OF SELBORNE 101 



mouths : but whether that bleating or humming is ventril- 

 oquous, or proceeds from the motion of their wings, I 

 cannot say ; but this 1 know, that when this noise happens 

 the bird is always descending, and his wings are violently 

 agitated. 



Soon after the lapwings have done breeding they 

 congregate, and, leaving the moors and marshes, betake 

 themselves to downs and sheep-walks. 



Two years ago last spring the little auk was found 

 alive and unhurt, but fluttering and unable to rise, in a 

 lane a few miles from Alresford, where there is a great 

 lake : it was kept a while, but died. 



I saw young teals taken alive in the ponds of Wolmer- 

 forest in the beginning of July last, along with flappers, 

 or young wild-ducks. 



Speaking of the swift, that page says " its drink the 

 dew " ; whereas it should be " it drinks on the wing " ; for 

 all the swallow kind sip their water as they sweep over 

 the face of pools or rivers : like Virgil's bees, they drink 

 flying, " flumina summa libant." In this method of drink- 

 ing perhaps this genus may be peculiar. 



Of the sedge-bird be pleased to say it sings most pari 

 of the night ; its notes are hurrying, but not unpleasing, 

 and imitative of several birds ; as the sparrow, swallow, 

 skylark. When it happens to be silent in the night, by 

 throwing a stone or clod into the bushes where it sits you 

 immediately set it a-singing ; or in other words, though 

 it slumbers sometimes, yet as soon as it is awakened it 

 reassumes its song. 



