate, and difperfe themfelves flnglj, 
in order the better to accommodate themfelves with Food, and fcatter themfelves all 
over a Country: So that I fuppofe, that the Birds Mr. Durand mentions might come 
from the moft Northern Parts of Europe, and a great Part of them in their Paflage 
turn a little to the Weft, through France, and into Spain, and when arrived about 
.Granada, in the South of Spam, might feparate into Parties, the better to occupy the 
..whole Country; fo that Part of them might return a little Way Northward, along 
the Coafts of Murcia and Valencia, and afterwards fpread themfelves into the Inlands. 
.1 think this Opinion no Way contradids what Mr. Durand has faid; what is mentioned 
of thefe Birds feeding and growing fat in Switzerland doth not belong to this Quef- 
.tion, for it cannot be known, that they are Part of the Flocks feen pafling on the 
Coaft of Vakficia. 
There was publiflied Atato 1745, in lamo. A new general Hiftory of Birds, with 
wooden Cuts, by J. Osborn, in Pater-nofter-Row, Lo?idon ; the Author anonymous : 
In the Article of the Swallow there is colleded feveral Obfervations on, and Accounts 
of, the Paflfage of Birds, from good Authors; ^his may dired the Curious to examine 
the Authors therein mentioned. 
Dr. 
