HOUSE-MARTIN. 1ST 



sixth, after they were supposed to have gone for 

 more than a fortnight. They, therefore, with- 

 draw from us the latest of any species. Unless 

 these birds are very short-lived, indeed, or unless 

 they do not return to the district where they 

 are bred, they must undergo vast devastations 

 somehow, and somewhere ; for the birds that 

 return yearly bear no manner of proportion to 

 the birds that retire. 



House-martins are distinguished from their 

 congeners by having their legs covered with soft 

 downy feathers down to their toes. They are 

 no songsters, but twitter in a pretty, inward, soft 

 manner in their nests. During the time of breed- 

 ing, they are often greatly molested with fleas. 



XVII. 



I RECEIVED your last favour just as I was set- 

 ting out for this place [Ringmer, near Lewes] ; 

 and am pleased to find that my monography met 

 with your approbation. My remarks are the 

 result of many years' observation ; and are, I 

 trust, true in the whole ; though I do not pretend 

 to say that they are perfectly void of mistake, 

 or that a more nice observer might not make 

 many additions, since subjects of this kind are 

 inexhaustible. 



If you think my letter worthy the notice of 

 your respectable Society, you are at liberty to 

 lay it before them ; and they will consider it, I 

 hope, as it was intended, as an humble attempt 

 to promote a more minute inquiry into natural 

 history ; into the life and conversation of animals. 

 Perhaps, hereafter, I may be induced to take the 



