Limaus ranges plants geographically; palms inhabit the tropics,
grafles the temperate zones, and mofles and lichens the polar
circles; no doubt animals may be claffed in the fame manner with
propriety.
Houfe-fparrows build under eaves in the fpring; as the weather
becomes hotter they get out for coolnefs, and neft in plum-trees
and apple-trees. Thefe birds have been known fometimes to
build in rooks’ nefts, and fometimes in the forks Of boughs under
rooks’ nefts.
As my neighbour was houfing a rick he obferved that his dogs
devoured all the little red mice that they could catch, but rejefted
the common mice; and that his cats ate the common mice,
refilling the red.
Red-breafts ling all through the fpring, fummer, and autumn.
The reafon that they are called autumn fongfters is, becaufe in the
^ two firft feafons their voices are drowne'd and loft in die general
chorus; in the latter their fong becomes diftinguifhable. Many
fongfters of the autumn feem to be the young cock red-breafts of
that year: ntftwithftandmg the prejudices in their favour, they
do much mifehiefin gardens to the fummer-fruits °.
The titmoufe, which early in February begins to make two
quaint notes, like the whetting of a faw, is the marih titmoufe :
the great titmoufe lings with three cheerful joyous notes, and
begins about the fame time.
Wrens ling all the Winter through, froft excepted.
Houfe-martins came remarkably late this year both in Hampjhtre
and Dmmjbire: is this circumftance for or againft either hiding
or migration ? *
* They eat alfo the herties of the ivy, the honey-fuckle, and the euonymus europaust
oripindle-tree.
Molt
Mali birds drink lipping at intervals; but pigeons take a long
continued draught, like quadrupeds.
Notwithftanding what I have faid in a former letter, no grey
crows were ever known to breed on Dartmoor; it was my miftake.
The appearance and flying of the fcarabeeus folftitialis, or fern-
chafer, commence widi the month of July, and ceafe about the
end of it. Thefe fcarabs are the conftant food of caprlmulgi, or fern
owls, through tbat period. They abound on the chalky downs and
in fome fandy diftridts, but not in the clays.
In the garden of the Black-bear inn in the town of Reading is
a ftream or canal running under the ftables and out into the
fields on the other fide of the road: in this water are many carps,
which lie rolling about in fight, being fed by travellers, who
amufe themfelves by tolling them bread: but as foon as the
weather grows at all fevere thefe fifties are no longer feen, becaufe
they retire under the ftables, where they remain till the return of
fpring. Do they lie in a torpid Hate ? if they do not, how are
they fupported ?
The note of the white-throat, which is continually repeated, and
often attended with odd gefticulations on the wing, is harlh and
difpleafing. Thefe birds feem of a pugnacious difpolition ; for
they ling with an eredted creft and attitudes of rivalry and defiance
; are Ihy and wild in breeding-time, avoiding neighbourhoods,
and haunting lonely lanes and commons; nay even the
very tops of the Suffex-dmns, where there are bulhes and covert;
but in July and Augujl they bring their broods into gardens and
orchards, and make great havoek among the fummer-fruits.
The black-cap has in common a full, fweet, deep, loud, and
wild pipe ; yet that ftrain is of Ihort continuance, and his motions
are defultory; but when that bird fits calmly and engages in fong