as they had all been at feveral times, one after another, though before fet down together, for expreffing the juft number of them.

"Forth of this fecret and moft cunning conveyance came Henry Garnet the Jefuit, fought for, and another with him, named Hall; marmalade and other fweetmeats were found there lying by them; but their better maintenance had been by a quill or reed, through a little hole in the chimney that backed another chimney into the gentlewoman's chamber, and by that paffage cawdles, broths, and warm drinks, had been conveyed in unto them.

"Now in regard the place was fo close, those cuftoms of nature which must of neceffity be done, and in fo long a time of continuance was exceedingly offenfive to the men themselves, and did much annoy them that made entrance in upon them, to whom they confeffed, that they had not been able to hold out one whole day longer, but either they must have fqueeled or perished in the place. The whole fervice endured the fpace of eleven nights and twelve days, and no more perfons being there found in company of Mayfter Abingdon, himself, Garnet, Hill, Owen, and Chambers, were brought up to London, to understand farther of his Highness's pleasure."

We are now in poffeffion of feveral very full hiftories and furveys of particular counties; and should this industrious patri-otic fpirit extend through the remainder (and it may be prefumed and hoped that no county is deftitute of one gentleman able and willing to forward fo laudable a purpose) a general collector, poffeffed of learning and judgment, might afterward from the united materials, taking Camden in as a principal, compile a new BRITANNIA, on the only plan capable of furnishing a va Juable work of that kind.

N.

ART. HI. Mifcellanies by the Honourable Daines Barrington. 4to. 18 s. in Sheets. White. 1781.

A$

S the ingenious Writer and Compiler of these miscellaneous effays, has not prefixed any general introduction or preface to them, we are furnished with no information but what is to be collected from the refpective articles; which we shall Specify in the order in which they occur.

Tracts on the Poffibility of reaching the North Pole. Thefe Tracts were first published in the year 1775*, and as the Author declares, in a Preface to them, they are republifhed as containing many well-attefted facts, not to be found elfewhere, and tending to promote geographical discoveries. He till continues fanguine for thefe attempts, though he admits that the purposes of commerce can never be answered by the great uncertainty of a conftant paffage, even if difcovered, in feas which are fo frequently obftructed by the ice packing in vaft fields. Mr. B. profeffes to have received farther encouragement from Cap

*See Rev. vol. liii. p. 125.
$ 4

tain

tain Pickerfgill's voyage for this purpofe*; and, that the aftronomer royal who communicated Captain Pickersgill's Journal to the Royal Society, hath informed me by letter, that he had often heard this navigator exprefs himself as well affured of a N. W. paffage; adding, that he received accounts of it from the inhabitants on the fide of Davis's Straits, and that it was directly N. W. very different from Baffin's track.'

In his Preface, Mr. B. points out the cafieft method of profecuting future attempts for this long fought difcovery, in the following terms:

I have mentioned in the following Tracts, that the Parliamentary rewards given for approaching within one degree of the North Pole are not likely to produce the effects intended, because the Greenland whale ships are all enfured; if they were therefore to go beyond the common fishing latitudes, it would be fuch a departure from the voyage enfured, that they would not be able to recover, if accidents happened in fuch a deviation.

I am informed, however, that there are fome veffels employed in time of peace by government, to prevent finuggling on the Northern coast of Scotland. Thefe fhips might be inftructed, when a promifing wind blows from the Southward, to proceed as far North as the ice will permit. The crew of fuch a ship would be encouraged by expectations of the Parliamentary reward; and though one attempt might fail, another might fucceed. The expence to the public would be trifling, whilft the fmugglers would not know how foon the fhip might return to its ftation.

Our Commodore upon the Newfoundland flation might also fend a vaffel, at a fmall expence, to explore all the Northern part of Hudfon's Bay, with which we are fo imperfectly acquainted at prefent.

Such attempts during peace might take place almost every fummer; and I should fuppofe that this fcientific and opulent nation would never hesitate (whilst there is the leatt dawning of hopes) to fend proper veffels occafionally to make further trials both of a N. W. paffage by Baffin's Bay, and a N. E. beyond Nova Zembla.

The coaft of Corea, the Northern part of Japan, and the Lequieux Inlands, fhould alfo be explored; the cheapest, and perhaps best method of doing this would be to employ a veffel in the India Company's fervice, which might be victualled at Canton."

Whether the Turkey was known before the Discovery of America. From comparing the authorities of ancient writers and travellers, and from confidering the names given to the Turkey in different European languages, Mr. B. is of opinion that this bird is not a native American, but an Afiatic.

On the Rein-deer.

This is not a natural history of the animal, but an examination of the current opinion, that the rein-deer will not live for any time fouth of Lapland; or of that part of North America

• See Rev. vol. lxii. p. 52.

where

where the general ftandard of cold is the fame. But the few inftances of fingle animals here cited to the contrary will scarcely be admitted in oppofition to the opinion juftified by the fact, of the rein-deer being peculiar to thofe high latitudes, where only they breed and are found in a natural state. Mr. B. takes curfory notice of some other peculiarities in the formation and manners of this nothern animal.

On the Bat, or Rere-mouse.

The principal article of information in this effay, is a confirmation of the bat paffing the winter in a state of torpidity, in common with the swallow tribe.

On the fudden Decay of feveral Trees in St. James's Park.

The decay of these trees is very properly afcribed to the filling up of Rosamond's pond, and the moat round the island; together with the alteration made in the walk called the Mall, which, from a concave walk, is now raifed to a convexity. All which alterations have deprived the roots of the trees of their accustomed portions of nourishment, under which lofs they have fince pined. This fact, as Mr. B. obferves, may prove a warning to those who may intend to dry up ponds near which trees may grow that they would be forry to lote.

On the periodical Appearing and Disappearing of certain Birds, at different Times of the Year.

This effay which was published in the Philofophical Transactions Vol. LXII.* is here reprinted, we are told, with additions. On the Torpidity of the Swallow Tribe, when they disappear.

Mr. B. here cites a number of corroborating facts to prove, that swallows retire to unfrequented waters at the approach of winter, into which they fink in a ftate of torpidity, until the return of fummer: that martins and fwifts, in like manner, retire to fecure harbours in caverns, crevices of rocks, &c. during the fame feafon; from whence winter days uncommonly warm, will often bring thefe latter forth; a fufficient argument alone to prove that they do not migrate from the country.

On the prevailing Notions with regard to the Cuckow.

In this effay, the prevailing opinion, that the cuckow does not hatch and rear its young, is treated as a vulgar error. The wood pigeon is, from its fize, faid to be the only bird qualified as a fofter-parent for the young cuckow; but, when it is recollected, that this bird lives on feeds, it is only qualified to starve a nurfeling that requires to be fed with infects. As ill adapted. is the hedge fparrow for raifing fo gigantic an orphan; though thefe two, fo unlike each other, are, by general tradition, fup

See Rev. Vol. L. p. 283.

posed

posed to be left in charge of the eggs of this much abused pa«

rent.

Another current notion is, that the young cuckow never lives long enough to make its call in the fucceeding fpring; an opinion founded on the difficulty of keeping them in cages. Their fhort life in cages Mr. B. well accounts for, by obferving, that all animals which have plenty of food before them, eat as long as they can fwallow; an indulgence which granivorous animals feem to enjoy with impunity; but carnivorous animals, which do not find their prey fo eafily, are calculated for long fafts. When, therefore, we cage neftlings that feed on infects, the food we fubftitute is raw meat; he is therefore perfuaded that they die by over-cramming.

In vindication of the character of the cuckow, Mr. Barring ton relates the following facts:

"I have been favoured by that eminent naturalift Mr. Pennant with the following, from a MS. differtation of Dr. Derham's:

"The Rev. Mr. Stafford was walking in Bloffop-dale, and faw a cuckow rife from its neft, which was on the ftump of a tree that had been fome time felled, fo as to refemble the colour of the "bird. In this neft were two young cuckows; one of which he "fastened to the ground by means of a peg and line: and very fre"quently, for many days, beheld the old cuckow feed thefe her young ones."

I have been alfo furnished with two other inftances of cuckow's nefts, and the proper parents feeding their young, within four miles of London, and likewife on the S. Western coast of Merionethfhire.

I remember myself having been in Herefordshire, not many years ago, when a girl brought a young cuckow to the house where I happened to be; and on my asking what fort of bird it was fed by, the girl anfwered, by fuch another, only fomewhat larger.

From thefe facts it must be allowed, that all cuckows at least are not the unnatural parents they are commonly fupposed to be.'

Nevertheless our ingenious naturalift is perfuaded that this bird is more frequently an orphan than any other, from the curiofity that generally prevails with regard to it, occafioning the parents to be continually fhot: and on this head we are fur Inished with fome curious remarks.

Mr. B. obferves, that there is fomething in the cry of a neftling for food, which affects all kinds of birds. He took four young ones from a hen fky-lark, fupplying their place with five nightingales and five wrens, the greater part of which were reared by the fofter parent. Every breeder of canary birds finds accidental reafons for fuch kind of tranfplantations, within the fame fpecies indeed, but without reftriction as to the number within the capacity of a neft. I have feen, fays Mr. B. a young chicken, not above two months old, take as much care

• Derbyshire.

of

of younger chickens, as the parent would have fhewn to them, which they had loft, not only by fcratching to procure them food, but by covering them with her wings; and I have little doubt but that he would have done the fame by young ducks. I have likewife been witnefs of neftling thrufhes, of a later brood, being fed by a young bird which was hatched earlier, and which, indeed, rather over-crammed the orphans intrusted to her care; if the bird, however, erred in judgment, she was certainly, not deficient in tenderness, which I am perfuaded the would have equally extended to a neftling cuckow.' The bare fact, therefore, of a hedge fparrow, or other small bird, being obferved to feed a young cuckow, is, he obferves, no proof that the cuckow's egg was hatched by fuch a dam.

On the Linnaan Syftem.

We are here furnished with fome fevere ftrictures on this ceJebrated Swedish naturalift, whofe Latin is cenfured as barbarous, and his defcriptions as obfcure:

There is fcarcely any naturalift (fays Mr. B.) who hath publifhed fince the Linnæan fyftem began to have a vogue, who hath not condemned many parts of it; fo that I am not fingular in fuppofing that it hath its defects.

But I conceive, that there is not only foundation for many of thefe objections; but that it hath, in many inftances, been prejudicial to the knowledge of that very fubject which it is intended chiefly to inculcate.

Linnæus hath comprised the animal kingdom of the whole globe, except infects (viz. Beafts, Birds, Reptiles, and Fish), in 532 pages octavo: and what can this poffibly amount to more than a vocabuJary, grammar, or dictionary, be it as excellent as it may ?

But it may poffibly be faid, that the cheapnefs of fo much inftruction, as well as its being fo portable, are great recommendations of this ufeful publication, which I am very ready to allow fo are Cole's Latin Dictionary and Hedericus's Lexicon deservedly in great request; but though thefe will anfwer my purpofe very well whilft I am at fchool, I fhall want better affiftance when I have left it.

Again, it will be urged, that they who ftudy the Linnæan Syftem are not debarred from perufing the works of other naturalifts; but I appeal to experience, whether thofe who are zealous admirers of the Swedish profeffor often go beyond the elementary knowledge of their inftructor, or contribute any ufeful additions to any article of natural history.

In other words, fo much time is taken up in mastering the Linnæan elements, that we grow old before we can apply to any parti cular branch of this comprehenfive study.'

Thefe objections are fupported by citations, for which we must refer to the effay.

Mr. B. next gives an account of an agreement between the King of Spain and our Royal Society, for an exchange of natural curiofities; in confequence of which though the Society,

in