4 OENITHOLOGICAL KAMBLES. 



groves of Spain, or on the sunny plains of Africa, 

 once more, wlien 



" Solvitur acris liyems grata \ice veris et Favoni," 



turn their faces to their native land, and revisit 

 the green hedgerows and peaceful valleys of 

 England : but you can hardly be prepared to 

 take such an interest as I would fain inspire you 

 with, in certain ornithological details to be re- 

 corded hereafter, unless you have previously some 

 idea of the more prominent geographical divi- 

 sions of Sussex, the general aspect, and the local 

 scenery of each. I propose, therefore, to devote 

 the remainder of this letter to such an introduc- 

 tory sketch as may in some degree tend to supply 

 the deficiency. 



Sussex, one of the southern maritime counties 

 of England, is about seventy-six miles in length, 

 and nearly thirty in its average Ijreadth. The 

 weald, the limits of which have been restricted 

 by some geologists to a portion of the eastern 

 division, may, in a more popular sense, be said to 

 constitute the great clay valley stretching along 

 the entire county — including the prima3val forest 

 of Anderida— commencing near Harting Combe, 

 on the borders of Hampshire, and gradually in- 

 creasing in breadth as it advances in a south- 



