130 CHAFFINCHES. 



hatched, and that the old ones do not feed them, but only 

 lead them about at the time of feeding, which, for the most 

 part, is in the night." Thus far my friend. 



In the manners of this bird, you see, there is something 

 very analogous to the bustard, whom it also somewhat 

 resembles in aspect and make, and in the structure of its feet. 



For a long time I have desired my relation to look out for 

 these birds in Andalusia ; and now he writes me word that, 

 for the first time, he saw one dead in the market on the 3rd 

 of September. 



When the oedicnemus flies, it stretches out its legs straight 

 behind, like a heron. 



LETTEE XLI. 



TO THE HON. DAINES BARRINGTON. 



SELBORNE, Dec. 20, 1770. 



DEAR SIR, The birds that I tcok for aberdavines were 

 reed-sparrows (passeres torquati). 



There are, doubtless, many home internal migrations within 

 this kingdom that want to be better understood; witness 

 those vast flocks of hen chaffinches that appear with us in 

 the winter without hardly any cocks among them. Now, 

 were there a due proportion of each sex, it would seem very 

 improbable that any one district should produce such num- 

 bers of these little birds, and much more when only one half 

 of the species appears ; therefore we may conclude that the 

 fringillcB coelebes, for some good purposes, have a peculiar 

 migration of their own, in which the sexes part. Nor should 

 it seem so wonderful that the intercourse of sexes in this 

 species of birds should be interrupted in winter ; since in 

 many animals, and particularly in bucks and does, the sexes 

 herd separately, except at ihe season when commerce is 

 necessary for the continuance of the breed. For this matter 

 of the chaffinches, see Fauna Suecica, p. 85, and Bystema 



