266 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 



bough to bough, examining every part for food; it also runs up 

 the stems of the crown-imperials, and, putting its head into the 

 bells of those flowers, sips the liquor which stands in the nectarium 

 of each petal. Sometimes it feeds on the ground like the hedge- 

 sparrow, by hopping about on the grass-plots and mown walks. 1 



One of my neighbours, an intelligent and observing man, informs 

 me that, in the beginning of May, and about ten minutes before 

 eight o'clock in the evening, he discovered a great cluster of house- 

 swallows, thirty, at least, he supposes, perching on a willow that 

 hung over the verge of James Knight's upper-pond. His attention 

 was first drawn by the twittering of these birds, which sat motion- 

 less in a row on the bough, with their heads all one way, and, by 

 their weight, pressing down the twig so that it nearly touched the 

 water. In this situation he watched them till he could see no 

 longer. Repeated accounts of this sort, spring and fall, induce us 

 greatly to suspect that house-swallows have some strong attach- 

 ment to water, independent of the matter of food ; and, though 

 they may not retire into that element, yet they may conceal them- 

 selves in the banks of pools and rivers during the uncomfortable 

 months of winter. 



One of the keepers of Wolmer Forest sent jne a peregrine-falcon, 

 which he shot on the verge of that district as it was devouring a 

 wood-pigeon. The fako peregrinus, or haggard-falcon, is a noble 

 species of hawk seldom seen in the southern counties. In winter 

 1767, one was killed in the neighbouring parish of Farringdon, and 

 sent by me to Mr. Pennant into North Wales.* Since that time 

 I have met with none till now. The specimen mentioned above 

 was in fine preservation, and not injured by the shot : it measured 

 forty-two inches from wing to wing, and twenty-one from beak to 

 tail, and weighed two pounds and a half standing weight. This 

 species is very robust, and wonderfully formed for rapine ; its breast 

 was plump and muscular ; its thighs long, thick, and brawny ; and 

 its legs remarkably short and well set : the feet were armed with 

 most formidable, sharp, long talons : the eyelids and cere of the 

 bill were yellow ; but the irides of the eyes dusky ; the beak was 

 thick and hooked, and of a dark colour, and had a jagged process 

 * See my tenth and eleventh letter to that gentleman. 



