The Natural History of Selborne 141 



Speaking of the swift,* that page says " its drink the dew " ; 

 whereas it should be " it drinks on the wing " ; for all the swallow 

 kind sip their water as they sweep over the face of pools or rivers : 

 like Virgil's bees, they drink flying ; flumina summa libant. In this 

 method of drinking perhaps this genus may be peculiar. 



Of the sedge-bird f be pleased to say it sings most part of the 

 night ; its notes are hurrying, but not unpleasing, and imitative of 

 several birds ; as the sparrow, swallow, skylark. When it happens 

 to be silent in the night, by throwing a stone or clod into the bushes 

 where it sits you immediately set it a-singing ; or in other words, 

 though it slumbers sometimes, yet as soon as it is awakened it 

 reassumes its song. 



* " British Zoology," vol. ii. p. 15. t Vol. ii. p. 16. 



