NA TURAL HIS TOR Y OF SELBORNE. 83 



LETTER XXIX. 



TO THE SAME. 



SELBORNE, May izih, 1770. 



DEAR SIR, Last month we had such a series of cold turbulent 

 weather, such a constant succession of frost, and snow, and hail, 

 and tempest, that the regular migration or appearance of the sum- 

 mer birds was much interrupted. Some did not show themselves 

 (at least were not heard) till weeks after their usual time ; as the 

 blackcap and whitethroat ; and some have not been heard yet, as 

 the grasshopper-lark and largest willow-wren. As to the fly-catcher, 

 I have not seen it ; it is indeed one of the latest, but should appear 

 about this time : and yet, amidst all this meteorous strife and war 

 of the elements, two swallows discovered themselves as long ago as 

 the eleventh of April, in frost and snow ; but they withdrew quickly, 

 and were not visible again for many days. House-martins, which 

 are always more backward than swallows, were not observed till 

 May came in.* 



Among the monogamous birds several are to be found, after 

 pairing-time, single, and of each sex ; but whether this state of 

 celibacy is matter of choice or necessity, is not so easily discoverable. 

 When the house-sparrows deprive my martins of their nests, as soon 

 as I cause one to be shot, the other, be it cock or hen, presently 

 procures a mate, and so for several times following. 



I have known a dove-house infested by a pair of white owls, which 

 made great havoc among the young pigeons : one of the owls was 



latitudes, in Europe between the 53 and 65, in Asia from 35 to 15, and in America 

 between the 44 and 53, round the great lakes, and over the whole of Canada and New 

 Brunswick. But this is quite a different animal from that found in a fossil state and 

 known as the elk. It is the ccrvus gigantcus of Cuvier, and fine specimens of the remains 

 have been found in the bogs of Ireland and the Isle of Man. The American elk, for it is 

 possible the animal of Europe and Asia may prove distinct, has a very marked character 

 in the form of the upper lip ; it is undoubtedly an organ of prehension necessary for its 

 mode of life. : ' 



* Weather such as described has an effect upon the arrival of our summer birds of 

 passage, and we may suppose therefore that where there is no great extent of ocean to 

 cross that the migration takes place gradually ; the birds being delayed as they approached 

 the north for the appearance of genial weather. The present season, 1853, has been such 

 an one as Mr. White describes 1770 to have been ; this year all the migrating species are 

 unusually late and few in numbers. 



