MIGRATION. 353 
out the year; except the greater brambling, which is forced fly, they return to us again, becaufe the frofts which fet 
'here from the north in very fevere feafons. in early in thofe countries totally deprive them of the 
12. Finches. All continue in fome parts of thefe king- means of fubfifting; as the drynefs and hardnefs of the 
doms except the filkin, which is an irregular vifitant, faid ground, in general, during our fummer, prevent them 
to come from Ruffia. The linnets fliift their quarters, from penetrating the earth with their bills, in fearch of 
breeding in one part of the illand, and remove with their worms, which are the natural food of thefe birds. Mr. 
young to others. All finches feed on the feeds of plants. Ekmark fpeaks thus of the retreat of the whole tribe of 
13. Larlis, Fly-catchers, Wagtails, and Warblers. All cloven-footed water-fowl out of his country (Sweden) at 
thefe feed on infedts and worms; yet only part of them the approach of winter; and Mr. Klein gives much the 
quit thefe kingdoms, though the reafon of migration is fame account of thofe of Poland and Pruffia. 
the fame to all. The nightingale, black-cap, fly-catcher, 20. Rails and Gallinules. All the fpecies continue with 
willow-wren, wheatear, and whitethroat, leave us before us the whole year, the land-rail excepted, which is not 
winter, while the fmall and delicate golden-crefted wren feen here in winter. They likewife continue in Ireland 
braves our fevereft frofts. The migrants of this genus only during the fummer months, when they are very nu- 
continue longeft in Great Britain in the fouthern coup- merous, as Mr. Smith tells us in his Hillory of Wa- 
ties, the winter in thofe parts being later than in thofe terford, p. 336. Great numbers appear in Anglefea the 
of the north; Mr. Stillingfleet having oblerved feveral latter end of May; it is fuppofed that they pafs over 
wheatears in the ifle of Purbeck on the 18th of Novem- from Ireland, the paflage between the two illands being 
ber. As thefe birds are incapable of very diftant flights, but fmall. As we have inftances of thefe birds lighting 
Spain, or the fouth of France, is probably their winter on fliips in the Channel and the Bay of Bifcay, we may 
afylum. conjecture their winter-quarters to be in Spain. 
14. Swallows and Goatfuchers. Every fpecies difappears 21. Phalaropes. Viiit us but feldom; their breeding- 
at the approach of winter. place is Lapland, and other ardtic regions. 
Of the vaft variety of water-fowl that frequent Great 22. Grebes. The great-crefted grebe, the black and 
Britain, it is amazing to refledt how few are known to white grebe, and little grebe, breed with us, and never 
breed here : the caufe that principally urges them to leave migrate; the others vifit us accidentally, and breed in 
this country, feems to be not merely the want of food, Lapland. 
but the defire of a fecure retreat. Our country is too 23. Avofets. Breed near Fofl'dike in Lincolnlhire, but 
populous for birds fo fhy and timid as the bulk of thefe quit their quarters in winter. They are then ihot in dif¬ 
are : when great part of our ifl^pd was a mere wafte, a ferent parts of the kingdom, which they vifit, not regu- 
tradl of woods and fen, aoubtlefs many fpecies of birds lady, but accidentally. 
(which at this time migrate) remained in fecurity through- 24. Auks and Guillemots. The great auk or penguin, 
out the year. Egrets, a fpecies of heron now fcarcely foinetimes breeds in St. Kilda. The auk, the guillemot, 
known in this illand, were in former times in prodigious and puffin, inhabit moft of the maritime cliffs of Great 
plenty; and the crane, that has totally forfaken this coun- Britain, in amazing numbers, during fummer. The black 
try, bred familiarly in our marlhes: their place of incu- guillemot breeds in the Bafs Ifle, and in St. Kilda, and 
bation, as well as of all other cloven-footed water-fowl lometimes in Llandino rocks. We are at a lofs for the 
(the heron excepted), being on the ground, and expoled breeding-place of the other fpecies; neither can we be 
to every one. As rurpl economy increafed in this coun- very certain of the winter-refidence of any of them, ex- 
try, thefe animals'were more and more difturbed; at cepting of the little guillemot and black-billed auk, which, 
length, by a feries of alarms, they were neceflitated to during winter, vifit in vaft flocks the Frith of Forth, 
feek, during the fummer, fome lonely fafe habitation. On 25. Divers. Thefe chiefly breed in the lakes of Swe- 
the contrary, thofe that build or lay in the almoft inac- den and Lapland, and in fome countries near the pole ; 
ceffible rocks that impend over the Britilh feas, breed but fome of the red-throated divers, the northern and the 
there ftill in vaft numbers, having little to fear from the imber, may breed in the north of Scotland and its ifles. 
approach of mankind : the only difturbance they meet 26. Terns. All the fpecies breed here; but leave us in 
with in general being from the defperate attempts of fome the winter. 
few to get their eggs. 27. Petrels. The fulmar breeds in the ifle of St. Kilda, 
15. Herons. The white heron is an uncommon bird, and continues there the whole year except September and 
and vifits us at uncertain feafons; the common kind and part of Odlober: the ffiear-water vifits the Ifle of Man in 
the bittern never leave us. April; breeds there; and, leaving it in Auguft, or the 
16. Curlews. The curlew breeds fometimes on our beginning of September, difperfes over all parts of the 
mountains : but, confidering the vaft flights that appear Atlantic ocean. The ftorm-finch is feen at all diftances 
in winter, it is probable that the greater part retire to from land on the fame vaft watery tradl ; nor is ever found 
other countries: the whimbrel breeds on the Grampian near the fliore except by fome very rare accident, unlefs 
hills, in the neighbourhood of Invercauld. in the breeding-feafon. Mr. Pennant found it on fome 
17. Snipes. The woodcock breeds in the moift woods little rocky ifles off the north of Skye. It alfo breeds in 
of Sweden, and other cold countries. Some fnipes breed St. Kilda. He alfo fufpedts that it neftles on the Blafquet 
here, but the greateft part retire elfewhere. ifles off Kerry, and that it is the gourdcr of Mr. Smith. 
18. Sandpipers. The lapwing continues here the whole 28. MerganJ'ers. This whole genus is mentioned among 
year; the ruff breeds here, but retires in winter; the red- the birds that fill the Lapland lakes during fummer. Mr. 
fhank and landpiper breed in this country, and refide here. Pennant has feen the young of the red-breafted in the 
All the others abfent themfelves during fummer. north of Scotland: a few of thefe, and perhaps of the 
19. Plovers and Oyfter-catcher. The long-legged plover goofeanders, may breed there. 
and fanderling vifit us only in winter; the dottrel appears 29. Ducks. Of the numerous fpecies that form this 
in fpring and in autumn ; yet, what is very fingular, we genus, we know of few that breed here : the fwan ami 
do not find it breeds in South Britain. The oyller-catcher goofe, the fliield-duck, the eider-duck, a few fhovelers, 
lives with us the whole year. The Norfolk plover and garganies, and teals, and a very fmall portion of the wild 
fea-lark breed in England. The green plover breeds on ducks. The reft contribute to form that amazing multi- 
the mountains of the north of England, and on the tude of water-fowl that annually repair from moft parts 
Grampian hills. of Europe to the woods and lakes of Lapland and other 
We rauft here remark, that all the fpecies of the ctir- ardtic regions, there to perform the fundtions of incuba- 
lews, woodcocks, fandpipers, and plovers, that forfake tion and nutrition in lull fecurity. They and their young 
us in the fpring, retire to Sweden, Poland, Pruffia, Nor- quit their retreat in September, and difperfe themfelves 
way, and Lapland, to breed. As loon as the young can over Europe. With us they make their appearance the 
Voii. XV. No. 1048. 4 X beginning 
