122 WHITE 



strange that the former should so frequently have a flight of 

 starlings for their satellites. Is it because rooks have a more 

 discerning scent than their attendants, and can lead them to 

 spots more productive of food ? Anatomists say that rooks, 

 by reason of two large nerves which run down between the 

 eyes into the upper mandible, have a more delicate feeling in 

 their beaks than other round-billed birds, and can grope for 

 their meat when out of sight. Perhaps, then, their associates 

 attend them on the motive of interest, as greyhounds wait on 

 the motions of their finders ; and as lions are said to do on 

 the yelpings of jackals. Lapwings and starlings sometimes 



associate. 



* 



LETTER XII 



March gw, 1772. 



DEAR SIR, As a gentleman and myself were walking on 

 the 4th of last November round the sea-banks at Newhaven, 

 near the mouth of the Lewes River, in pursuit of natural 

 knowledge, we were surprised to see three house-swallows 

 gliding very swiftly by us. That morning was rather chilly, 

 with the wind at north-west ; but the tenor of the weather for 

 some time before had been delicate, and the noons remark- 

 ably warm. From this incident, and from repeated accounts 

 which I meet with, I am more and more induced to believe 

 that many of the swallow kind do not depart from this island, 

 but lay themselves up in holes and caverns ; and do, insect- 

 like and bat-like, come forth at mild times, and then retire 

 again to their latebrce. Nor make I the least doubt but that, 

 if I lived at Newhaven, Seaford, Brighthelmstone, or any of 

 those towns near the chalk-cliffs of the Sussex coast, by proper 

 observations I should see swallows stirring at periods of the 

 winter when the noons were soft and inviting and the sun 

 warm and invigorating. And I am the more of this opinion 

 from what I have remarked during some of our late springs, 

 that though some swallows did make their appearance about 

 the usual time, viz., the I3th or I4th April, yet meeting with 

 a harsh reception, and blustering cold north-east winds, they 

 immediately withdrew, absconding for several days, till the 

 weather gave them better encouragement. 



