NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 7 



All singing birds, and those that have any pretensions to 

 song, not only in Britain, but perhaps the world through, 

 come under the Linncean ordo of Passeres. 



The above-mentioned birds, as they stand numerically, 

 belong to the following Linn&an genera : 



1, 7, 10, 27, Alauda. 8, 28, Hirundo. 



2, ii, 21, Turdus. 13, 16, 19, Fringilla. 



3, 4, 5, 9, 12, 15, 17, ) Motaci u a 22, 24, Parus. 

 18, 20, 23, 25, 26, ) 14, 29, Loxia. 

 6, 30, Embcriza. 



Birds that sing as they fly are but few : 



Skylark, Alauda vulgaris. Rising, suspended, and falling. 



( In its descent ; also sitting on 

 Titlark, Alauda pratorum. < trees, and walking on the 



( ground. 



Woodlark, Alauda arborea. j ^STight io^ SUmm<5r nihtS 



Blackbird, Merula. Sometimes from bush to bush. 



White-throat, Ficedula affinis. \ ^L^J 1 Singing On 1 th - e wing 



( odd jerks and gesticulations. 



Swallow, Hirundo domestica. In soft sunny weather. 



Wren, Passer troglodytes. Sometimes from bush to bush. 



Birds that breed most early in these parts : 



Raven, Corvus. Hatches in February and March. 



Song-thrush, Turdus. In March. 



Blackbird, Merula. In March. 



Rook, Comix frugilega. Builds the beginning of March. 



Woodlark, Alauda arborea. Hatches in April. 



Ring-dove, Palumbus torquatus. Lays the beginning of April. 



All birds that continue in full song till after Midsummer 

 appear to me to breed more than once. 



Most kinds of birds seem to me to be wild and shy 

 somewhat in proportion to their bulk ; I mean in this 

 island, where they are much pursued and annoyed ; but 

 in Ascension Island, and many other desolate places, 

 mariners have found fowls so unacquainted with an human 

 figure, that they would stand still to be taken ; as is the 

 case with boobies, &c. As an example of what is ad- 

 vanced, I remark that the golden-crested wren (the smallest 

 British bird) will stand unconcerned till you come within 

 three or four yards of it, while the bustard (otis), the 

 largest British land fowl, does not care to admit a person 

 within so many furlongs. 



