NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 



able 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 fol- 

 lowing 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 my remembrance, the collar was in 

 the possession of the rector. 



At present I do not know anybody near the seaside that 

 will take the trouble to remark at what time of the moon 

 woodcocks first come; if I lived near the sea myself I would 

 soon tell you more of the matter. One thing I used to 

 observe when I was a sportsman, that there were times in 

 which woodcocks were so sluggish and sleepy that they 

 would drop again when flushed just before the spaniels, nay, 

 just at the muzzle of a gun that had been fired at them; 

 whether this strange laziness was the effect of a recent 

 fatiguing journey I shall not presume to say. 2 



Nightingales not only never reach Northumberland and 

 Scotland, but also, as I have been always told, Devonshire 

 and Cornwall. In those two last counties we cannot attrib- 

 ute the failure of them to the want of warmth; the defect 

 in the west is rather a presumptive argument that these 

 birds come over to us from the continent at the narrowest 

 passage, and do not stroll so far westward. 



Let me hear from your own observation whether sky- 

 larks do not dust. I think they do ; and if they do, whether 

 they wash also. 



The Alauda pratcnsis of Ray was the poor dupe that was 

 educating the booby of a cuckoo mentioned in my letter of 

 October last. 



Your letter came too late for me to procure a ring-ousel for 

 Mr. Tunstal during their autumnal visit ; but I will endeavor 

 to get him one when they call on us again in April. I am 

 glad that you and that gentleman saw my Andalusian birds ; 



