
20 THE NATURAL HISTORY 
is in vain to feek him ; before the fowler can come 
he has run to the diftance of 100 yards. He 
makes amends for the flownefs of his flying, 
by the fwiftnefs with which he runs: for he 
ufes his legs more than his wings. As he js 
covered by the grafs whilft he lives in the mea. 
dows, he feldom rifes off the ground ; but when 
the time of his paflage is come, (for he is a bird 
of paflage) he feems to be fupplied with unexpected 
ftrength. He takes his flight in the night, and 
going with the wind, attempts the paflage of — 
the Mediterranean Sea from fome of the fouthern 
provinces of France. 
Thefe Gallinules, at one feafon of the year, are 
found in Tartary ; and the Tartars perceiving 
how heavily they fly, imagine that they go from 
one country to another by the affiftance of the 
Cranes, and that each Crane takes a Gallinule on 
its back, This is a very ftrange and childith 
fancy. 
They go into countries north of France to 
build their nefts, partly for food, and partly bes 
caufe they prefer cool fituations ; for although 
they eat feeds, particularly broom feed, clover 
feed, &c. and though they may be fattened in 
confinement upon millet feed and other grain, 
yet cma’ {nails, and grubs, are theirs favourite 
food, 

