260 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 



they made no regular appearance. Now and then a straggler was 

 seen ; and on the twenty-second of October, I observed two in the 

 morning over the village, and with them my remarks for the 

 season ended. 



From all these circumstances put together, it is more than 

 probable that this lingering flight, at so late a season of the 

 year, never departed from the island. Had they indulged me 

 that autumn with a November visit, as I much desired, I presume 

 that, with proper assistants, I should have settled the matter past 

 all doubt ; but though the 3rd of November was a sweet day, and 



in appearance exactly suited to my wishes, yet not a martin was to 

 be seen ; and so I was forced, reluctantly, to give up the pursuit. 



I have only to add that were the bushes, which cover some acres, 

 and are not my own property, to be grubbed and carefully examined, 

 probably those late broods, and perhaps the whole aggregate body 

 of the house-martins of this district, might be found there, in 

 different secret dormitories ; and that, so far from withdrawing, 

 into warmer climes, it would appear that they never depart three 

 hundred yards from the village.* 



* The examination would have been fruitless. See note to Letter XXXVI- 



