140 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 



superiority over his followers and imitators in spite of the 

 advantage of fresh discoveries and modern information. 



At this distance of years it is not in my power to 

 recollect at what periods woodcocks used to be sluggish or 

 alert when I was a sportsman : but, upon my mentioning 

 this circumstance to a friend, he thinks he has observed 

 them to be remarkably listless against snowy, foul weather : 

 if this should be the case, then the inaptitude for flying 

 arises only from an eagerness for food ; as sheep are 

 observed to be very intent on grazing against stormy, wet 

 evenings. 



LETTER XL 



SELBORNE, Feb. 8th, 1772. 



WHEN I ride about in the winter, and see such prodigious 

 flocks of various kinds of birds, I cannot help admiring 

 at these congregations, and wishing that it was in my 

 power to account for those appearances almost peculiar 

 to the season. The two great motives which regulate the 

 proceedings of the brute creation are love and hunger ; the. 

 former incites animals to perpetuate their kind ; the latter 

 induces them to preserve individuals : whether either of 

 these should seem to be the ruling passion in the matter of 

 congregating is to be considered. As to love, that is out of 

 the question at a time of the year when that soft passion is 

 not indulged: besides, during the amorous season, such 

 a jealousy prevails between the male birds that they can 

 hardly bear to be together in the same hedge or field. 

 Most of the singing and elation of spirits of that time seem 



