OF SELBORNE. 291 
(usually the beginning of June) when his exertions 
are remarkable. He then walks on tiptoe, and is 
stirring by five in the morning; and, traversing the 
garden, examines every wicket and interstice in the 
fences, through which he will escape if possible, and 
often has eluded the care of the gardener, and wan. 
dered to some distant field. 
LETTER XLVII1. 
Selborne, Sept. 3, 1781. 
I HAVE now read your Miscellanies through with 
much care and satisfaction, and am to return you 
my best thanks for the honourable mention made 
in them of me as a naturalist, which I wish I may 
deserve. 
In some former letters I expressed my suspicions 
that many of the house-martins do not depart in the 
winter far from this village. I therefore determin- 
ed to make some search about the southeast end of 
the hill, where I imagined they might slumber out 
the uncomfortable months of winter. But, suppo- 
sing that the examination would be made to the 
best advantage in the spring, and observing that no 
martins had appeared by the 11th of April last, on 
that day I employed some men to explore the shrubs 
and cavities of the suspected spot. The persons 
took pains, but without any success; however, a 
remarkable incident occurred in the midst of our 
pursuit: while the labourers were at work, a house- 
martin, the first that had been seen this year, came 
down the village in the sight of several people, and 
