HOUSE-MARTEN. 247 



John Dryden has rendered it so happily in our language that 

 without farther excuse, I shall add his translation also : 



Quails spelunca subito coraraota columba, 

 Cui domus, et dulces latebroso in pumice nidi, 

 Fertur in arva volans, plausumque exterrita pennis 

 Dat tecto ingentem : mox aere lapsa quieto 

 Radit iter liquidum, celeres neque commovet alas. 



As when the dove her rocky hold forsakes, 

 Roused in a fright, her sounding wings she shakes j 

 The cavern rings with clattering ; out she flies, 

 And leaves her callow care, and cleaves the skies : 

 At first she flutters ; but at length she springs 

 To smoother flight, and shoots upon her wings. 



LETTER XCV. 



TO THE HON. DAINES BARRINGTON. 



SELBORNE, September 3, 1781 



I HAVE now read your Miscellanies through with much care 

 and satisfaction ; and am to return you my best thanks for 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-martens 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 suppo- 

 sing that the examination would be made to the best advantage 

 in the spring, and observing that no martens had appeared by 

 the llth of 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-marten, 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 

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

 days after, no martens were observed, not till the 16th of 

 April, and then only a pair. Martens in general were remark- 

 ably late this year. * 



* These early birds may be such as have hastened hither, by coming 

 within the range of a favouring gale of wind. En. 



