OF SELBOENE. 195 



ance, and are not the least curious specimens in that 

 wonderful collection of art and nature. 1 



Thus is instinct in animals, taken the least out of its way, 

 an undistinguishing, limited faculty ; and blind to every 

 circumstance that does not immediately respect self-pre- 

 servation, or lead at once to the propagation or support of 

 their species. 



LETTER XIX. 



TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRINGTOX. 



SKIBORNE, Feb. 14, 1774. 



RECEIVED your favour of the eighth, and 

 am pleased to find that you read my little 

 history of the swallow with your usual can- 

 dour : nor was I the less pleased to find that 

 you made objections where you saw reason. 

 As to the quotations, it is difficult to say precisely which 

 species of Hirundo Virgil might intend in the lines in 

 question, since the ancients did not attend to specific 

 differences like modern naturalists ; yet somewhat may be 

 gathered, enough to incline me to suppose that in the two 

 passages quoted, the poet had his eye on the swallow. 



In the first place the epithet garrula suits the swallow well, 

 who is a great songster ; and not the martin, which is rather a 

 mute bird ; and when it sings is so inward as scarce to be 

 heard. Besides, if tignum in that place signifies a rafter 

 rather than a beam, as it seems to me to do, then I think ifc 

 must be the swallow that is alluded to, and not the martin ; 

 since the former does frequently build within the roof 

 against the rafters ; while the latter always, as far as I have 

 been able to observe, builds without the roof against eaves 

 and cornices. 



As to the simile, too much stress must not be laid on it ; 



1 Sir Asi/on Lever's Museum, since dispersed, see p. 8, note. ED. 



