OF SELBORNE. 141 



November, and return in spring. This information 

 seems to throw some light on my new migration. 



Scopoli's new work 1 (which I have just procured) 

 has its merit in ascertaining many of the birds of the 

 Tyrol and Carniola. Monographers, come from whence 

 they may, have, I think, fair pretence to challenge some 

 regard and approbation from the lovers of natural 

 history ; for, as no man can alone investigate all the 

 works of nature, these partial writers may, each in their 

 department, be more accurate in their discoveries, and 

 freer from errors, than more general writers ; and so 

 by degrees may pave the way to a universal correct 

 natural history. Not that Scopoli is so circumstantial 

 and attentive to the life and conversation of his birds 

 as I could wish : he advances some false facts ; as 

 when he says of the Hirundo urbica that " pullos extra 

 nidum non nutrit." This assertion I know to be wrong 

 from repeated observation this summer; for house 

 martins do feed their young flying, though it must be 

 acknowledged not so commonly as the house swallow ; 

 and the feat is done in so quick a manner as not to be 

 perceptible to indifferent observers. He also advances 

 some (I was going to say) improbable facts ; as when 

 he says of the woodcock that "pullos rostra portat 

 fugiens ab hoste" But candour forbids me to say abso- 

 lutely that any fact is false, because I have never been 

 witness to such a fact. I have only to remark that 

 the long unwieldy bill of the woodcock is perhaps the 

 worst adapted of any among the winged creation for 

 such a feat of natural affection. 



I am, &c. 



1 Annus Primus Historico-Naturalis. 



