geneous, or earthly body of the planets; which will appear, if we consider,

1. If these birds did, in the time of their absence from us, reside any where in this earth, it is likely, that some one would, in one age or other, have discovered the place; but I cannot, from any record of the learned, or distinct and reasonable account of other men, find that there is any man has seen them out of their seasons; and therefore I conclude, they are no where in this our earth; for, de non entibus et non apparentibus eadem est ratio. It is true, indeed, I have heard stories of no such certainty as a man's mind may acquiesce in them: One tells me of 'Swallows lying in clay lumps in the bottom of rivers;' which I cannot persuade myself to believe, because the water and earth are too cold quarters, in the winter, for such summer birds: Besides, if they should have no occasion for breath, while they lie in their sweeven, or winter-sleep, yet, in the spring-morning, when they should awake, it is scarce conceivable, how their feathers should be in a trim to lift them out of the water. Others tell us of 'Heaps of swallows lying in the clefts of the rocks near the sea;' but I never yet could speak with any one that ever saw them so, though I have lived many years near the sea: And also, me thinks, it is very strange, that no curious persons, inquisitive into the nature of things, should procure any of those sleeping swallows, to observe the progress of nature concerning them. The like I have heard of the cuckow, found in hollow trees; but it is only rumour, and no more of woodcocks: I have been told, that one was taken on Midsummer-day, but he was all lousy: This (if true) might be; perhaps the poor crea ture was sick, or wounded, at the time he should have been gone, and so, perhaps, was left behind his fellows. And, indeed, I have often wondered, that none, who might have opportunities for it (as a walled garden, with a brook running through it) have, by pinioning them, preserved some of these alive all the year long, especially in those parts where they are most plentiful, and sometimes of very little value. Of snipes and fieldfares, I have heard of young ones found in desolate moors, and northern parts; but then the same reporters tell us, It is but very rare, and scarce one nest in many years has been found:' But what is this to the multitude we have, especially of the fieldfare, which come in mighty flocks? As to the wind-thrush, I never yet heard of any, that pretended to know any thing of their abode, or breed.

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2. Consider their coming, which is so sudden (as to divers of the kinds) that it is as if they dropped down upon us from above. woodcocks, especially, it is remarkable, that, upon a change of wind to the east, about Alhallows-tide, they will seem to have come all in a night; for, though the former day none are to be found, yet the next morning they will be in every bush: I speak of the West of England, where they are most plentiful: Nor is it observed, that they are in the eastern parts sooner than in the most western; nor that they fly west wards, when they are flushed, or raised to the wing, more than to any other quarters; whereas, if they came from any earthly coast, it is

likely, their tendency to spread themselves farther would be from those coasts, from whence they came: They come not in flocks, as fieldfares and redwings, but are sprinkled singly all over the country, and in some parts are twenty for one what they are in others, especially where are plenty of springs and woody sides of hills; and perhaps mineral streams may contribute to the attraction of them.

It may, therefore, be supposed they hover aloft, where the attraction is weak; and, though they may come all together to the utmost parts of the atmosphere, they may there disperse themselves to take a gust of the air, and, when they meet with steams that are agreeable, they forthwith drop right down to the place that best pleases them. One single bird, in his dispersion, over-shot himself, and, it seems, rambled too far out of his way; for I have heard this remarkable story:

A ship out at sea, farther from land than any birds use to be found, discovered a bird aloft in the air, hovering over them, as high as they could discern; which bird descended towards them, and made divers rings over the vessel, and at last lighted on the deck: It was a woodcock, so wearied that they took it up with their hands.' This relation I had from the Rev. Mr. Thomas Travers, of Cornwal, who received it from the captain, or master, of the vessel, a man of good credit and understanding: He said also, 'It came not from any coast, but down right from above; and (if I do not misremember) it was more souther ly, than any such birds use to be found?

Now, if this be true (as I have no reason to doubt it, it either shews the creature to come from above, or at least thus much, if it come from any remote part of the earth, it first mounts above the attraction of the earthly globe, before it begins its journey towards us: Which, if it be gained, it fairly helps our supposal, as is before noted; for, if there be such an attraction (which is called Gravity), and it have bounds in a certain height, then it may as well serve their going to the moon, as to some other parts of the earth.

As to the fieldfare and redwings, they seem also to come as suddenly upon a change of the air; but it is most on a northern wind, and therefore they may be thought to come from the northern parts of the earth; and, by consequence, it doth not so clearly evince our hypothesis upon this consideration, though it may help it well enough upon some other considerations. This is to be noted of them, that they fly very high at their first coming (as doth the swallow) and this may help a little, especially as to the attraction of the earth.

3. Consider the different state of these fowls, in their first coming, to what they are afterwards. This is noted of the woodcock, that, when it first comes, the taste of its flesh is quite another thing from what it is afterwards; it is short and tender; whereas after it eats stringy, and of a fibrous flesh, as other of our fowls are: And, towards its going off, it is observed, if you shoot a cock, it will bleed plentifully at the wounds, which at the beginning of the winter it never does; and then also, when it is so full of blood, it seems inclined to chuse a mate for breeding; for about Candlemas you shall seldom flush a single cock out of a bush › which you always do, all the winter before. From this, the conjecture

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is, that they have another kind of nourishment, before they come here, than what this earth doth afford, or else their flesh, would be of the same constitution; or, if they had blood at their first setting out, it served them for a Viaticum, and was spent in their nourishment, throughout their long journey; and that their feeding here prepared them for breeding elsewhere, whither they travel with the companions of their choice.

4. Consider the flying of these birds, while they abide among us. It is manifest, that the woodcock and redwing make very short flights, when they are stirred; it is also manifest, that those of them, that are found near the sea-shore, do never, when disturbed, offer towards the sea, but shelter themselves again, as soon as they can, on the land: Besides, it may be observed, that the wing of that fowl, proportionable to its full body, is very inconsiderable to bear it a long flight, in such a course, where is necessarily required a constant support of its weight.

Hence, therefore, we conjecture, it never came from any part of the earth, that lies beyond our seas; for it would never venture at rights over any sea, or considerable breadth of water; much less, that it should come from parts remote beyond man's travels; therefore, more probably, it is from above, where the main of the journey is performed without any gravitation.

As to the windthrush (or redwing) and fieldfare, it is observed also, what is of the woodcock, that their flights are short, and that they shun the seas; else why do they not better shift for themselves, in a very cold season, by getting over to France, or other warmer countries, rather than starve here, as multitudes of them do? From this I conceive, that they are not beyond-sea birds, nor ever came into this island from another part of the earth; but that they come down directly upon us, when our land is presented fair for them, as they view it above in the atmosphere.

The swallow, cuckow, stork, and the other summer birds make but short flights and returns; the swallow, swift, and marlet are almost almost always flying; and these also shun the seas, though they sometimes, for flies, or drink, do dip and play over the fresh water: Therefore, surely, neither are these any beyond-sea birds.

5. Consider these fowls in or near the times of their departure: The woodcock (as was said) is full of blood, gets company, and, to which add, is stronger of flight, and mounts higher, when moved. The fieldfares and redwings gather into great flocks, so do the swallows and mar lets; and all these, except the woodcock, are wont to make a chearful singing, or chattering noise, before they take their farewel; their flights are also high, but never over any sea-water, that I can hear of; therefore, I conceive, they leave not the land to go beyond sea: Nor is it probable that they hide in the sand, or seek lurking-places to sleep in; for then, methinks, they should be more dull and drooping towards their going to sleep: No; rather their chearfulness seems to intimate, that they have some noble design in hand, and some great attempt to set

Connaught; who, to satisfy his lordship's desires, commanded his troop to march unto him, to be at Sligo, on Thursday night, November the twenty-seventh, to join in some expedition, by his lordship's orders, against the rebels in that province.

The greatest part of his troop, with their horses, were then in the island of Baawe, sixteen miles northward from Inniskillin; who, upon his notice, did march away, upon Monday, November the twentyfourth, together with almost all the foot-soldiers of two companies of his regiment, that quartered with their cattle, and many of the cows of Inniskillin in that island, unto Balleshannon, which was their place of rendezvouz.

The cornet of that troop, upon Tuesday, November the twenty-fifth, with about twenty horsemen, marched from Inniskillin to the westward of Loghern, with resolution to lodge, that night, by the way, within fifteen miles of Sligo; but a little snow falling, altered their determination, and so took their course to Balleshannon, without appointment, God, in his high providence, for the advancement of his own glory, and our good, directing them thither; where, as soon as they got their horses shod, they were still hastening towards Sligo, whither sundry of their foot companies aforesaid, on horseback, rid before them: and a great part of the troop were advanced as far as Bundrowis, where the alarm overtook them, with orders to return, to resist the enemy, to the number of four or five-hundred men, of Owen Mac Arte's army, under the conduct of several captains, led by Roury Mac Guire in chief; who, upon Wednesday morning, November the twenty-sixth, being provided with two of our own boats, by the treachery of one Bryan

Harran, and others of our bosom-snakes, protected Sinon's, had entered the said island of Baawe, at the south-end of it, and was burning, spoiling, and preying their goods; wherein they prevailed, even to the stripping naked of all onr women, plundering and taking theirs, and our then absent soldier's clothes, victuals, and arms away.

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That party of our horsemen speedily returning to Balleshannon, whence, with the cornet, the rest of the said troop, some of the foot soldiers on horseback, and captain John Folliot, accompanied with as many horsemen as he could make, hastened towards the north-end of that island, which is distant, from the south-end thereof, three English miles. But, the enemy having driven the prey of cows, horses, and mares, forth at the south-end, our horsemen, with captain Folliot, followed by Termon castle; whence they marched through very cessible woods and bogs, in the night, to the Cash (distant sixteen iniles from Balleshannon) being the first place that they could guide themselves by the track of the enemy and prey, which they still pursued, with chearfulness, to Lowtherstown; where, overtaking them about one o'clock in the morning of November the twenty-seventh, 1645, their trumpet sounding a charge, they followed it home so reso lutely, that, after a fierce confliction, in a short time, they routed the enemy, and had the execution of them for a mile and a half; slew many of them in the place, took some prisoners, rescued most part of their prey, recovered their own soldiers, that were then the enemy's prisoners, with some of the rebels knapsacks to boot: which sudden

and unexpected fright did so amaze Owen Mac Arte, and his army, consisting of about two thousand foot, and two hundred horse (as prisoners do inform) who, after they had made their bravado on the top of an hill, within a mile of Inniskillin, in the evening of November the twenty-sixth, to keep the town from issuing forth, to resist or stay the prey, incamped, that night, at Ballenamallaght, within four miles of this town; that they all, in a most fearful and confused manner, ran away to the mountains, so vehemently scared and affrighted, that their van thought their own rear were my troops, and their rear likes wise imagined, those that escaped the fight, by flight from Lowtherstown, to have been also my party that pursued them; whereby, their mantles, clokes, and all that could be an impediment to their more speedy flight, were cast upon the ground, and left behind them; and so continued, until they passed the mountains of Slewbagha into the county of Monaghan, where they are quartered upon the county Creaghts, which lies from Arthur Blaney's house, and from Monaghan Duffee, near the town of Monaghan, all along to Drogheda, consisting of the banished inhabitants of Tyrone, Armagh, Monaghan, and Lowth.

My troop returned, with Captain Folliot, in safety, praised be God, without hurt of man or beast, save one horse of Lieutenant Edward Graham's, that was shot and killed under him. And having put the said prey again into the said island, upon Friday, November the twenty-eighth, they marched to Balleshannon, whence, again, they came home to Inniskillin, on the north-side of Loghern, the thirtieth of November, 1645.

Among those that were slain, the grandson of Sir Tirlagh Mac Henry ONeale was one.

One captain killed. Two lieutenants killed.

And, I find, there is some man, of more eminent note than any of these, killed, but, as yet, cannot learn certainly who it is. Lieut. Tirlagh O Moylan, of Captain Awney O Cahan's company, taken prisoner; who, upon examination, saith, That Inchiquin hath given a great blow, of late, unto Castlehaven and Preston, in their quarters near Yoghel; and also saith, That the intent of this army was, that, if they could come off with our said prey, without check, they purposed then to have besieged this town, and, according as fortune favoured them, to have proceeded against the Lagan, and other places of Ulster.

And yet I find, by the answer of some others of the prisoners, that, by direction from the supreme council of Ireland, this army of Owen Mac Aite's are to serve in nature of a running party, to weaken our forces of Inniskillin, Laggan, and Claneby's, by sudden incursions, to kill, spoil, and prey us, upon all occasions of advantage, according as, by their successes therein, they shall assume encouragement to themselves to go forwards against us, but especially against Inniskillin, which they conceive is worst able to resist their attempts.

Captain Folliot had sixteen horsemen, with four of Mannor Hamilton's men, and four of Castle Termon horsemen, that joined very fortunately, in this service, with my troop; for which God Almighty be ever glorified and praised by William Cole.