90 The Natural History 



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, hke the whetting of a saw, is the marsh 

 titmouse : the great titmouse sings with three cheerful 

 joyous notes, and begins about the same time. 

 -.Wrens sing all the winter through, frost excepted. 



House-martins came remarkably late this year both in 

 Hampshire 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 scarabceus solstiiialis, 

 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 garden 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 carps, which lie rolling about in 

 sight, being fed by travellers, who amuse themselves 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 re- 

 peated, 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 neighbourhoods, and 

 haunting lonely lanes and commons ; nay even the very 



1 They eat also the berries of the ivy, the honeysuckle, and the 

 eiionymiis europ.eus, or spindle-tree. 



