The Natural History of Selborne 



STONE-CURLEW. 



ON the 27th of February, 1788, stone-curlews were heard to pipe : 

 and on March ist, after it was dark, some were passing over the 

 village, as might be perceived by their quick short note, which they 

 use in their nocturnal excursions by way of watchword, that they 

 may not stray and lose their companions. 



Thus, we see, that retire whithersoever they may in the winter, 

 they return again early in the spring, and are, as it now appears, the 

 first summer birds that come back. Perhaps the mildness of the 

 season may have quickened the emigration of the curlews this 

 year. 



They spend the day in high elevated fields and sheep-walks ; but 

 seem to descend in the night to streams and meadows, perhaps for 

 water, which their upland haunts do not afford them. WHITE. 



On the 3 1 st of January, 1792, I received a bird of this species 

 which had been recently killed by a neighbouring farmer, who said 

 he had frequently seen it in his fields during the former part of the 

 winter : this perhaps was an occasional straggler, which by some 

 accident was prevented from accompanying its companions in their 

 migration. MA R KWIC K . 



THE SMALLEST UNCRESTED WILLOW WREN. 



THE smallest uncrested willow wren, or chiff-chaff, is the next 

 early summer bird which we have remarked ; it utters two sharp 

 piercing notes, so loud in hollow woods, as to occasion an echo, 

 and is usually first heard about the 2oth of March. WHITE. 



This bird, which Mr. White calls the smallest willow wren or 

 chifF-chafF, makes its appearance very early in spring, and is very 

 common with us, but I cannot make out the three different species 



