NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 



99 



LETTER II 



SELBORNE, Nov. 2*/, 1769. 



DEAR SIR, When I did myself the honor to write to you 

 about the end of last June on the subject of natural history, 

 I sent you a list of the summer birds of passage which I have 

 observed in this neighborhood ; 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) as 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-sparrow, 



RAII NOMINA 



Alauda arborea 



Turdus simpliciter 

 dictus. 



Passer troglodytes. 



Rubecula. 



Curruca. 



6. Yellow-hammer, Emberiza flava. 



7. Skylark, 



8. Swallow, 



9. Blackcap, 



10. Titlark, 



11. Blackbird, 



12. Whitethroat, 



13. Goldfinch, 



Alauda vulgaris. 

 Hirundo domestica. 

 Atricapilla. 



Alauda prat or urn. 

 Merula vulgaris. 



Ficedulce affinis. 

 Carduelis. 



In January, and continues 

 to sing through all the 

 summer and autumn. 

 rln February and on to 

 3 August ; reassume their 

 ( song in autumn. 

 ( All the year, hard frost 

 \ excepted. 



Ditto. 



( Early in February to July 

 ( loth. 



f Early in February, and on 

 < through July to August 



( 2ISt. 



5 In February and on to 

 ( October. 



From April to September. 

 ( Beginning of April to 

 ( July 1 3th. 



( From middle of April to 

 1 July 1 6th. 

 f Sometimes in February 

 J and March, and so on to 

 July 23rd ; reassumes 

 in autumn. 

 (In April, and on to July 

 1 23rd. 



5 April, and through to Sep- 

 i tember i6th. 



