NA TURAL HISTOR Y OF SELB ORNE. 1 1 7 



LETTER I. 



TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES HARRINGTON. 



SELBORNE, June jotA, 1769. 



DEAR SIR, When I was in town last month I partly engaged 

 that I would sometime do myself the honour to write to you on the 

 subject of natural history ; and I am the more ready to fulfil my 

 promise, because I see you are a gentleman of great candour, and 

 one that will make allowances ; especially where the writer pro- 

 fesses to be an out-door naturalist, one that takes his observations 

 from the subject itself, and not from the writings of others.* 



THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE SUMMER BIRDS OF PASSAGE 

 WHICH I HAVE DISCOVERED IN THIS NEIGHBOURHOOD, RANGED 

 SOMEWHAT IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY APPEAR : 



RAII NOMINA. USUALLY APPEARS ABOUT 



i. Wryneck, Jynx, sive Torquilla. The middle of March : harsh note. 



2 - S wr a en, St WiU W " \Regnlus nan cristate. { March 23: chirps till September. 



3. Swallow, Hirundo dorntstica. April 13. 



4. Martin, Hirundo rustica. Ditto. 



5. Sand-martin, Hirundo ripana. Ditto. 



6. Black-cap, A tricapilla. Ditto : a sweet wild note. 



7. Nightingale, Luscinia. . Beginning of April. 



8. Cuckoo, Cuculns. Middle of April. 



9. Middle willow-wren, Regains non cristatws. Ditto : a sweet plaintive note. 



10. White-throat, \Ficedute affinis. { ^p^^ n te ' si " gS n tiU 



* These letters to the Hon. Daines Barrington, though arranged in the original and 

 subsequent editions together, and as forming a second part, were mostly written con- 

 temporaneously, or at least were dated to appear so, with those of the first series addressed 

 to Pennant. They are written in the same unpretending style, answering questions, 

 asking others, and suggesting subjects as before. The matter of the letters is also some- 

 what similar, and repetitions sometimes occur, but other subjects are at the same time 

 introduced, arising from the different bearing of Mr. Barrington's pursuits. 



In the first letter lists of the summer and winter migratory birds are given. These 

 lists in all probability might stand nearly the same at the present day, if we add to the 

 first the third willow-wren and greater petty-chaps. We have scarcely ever known a 

 locality frequented by the black-cap where the latter was not also found. White gives the 

 wheat-ear among his " permanent residents ; " in this he is probably right in regard to a 

 few birds, but surely the large mass that arrive upon the downs will come and go as in 

 other parts. We would make the SPme observation of his " yellow -wagtail, " which we 

 believe is everywhere in this country a true migrant. In the winter list the ring-ouzel is 

 introduced, but this bird is a summer migrant to the north, and appeared, as White has 

 often observed, in spring and autumn, remaining only a few days at each period during 

 its passage northward or southward. We are not sure which of the wild geese is meant 

 by the ""Anser ferus ; " in all probability it is not so frequent or numerous now if it 

 continues to visit the district at all, and this letter is just one of those which Professor 

 Bell or some one resident can best correct and explain. 



