146
latter induces them to preferve individuals : whether either of thefe
Ihould feem to be the ruling paffion in the matter of congregating
is to be confidered. As to love, that is out of the queftion at a
time of the year when that foft paffion is not indulged : befjdes,
during the amorous feafon, fuch a jealoufy prevails between the
male birds that they can hardly bear to be together in the fame
hedge or field. Moft of the finging and elation of fpirits of that
^ time feem to me to be the effeft of rivalry and emulation : and it
is to this fpirit of jealoufy that I chiefly attribute the equal difperfion
of birds in the fpring over the face of the country.
Now as to the bufinefs of food : as thefe animals are actuated by
inftinfl: to hunt for neceffary food, they fhould not, one would fup-
pofe, crowd together in purfuit of fuftenance at a time when it is molt
likely to fail; yet fuch aflociatlons do take place in hard weather
chiefly, and thicken as the feverity increafes. As fome kind of felf-
intereft and felf-defence is no doubt the motive for the proceeding,
may it not arife from the helplelfnefs of their ftate in fuch rigorous
f. afons; as men crowd together, when under great calamities, though
they know not why ? Perhaps approximation may difpel fome degree
of cold ; and a crowd may make each individual appear fafer
from the ravages of birds of prey and other dangers.
I f I admire when I fee how much congenerous birds love to congregate,
I am the more ftruck when I fee incongruous ones in fuch
ftridt amity. If we do not much wonder to fee a flock of rooks
ufually attended by a train of daws, yet it is fttange that the former
fhould fo frequently have a flight of ftarlings for their fatellites.
Is it becaule rooks have a more difcerning fcent than their attend-
dants, and can lead them to fpots more produdlive.of food ? Anato-
miffs fay that rooks, by reafon of two large nerves which run down
between the eyes into the upper mandible, have a more delicate
feeling injtheir beaks than other round-billed birds,, and can grope
for their meat when out of fight. Perhaps then their afiociates
attend them on the motive of mtereft, as greyhounds wait on the
motions of their finders; and as lions are faid to do on the yelpings
of jackalls. Lapwings and ftarlings fometimes affociate.
L E T T E R XII.
TO T H E S A M E .
B E A R S IR * March 9 l I7 7Zr
A s a gentleman and myfelf were walking on the fourth of laff
November round the fea-banks at Newhaven, near the mouth of the
Lewes river, in purfuit of natural knowledge, we were furprifed to
fee three houfe-fwallows gliding very fwiftly by us. ' That morning
was rather chilly, with the wind at north-weft; but the tenor of the
weather for fome time before had been delicate, and the noons remarkably
warm. From this incident, and from repeated accounts
which I meet with, I am more and more induced to believe that
many of the fwallow kind do not depart from this ifland; but lay
themfelves up in holes and caverns; and do, infeft-like and batlike,
come forth at -mild times, and then retire again to their latebra.
Nor make I the leaft doubt but that, i f I lived at Newhaven, Sea*
ford, Brighthelmfione, or any of thofe towns near the chalk-cliffs of
the Sujfex coaft, by pfoper obfervations, I fhould fee fwallows ftir-
ring at periods of the winter, when the noons were foft and inviting,
and the fun warm and invigorating. And I am the more of this •
^ z opinion