OF SELflORNE. 150 



and inquisitive, which from day to day discern the other small 

 birds that are known to abide our winters. But, notwith- 

 standing all my care, I saw nothing like a summer bird of 

 passage : and, what is more strange, not one wheat-ear, 

 though they abound so in the autumn as to be a considerable 

 perquisite to the shepherds that take them; and though many 

 are to be seen to my knowledge all the winter through in 

 many parts of the south of England. The most intelligent 

 shepherds tell me that some few of these birds appear on the 

 downs in March, and then withdraw to breed probably in 

 warrens and stone-quarries: now and then a nest is plowed up 

 in a fallow on the downs under a furrow, but it is thought a 

 rarity. At the time of wheat-harvest they begin to be taken 

 in great numbers; are sent for sale in vast quantities to 

 Brighthelmstone and Tunbridge; and appear at the tables of 

 all the gentry that entertain with any degree of elegance. 

 About Michaelmas they retire and are seen no more till 

 March. Though these birds are, when in season, in great 

 plenty on the south downs round Lewes, yet at East-Bourn, 

 which is the eastern extremity of those downs, they abound 

 much more. One thing is very remarkable that though in 

 the height of the season so many hundreds of dozens are 

 taken, yet they never are seen to flock ; and it is a rare thing 

 to see more than three or four at a time : so that there must 

 be a perpetual flitting and constant progressive succession. 

 It does not appear that any wheat-ears are taken to the west- 

 ward of Iloughton-bridge, which stands on the river Arun. 



I did not fail to look particularly after my new migration 

 of ring-ousels; and to take notice whether they continued on 

 the downs to this season of the year ; as I had formerly re- 

 marked them in the month of October all the way from Chi- 

 chester to Lewes wherever there were any shrubs and covert : 

 but not one bird of this sort came within my observation. I 

 only saw a few larks and whin-chats, some rooks, and several 

 kites and buzzards. 



About Midsummer a flight of cross-bills comes to the pine- 

 groves about this house, but never makes any long stay. 



The old tortoise, that I have mentioned in a former letter, 



