( ”7 ) 
Dr. Shaw^ in his fore-mentioned Work, Page 253, fays, “ the Woodcock makes its 
firft Appearance in OBober^ and continueth till March following : The Africans 
“ call it yHammarel Hadiel] the Afs of the Partridges," Since no Account tells us 
where the Woodcock goes in Summer, I am of Opinion, that they retire to the Nor¬ 
thern and unfrequented Parts of the World to breed : The above Account fhews, that 
they fpread themfelves far Southward in the Winter. 
I have difcovered, that there are many Birds common both to the old World and 
America: I faw lately brought from Hndfon's-Bay a Bird, under the Name of a S?70w 
Bird, which, they fay, is one of the firfl that appears in the Spring, while the 
Snow is yet on the Ground : On fhridfly examining this Bird, I found it to be the great 
Pied-Mountain Pinch^ or Bramblings defcribed in Willoughby^s Ornithology, Page 255; 
befides this, I have received from North-America the Red-Legg'd Horfeman^ or To- 
tanoy defcribed in Willoughby^ Page 299; the Bald Coot defcribed. Page 319, and the 
Crofs-Bill, or Loxia^ defcribed Page 248, of the fame Author: Thefe are all Birds 
found in Europe^ as well as in America ; two of them, viz, the Crofs-Bilh and the 
Pied-Mounfain Fmchy are fmall Land Birds j I have alfo received from America the 
little Bird we call the Golden-Crown'd Wren. There are many of the Water-Fowls, 
that frequent the Northern Parts of the World, found both in Europe and America ; 
the white Partridge^ or Lagopus Avis, is found in No 7 'th-America, as well as in Eu¬ 
rope. Mr. Catesby, in his Hiftory of Carolina, &c. has particularifed many Birds, 
that he obferved to be Inhabitants both of America and Europe. I do not wonder to 
find that Birds, who breed on the Sea Shores, and make long Flights over the Sea in 
the Northern Parts, fhould be, indifferently. Inhabitants both of the New and Old 
Worlds, becaufe we know that toward the North Pole the Continents of Europe and 
America are very near to one another, and may, for ought we know, join near the 
Pole. We muft fuppofe that thefe Birds have palled from America to Europe, or from 
Europe to America j or that there were created, at firft. Birds of the felf-fame Species 
in both thefe Parts of the World, which, according to my Way of Reafoning, can¬ 
not be fuppofed. Moft of the World agree, that each Species fprung from an origi¬ 
nal fingle Pair : But it feems more eafy to conceive how the Northern Water-Fowl 
fhould inhabit all the Northern Parts of the World, than to imagine how fmall Land 
Birds, and fome greater Fowls of fhort Flight, fuch as the white Partridge, fhould 
be able from one and the fame Original to propagate itfelf in Europe and America.. 
I cannot think thefe fmall Birds, ^c. can fpread themfelves from any Part of Europe 
Weftward, becaufe we know that there are wide Seas between Europe and America, 
which reach pretty near the North Pole, in Countries where few or no Land Birds 
are found, even in the Summer: Therefore I imagine, that they have found a Way 
Eaftward from Tartary. We cannot indeed fay there is a commodious Paflage that 
Way, fince Japan in Afia, and California in America, are the neareft Lands to each 
other that we certainly know of, which however are at a very great Difiance : Yet we 
know not but there may be Illands, or extended Continent, between thefe Lands 
fomething to the Northward, that may join, or nearly join, Afia and America: I 
think our finding fmall Land Birds of the fame individual Species in both Parts of 
the World is a probable Reafon for this Opinion. I cannot help thinking, that Ame¬ 
rica was alfo peopled with the human Species from Ajia Eallward, What has con- 
S firmed 
