NESTS OF BIRDS. Ill 



nected with this last point, which seems to have 

 been frequently noticed by English naturalists ; and 

 that is, the fact of certain species, which flock 

 regularly in winter, being observed at such seasons 

 in larger numbers than can well be supposed to have 

 been bred in one neighbourhood. This is White's 

 observation in regard to the flocks of hen chaffinches 

 above spoken of. The same idea has been enter- 

 tained by others, in the case of the large flocks of 

 greenfinches, linnets, buntings, and some other small 

 birds, which are everywhere so abundant in this 

 country in winter. It is clear that such flocks 

 cannot, in all places at once, exceed in numbers the 

 accumulated individuals of the respective localities 

 in which they occur ; unless we suppose, as suggested 

 by some naturalists, that they receive their accessions 

 from abroad. * This, indeed, may possibly be the 

 case : and it may further happen, that many of the 

 strangers thus coming in amongst them may be 

 induced to remain on in the spring, where there is 

 an opening to allow of their gaining a settlement ; 

 supplying in this manner another means, in addition 

 to those before suggested, by which the original 

 numbers in any particular spot, where they were 

 deficient, may be recruited. 



NESTS OF BIRDS. 



I OBSERVE that birds sometimes begin the shell 

 of their nest, or the outer part of the fabric formed 



* See White's Selborne, Lett. XIII. to Penn. note in my Edition. 



