OF SELBORNE 103 



These birds, as they stand numerically, belong to the 

 following Linnaean genera : 



Birds that sing in the night are but few. 



Nightingale, Luscinia. " In shadiest covert hid." 



— Milton. 

 Woodlark, Alauda arborea. Suspended in mid air. 



Less reed-sparrow, Passer arundinaceus minor. Among reeds and willows. 



I should now proceed to such birds as continue to sing 

 after Midsummer, but, as they are rather numerous, they 

 would exceed the bounds of this paper : besides, as this 

 is now the season for remarking on that subject, I am 

 willing to repeat my observations on some birds concerning 

 the continuation of whose song I seem at present to have 

 some doubt. 



I am, etc. 



LETTER II 

 TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES HARRINGTON. 



Selborne, Nov. 2, 1769. 



Dear Sir, 

 When I did myself the honour to write to you about 

 the end of last June on the subject of natural history, I 

 sent you a list of the summer-birds of passage which I 

 have observed in this neighbourhood ; and also a list of 

 the winter-birds of passage : I mentioned besides those 

 soft-billed birds that stay with us the winter through in 

 the south of England, and those that are remarkable for 

 singing in the night. 



According to my proposal, I shall now proceed to such 



