276 NATURAL HISTORY 



life and conversation of animals. Perhaps 

 hereafter I may be induced to take the 

 house-swallow under consideration ; and 

 from that proceed to the rest of the British 

 J.ir undines. 



Tl o gh I have now travelled the Sussex 

 downs upwards of thirty years, yet I still 

 investigate that chain of majestic mountains 

 with fresh admiration year by year ; and 

 think I see new beauties every time I tra- 

 verse it. This range, which runs from 

 Chichester eastward as far as East- Bourn, 

 is about sixty miles in length, and is called 

 The South Downs, properly speaking, only 

 round Lewes. As you pass along you com- 

 mand a noble view of the wild, or weald, 

 on one hand, and the broad downs and sea 

 on the other. Mr. Bai/ used to visit a fa- 

 mily* just at the foot of these hills, and 

 was so ravished with' the prospect from 

 Pluvi])ton-])lain near Lewes, that he men- 

 tions those scapes in his " Wisdom of God 

 hi the ^yorks of the Creation"' with the 

 utmost satisfaction, and thinks them equal 



* Mr. Coiirlhoj)!', of DaJim/, 



