2 GILBERT WHITE OF SELBORNE 1776 



shades. Maples are also finely tinged. These scenes are 

 worthy of the pencil of a Rubens." 



"Nov. 1. [Fy field.] Four swallows were seen skimming 

 about in a lane below Newton. This circumstance seems 

 much in favor of hiding, since the Hirundines seemed to 

 be withdrawn for some weeks. It looks as if the soft 

 weather had called them out of their retirement." 



From Fyfield his uncle wrote — 



To Samuel Barker, Fyfield, Novr. 1, 1776. 



Dear Sam, — Just as I thought you had been master of the 

 manners and customs of the bank-martin, you write me 

 word that you do not know it when you see it. The case is, 

 you did not begin to look 'til the decline of summer, when 

 all the Hirundines cease to frequent their nesting-places. 

 If you will pay some attention to those holes in the spring, 

 you will probably see the owners busyed in the matters of 

 nidification : besides they are to be distinguished from their 

 congeners by their small size, their mouse-colour, and their 

 wriggling, desultory manner of flying. Pray observe when 

 they come first. 



The instance you give of the swiftness of an hawk was 

 somewhat extraordinary. But a very intelligent person once 

 assured me that he saw a more extraordinary instance of 

 command of wing in a daw, which is not very remarkable 

 for feats of activity of that kind. As this person was riding 

 on Salisbury plain he saw a bird on the wing dropping 

 something from its bill, and catching it again before it came 

 to the ground, several times repeatedly: this unusual sight 

 drew his attention, so that he rode nearer, and saw still the 

 same feat repeated to his great surprize. It appeared to him 

 that the ball dropped and recovered was a wallnut. Now a 

 wallnut, I should think, would fall much faster than a dead 



