OF SELBOHNE. 165 



an undistinguishing, limited faculty ; and blind to every cir- 

 cumstance that does not immediately respect self-preservation, 

 or lead at once to the propagation or support of their species. 



I am, 

 With all respect, &c. &c. 



LETTER XIX. 



TO THE SAME. 



Selborne, Feb. 14, 1774. 

 DEAR SIR, 



I RECEIVED your favour of the eighth, and am pleased to find 

 that you read my little history of the swallow with your usual 

 candour: nor was I the less pleased to find that you made ob- 

 jections where you saw reason. 



As to the quotations, it is difficult to say precisely which 

 species of hirundo Virgil might intend in the lines in ques- 

 tion, since the ancients did not attend to specific differences 

 like modern naturalists : yet somewhat may be gathered, 

 enough to incline me to suppose that in the two passages 

 quoted the poet had his eye on the swallow. 



In the first place the epithet garrula suits the swallow well, 

 who is a great songster; but not the martin, which is rather a 

 mute bird; and when it sings is so inward as scarce to be 

 heard. Besides, if tignum in that place signifies a rafter 

 rather than a beam, as it seems to me to do, then I think it 

 must bo the swallow that is alluded to, and not the martin; 

 since the former does frequently build within the roof against 

 the rafters; while the latter always, as far as I have been 

 able to observe, builds without the roof against eaves and 

 cornices. 



As to the xinuli', too much stress must not be laid on it: yet 

 the epithet niyra speaks plainly in favour of the swallow, 



House, London, was offered to the public in a guinea lottery in 1785, but 

 only 8000 tickets out of 36,000 were sold. A Mr. Parkinson, the holder 

 of only two tickets, became its possessor ; and by him it was distributed 

 by auction in September 1806." T. B.] 



