60 The Natural History of Selborne 



counties, at all times of the year, especially about warrens and stone 

 quarries. 



I have no acquaintance, at present, among the gentlemen of the 

 navy ; but have written to a friend, who was a sea-chaplain in the 

 late war, desiring him to look into his minutes, with respect to birds 

 that settled on their rigging during their voyage up or down the 

 channel. What Hasselquist says on that subject is remarkable ; 

 there were little short-winged birds frequently coming on board his 

 ship all the way from our channel quite up to the Levant, especially 

 before squally weather. 



What you suggest, with regard to Spain, is highly probable. 

 The winters of Andalusia are so mild, that, in all likelihood, the 

 soft-billed birds that leave us at that season may find insects sufficient 

 to support them there. 



Some young man, possessed of fortune, health, and leisure, should 

 make an autumnal voyage into that kingdom ; and should spend a 

 year there, investigating the natural history of that vast country. 

 Mr. Willughby * passed through that kingdom on such an errand ; 

 but he seems to have skirted along in a superficial manner and an ill- 

 humour, being much disgusted at the rude, dissolute manners of the 

 people. 



1 have no friend left now at Sunbury to apply to about the 

 swallows roosting on the aits of the Thames : nor can I hear any 

 more about those birds which I suspected were Merul* torquate. 



As to the small mice [harvest-mice], I have farther to remark, 

 that though they hang their nests for breeding up amidst the straws 

 of the standing corn, above the ground ; yet I find that, in the 

 winter, they burrow deep in the earth, and make warm beds of grass : 

 but their grand rendezvous seems to be in corn-ricks, into which 

 they are carried at harvest. A neighbour housed an oat-rick lately, 

 under the thatch of which were assembled near an hundred, most of 

 which were taken, and some I saw. I measured them ; and found 

 that, from nose to tail, they were just two inches and a quarter, and 

 their tails just two inches long. Two of them, in a scale, weighed 

 down just one copper half-penny, which is about the third of an 



* See " Ray's Travels," p. 466. 



