MIGRATION OF SWALLOWS. 75 



he espied three or four swallows huddled together on the mould- 

 ing of one of the windows of that college. I have frequently 

 remarked that swallows are seen later at Oxford than elsewhere : 

 is it owing to the vast massy buildings of that place, to the many 

 waters round it, or to what else ? 



When I used to rise in a morning last autumn, and see the 

 swallows and martins clustering on the chimneys and thatch of 

 the neighbouring cottages, I could not help being touched with 

 a secret delight, mixed with some degree of mortification : with 

 delight to observe with how much ardour and punctuality those 

 poor little birds obeyed the strong impulse towards migration, 

 or hiding, imprinted on their minds by their great Creator ; and 

 with some degree of mortification, when I reflected that, after all 

 our pains and enquiries, we are yet not quite certain 4 to what re- 

 gions they do migrate ; and are still further embarrassed to find 

 that some do not actually migrate at all. 



These reflections made so strong an impression on my ima- 

 gination, that they became productive of a composition that may 

 perhaps amuse you for a quarter of an hour when next I have 

 the honour of writing to you. 



LETTER XXIV. To T. PENNANT, ESQ. 

 DEAR SIR, Selborne, May 29, 1769. 



THE scarabceus fullo I know very well, having seen it in collec- 

 tions ; but have never been able to discover one wild in its 

 natural state. Mr. Banks told me he thought it might be found 

 on the sea-coast.* 



On the thirteenth of April I went to the sheep-down, where 

 the ring-ousels have been observed to make their appearance at 

 spring and fall, in their way perhaps to the north or south ; and 

 was much pleased to see three birds about the usual spot. We 

 shot a cock and a hen ; they were plump and in high condition. 

 The hen had but very small rudiments of eggs within her, which 

 proves they are late breeders ; whereas those species of the 

 thrush kind that remain with us the whole year have fledged 

 young before that time. In their crops was nothing very distin- 

 guishable, but somewhat that seemed like blades of vegetables 

 nearly digested. In autumn they feed on haws and yew-berries, 



* It is not found in this country. ED. 



