1 14
has rendered it fo happily in our language, that without farther
excufe I Ihall add his tranflation alfo.
*( Qualis fpelunca fubito commota Columba,
“ Cui domus, et dulces latebrofo in pumice nidi,
“ Fertur in arva volans, plaufumque exterrita pennis
«< Dat te&o ingentem— mox aere lapfa quieto,
« Radit ifer liquidum, celeres neque commovet alas.?*
“ As when a dove her rocky, hold forfakes,
« Rous’d, in a fright her founding wings ihe lhakes ^
** The cavern rings with clattering:— out ihe flies,
“ And leaves her callow care, and cleaves the ikies;
“ A t firft ihe flutters:— but at length ihe iprings
“ T o fmoother flight, and ihoots upon, her wings.”
L E T T E R I.
T O T H E . H O N O U R A B L E D A I N E S B A R R I N G T O N .
D E A R SIR, S e l b o r n e , June 30, 1 7 6 9 ,
W hbh I was in town laft month I partly engaged that I would
fometime do myfelf the honour 'to write to you on the fubjeft of
natural hiftory: and I am the more ready to fulfil my promife,
becaufe I fee you are a gentleman of great candour, and one that
will make allowances'; efpecially where the writer profqfles to be
an out-door naturalifi, one that takes, his obfervations from the
fubjedt itfelf, and not from the writings of others.
¥he following is a L ist of the Siimmeu Birds ^ P assage which
I have difcovered in this neighbourhood, ranged fomewhat in the order
which they appear:
R A l l N OM IN A . U S U A L L Y A P P E A R S A B O U T
1. Wryneck,
2. Smalleft willow-wren,
3. Swallow,
4. Martin',
5. Sand-martin,
6 . Black-cap,
7. Nightingale,
8. Cuckoo,
9. Middle willow-wren,
10. White-throat,
Jyiix, f iv e torquilla :
Regulus non crifiatus:
Hirundo doméfiica:
Hirundo rufiica:
Hirundo riparia■;
Atricapilla:
Lufcinia :
Cu cuius :
Regulus non crifiatus i
Ficedula ajfinis :
f The middle o f M arch:
{ harih note,
f March 23 : chirps till Septent-
I her.
A p ril 13.
Ditto. . .
Ditto.
Ditto: a fweet wild note.
Beginning of A p ril.
Middle of A p ril.
Ditto: a fweet plantive note,
f Ditto: mean note j flngs on
I till September.
cl* 11 . Red-ftart,