70 THE NATURAL HISTORY 



it owing to the vast massy buildings of that place, to the 

 many waters round it, or to what else ? 



When I used to rise in a morning last autumn, and see 

 the swallows and martins clustering on the chimneys and 

 thatch of the neighbouring cottages, I could not help 

 being touched with a secret delight, mixed with some 

 degree of mortification : with delight to observe with how 

 much ardour and punctuality those poor little birds 

 obeyed the strong impulse towards migration, or hiding, 

 imprinted on their minds by their great Creator ; and 

 with some degree of mortification, when I reflected that, 

 after all our pains and inquiries, we are yet not quite cer- 

 tain to what regions they do migrate ; and are still farther 

 embarrassed to find that some do not actually migrate at 

 all. 



These reflections made so strong an impression on my 

 imagination, that they became productive of a composi- 

 tion that may perhaps amuse you for a quarter of an hour 

 when next I have the honour of writing to you. 



LETTER XXIV 



Selborne, May 29, 1769. 

 Dear Sir, 



The scarabseus fullo I know very well, having seen it in 

 collections ; but have never been able to discover one 

 wild in its natural state. Mr. Banks told me he thought 

 it might be found on the sea-coast. 



On the thirteenth of April I went to the sheep-down, 

 where the ring-ousels have been observed to make their 

 appearance at spring and fall, in their way perhaps to the 

 north or south ; and was much pleased to see three birds 



