NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 33 



through Holland into Italy." Now I want to know, from some curious 

 person in the north, whether there are any large flocks of these finches 

 with them in the winter, and of which sex they mostly consist 1 For, 

 from such intelligence, one might be able to judge whether our female 

 flocks migrate from the other end of the island, or whether they come 

 over to us from the continent.* 



We have, in the winter, vast flocks of the common linnets : more, I 

 think, than can be bred in any one district. These, I observe, when 

 the spring advances, assemble on some tree in the sunshine, and join 

 all in a gentle sort of chirping, as if they were about to break up their 

 winter quarters and betake themselves to their proper summer homes. 

 It is well known, at least, that the swallows and the fieldfares do 

 congregate with a gentle twittering before they make their respective 

 departure. 



You may depend on it that the bunting, Emberiza miliaria, does 

 not leave this county in the winter. In January, 1767, I saw several 

 dozen of them, in the midst of a severe frost, among the bushes on 

 the downs near Andover : in our woodland enclosed district it is a 

 rare bird. 



Wagtails, both white and yellow, are with us all the winter, f Quails 

 crowd to our southern coast, and are often killed in numbers by people 

 that go on purpose. 



* This is another letter, just such as might have been written from one country 

 friend and naturalist to another, not stating facts, as if for press or publication, 

 but simply as they occurred, and with the impress of truth and reality about 

 them. No doubt the correspondence of a friend of congenial mind in some 

 different locality, and a comparison of his annual calendar, is not only a great 

 incitement to prosecute our observations, but aids our insight into the variations 

 produced by locality and climate'; and persons fond of the study of natural history, 

 but who do not possess the entire scientific acquirements, nor all the facilities for 

 research or reference may be of the greatest use in recording facts as they occur, 

 and in comparing them with those of other correspondents. Some species are 

 numerously, others locally, distributed, and because one observer finds either 

 of these to be the case in his vicinity, the conclusion is not to be all at once 

 jumped at, that the species is generally abundant or the reverse. Some localities 

 may have a species resident, others may have the same only migratory, or 

 partially so. In others, a species may have been, from change of circumstances, 

 extirpated, and old authors who have recorded that such was abundant, are not 

 to be doubted, because at the time of modern examination circumstances have 

 changed. 



Some birds are always gregarious, and are constantly seen in large flocks, and 

 breed in colonies, but the greater proportion disperse during the breeding season, 

 pair and seek their separate retreats to nest and rear their young. When this great 

 object is accomplished and winter approaches, they join and congregate together 

 in large parties, but the migratory birds, at the time of their moving, appear 

 feo assemble in sexes, for we know that the males of many of our summer birds 

 of passage arrive before the females. The remark of Linnaeus that is quoted may 

 be correct; it is probable that we receive an addition to the numbers of the 

 chaffinch in the end of autumn, and Mr. Thompson is disposed to believe that 

 some of those that flock together in Ireland have migrated from more northern 

 latitudes. The evidence from British ornithologists of the separation of the 

 sexes of the chaffinch is at variance, and we think that the division has been 

 overrated. The young males not having attained their full plumage may have 

 been one cause of deception, and may have, without a minute examination, been 

 assumed to be females. 



t White must have had in view the grey wagtail, Motacilla boarula, many pairs 

 of which remain during winter, and these wanting the dark throat of the breeding 

 plumage are nearly all yellow on the under parts. The yellow wagtail. Budytes 

 lava, is a regular summer visitant, arriving rather late, and leaving us about the. 

 end of August or middle of September. 



D 



