XXVII.] 



OF SELBORNE. 



87 



LETTER XXVII. 



TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRINGTON. 



WHEN I did myself the honour to write to you about the end 

 of last June on the subject of natural'Jiistory, I sent you a list 

 of the sximmer 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 birds 

 (singing birds strictly so called) a>-> continue in full song till 

 after Midsummer ; and shall range them somewhat in the order 

 in which they first begin to open as the spring advances. 



1. Woodlark, 



2. Song-thrush, 



3. Wren, 



4. Redbreast, 



5. Hedge - spar- 



row, 



6. Yellow - ham- 



mer, 



7. Skylark, 



8. Swallow, 



9. Blackcap, 



10. Titlark, 



11. Blackbird, 



12. White-throat, 



13. Goldfinch, 



14. Greenfinch, 



15. Less reed-spar- 



16. Common lin- 

 net, 



RAII NOMINA. 



Alauda arborea: 



( Turdus simpliciter 

 ( dictus : 



Passer troglodytes : 



Hubecula : 



Gurruca : 



[ Emberiza flava : 



A lauda vulgaris : 

 Hirundo domestica: 



Atricapilla: 

 Alauda pratorum : 



Merula vulyaris : 



Ficedula affinis : 

 Carduelis : 



Chloris : 



) Passer nrundina- 

 i ceus minor : 



Linaria vulgaris : 



In January, and continues to sing 

 through all the summer and 

 autumn. 



i In February and on to August, 



| reassume their song in autumn. 



All the year, hard frost excepted. 



Ditto. 



Early in February to July the 



10th. 



j Early in February, and on through 

 [ July to August the 21st. 

 In February, and on to October. 

 From April to September. 

 $ Beginning of April to July the 

 \ 13th. 



j From middle of April to July the 

 [ 16th. 



Sometimes in February and March, 

 and so on to July the 23rd ; re- 

 assumes in autumn. 

 In April, and on to July the 23rd. 

 ( April, and through to September 

 [ the 16th. 

 On to July and August the 2nd. 



[ May, on to beginning of July. 



, Breeds and whistleson till August; 

 \ reassumes its note when thty 

 < begin to congregate in October, 

 / and again early before the flock 

 ' separate. 



