OF SELBORNE 



123 



Suspended ; in hot summer 

 niglUs all night long. 



Sometimes from bush to 

 bush. 



Uses when singing on the 

 wing odd jerks and ges- 

 ticulations. 



In soft sunny weather. 



Sometimes from bush to 

 bush. 



Birds that breed most early in these parts 



Raven, 



Song-thrush, 



Blackbird, 



Rook, 



Woodlark, 

 Ring-dove, 



Corvus : 



Tardus : 

 Merula : 

 Comix frugilega : 



Alauda arborea : 

 Palumbus torqua- 

 tus : 



Hatches in February and 



March. 

 In March. 

 In March. 

 Builds the beginning of 



March. 

 Hatches in April. 

 Lays the beginning ol 



April. 



All birds that continue in full song till after Midsummer 

 appear to me to breed more than once. 



Most kinds of birds seem to me to be wild and shy 

 somewhat in proportion to their bulk ; I mean in this 

 island, where they are much pursued and annoyed : but 

 In Ascension-island, and many other desolate places, 

 mariners have found fowls so unacquainted with an human 

 figure, that they would stand still to be taken ; as is 

 the case with boobies, etc. As an example of what is 

 advanced, I remark that the golden-crested wren (the 

 smallest British bird) will stand unconcerned till you 

 come within three or four yards of it, while the bustard 

 (otis), the largest British land fowl, does not care to 

 admit a person within so many furlongs. 



I am, etc. 



