OF SELBORNE 91 



one. Let me add also that it has shown near half the 

 species that were ever known in Great Britain.^ 



On a retrospect, I observe that my long letter carries 

 with it a quaint and magisterial air, and is very sententious : 

 but, when I recollect that you requested stricture and 

 anecdote, I hope you will pardon the didactic manner for 

 the sake of the information it may happen to contain. 



LETTER XLI 



TO THOMAS PENNANT, ESQUIRE 



It is matter of curious inquiry to trace out how those 

 species of soft-billed birds, that continue with us the 

 winter through, subsist during the dead months. The 

 imbecility of birds seems not to be the only reason why 

 they shun the rigour of our winters ; for the robust wry- 

 neck (so much resembling the hardy race of wood-peckers) 

 migrates, while the feeble little golden-crowned wren, 

 that shadow of a bird, braves our severest frosts without 

 availing himself of houses or villages, to which most of our 

 winter birds crowd in distressful seasons, while this keeps 

 aloof in fields and woods ; but perhaps this may be the 

 reason why they may often perish, and why they are almost 

 as rare as any bird we know. 



I have no reason to doubt but that the soft-billed birds, 

 which winter with us, subsist chiefly on insects in their 

 aurelia state. All the species of wagtails in severe weather 

 haunt shallow streams near their spring-heads, where they 

 never freeze ; and, by wading, pick out the aurelias of the 

 genus of Fhryganeae^ etc. 



Hedge-sparrows frequent sinks and gutters in hard 

 weather, where they pick up crumbs and other sweepings : 

 and in mild weather they procure worms, which are 



^Sweden, 221, Great-Britain, 252 species. 

 ^ See Derham's Physico-theology, p. 235. 



