OF SELBORNE 87 



seeds, which are easily carried on board ; while the soft- 

 billed birds, which are supported by worms and insects, 

 or, what is a succedaneum for them, fresh raw meat, can 

 meet with neither in long and tedious voyages. It is 

 from this defect of food that our collections (curious as 

 they are) are defective, and we are deprived of some of 

 the most delicate and lively genera. 



I am, etc. 



LETTER XXXI 



Selbohne, Sept. 14, 1770. 

 Dear Sir, 



You saw, I find, the ring-ousels again among their native 

 crags ; and are farther assured that they continue resident 

 in those cold regions the whole year. From whence, 

 then, do our ring-ousels migrate so regularly every 

 September, and make their appearance again, as if in 

 their return, every April ? They are more early this year 

 than common, for some were seen at the usual hill on 

 the fourth of this month. 



An observing Devonshire gentleman tells me that they 

 frequent some parts of Dartmoor, and breed there ; but 

 leave those haunts about the end of September or 

 beginning of October, and return again about the end 

 of March. 



Another intelligent person assures me that they breed 

 in great abundance all over the Peak of Derby, and are 

 called there Tor-ousels ; withdraw in October and Novem- 

 ber, and return in spring. This information seems to 

 throw some light on my new migration. 



Scopoli's * new work (which I have just procured) has 



* Annus Primus Ilistorico-Naluralis. 



