NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 105 



the two first seasons their voices are drowned and lost in the 

 general chorus ; in the latter their song becomes distinguishable. 

 Many songsters of the autumn seem to be the young cock red- 

 breasts of that year : notwithstanding the prejudices in their 

 favour, they do much mischief in gardens to the summer-fruits.* 



The titmouse, which early in February begins to make two 

 quaint notes, like the whetting of a saw, is the marsh titmouse : 

 the great titmouse sings with three cheerful joyous notes, and 

 begins about the same time.f 



Wrens sing all the winter through, frost excepted. 



House-martins came remarkably late this year both in Hamp- 

 shire and Devonshire : is this circumstance for or against either 

 hiding or migration ? 



Most birds drink sipping at intervals ; but pigeons take a long 

 continued draught, like quadrupeds. 



Notwithstanding what I have said in a former letter, no grey 

 crows were ever known to breed on Dartmoor ; it was my mistake. 



The appearance and flying of the Scarabceiis solstitialis, or fern- 

 chafer, commence with the month of July, and cease about the end 

 of it. These scarabs are the constant food of Caprimulgi, or fern- 

 owls, through that period. They abound on the chalky downs and 

 in some sandy districts, but not in the clays. 



In the gar.den of the Black Bear inn in the town of Reading is a 

 stream or canal running under the stables and out into the fields 

 on the other side of the road : in this water are many carp's, which 

 lie rolling about in sight, being fed by travellers, who amuse them- 

 selves by tossing them bread ; but as soon as the weather grows at 

 all severe these fishes are no longer seen, because they retire under 

 the stables, where they remain till the return of spring. Do they 

 lie in a torpid state ? if they do not, how are they supported ? 



The note of the white-throat, which is continually repeated, and 

 often attended with odd gesticulations on the wing, is harsh and 

 displeasing. These birds seem of a pugnacious disposition ; for 

 they sing with an erected crest and attitudes of rivalry and 

 defiance ; are shy and wild in breeding-time, avoiding neighbour- 

 hoods, and haunting lonely lanes and commons ; nay even the very 

 tops of the Sussex Downs, where there are bushes and covert ; 



* They eat also the berries of the ivy, the honeysuckle, and the Euonymus europ^us, 

 or spindle-tree. 



t It is the notes of the greater and cole titmice, Parus major and ater, that resemble 

 the whetting of a saw. 



