The Natural History of Se I borne 231 



hazard of being laughed at, introduced a parcel of black- 

 faced hornless rams among his horned western ewes. The 

 black-faced poll-sheep have the shortest legs and the finest 

 wool. 



As I had hardly ever before travelled these downs at so 

 late a season of the year, I was determined to keep as sharp 

 a look-out as possible so near the southern coast, with re- 

 spect to the summer short-winged birds of passage. We make 

 great inquiries concerning the withdrawing of the swallow-kind, 

 without examining enough into the causes why this tribe is 

 never to be seen in winter ; for, entre nous, the disappearing 

 of the latter is more marvellous than that of the former, and 

 much more unaccountable. The hirundines, if they please, 

 are certainly capable of migration, and yet no doubt are often 

 found in a torpid state; but redstarts, nightingales, white- 

 throats, black-caps, &c. &c., are very ill provided for long 

 flights ; have never been once found, as I ever heard of, 1 in a 

 torpid state ; and yet can never be supposed, in such troops, 

 from year to year to dodge and elude the eyes of the curious 

 and inquisitive, which from day to day discern the other small 

 birds that are known to abide our winters. But, notwith- 

 standing all my care, I saw nothing like a summer bird of 

 passage; and, what is more strange, not one wheatear, though 

 they abound so in the autumn as to be a considerable per- 

 quisite to the shepherds that take them ; and though many are 

 to be seen to my knowledge all the winter through in many 

 parts of the south of England. The most intelligent shepherds 

 tell me that some few of these birds appear on the downs in 

 March, and then withdraw to breed probably in warrens and 

 stone-quarries ; now and then a nest is ploughed up in a 

 fallow on the downs under a furrow, but it is thought a rarity. 

 At the time of wheat-harvest they begin to be taken in great 

 numbers ; are sent for sale in vast quantities to Brighthelm- 

 stone [Brighton] and Tunbridge ; and appear at the tables of all 



1 A good example of a phrase, in itself excellent English, but now, by 

 mere disuse, degraded into a vulgarism. Ep, 



