88 RING-OUSELS. 



Wlien 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 a secret delight, mixed with some degree of 

 mortification: with delight, to observe with how much 

 ardour and punctuaHty those poor little birds obeyed the 

 strong impulse 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 not yet quite certain to what regions 

 they do migrate ; and are still farther embarrassed to find 

 that some actually do not 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. 



LETTEE XXIV. 



TO THE SAME. 



Selborne, May 29, 1769. 

 Dear Sib,— -The scarahceus fullo* I know very well, having 

 seen it in collections ; but have never been able to discover 

 one wild m its natural state. Mr. Banks told me he 

 thought it might be found on the sea-coast. 



On the 13th of April, I went to the sheep-down, where 

 the ring-ousels have been observed to make their appearance 

 at spring and fall, in their way, perhaps, to the north or 

 south ; and was much pleased to see three birds about the 

 usual spot. We shot a cock and a hen ; they were plump 

 and in high condition. The hen had but very small rudi- 

 ments of eggs within her, which proves they are late 

 breeders ; whereas those species of the thrush kind that 



* It is properly the melolontha fvllo. Mr. Bennett says that all the 

 epecimens of this noble chafer that have yet been captured in England, have 

 occurred on the coast of Kent, Dover appearing the middle point of theit 

 range. — Ed. 



