120 The Natural History of Selborne 



An observing Devonshire gentleman tells me that they frequent 

 some parts of Dartmoor, and breed there ; but leave those haunts 

 about the end of September, or beginning of October, and return 

 again about the end of March. 



Another intelligent person assures me that they breed in great 

 abundance all over the peak of Derby, and are called there tor- 

 ousels ; withdraw in October and November, and return in spring. 

 This information seems to throw some light on my new migration. 



ScopoliV new work (which I have just procured) has its merit in 

 ascertaining many of the birds of the Tirol and Carniola. Mono- 

 graphers, come from whence they may, have, I think, fair pretence 

 to challenge some regard and approbation from the lovers of natural 

 history ; for, as no man can alone investigate all the works of nature, 

 these partial writers may, each in their department, be more accurate 

 in their discoveries, and freer from errors, than more general 

 writers ; and so by degrees may pave the way to an universal correct 

 natural history. Not that Scopoli is so circumstantial and attentive 

 to the life and conversation of his birds as I could wish : he advances 

 some false facts ; as when he says of the hirundo urbica that " pullos 

 extra nidum non nufrif" This assertion I know to be wrong from 

 repeated observation this summer ; for house-martins do feed their 

 young flying, though it must be acknowledged not so commonly as 

 the house-swallow ; and the feat is done in so quick a manner as not 

 to be perceptible to indifferent observers. He also advances some 

 (I was going to say) improbable facts ; as when he says of the wood- 

 cock that " pullos rostro portat fugiens ab hoste" But candour 

 forbids me to say absolutely that any fact is false, because I have 

 never been witness to such a fact. I have only to remark that the 

 long unwieldy bill of the woodcock is perhaps the worst adapted of 

 any among the winged creation for such a feat of natural affection. 



, I am, &c. 



1 The Annus Primus Historico-Naturalis. ED. 



