Rook, Comix frtigilega. Builds the beginning of March. 



Woodlark, Alauda arborea. Hatches in April. 



Ring-dove, ^ I "'"^^^ ^^ beginning of April. 



L ttis, J 



All birds that continue in full song till after Mid- 

 summer appear to me to breed more than once. 



Most kinds of birds seem to me to be wild and 

 shy somewhat in proportion to their bulk ; I mean in 

 this island, where they are much pursued and an- 

 noyed : but in Ascension Island, and many other 

 desolate places, mariners 

 have found fowls so 

 unacquainted with a 

 human figure, that 

 they would stand still 

 to be taken ; as is the 

 case with boobies, &c. 

 As an example of 

 what is advanced, 1 

 remark that the golden- 

 crested wren (the smallest ,. 

 British bird) will stand un- 



^ Golden-crested zvrens. 



concerned until you come 



within three or four yards of it, while the bustard 

 {otis), the largest British land fowl, does not care to 

 admit a person within so many furlongs. 



Selborne, Nov. 2, 1769. 



113 



