NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 163 
entre nous, the disappearing of the latter is more marvellous than 
that of the former, and much more unaccountable. The hirundines, 
if they please, are certainly capable of migration, and yet no doubt 
are often found in a torpid state ; but redstarts, nightingales, white- 
throats, black-caps, &c. &c., are very ill provided for long flights ; 
have never been once found, as I ever heard of, in a torpid state, 
and yet can never be supposed, in such troops, from year to year to 
dodge and elude the eyes of the curious and inquisitive, which from 
day to day discern the other small birds that are known to abide 
our winters. But, notwithstanding all my care, I saw nothing like 
a summer bird of passage; and, what is more strange, not one 
wheat-ear,* though they abound so in the autumn as to be a con- 
siderable perquisite to the shepherds that take them ; and though 
many are to be seen to my knowledge all the winter through in 
many parts of the south of England. The most intelligent shep- 
herds tell me that some few of these birds appear on the downs in 
March, and then withdraw to breed probably in warrens and stone- 
quarries ; now and then a nest is ploughed up in a fallow on the 
downs under a furrow, but it is thought a rarity. At the time of 
wheat-harvest they begin to be taken in great numbers; are sent 
for sale in vast quantities to Brighthelmstone and Tunbridge; and 
appear at the tables of all the gentry that entertain with any 
degree of elegance. About Michaelmas they retire and are seen 
no more till March. Though these birds are, when in season, in 
great plenty on the south downs round Lewes, yet at East Bourn, 
which is the eastern extremity of those downs, they abound much 
more. One thing is very remarkable, that though in the height of 
the season so many hundreds of dozens are taken, yet they never 
are seen to flock ; and it is a rare thing to see more than three or 
four at a time; so that there must be a perpetual flitting and con- 
stant progressive succession. It does not appear that any wheat- 
ears are taken to the westward of Houghton Bridge, which stands 
on the river Arun. 
I did not fail to look particularly after my new migration of ring- 
ousels ; and to take notice whether they continued on the downs to 
this season of the year; as I had formerly remarked them in the 
month of October all the way from Chichester to Lewes wherever 
there were any shrubs and covert: but not one bird of this sort 
* See Letter XXXIX to Pennant, p.100; and note. Eighty-four dozen are said to have 
been taken in a single day ; and Pennant states, that about Eastbourne one thousand 
eight hundred and forty dozen were taken annually. 
