232 The Natural History of Se I borne 



the gentry that entertain with any degree of elegance. About 

 Michaelmas they retire and are seen no more till March. 

 Though these birds are, when in season, in great plenty on the 

 south downs round Lewes, yet at East Bourn [Eastbourne], 

 which is the eastern extremity of those downs, they abound 

 much more. One thing is very remarkable, that though in 

 the height of the season so many hundreds of dozens are 

 taken, yet they never are seen to flock ; and it is a rare 

 thing to see more than three or four at a time ; so that 

 there must be a perpetual flitting and constant progressive 

 succession. It does not appear that any wheatears are taken 

 to the westward of Houghton Bridge, which stands on the 

 river Arun. 



I did not fail to look particularly after my new migration 

 of ring-ousels ; and to take notice whether they continued on 

 the downs in this season of the year; as I had formerly 

 remarked them in the month of October all the way from 

 Chichester to Lewes wherever there were any shrubs and 

 covert : but not one bird of this sort came within my observa- 

 tion. I only saw a few larks and whinchats, some rooks, and 

 several kites and buzzards. 



About Midsummer a flight of cross-bills comes to the 

 pine-groves about this house, but never makes any long 

 stay. 



The old tortoise, that I have mentioned in a former letter, 

 still continues in this garden ; and retired under ground 

 about the twentieth of November, and came out again for one 

 day on the thirtieth : it lies now buried in a wet swampy 

 border under a wall facing to the south, and is enveloped at 

 present in mud and mire ! 1 



There is a large rookery round this house, the inhabitants 

 of which seem to get their livelihood very easily; for they 

 spend the greatest part of the day on their nest-trees when 

 the weather is mild. These rooks retire every evening all the 



1 The shell of this historical tortoise, presented by White's niece to the 

 British Museum, is now in their natural history collection at South Kensing- 

 ton.-Eo. 



