NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 129 



they caught as they settled on the weeds, and some as 

 they were on the wing. Notwithstanding what Linnaeus 

 says, I cannot be induced to believe that they are birds of 

 prey. 



This district affords some birds that are hardly ever heard 

 of at Selborne. In the first place considerable flocks of 

 cross-beaks (Loxice curvirostrce) have appeared this summer 

 in the pine-groves belonging to this house ; the water-ousel 

 is said to haunt the mouth of the Lewes river, near New- 

 haven ; and the Cornish chough builds, I know, all along 

 the chalky cliffs of the Sussex shore. 



I was greatly pleased to see little parties of ring-ousels 

 (my newly-discovered migrators) scattered, at intervals, all 

 along the Sussex downs, from Ohichester to Lewes. Let 

 them come from whence they will, it looks very suspicious 

 that they are cantoned along the coast in order to pass the 

 channel when severe weather advances. They visit us 

 again in April, as it should seem, in their return, and are 

 not to be found in the dead of winter. It is remarkable 

 that they are very tame, and seem to have no manner of 

 apprehensions of danger from a person with a gun. There 

 are bustards on the wide downs near Brighthelmstone. No 

 doubt you are acquainted with the Sussex downs ; the 

 prospects and rides round Lewes are most lovely ! 



As I rode along near the coast I kept a very sharp look- 

 out in the lanes and woods, hoping I might, at this time of 

 the year, have discovered some of the summer short-winged- 

 birds of passage crowding towards the coast in order for 

 their departure : but it was very extraordinary that I never 

 saw a red-start, white-throat, blackcap, uncrested wren, 

 fly-catcher, etc. And I remember to have made the same 

 remark in former years, as I usually come to this place 

 annually about this time. The birds most common along 



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