The Natural History of Selborne 22$ 



One thing is very remarkable, that though in the height of the 

 season so many hundreds of dozens are taken, yet they never are 

 seen to flock ; and it is a rare thing to see more than three or four 

 at a time ; so that there must be a perpetual flitting and constant 

 progressive succession. It does not appear that any wheatears are 

 taken to the westward of Houghton Bridge, which stands on the 

 river Arun. 



I did not fail to look particularly after my new migration of ring- 

 ousels ; and to take notice whether they continued on the downs in 

 this season of the year ; as I had formerly remarked them in the 

 month of October all the way from Chichester to Lewes wherever 

 there were any shrubs and covert : but not one bird of this sort 

 came within my observation. I only saw a few larks and whinchats, 

 some rooks, and several kites and buzzards. 



About Midsummer a flight of cross-bills comes to the pine-groves 

 about this house, but never makes any long stay. 



The old tortoise, that I have mentioned in a former letter, still 

 continues in this garden ; and retired under ground about 

 the twentieth of November, and came out again for one day on the 

 thirtieth : it lies now buried in a wet swampy border under a wall 

 facing to the south, and is enveloped at present in mud and mire I 1 



There is a large rookery round this house, the inhabitants of 

 which seem to get their livelihood very easily ; for they spend the 

 greatest part of the day on their nest-trees when the weather is mild. 

 These rooks retire every evening all the winter from this rookery, 

 where they only call by the way, as they are going to roost in deep 

 woods : at the dawn of day they always revisit their nest-trees, and 

 are preceded a few minutes by a flight of daws, that act, as it were, 

 as their harbingers. I am, &c. 



1 The shell of this historical tortoise, presented by White's niece to the 

 British Museum, is now in their natural history collection at South Kensington. 

 ED. 



