ORNITHOLOGY OF SELBORNE. 115 



Soon after the lapwings l have done breed- 

 ing, they congregate, and, leaving the moors and 

 marshes, betake themselves to downs and sheep- 

 walks. 



Two years ago 2 last spring the little auk was 

 found alive and unhurt, but fluttering and unable 

 to rise, in a lane a few miles from Alresford, where 

 there is a great lake ; it was kept a while, but died. 



I saw young teals 3 taken alive in the ponds of 

 Wolmer Forest in the beginning of July last, along 

 with flappers, or young wild ducks. 



Speaking of the swift 4 , that page says, " it 

 drinks the dew;" whereas it should be, " it drinks 

 on the wing ;" for all the swallow kind sip their 

 water as they sweep over the face of pools or 

 rivers : like Virgil's bees, they drink flying 

 " flumina summa libant" In this method of drink- 

 ing perhaps this genus may be peculiar. 



Of the sedge-bird 5 , be pleased to say it sings 

 most part of the night; its notes are hurrying, 

 but not unpleasing, and imitative of several birds, 

 as the sparrow, swallow, skylark. When it 

 happens to be silent in the night, by throwing 

 a stone or clod into the bushes where it sits, you 

 immediately set it a- singing; or, in other words, 

 though it slumbers sometimes, yet as soon as it is 

 awakened it re -assumes its song. 



XL. 



BEFORE your letter arrived, and of my own 

 accord, I had been remarking and comparing the 

 tails of the male and female swallow, and this ere 



1 British Zoology, vol. ii. p. 360. a p. 409. 



3 P. 475. 4 P. 15. s P. 16. 



I 2 



