174 THE NATURAL HISTORY [LETT. 



LETTER LXI. 



TO THOMAS PENNANT, ESQ. 



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 wryneck 1 (so much resembling the 

 hardy race of woodpeckers) 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 

 Phryrjanece, &c. 2 



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 stirring every month in 

 the year, as any one may see that will only be at the trouble of 

 taking a candle to a grass-plot on any mild winter's night. 

 Redbreasts and wrens in the winter haunt out-houses, stables, 



i Wrynecks appear on the grass-plots and walks ; they walk a little as 

 well as hop, and thrust their bills into the turf, in quest, I conclude, of ants, 

 which are their food. While they hold their bills in the grass, they draw 

 out their prey with their tongues, which are so long as to be coiled round 

 their heads," says White in his " Observations." 

 5 Derham's " Physico Theology." 



