XLII.] 



OF SELBORNE. 



121 



should want to migrate from the south of Europe, and be dis- 

 satisfied with the winters of Andalusia. 



It does not appear to me that much stress can be laid on the 

 difficulty and hazard that birds must run in their migrations, by 

 reason of vast oceans, cross winds, &c. ; because, if we reflect, 

 a bird, by crossing the water at Dover, and again at Gibraltar, 

 may travel from England to the equator without launching out 

 and exposing itself to boundless seas. And I advance this 

 obvious remark with the more confidence, because my brother 

 has always found that some of his birds, and particularly the 

 swallow kind, are very sparing of their pains in crossing the 

 Mediterranean ; when arrived at Gibraltar, they do not, 



" - Ranged in figure wedge their way, 



and set forth 



Their airy caravan high over seas 



Flying, and over lands with mutual wing 



Easing their flight ; " MILTON 



but scout and hurry along in little detached parties of six or 

 seven in a company ; and, sweeping low, just over the surface 

 of the land and water, direct their course to the opposite con- 

 tinent at the narrowest passage they can find. They usually 

 slope across the bay to the south-west, and so pass over opposite 

 to Tangier, which, it seems, is the narrowest space. 



In former letters we have considered whether it was probable 

 that woodcocks in moonshiny nights cross the German ocean 

 from Scandinavia. As a proof that birds of less speed may 

 pass that sea, considerable as it is, I shall relate the following 

 incident, which, though mentioned to have happened so many 

 years ago, was strictly matter of fact : As some people were 

 shooting in the parish of Trotton, in the county of Sussex, they 

 killed a duck in that dreadful winter 1708-9, with a silver collar 

 about its neck, 1 on which were engraven the arms of the King 

 of Denmark. This anecdote the rector of Trotton ; at that time 

 has often told to a near relation of mine ; and, to the best of 

 ray remembrance, the collar was in the possession of the rector. 



1 White adds in a note, " I have read a like anecdote of a swan." 

 VOL. I. R 



