NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 187 



used to her ; but, if strange dogs come by, a chase ensues ; 

 while the roaster smiles to see his favourite securely leading 

 her pursuers over hedge, or gate, or stile, till she returns to 

 the cows, who, with fierce lowings and menacing horns, 

 drive the assailants quite out of the pasture. 



Even great disparity of kind and size does not always 

 prevent social advances and mutual fellowship. For a very 

 intelligent and observant person has assured me that, in the 

 former part of his life, keeping but one horse, he happened 

 also on a time to have but one solitary hen. These two 

 incongruous animals spent much of their time together in a 

 lonely orchard, where they saw no creature but each other. 

 By degrees an apparent regard began to take place between 

 these two sequestered individuals. The fowl would ap- 

 proach the quadruped with notes of complacency, rubbing 

 herself gently against his legs ; while the horse would look 

 down with satisfaction, and move with the greatest caution 

 and circumspection, lest he should trample on his diminu- 

 tive companion. Thus, by mutual good offices, each seemed 

 to console the vacant hours of the other : so that Milton, 

 when he puts the following sentiment in the mouth of 

 Adam, seems to be somewhat mistaken : — 



" Much less can llrd with least, or fish with fowl, 

 So well converse, nor witli the ox the ape." 



LETTER XXV. 



Selborne, Oct 2nd, 1775. 

 We have two gangs or hordes of gypsies which infest the 

 south and west of England, and come round in their circuit 

 two or three times in the year. One of these tribes calls 



