of Selborne 229 



becomes whimsical and unnatural, and liable to the 

 objection due to him, 



"Qui variare cupit rem prodigialiter unam." 



I am, etc. 



LETTER LV 



TO THE HONOURABLE DATNES BARRINGTON 



October lo, 1781. 

 Dear Sir, 



I think I have observed before that much the most 

 considerable part of the house-martins withdraw from 

 hence about the first week in October ; but that some, 

 the latter broods I am now convinced, linger on till 

 towards the middle of that month : and that at times, 

 once perhaps in two or three years, a flight, for one day 

 only, has shown itself in the first week of November. 



Having taken notice, in October 1780, that the last 

 flight was numerous, amounting perhaps to one hundred 

 and fifty ; and that the season was soft and still ; I was 

 resolved to pay uncommon attention to these late birds ; 

 to find, if possible, where they roosted, and to determine 

 the precise time of their retreat. The mode of life of 

 these latter hirundines is very favourable to such a design ; 

 for they spend the whole day in the sheltered district, 

 between me and the Hanger, sailing about in a placid, 

 easy manner, and feasting on those insects which love to 

 haunt a spot so secure from ruffling winds. As my 

 principal object was to discover the place of their roosting, 

 I took care to wait on them before they retired to rest, 

 and was much pleased to find that, for several evenings 

 together, just at a quarter past five in the afternoon, they 

 all scudded away in great haste towards the south-east, 

 and darted down among the low shrubs above the cottages 

 at the end of the hill. This spot in many respects seems 

 to be well calculated for their winter residence : for in 



