The Natural History of Selborne 143 



Forest in the beginning of July last, along with flappers, or 

 young wild-ducks. 



Speaking of the swift,* that page says " its drink the dew " ; 

 whereas it should be " it drinks on the wing " ; for all the 

 swallow kind sip their water as they sweep over the face of 

 pools or rivers : like Virgil's bees, they drink flying; flumina 

 summa libant. In this method of drinking perhaps this genus 

 may be peculiar. 



Of the sedge-bird -j- be pleased to say it sings most part of 

 the night; its notes are hurrying, but not unpleasing, and 

 imitative of several birds; as the sparrow, swallow, skylark. 

 When it happens to be silent in the night, by throwing a 

 stone or clod into the bushes where it sits you immediately 

 set it a-singing; or in other words, though it slumbers some- 

 times, yet as soon as it is awakened it reassumes its song. 



* "British Zoology," vol. ii. p. 15. f Vol. ii. p. 16. 



