PRE FAC E. xiii 
cannot bear, and find fuch Food as is natural to them. — But many would make Sleepers of 
them, and fay they retire to holes under Ground, and in hollow Trees, Sc. and that they 
are fo fat they cannot fly far at the times they difappear, which Fatnefs I take rather 
joa providental Provifion, to enable them to take a fught of many Days without being 
quite exhaufted and fpent. A farther Reafon to me, that our Summer: Birds who aifappear 
are not Sleepers, 1s, that no fuch fleeping Birds have at any time been found, and all the 
reports of thefe things are fo uncertain, that no fober Man can at all depend on them: 
Did they really creep into holes as is reported, it would be certainly known, and not remain, 
as it does, a very doubtful Matter ; for why fhould they not be daily found fleeping, as are 
Dormice, by Wi ood-men and Country People, fince many of the fuppofed Sleepers are found 
awake in much greater Numbers. I believe indeed that the Infiiné of thefe Birds ts not fo 
abjolutely certain, as to prevent them from being fametunes furprifed by a very cold wet Au- 
umn: In fuch a cafe I believe fome Flocks of Swallows have lot their Paffage, and have 
Ten ernframdet hrough Weaknefs to Shelter themfelves in boles where they have perifhed. 
Natural Hiftory cannot im any degree be perfect without Figures; therefore I think we 
fhould promote Drawing, in all fuch young People who feem to have a liking to it; no one 
need think it an Amufement beneath bis Dignity, Jince our prefent Royal Family and many 
of the young Nobility have been inftruéted in that Art. The World may perhaps think I 
Jay this in order to promote my felfs becaufe hitherto I have taught young Gentlemen and 
Ladies to draw; but to take away fuch Imputation, I purpofe to dechne any thing of that 
prt EB may hereafter offer. Every one who confults antient Authors, ts very fenfible of 
their Deficiencies in the want of Figures ; for many things are mention’d by a bare Name 
ap bol any Defeription or F 1gure, and great phyfical Virtues and other Ufes are attributed 
to fome of thefe things; but their being no certain Marks to fhew what things in Nature 
_qwere called by thofe Names, we have now wholly loft them, or take diferent things for them, 
or are in difpute about them ; therefore Authors, Naturahfts efpectally, fhould confult, firft 
of all, the outward Forms of things in order farther to explain them by Defcriptions and 
other Marks; and deliver them down to Pofterity, fo as to free them, fo far as human Rea- 
fon is capable of, from the Loffes and injuries they may fuftain from Time. In deferibing 
natural Things nothing ought to be omitted, that is any way remarkable, and may fix and 
[e] cflablifh 
