NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 251 



the honourable mention made in them of me as a naturalist, 

 which I wish I may deserve. 



In some former letters I expressed my suspicions that 

 many of the house-martins do not depart in the winter far 

 from this village. I therefore determined to make some 

 search about the south-east end of the hill, where I imagined 

 they might slumber out the uncomfortable months of 

 winter. But supposing that the examination would be 

 made to the best advantage in the spring, and observing 

 that no martins had appeared by the llth April last; on 

 that day I employed some men to explore the shrubs and 

 cavities of the suspected spot. The persons took pains, but 

 without any success ; however, a remarkable incident 

 occurred in the midst of our pursuit ; while the labourers 

 were at work a house-martin, the first that had been seen 

 this year, came down the village in the sight of several 

 people, and went at once into a nest, where it stayed a 

 short time, and then flew over the houses ; for some days 

 after no martins were observed, not till the 16th April, and 

 then only a pair. Martins in general were remarkably late 

 this year. 



LETTER LII. 



SBLBOKNB, Sept. 9O 1781. 



I HAVE just met with a circumstance respecting swifts, 

 which furnishes an exception to the whole tenor of my 

 observations ever since I have bestowed my attention on 

 that species of hirundines. Our swifts, in general, with- 

 drew this year about the first day of August, all save one 

 pair, which in two or three days was reduced to a single 



