350 The Natural History of Selborne 



the season was soft and still ; I was resolved to pay uncommon atten- 

 tion to these late birds ; to find, if possible, where they roosted, and 

 to determine the precise time of their retreat. The mode of life of 

 these latter Hirundines is very favourable to such a design ; for they 

 spend the whole day in the sheltered district between me and the 

 Hanger, sailing about in a placid, easy manner, and feasting on those 

 insects which love to haunt a spot so secure from ruffling winds. As 

 my principal object was to discover the place of their roosting, I took 

 care to wait on them before they retired to rest, and was much pleased 

 to find that for several evenings together, just at a quarter past five 

 in the afternoon, they all scudded away in great haste towards the 

 south-east, and darted down among the low shrubs above the cottages 

 at the end of the hill. This spot in many respects seemed to be well 

 calculated for their winter residence ; for in many parts it is as steep 

 as the roof of any house, and therefore secure from the annoyances of 

 water ; and it is moreover clothed with beechen shrubs, which, being 

 stunted and bitten by sheep, make the thickest covert imaginable ; and 

 are so entangled as to be impervious to the smallest spaniel ; besides it 

 is the nature of underwood beech never to cast its leaf all the winter ; 

 so that, with the leaves on the ground and those on the twigs, no 

 shelter can be more complete. I watched them on the thirteenth and 

 fourteenth of October, and found their evening retreat was exact and 

 uniform ; but after this they made no regular appearance. Now and 

 then a straggler was seen ; and on the twenty-second of October, I 

 observed two in the morning over the village, and with them my 

 remarks for the season ended. 



From all these circumstances put together, it is more than probable 

 that this lingering flight, at so late a season of the year, never 

 departed from the island. Had they indulged me that autumn with 

 a November visit, as I much desired, I presume that, with proper 

 assistants, I should have settled the matter past all doubt ; but though 

 the 3rd of November was a sweet day, and in appearance exactly 

 suited to my wishes, yet not a martin was to be seen ; and so I was 

 forced, reluctantly, to give up the pursuit. 



I have only to add that were the bushes, which cover some acres, 

 and are not my own property, to be grubbed and carefully examined, 



