OF SELBORNE. &9 
later at Oxford than elsewhere: is it owing to the 
vast, massy buildings of that place, to the many 
waters round it, or to what else? 
When I used to rise in a morning last autumn, 
and see the swallows and martins clustering on the 
chimneys and thatch of the neighbouring cottages, 
I could not help being touched with secret delight, 
mixed with some degree of mortification: with de- 
light, to observe with how much ardour and punc- 
tuality those poor little birds obeyed the strong im- 
pulse towards migration, or hiding, imprinted on 
their minds by their great Creator ; and with some 
degree of mortification when I reflected that, after 
all our pains and inquiries, we are yet not quite cer-. 
tain to what regions they do migrate, and are still 
farther embarrassed to find that some do not actu- 
ally migrate at all. 
These reflections made so strong an impression 
on my imagination, that they became productive of 
a composition that may perhaps amuse you for a 
quarter of an hour when next I have the honour of 
writing to you. 
LETTER XXIV. 
Selborne, May 29, 1769. 
Dear Sir,—TueE scarabeus fullo | know very 
well, having seen it in collections, but have never 
been able to discover one wild in its natural state. 
Mr. Banks told me he thought it might be found on 
the seacoast. 
On the 18th of April I went to the sheepdown, 
where the ringousels have been observed to make 
|: es 
