LETTERS TO THE HON. DAINES BARRINGTON, 



LETTER I. 



Selborne, June Z^(h, 1769. 



WHEN" I was in town last month I partly engaged 

 that I would sometime do myself the honour to 

 write to you on the subject of natural history ; and 

 I am the more ready to fulfil my promise, because I see you 

 are a gentleman of great candour, and one that will make 

 allowances ; especially where the writer professes to be an 

 outdoor naturalist, one that takes his observations from the 

 subject itself, and not from the writings of others. 



The following is a List of the Summer Birds of Pas- 

 sage WHICH I HAVE DISCOVERED IN THIS NEIGHBOURHOOD, 

 RANGED SOMEWHAT IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY 

 APPEAR :— 



EAII NOMINA. USUALLY APPEARS ABOUT 



1. Wryneck. Junx, sive torquilla. {^^^^^^^^ °^ ^^''^ '• ^^''^ 



2. Smallest wil- / Regulus non crista- /March 23rd : chirps till 



low-wren, \ tus. \ September. 



3. Swallow, Eirundo domestica. April 13th. 



4. Martin, Eirundo rustica. Ditto. 



5. Sand-martin, Eirundo riparia. Ditto. 



6. Blackcap, Atricapilla. Ditto : a sweet Avild note. 



7. Nightingale, Luscinia. Beginning of April. 



8. Cuckoo, Cuculus. Middle of April. 



