142 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 



LETTER XII. 



March 9th, 1772. 



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As a gentleman and myself were walking on the 4th of last 

 November round the sea-banks at Newhaven, near the 

 mouth of the Lewes river, in pursuit of natural knowledge, 

 we were surprised to see three house-swallows gliding very 

 swiftly by us. That morning was rather chilly, with the 

 wind at north-west ; but the tenor of the weather for some 

 time before had been delicate, and the noons remarkably 

 warm. From this incident, and from repeated accounts 

 which I meet with, I am more and more induced to believe 

 that many of the swallow kind do not depart from this 

 island, but lay themselves up in holes and caverns ; and do, 

 insect-like and bat-like, come forth at mild times, and then 

 retire again to their latebrce. Nor make I the least doubt 

 but that, if I lived at Newhaven, Seaford, Brighthelmstone, 

 or any of those towns near the chalk cliffs of the Sussex 

 coast, by proper observations, I should see swallows stirring 

 at periods of the winter, when the noons were soft and 

 inviting, and the sun warm and invigorating. And I am 

 the more of this opinion from what I have remarked during 

 some of our late springs, that though some swallows did 

 make their appearance about the usual time — viz., the 13th 

 or 14th April, yet meeting with a harsh reception, and 

 blustering cold north-east winds, they immediately with- 

 drew, absconding for several days, till the weather gave 

 them better encouragement. 



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