As I have often remarked that redwings are fome of the firft
birds that fuffer with ns in fevere weather, it is no wonder at all
that they retreat from Scandinavian winters: and much more the ordo
of graila, who, all to a bird, forfake the northern parts o f Europe at
the approach of winter. “ Graila tanquam conjurata manimiter in
fugatn fe conjiciunt; ne earum unicam quidem inter nos habitant cm in-
venire pojjimus', ut enim aftate in aujlralibus degere nequeunt ob defedlum
lumbricorum, terramque Jiccam ; ita nec in frigidis ob eandem caufam” ,
fays Ekmarck the Swede, in his ingenious little treatife called Migra-
tiones Avium, which by all means you ought to read while your
thoughts run on the fubjedt of migration. See AmanitatesAcademics,
vol. 4, p. 565»
Birds may be lo circumftanced as to be obliged to migrate in one
country and not in another: but the 'graila, (which procure their
food from marlhes and boggy grounds) mull in winter forfake
the more northerly parts of Europe, or perilh for want of food.'
I am glad you are making inquiries from Linnaus concerning the
woodcock : it is expedted of him that he fhould be able to account
for the motions and manner of life of the animals of his own
Fauna.
■ F“ unifts, as you obferve, are too apt to acquiefce in bare defcrip-
tions, and a few fynonyms : the reafon is plain; becaufe all that
may be done' at home in a man’s ftudy, but the inveftigation of
the life and converfation of animals, is a concern of much more
trouble and difficulty, and is not to be attained but by the adtive
and inquilitive, and by thofe that relide much in the country.
Foreign fyftematics are, I obferve, much too vague in their
fpecific differences; which are almoft univerfally conftituted by
one or two particular marks, the reft of the defcription running in
general terms. But our countryman, the excellent Mr. Ray, is
4 the
tdie only defcriber that conveys fome precife idea in every term or
word, maintaining his fuperiority over his followers and imitators in
fpite of the advantage of frefh difcoveries and modern information.
At this diftance of years it is not in my power to recolledt at
what periods woodcocks ufed to be fluggifhfor alert when I was
a fportfman: but, upon my mentioning this circumftance to a friend,
he thinks he has obferved them to be remarkably liftlefs againft
fnowy foul weather : if this fhould be the cafe, then the inaptitude,
for flying arifes only from an eagernefs for food; as fheep are observed
to be very intent on grazing againft ftormy wet evenings..
I am, &c. &c.
L E T T E R XL
TO THE SAME..
D E A R SIRi Selborne, Feb. 8,
W h e n I ride about in the winter, and fee fuch prodigious flocks,
of various kinds of birds, I cannot help admiring at thefe congregations,
and widling that it was in my power toaccount for thofe
appearances almoft peculiar to the feafon. The two great motives
which regulate the proceedings of the brute creation are love and
hunger; the former incites animals to perpetuate their kind, the
U t- latter.