J 2 2 N A T U R A L H I S T O R Y
Birds that ling as they fly are but few.
R A l l N O M IN A .
Skylark, Alauda vulgaris : Riling, fulpended, and falling.
Titlark, Alauda pratorum :
f In it's delcent; alfo fitting on trees,
\ and walking on the ground.
Woodlark, Alauda arborea : T Sulpended; in hot fummer nights all
[ night long.
Blackbird, Merula : Sometimes from bufh to bufh.
White-throat, Ficedulee affinis : f Ufes when finging on the wing odd.
[ jerks and gelHculations.
Swallow» Uirundo domejiica : In foft funny weather.
Wren, Fajfer troglodytes : Sometimes from buih to bulh.
Birds that breed moft early in thefe parts :
Raven, Cor vu s : Hatches in February March*
Song-thrilfli, STurdus : ' In March*.
Blackbird, M erula : In M arch.
Hook, Cornix fru g ileg a Builds the beginning o f March*
Woodlark, Alauda arborea : Hatches in A p ril.
Ring-dove, Palumbus torquatus : Lays the beginning o f April..
All birds- that continue in full fong till after Midfummer appear
to me to breed more than once.
Moft kinds of birds feem to me to be wild and Ihy fomewhat in
proportion to their bulk; I mean in this ifland, where they are
much purfued and annoyed : but in .jifcenfion IJlandy and many
other defolate places, mariners have found fowls fo unacquainted
with an human figure,, that they would Hand fti'll to be taken; as
is the cafe with boobies, &c._ As an example of what is advanced,.
I remark that the golden-cr'ejled wren (the fmalleft Britijh bird) wilL
{land unconcerned till you come within three or four yards of it,,
while the bvjiard foils), the largeft Britijh land fowl, does not care-
to admit a perfon within fo many furlongs. I am, &c..
L E T T E R .
l e t t e r III.
TO TH E S A M E .
D E A R S IR , -Selborn-e, Jan. 15, 1770.
I t was no fmall matter of farisfadtion to me to find that you were
not difpleafed with my little methodus of birds. I f there was any
merit in the fketch, it muft be owing to it’s pundtuality. For
many months I carried a lift in my pocket of the birds that were to
be remarked, and, as I rode or walked about my bufinefs, I noted
each day the continuance or omiffion of each bird’s fong; fo that
I am as fure of the certainty of my facts as a man can be of any
tranfaction whatfoever.
I fhall now proceed to anfwer the feveral queries which you put
in your two obliging letters, in the belt manner that I am able.
Perhaps Eajiwick, and it’s environs, where you heard fo very few
birds, is not a woodland country, and therefore not flocked with
fuch fongfters. If you will call your eye on my laft letter, you
will find that many fpecies continued to warble after the beginning
o f July. *
The titlark and yellowhammer breed late, the latter very late;
and therefore it is no wonder that they protradl their fong: for I
lay it down as a maxim in ornithology, that as long as there is any
incubation going on there is mufic. As to the redbreaft and wren,
it is well known to the moft incurious obferver that they whiffle
the year round, hard, froft excepted; efpecially the latter.
R a It
* 7 A -,____>4