186 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 



breath. So that these little crawlers seem to have, while 

 mounting, some locomotive power without the use of wings, 

 and to move in the air faster than the air itself. 



LETTER XXIV. 



Selborne, Aug. 15th, 1775. 



There is a wonderful spirit of sociality in the brute 

 creation, independent of sexual attachment : the congre- 

 gating of gregarious birds in the winter is a remarkable 

 instance. 



Many horses, though quiet with company, will not stay 

 one minute in a field by themselves : the strongest fences 

 cannot restrain them. My neighbour's horse will not only 

 not stay by himself abroad, but he will not bear to be left 

 alone in a strange stable without discovering the utmost 

 impatience, and endeavouring to break the rack and 

 manger with his fore feet. He has been know^n to leap out 

 at a stable-window, through which dung was thrown, after 

 company ; and yet in other respects is remarkably quiet. 

 Oxen and cows will not fatten by themselves ; but will 

 neglect the finest pasture that is not recommended by 

 society. It would be needless to instance in sheep, which 

 constantly flock together. 



But this propensity seems not to be confined to animals 

 of the same species; for we know a doe, still alive, that was 

 brought up from a little fawn with a dairy of cows ; with 

 them it goes a-field, and with them it returns to the yard. 

 The dogs of the house take no notice of this deer, being 



