NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 117 
bi ER. L. 
TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRINGTON. 
SELBORNE, ¥uxe 30th, 1769. 
DEAR SIR,—When I was in town last month I partly engaged 
that I would sometime do myself the honour to write to you on the 
subject of natural history; and I am the more ready to fulfil my 
promise, because I see you are a gentleman of great candour, and 
one that will make allowances ; especially where the writer pro- 
fesses to be an out-door naturalist, one that takes his observations 
from the subject itself, and not from the writings of others.* 
THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE SUMMER BIRDS OF PASSAGE 
WHICH I HAVE DISCOVERED IN THIS NEIGHBOURHOOD, RANGED 
SOMEWHAT IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY APPEAR :— 
RAII NOMINA. USUALLY APPEARS ABOUT 
1. Wryneck, SFynx, stve Torguilla. The middle of March: harsh note. 
2. Smallest willow- \ a { ay te P 
ereH. Regulus non cristatus. More 23: chirps till September, 
3. Swallow, _ Flirundo domestica. April 13. 
4. Martin, Hirundo rustica. Ditto. 
5. Sand-martin, Hirundo riparia. Ditto. 
6. Black-cap, A tricapilla. Ditto : a sweet wild note. 
7. Nightingale, Luscinia. Beginning of April. 
8. Cuckoo, Cuculus. Middle of April. 
g. Middle willow-wren,  egzulus non cristatus. Ditto : a sweet plaintive note. 
apt Ma F Ditto; mean note; sings on till 
to. White-throat, jPicedule afinis. September. 
* These letters to the Hon. Daines Barrington, though arranged in the original and 
subsequent editions together, and as forming a second part, were mostly written con- 
temporaneously, or at least were dated to appear so, with those of the first series addressed 
to Pennant. ‘They are written in the same unpretending style, answering questions, 
asking others, and suggesting subjects as before. The matter of the letters is also some- 
what “similar, and repetitions sometimes occur, but other subjects are at the same time 
introduced, arising from the different bearing of Mr, Barrington’s pursuits. 
In the first letter lists of the summer and winter migratory birds are given. These 
lists in all probability might stand nearly the same at the present day, if we add to the 
first the third willow-wren and greater petty-chaps. We have scarcely ever known a 
locality frequented by the black-cap where the latter was not also found. White gives the 
wheat-ear among his ‘‘ permanent residents; ” in this he is probably right in regard toa 
few birds, but surely the large mass that arrive upon the downs will come and go as in 
other parts. We would make the same observation of his ‘‘ yellow-wagtail,’’ which we 
believe is everywhere in this country a true migrant. In the winter list the ring-ouzel is 
introduced, but this bird is a summer migrant to the north, and appeared, as White has 
often observed, in spring and autumn, remaining only a few days at each period during 
its passage northward or southward. We are not sure which of the wild geese is meant 
by the ‘“Azser ferus ;’’ in all probability it is not so frequent or numerous now if it 
continues to visit the district at all, and this letter is just one of those which Professor 
Bell or some one resident can best correct and explain. 
