246 GILBERT WHITE OF SELBOJiNE 1792 



often on the turf. As he passed us, he often gave a short 

 squeak, or rather whistle. We were near his nest. These, 

 like other birds of passage, frequent the same spots. There 

 are always three pairs on our hill every year. Did you 

 know Sir John Cullum of your part of the world ? He was 

 an agreeable, worthy man, and a good antiquary. I was 

 also well acquainted with your late good Bishop Home : he 

 has often been at my house. I concur with you most 

 heartily in your admiration of the harmony and beauty 

 of the works of the creation ! Physico-theology is a noble 

 study, worthy the attention of the wisest man ! Pray write. 

 Our swifts have behaved strangely this summer: for the 

 most part there were but three round the church, except 

 now and then of a fine evening, when there were 13. They 

 seem to be all gone. House-martins leave Gibraltar by the 

 end of July. I conclude with all due regard. 



Y"^ Humble Servant, 



Gil. WHiTE||t 



To R. Marsham. ^. 



Selborne, November 3, 1792. 



Dear Sir, — An extract from the Natural History of 

 Gibraltar by the late Eeverend John White. 



"In the first year of my residence at Gibraltar which 

 was 1756, it appeared extraordinary to me to see birds of 

 the Swallow kind very frequent in the streets all the winter 

 through. Upon enquiry I was told that they were Bank 

 Martins : and having at that time been but little conversant 

 in Natural History, they passed with me as such for some 

 years without any farther regard. At length, when I had 

 taken a more attentive survey of the physical productions 

 of this climate, I soon discovered these birds to be none of 

 the common British species described by authors ; and I 

 farther found that they were never seen in Gibraltar through 

 the whole course of the summer, but constantly and in- 



